Chapter 25 #3
He looked at her. At the stubborn tilt of her chin. The hope still lingering in her eyes despite his harsh words.
“Damn it, woman.” He crossed the room in three strides, grabbing her face and smashing their lips together. Kissing her hard enough to bruise. She resisted at first, then exhaled and relaxed into him. Their tongues and teeth clashed. He couldn’t get enough. Never enough.
There was no question as to why she’d been chosen for him. Not when she battled him so fiercely. When she pushed and pushed and pushed.
It’s like the universe knew exactly what he would need. Knew how to unmake him. Knew how to best him. It had put all of that into this one single person. His very own kryptonite.
When he pulled away, they were both breathing hard. His resolve was crumbling. Had been crumbling since the moment he’d met her.
“Break your curse first,” he heard himself say. “Get your magic back. See what that feels like—being whole again. Having all that power at your fingertips. And then tell me if you would still choose me. Still risk chaining yourself to a near feral wolf.”
“Axel—“
“That’s my final answer, Rebecca.” It was the only compromise he was willing to make.
She stared at him for a long moment, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Then she nodded once. “Fine.”
The tension riding his shoulders eased slightly. “Aye?”
“But you’re wrong.” She reached for his hand, threading her fingers through his. “About me changing my mind. I won’t.”
“We’ll see.”
“I love you.” She said it simply, matter-of-factly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. The wolf inside him howled with delight as warmth spread from his chest to his extremities. “That’s not going to change just because I get my magic back.”
His throat went tight. He wanted to say it back—because Christ, he loved her too. But the words stuck.
She seemed to understand. Her thumb traced circles on the back of his hand. “Come to bed with me?”
“Rebecca—“
“Just to sleep.” A small smile tugged at her lips. “I promise to keep my hands to myself.”
He huffed. “That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“Then what?”
“That I won’t be able to keep mine to myself.”
Her smile widened before she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “I can live with that.”
Before he could protest, she tugged him toward the bed. He followed, helpless to resist. She climbed under the covers, still wearing her skirt and bra, and patted the space beside her.
“Come on, Wolfie. I’m tired.”
He suppressed a chuckle before pulling off his boots and jeans, leaving him in just his boxer briefs.
He went to his chest of drawers and grabbed a clean shirt for her and tossed it to her.
She slipped it over her body, then reached below and undid her bra.
He was grateful. The sight of her tits would have sent him over the edge.
Then she slid out of her skirt and tossed it away.
Still, knowing her pussy was bare underneath, that would be a true test to his control.
He slid into bed beside her, the mattress dipping under his weight.
She immediately curled into him as he settled, her head finding the hollow of his shoulder, her arm draping across his chest. The scent of her wrapped around him, soothing the wolf that had been pacing restlessly inside him all night.
“This okay?” she murmured.
“All good, sweetheart.” He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer.
She pressed a kiss to his chest, right over his heart. “We’re going to find that knife. Break the curse. And then you’ll see I’m not going anywhere.”
He didn’t argue. Just held her tighter, breathing in her scent, feeling the steady rhythm of her heartbeat against his side.
“Axel?”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you. For telling me the truth about us being mates.”
His hand stroked through her hair, feeling a little guilty. This wasn’t the first time he’d kept something from her. “Should have told you sooner.”
“I’m just glad that you did.” Another kiss to his chest. “That’s what matters.”
They lay like that in the darkness, wrapped around each other. His wolf had finally gone quiet, content with having his mate in his arms, safe and warm and here.
“Get some sleep, little witch,” he murmured against her hair.
Her breathing was already evening out, her body growing heavy against his. Within minutes, she was asleep.
But he wasn’t.
He stared at the ceiling, his mind turning over everything that had happened. She loved him. She wanted to be his mate. She wasn’t scared of what that meant. But maybe it was because she didn’t truly understand.
Or perhaps she was braver than he deserved.
His fingers traced idle patterns on her shoulder as exhaustion finally began to tug at him. Eventually they’d find the knife. She’d get back everything that had been stolen from her.
And then she could decide if a dying wolf was really worth chaining herself to.
But tonight—tonight she was his. Safe in his arms. Exactly where she belonged.
His eyes drifted closed, and for the first time in decades, Axel fell asleep without the wolf clawing at his mind.
Just peace.
Just her.