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I sniffled. “You’d still do the same thing again.”
“Yes. But I’m sorry I hurt you.”
I pulled at my hand, but Nathaniel clearly had no plans to let it go.
“My only excuse is that I’ve been tied in knots since the moment we met. I’d never expected my wolf to choose a mate before I could. But the moment I saw you, the moment I heard your laugh, the moment I watched you wield that smart mouth…all I felt was relief. Because sometimes the man disagrees with the wolf, and all I could think was that I would have chosen you a thousand times without hesitation.”
I sucked in a shaky breath. “We didn’t…hang out after we met. We met months and months ago, and it was only when the kids started disappearing that you contacted me.”
His gaze was frank, open, and…tender. “Because I don’t deserve you. I’ve killed innocents, Evie. I’ve made decisions that hurt the few to protect the many. My hands are stained with blood, and I’d do it all again to keep my pack safe. You’re sunshine, and I’m the shadows, and I have no business being anywhere near you. That was one of the reasons I made your sister swear not to tell you. I knew you were my mate, and I knew you’d disappear if you found out. You’d been through so much, and all my wolf wanted was to protect you. To know where you were and to keep an eye on you, even if it was from a distance.”
“So, when you told Danica not to tell me, it was because you never thought you’d act on the mating?”
He nodded. “With the kids…I knew you’d figure out what they were up to. But the moment you were in my territory, I felt as if the missing piece of my soul had slid into place.”
“You didn’t think you were worthy of me?” I stared at him. That was ridiculous.
“I’m not. But the more time I spent with you, the more I needed you. You made me feel like more than just the werewolf Alpha for the first time in years. You made me feel like a man. A man who could maybe even have love.”
My heart stuttered, and he gave me a sweet grin. “Only love could make me act like a complete idiot.”
His hand was so warm on my face. I glanced at his wound to find it mostly healed—the pixie dust and wolf healing it together.
“Never lie to me again, Nathaniel. I can take it from anyone but you.”
He sat up. I attempted to push him back down, but it was like pushing against one of the boulders that had blocked our way. “Never, Evie. I swear to you, I will never lie to you again. No matter what.”
My eyes flooded. He pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek, and thenIwas the one lying down, and he was poised over me, his gaze hot.
“What the hell are you doing? You’re still hurt, you idiot.”
He laughed. “There’s that smart mouth.” He played with one of my curls. “You were worried about me.”
“Well, yeah.”
“Because you feel it too.”
I sighed, reached my hand up, and ran it through his hair. “Yeah. I feel it too.”
It would be easier if I didn’t. I’d certainly never planned to feel like this, especially when it came to the werewolf Alpha. But he’d burrowed his way into my heart.
He lowered his head, giving me plenty of time to push him away.
I didn’t.
His mouth was firm and warm against mine, coaxing me into kissing him back. I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck, and he groaned.
I froze, jerking my head away.
He slipped his hand around the back of my head and held me steady. It obviously hadn’t been a groan of pain, because Nathaniel plundered my mouth, his tongue stroking mine, claiming me.
Our kiss was a mutual apology, a healing, and the beginning of something new, all at once.
“Be mine, Evie. I’ll be yours too. And I promise, I’ll be the best mate you could have ever hoped for.” His voice was gruff, hoarse, and I didn’t hesitate.
Truthfully, part of me had known the moment I’d seen him down here, ready to protect both Kyla and me.
I’d known he would come. Because I knew, no matter what, no matter how angry we were with each other, for the rest of our lives, he would come for me. And I’d do the same for him.
