Never Cry Wolf (Night Watch #4)(83)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“I—I know.”

His gaze dropped to her mouth. “You could do better than me.” Said gruffly. “We’re bound, but you don’t have to spend your days with—”

“Watch it, wolf,” she warned, her own voice sharp. “You’re talking about my mate.”

His jaw clenched. “Mating doesn’t equal love.”

Okay, why didn’t he just claw her heart out? “With you, for me, it does.”

Lucas stared at her, then his eyelids squeezed shut. “I’m going to f**k this up. I’m not easy to live with, hell, nothing about pack is easy.”

Her fingers curled over his broad shoulders. “What makes you think life with me is easy?” She paused. “What makes you think I want easy?” Maybe she should have been trying to spare her pride and pull back from him, but her confession was out there, and she wasn’t going to slink away in shame.

His eyes open. Burned with so much intensity. “I’m a possessive bastard. I’m wild. The animal inside is too strong. I can’t always control him.”

Bull. “You have more control than anyone I’ve ever met.”

His legs eased between hers. She could feel his arousal, thick and hard and so long. Aroused, but . . . he wasn’t pushing his flesh against her.

Sex wasn’t going to solve this. They both seemed to understand that.

“I’ll lie for you, Sarah. Kill for you.”

He already had.

“I’d turn my back on the pack for you . . .”

Now he had her tensing because that was more of a sacrifice than she’d ever ask of him.

“And I will never want anyone as much as I want you.” He shook his head. “But I don’t know that I can give you what you need.”

And he was breaking her heart. Her hand slid down his chest. Pressed once more over the heart that raced so fast. “What do you want for me?”

His brows furrowed.

“What do you want my life to be like?”

A muscle flexed in his jaw. “I want you . . . happy.” Promising. Maybe he really didn’t know. “When you’re with me, how do you feel?”

His breath hissed out. “Like I’ve finally found home.”

The wolf was going to make her cry. “That’s how I feel when I’m with you. Like I belong. Like I found a part of myself that was missing . . . I didn’t even know it was missing. . . .” Not until she’d walked into a jail and peered at a wolf caged behind the bars. Mine. “I love you, Lucas, and I’m not going to walk away. I won’t give up on us.” Whatever came their way—wolves, wars, pack—she’d stay by his side.

“Love.” He said the word as if he were tasting it. “You’re the first thing I think about when I open my eyes. The last damn thing at night. And when I dream . . .” He swallowed. “It’s of you. Sarah, is that close to love?”

So lost. Her big, bad wolf was strong in so many ways. She’d teach him this. Show him the way. “Yes, Lucas, it’s close.” No, better than close.

“I’d rip apart anyone who hurt you, and damn, woman, I feel like I’d give my soul—or whatever the hell is left of it—just to see you smile.”

Better than close. “That’s love,” she whispered.

His brows smoothed. His lips began to curl. “Then Sarah King . . . I love you.”

She was pretty sure her fast heartbeat shook her chest. Maybe even the whole bed.

“I won’t let you go,” he told her, his mouth so close to hers that she could taste him. Would taste him, very soon.

“Good. Because I’d hate to hunt you down.” She nipped at his lip and felt the tightening of his body.

“Forever, Sarah?”

“Forever, Lucas,” she promised.

Bound, linked, always—with her big, bad wolf.

Epilogue

“Caleb’s gone.” Dane spun around as soon as he made the announcement. Shit, okay, he should not have busted into the alpha’s room. But, wow, Sarah had one fine ass.

Lucas’s growl filled the bedroom. “Don’t look back, Dane.”

Yeah, he knew a death threat when he heard one. Dane stared into the hallway. “He slipped away while we were fighting Rafe.” His gut tightened. “Do we hunt him?”

“Lucas . . .” Sarah’s soft voice. Husky. Sounded like pleasure and sex.

Lucky bastard.

But maybe, just maybe, he could have the devil’s luck, too. Karen had survived the attack. He’d already checked the hospital. Had to check. She’d survived.

Now what would he do with her? To her?

If Caleb hadn’t pulled this vanishing crap, he’d be at Karen’s side right then.

“He didn’t kill when he had the chance. He never went for your throat,” Sarah told Lucas.

Sheets rustled. Dane still didn’t look back as he asked, “Is he Lone?” Cast out. Left to fight and struggle on his own.

“No.”

Dane’s head jerked but he managed—barely—not to glance over his shoulder.

“Not yet. The pack will judge. All of the pack. Once we find him.”

Dane stepped into the hallway. “Do we start the hunt now?”

“No need.” More sheets rustled. Dane heard Sarah sigh softly. “I know where he’s going,” Lucas said. “There’s only one person in town that might be able to help him, and she’s already being watched by pack.”

“Then what are the orders?”

“Stand down—and wait. Our lost wolf will be back. One way or another . . .”

Josette slipped the ruby ring onto her finger. A perfect fit. Her mother’s ring. Taken when Carline was slaughtered in a dirty alley by a vamp.

Taken, but then retrieved by another. Maya had recovered the ring when she’d killed the vampire who’d drained Josette’s mother.

We’re not all monsters. Maya’s words, spoken years ago. Josette just hadn’t wanted to believe her then.

Now, she knew the truth.

“What’s happened to you, Josie?” Maya asked quietly. They’d washed away the blood. Bandaged the wounds. Now Josette stood, waiting.

Because she knew what was coming.

Thanks to her grand-mère, she wasn’t weak anymore. Wouldn’t ever be weak again, and now, she knew everything.

Not all monsters. No, some paranormals were good, some were bad. Just like humans.

And they would be coming to her. Over and over. Seeking help. Seeking power. Seeking life.