Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33372 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33372 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
“You must have been so disappointed in me,” Karina said.
“No,” William said, pulling her in close. “I was never disappointed in you. Not at all. You are an amazing person, Karina. You’re a daughter I can be proud of. Even when I forced the whole pack to protect you, you went and stood your ground and forced them all to see that you were capable of being a member of this pack. I wanted to protect you, but I see in my protection, I was wrong. You’re a wonderful person, Karina. A star, a gem, and you are more than prepared to be an alpha’s mate.”
Karina stood up. She hugged her father and then glanced toward the clock on her wall. There was still time.
“I’ve got to go. Thank you, Dad, but I’ve got to go to Rage.”
She rushed out of her room without another glance, and raced downstairs. What the hell had she done? Why had she left Rage like that?
She was an idiot. No doubt about it.
She flung open the door and stepped outside, but then she spotted Rose and Rage making their way around the back. It was the path Karina knew Rose liked to try and sneak boys into her room. Rose had never been successful. Closing the door, she ran to catch up with them. Rage heard her coming and spun around.
Now, as she stood face to face with her mate, with Rage, words failed her. He looked so good, but she saw the frown on his face. She’d caused that. In trying to do right by her mate, she had failed, big time.
“Rage,” she said.
“Ah, I see my sister has come to her senses. I will leave the two of you alone.” Rose was gone, leaving her and Rage to look at one another.
“Karina.”
He took a step toward her and she placed her hand flat against his chest.
“Wait.” She wanted more than anything to be in his arms, but she had to do this. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t care. You’re okay, that is all that matters.”
She sighed. “But, I shouldn’t have left you.”
Rage gripped her wrist and pulled her in close.
Karina didn’t fight him. It had been only hours since she had last been in his arms, but that had felt like a lifetime ago. She wrapped her arms around him, not wanting to let go.
For several seconds, she just breathed him in. It would be so easy to just give in, but she needed Rage to hear her. She pulled away, but stayed into his arms.
“I love you. I love you so much and I’m scared. I thought I was going to ruin your life.”
“You could never ruin my life, Karina.”
“I’m not a wolf, and I don’t know how long I’ll be able to be with you. I know how the pack looks up to my mom. What if your pack doesn’t want me?”
Rage cupped her face, forcing her to look at him. “My pack will love you, because they know that I love you. I get it, okay? I get that you’re nervous, and you don’t know what the future will bring. None of us do, but what I do know is this, Karina. If you’re only with me for fifty years, or a hundred years, or even for fucking ten years, then I don’t want to waste a single moment of them. I’ve been alive a lot longer than you. I know what it means to be lonely, to be hunting for something and having no clue what I’m looking for. I love you. You’re my mate—my soulmate—and I will do whatever it takes to keep you.”
Tears blurred her vision.
“I was supposed to give the big speech. I don’t want to live without you, Rage.”
“Then don’t. Don’t run away again. Always come to me, whenever you’re scared or uncertain.” He kissed her lips and Karina melted against him.
His kisses were everything.
His touch was everything.
This man was everything to her.
“Does this mean my dad has his alliance?” Karina asked.
Rage chuckled. “It means that if I ever hear of a rogue, it better run away because I’m going to hunt them all fucking down.”
“Are we having a Christmas wedding? Halloween? Karina could dress up as a wolf?” Rose asked.
Karina sighed and shook her head.
She turned to see her father, mother, three brothers, and sister had all come out of the house. Karina had known her father knew about Rose’s secret sneak path.
“William Westblood, I would never have turned my back on you, but now we are bound by more than an agreement, we our bound by blood and by family.”
William nodded.
Karina rested her head against her mate’s chest. There was still fear, but she had a feeling with him in her world, she would be able to tackle anything.
Epilogue
Twenty Years Later
Rage finished changing the diaper on his youngest daughter. At six months old, she had to be the only child to create the biggest stink.