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“Amanda, I’ve wanted you for so damn long it physically hurts to have you this close knowing we have a bond that hasn’t been made official.”
Made official.He’s talking about claiming and marking each other.
As much as I’ve been dreaming about those things, I feel too raw from my attack to say yes to either part right now. I won’t let full-blood wolves dictate my life for me any longer.
It’s mine, and I get to choose how I live it.
“I know a lot happened at that beach,” he goes on. “So, I won’t push. I just needed you to know, I’m all in with you.”
I can’t help but smile. It feels so damn good to hear those words.
He kisses my hand and smiles back before he moves to the fridge.
“I can’t pretend to be a good cook, but I can make a decent grilled cheese.”
“Well, you’re in luck, because that’s my favorite.”
I pull out a chair at the table and sit down while he makes the food.
The exhaustion I felt in the car isn’t completely gone, but I’ve been invigorated since we got back so I don’t feel like I need to pass out anymore.
It feels good to know that Jake is sure about us.
Even better, I’ve taken charge of my life.
I don’t need to feel bad about being who I am. I don’t need to live my life serving the needs of others. I can have a life of my own, just like everyone else.
“Are you planning on coming back to Fallen Pines after college?” I ask, glad that I applied to the same school he did and got accepted. If one thing has been good about feeling inferior to the other wolves in this town, it’s how hard I worked to keep my grades above average. It felt like the only way to stand out, and it definitely helped with my college applications.
“I’m not sure,” he admits, as he puts the first grilled cheese on a plate.
He puts it down in front of me. “We should talk about how we’re going to work the whole college thing, first. We can decide where we’ll settle down later.”
Settle down? Why does that phrase make my stomach flutter?
Goddess, it feels like I’m ready to do that right now.
Forget college and whatever else.
I want to be claimed and married and everything else that comes with that.
Wow. Is this what it feels like to be accepted?
Am I feeling like this because Jake’s made it clear I’m his?
Was that all I was waiting for to unlock this potent desire to have a family of my own?
I guess it could be because I’ve always felt alone. I don’t remember my parents well, and Aunt Maria never wanted kids. The desire to fit in has been driving me, but now that I don’t care about that, I’m realizing I have other, deeper wants and needs.
Jake puts a grilled cheese in front of me, and a can of soda.
I smile up at him, my true mate.
He smiles back at me. “I hope you like it, because it’s pretty much the only thing I know how to make.”
“I’m sure I’ll love it,” I tell him, as I pick up one half of the hot sandwich and take a tiny bite.
It’s pretty damn hot. I set the sandwich down and crack open the soda.
