“I won’t leave you again. You’re safest with all your mates.”
“You won’t?” For some reason, I expect him to don his mask and run back into the forest without me at any moment.
“No.” He shakes his head.
“Why do you wear the mask?”
“I’m not a good man, Love. I kill men for a living, I don’t want people to see my face and know who I am.”
“Do you only kill bad men?”
“Aye.”
“Are you ever going to tell me your name?”
“Drake Devoney.”
“Drake,” I whisper his name, wanting to feel it on my lips. His tongue peeks out, slowly trailing along his lower lip as he watches mine.
“So, what do we do now?” I ask, trying not to reach out and grab him like I want to.
“Now, Love, you agree to be mine and tell me you’ll marry me. Then, I’m going to take you somewhere where there aren’t a dozen bodies littering the ground, and I’m going to make love to you while telling you how beautiful you are and feeding you bacon.”
My eyes widen in surprise before I start laughing. I can’t remember when I said that. It must have been months ago when I said all I wanted was for a man to tell me I’m pretty and feed me bacon.
“Even your laugh is sexy,” he says, his lips moving closer to mine. I feel his breath on mine as he whispers, “Say it.”
“Say what?” I ask, playing dumb.
“Love,” he growls out. “Don’t toy with me, I’ve been watching you for a long time, I ache to have you, to take care of you. Now, tell me you're mine.”
“I’m yours.” The second the words are out of my mouth, he presses into me. His kiss is strong and demanding. He forces his tongue in, taking control and I gladly let him. I have no idea how he’s so good at this, but I can’t stop from moaning into him as my hands come up to feel the hard muscles on his chest.
When he finally pulls back, he cups my face in his hands, searching my eyes. He must find what he’s looking for because he nods, then bends and scoops me up in his arms. “Let’s find somewhere a little more romantic, shall we? A place you deserve.”
“You should know that I’m also extremely filthy from traveling through the desert.”
“Okay, the inn then.”
“What about the others? My other mates?”
“I think I heard someone say they were a few days behind?”
“Probably a day, depending how fast they move.”
“Okay, let’s get you cleaned up and claimed. Then we will wait near the edge of the forest for them, okay?”
“Wow, you really know how to take care of a girl’s needs, don’t you?” I say, my arms looped around his neck as I stare up at him.
“Just you, Little Mouse, only you.” I rest my head against him and close my eyes, knowing that Drake will take care of me.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-NINE
DRAKE
Ican’t believe I’m finally holding her. After months of watching and waiting, she’s finally mine. I thought she might try to fight my claim on her, especially when I’d overheard her talking about how much she dislikes the mating hunt. But I was never really part of it, just like she wasn’t.
But it didn’t matter. The moment my eyes locked on her body, I knew she was mine. I had never given much thought to fated mates before, but I knew that must be what this is. I feel her in my chest, pulling me to her. And whenever she’d really needed me, the pull became unbearable until I found her… in trouble.