Chapter 10
TEN
Luke
My brothers arrived, preventing Katie from replying to my declaration of love. Then Sheriff Danvers showed up, grumbling about how we were busy causing trouble again. He would never be a fan of ours, but at least he was dealing with my father.
My father was bundled into the back of the sheriff’s truck after his leg was splinted.
I couldn’t hide the smile that crossed my face at the memory of Katie swinging that stick at him.
She was not one for taking a back seat, obviously, and it had proven to be a perfect distraction, allowing me to gain the upper hand with my father.
I made Mason check on Katie and Eli first. Eli was mostly unscathed. He had a few rope burns but no broken skin. He was also exhausted and fighting sleep now that the excitement was over.
Katie had bruises in several places and a tiny cut on her head, thanks to a rough ride in the truck bed. Her wrists were also scraped badly. Mason cleaned the broken skin and slathered it with antibiotic cream before wrapping gauze around her wrists.
“Your turn now.” Mason stood in front of me. “What are your injuries?”
“Couple bites on my right leg. Another on my side.” I dropped my sweatpants, revealing the deep wound on my thigh.
Mason grimaced. “That might need stitches. Lucky for you, Emily added a numbing cream to my first-aid kit.”
“Remind me to thank her.” We avoided the local hospitals, as they didn’t know how to properly care for shifters.
We healed faster than humans, so we needed to work quickly.
Mason never bothered with anesthetics, something Emily had been on his case about ever since she’d had to stitch Austin up after he got gored by our bull.
He applied the cream, then prepared the needle and thread. Eli came closer, his face a mix of fascination and horror. “He’s going to sew you up? Cool.”
I held out my fist to Eli, and he grinned as he bumped it with his. He watched every stitch, and I told him about shifter healing. Thanks to the numbing cream, I mostly felt only a tugging sensation.
When we returned to the ranch, Emily checked the stitches Mason had done and nodded with approval. Eli had fallen asleep on the drive, so I carried him as Katie and I walked to their cabin. He didn’t stir the entire way back. She pulled back his covers, and I laid him on the bed.
We sat on the couch, my arm around her shoulders as she leaned against my chest. Her legs lay across mine, and I rested my free hand on her thigh.
“I’m sorry you got mixed up in my mess.” Now that everything was over, the fear I’d held back rushed through me. I hadn’t allowed myself to feel it earlier, as I’d needed to focus on saving her. Now, the worst-case scenarios that could have happened played in a loop.
“It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known your father would take Eli.” She traced patterns on the skin of my forearm.
“If I’d walked Eli to the cabin, he wouldn’t have had the chance.” Guilt settled in my gut. “Can you forgive me?”
“Hey, he’s fourteen. He’s old enough to walk alone for a few minutes.” She peered up at me. “There’s nothing to forgive.”
“The thought of losing you two… I’ve never felt so worried.” My hold on her tightened, and I blew out a ragged breath.
“It’s over now. Your father no longer has anything to hold over your head.” She burrowed deeper into my arms. “Your brothers know about your past, and Eli and I are safe.”
I scrubbed my face with my hands. “Now I just need to wait for the fallout from my brothers.”
“What do you mean?” She rubbed her cheek against my chest.
“I can understand they wouldn’t say anything while you and Eli were in danger, but my past isn’t that easy to accept.”
“Luke, your past doesn’t define you. Your actions do. You saved Eli and me.” Her cheek was over my heart, and it felt like her words had a direct line to it. “You’re a good man. You prove that every day.”
A protest died in my throat. Was she right?
“What about Eli? Is he just a troubled boy?” She asked.
My breath left me in a rush. My voice rasped out. “Of course not.”
“If you wouldn’t hold Eli’s past against him, why do you hold your own against yourself?” Her fingers clutched my shirt, then smoothed the fabric out again.
I took a shaky breath in. “Why do you have to introduce logic? Now I have to question everything I’ve ever thought about myself.”
She chuckled, her cheek vibrating against my chest. “Maybe that’s why I’m your mate. To straighten you out.”
An idea swirled through my head, but I hesitated to put it into words. I might be rushing things and overstepping. Still, I needed to take a chance.
I cleared my throat. “I was thinking… I don’t know if you’re ready for this, or if it would even work out, but I…”
She shifted on the couch to face me. “What is it?”
“I thought if you were ready to be my mate, we could take in Eli.” The words rushed out before I second-guessed them. “I know you were probably going to send him to Shifter Alley, and I’m sure he’d do fine there. But I feel like he’s ours.”
She stared at me, lips parted. I stayed quiet, letting her turn it over in her head. She straightened, and my arm fell away from her shoulders. “I’d have to clear that with my boss. I can’t just place him with us. It would mean home visits. You’d have to be approved as a foster parent.”
Hope bloomed in my chest. “I’ll do it. You can move into my cabin. It has its own kitchen, and there are three bedrooms.”
She chewed her lip. “He’s already formed connections here. That should work in our favor.” She placed her palm on my chest. “I can’t make any promises. But we can try.”
I leaned down to rest my forehead against hers. “Even if it doesn’t work, I’m sure we can visit him in Shifter Alley. I don’t want to abandon him. I never want him to think we don’t care.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “We’ll make sure he knows.”
I twisted her hair around my finger. “I need to tell you something about the mate bond.” I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. How could I tell her without freaking her out? I didn’t think I could. “Completing the bond requires me to mark you.”
“What does that mean?”
I brushed my fingers along the curve of her neck, where it met her shoulder. “During mating, I would bite you. Right here.”
She blinked rapidly. “Oh.” She sucked in a breath. “Does it hurt?”
“I’m told there’s some pain, but it’s followed by pleasure.” I swallowed. “If you say no, I’ll understand.”
“This is important to you?” She tilted her head and met my gaze. “Be honest.”
“Yes. My wolf will never fully settle without completing the bond.”
She studied me, the wheels turning in her head nearly visible. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
She nodded firmly. “I’m in. When do you want to do this?”
Words leaped into my throat, but I shoved them down.
Instinct clamored for me to do it immediately, but we were both recovering from injuries, and Eli was sleeping in the second bedroom.
“As soon as your wrists heal. I’m sure one of my brothers will take Eli for the night.
Maybe Ethan can take him and Jonah camping. ”
“Sounds like a plan.” She bit her lip. “It feels forward to say this, but we may need to get married. It could help us get approved to take Eli.”
“It’s not forward at all.” I grinned at her. “Marking is the shifter version of marriage. We might as well make it official in both worlds.”
A quick laugh escaped her. “Two days ago, I didn’t even know you. And now we’re talking marriage.”
“It’s the bond. Even though you’re human, you’re still affected. It can make you do crazy things.” I dropped a kiss on her nose. “Thank you for making me the happiest shifter in the world.”
Katie
I gave Eli a quick hug, and Luke held out his backpack. Ethan and Gabriel were taking the boys camping for two nights, giving me and Luke a mini honeymoon.
Two months had passed since we’d decided to get married. We’d told Mae the next day, and she’d taken control like a general, arranging everything. The other mates took me out shopping for a wedding dress, and we found a simple white sundress that fit perfectly.
The wedding was small but beautiful, though I only had eyes for Luke.
Eli stood by his side as his best man, his chest puffed up with pride.
We were still waiting for final approval to be his foster parents long term, but it was looking promising.
It was obvious to anyone who spoke to him that the ranch had done wonders for Eli.
The officiant’s words barely registered, but I must have heard them, because I spoke my vows at the right time and repeated the right words. I just remembered Luke’s hand holding mine. His skin, calloused from working on the ranch, warm against my own.
After he kissed me, the world rushed back in as everyone came forward to congratulate us. My parents hadn’t made it, something about being too busy, but the acceptance of Luke’s family dwarfed the twinge of sadness.
Mae and Hannah had prepared a lunch for everyone, including a large three-tiered cake, followed by dancing and lots of laughter. Shifters may not usually have weddings, but they apparently knew how to throw a party.
But now, Luke and I were alone. We swayed while embracing, half dancing, even though there was no music. He kissed me softly. Gently. As if I were something precious.
I slid my hands around his neck, tangling my fingers in his hair. The kiss deepened, and I raised up on my toes to better meet his lips. He lifted me, sliding his hands to the back of my legs to wrap them around his waist, and walked to our bedroom.
He’d refused to go beyond kissing for the last two months, insisting I needed to heal first. Then he’d decided we should wait for the wedding. I’d protested, but when he admitted he wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold back from marking me, and he wanted to do it right, I gave in.