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Tasha
He’s here.
My wolf is nearly bowled over by a wave of relief that Paxton came. I worried he might; she hoped he would. The intensity of the mate bond feels like a physical weight barreling into my chest, making me unsteady on my feet.
Paxton doesn’t speak a word, but I can feel his presence closing in on me. My desire to run wars with my wolf’s desperation to throw myself at him and promise never to run from him ever again.
Stay. Please stay.My feet move toward the front door despite the fact that I know better. Letting him in will only bring more trouble.
It’s not like he’s going to stay out.
I don’t know what it is about this house, but I’ve never felt more in tune with my wolf. My wolf spent months suffering in agonizing near-silence as I mourned losing Jimmy. A few hours on true Sovereign ground, and my wolf feels as strong as she ever has. There’s something special about the energy here.
A shadow finally breaks free of the tree line.
Paxton.
Of course he couldn’t drive the road here like any normal shifter might. Every move he makes feels calculated and only makes me more wary of him.That makes one of us.My wolf is ready to bask in the glow of him showing up like a creepy stalker. Super helpful.
Heisn’t a stalker. He’sour mate. It’s time to open your heartto what comes next.
My wolf’s words don’t seem fair. I thought that’s what I had already done by embracing training to be the Luna Sovereign. I left my sister behind to stay with the Sovereign Pack. I’m not afraid of moving forward… Am I? It’s my duty to honor my lost mate’s memory. How can I do that if I accept Paxton when he’s the opposite of Jimmy in every way?
I should reject him properly. It might hurt at first, but it’s the right thing to do. He could meet someone who doesn’t mind that he’s a rogue with almost no ties to his family. And I can move on as the Luna Sovereign the fates chose me to be.
The fates also chose Paxton for you, my wolf reminds me.
My mind—both the human and wolf halves—fall strangely silent as Paxton stalks toward me on his paws. He only shifts once he’s a few feet away; I can’t look away from his stormy eyes and down-turned eyebrows as he shifts into human form.
Guilt stirs low in my stomach. “Paxton—”
He doesn’t let the halfhearted apology roll off my tongue. He leaps forward to close the distance between us, his mouth hard against mine. He wraps one hand around my neck and the other in my hair to hold me still as if he thinks I’ll flee at any moment. When I don’t struggle, his mouth softens slightly, his tongue teasing my bottom lip.
I can feel the desperation seeping out of him, and I tell myself that’s why I don’t pull away. He needs this. I can give this to him and still walk away afterward.
Yeah, right.
I don’t want to have to think about what it means that no one has ever kissed me like this. Like he’s kissing me stupid. My mind goes mercifully blank, and I part my lips for him, letting him in the only way I can survive right now.
His tongue sweeps into my mouth, taking advantage of the closest thing to permission I’ve given him. I know I should stop this before it goes too far, but my brain already feels like it’s been melted down like silver. It doesn’t help that while I can’t form a single coherent thought, my wolf does freaking cartwheels inside my skull.
“Tasha,” he whispers my name against my lips, and it makes me shudder.
It also brings me back to reality.
I put my hand on his chest and shove him backward. He only moves back a step, his eyes dropping to stare between us at my outstretched hand. None of my protective energy radiates off of me, and I realize a moment too late how telling that is as his lips curl up at one side. It’s mortifying to give myself away so easily.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“No.” I cross my arms nervously over my chest, and his eyes follow the movement. I clear my throat in warning, forcing his gaze up to my eyes. “You shouldn’t have followed me here. I obviously ran from you for a reason.”
I watch his expression, wondering if Leah shared her painting with him too. His dark eyes give away nothing. As much as I wish I could in this moment, I can’t read minds.
“You should go.”
“If you’re not leaving, then I’m not leaving.” As if to prove how easily he can take the decision out of my hands, Paxton brushes past me into the cottage.
“You can’t just come in here.” I’m pretty sure there’s rules about it but right now my mind is painfully blanking on them. I think he might actually have kissed me stupid. “If Waverly finds out, she’ll be angry.” And also probably hate me even more than she already does.
