Arden’s Mate(12)
* * * *
Arden knew he had to tell her, he just didn’t want to. Remy had promised she wouldn’t run, but when she learnt what being with a shifter meant, would she break her promise and leave?
Arden hugged her tighter and breathed in her orange and passion fruit scent. “You may not have a choice.”
Remy stiffened against him.
“It all has to do with fate.” He kissed her head. “Everything has changed. A couple of years ago—ah hell, even a year ago—werewolves didn’t really mate humans. We knew about supernatural people, but we never had them living with us like we do now. Faith changed all that. So we don’t know too much about human-werewolf mating, but it seems to be different for everyone. What I do know is that I would never leave you or our child.”
Remy shook her head against him. “You can’t promise that. Eve has been telling me how reckless you’ve been when you go hunting. If something happened to you I couldn’t do it on my own.” She shivered. “I don’t want to get close to someone and they leave me.”
In that moment, he got it. Remy was terrified of falling in love with him, with everyone around her, and them leaving like her parents did or dying on her like her grandmother did. “My little pixie, you will never be alone again, I can promise you that. If something was to happen to me, I have a family who would help. My family is not just my immediate family, I’m talking about my pack, our pack. Remy, they’re your family now too, whether you want them or not. I know right now most of them are angry at you, but they’ll come around, you just have to show them you will stay. You don’t even have to help with the demo—”
“No. I want to help fight the demons. I’m ready now. I’ve had time to think and mentally prepare myself.” She snuggled her arse into him and nuzzled her head back against him. “I promise I won’t run again. I know I have a lot to prove to you, to everyone, but I’ll do it, even if it takes the rest of my life.”
“Okay. I’ll support you and help whenever I can.”
She brought his hand up and kissed his knuckles. “Thank you.”
Arden drew circles with the tip of his finger on her stomach. She sighed and relaxed against him. Arden believed her and hoped she didn’t have to spend the rest of her life making it up to her friends. Arden forgave her, he just wasn’t going to tell her yet. He was still angry that she left him without even a note to say goodbye or explain herself.
Arden hoped after everything that had happened he could love her and she could learn to love him. They had a long way to go, but he was eager to work things out, to make them work. Nothing in life that’s worth having comes easily.
They laid against each other in silence until he felt his cock slip out of her. Remy moaned, and he rolled her over so her head rested against his chest. Her breathing slowed, and he knew she was asleep. Easing away from her, he changed into his wolf form and closed his eyes, letting sleep claim him.
* * * *
Remy had her first nightmare-free night in months. Her body was warm, and she was comfortable, something she hadn’t been in a long time. For a moment she basked in the safe, content feeling. She rubbed her face against the hard, warm pillow. “Mmm, smells good.” She was surrounded by a smell she didn’t remember falling asleep to, the smell of freshly cut grass mixed with a sea breeze.
Her pillow vibrated with a chuckle, and it was such a nice sound, soothing. “I showered, trimmed my hair, and shaved. I’m glad you approve.”
“I do. Much better than last night.”
“I’m glad. I thought we could go out to get some breakfast—well, lunch with what the time is—and then go buy some groceries. We’ll need some garbage bags and cleaning products.” Arden’s fingers stroked her back, and she loved the feel of his touch. “I also thought we could stop by your place and get some things if you like.”
She wondered if she had to live here did she have to sell her house. “Can I keep it?” She eased up and gazed at him, smiling when she saw his big, bushy beard gone and his hair cut. The black in his eyes seemed to have faded slightly too.
“Yes. It’s yours. You can do whatever you want with it.”
“I can? You won’t make me get rid of it because I have to live here with you?”
“You don’t want to live with me?”
“I thought I had to. Isn’t it a part of the mate thing?”
“I want you to live with me, my wolf won’t have it any other way, but I want you to be with me because you want to, not because you have to. I don’t want to push you and have you hate me. I want this to work. I realized something last night as I watched you sleep. You, my little pixie, run when you feel like you’re backed into a corner with no exits. You need at least one way out, even if you don’t leave. I have to give you the choice and hope you don’t take the exit.”