The Mate Mistake(The Woolven Secret 3)(44)

“Is that the only reason you wanted me back?” She regretted the words as soon as they were out of her mouth. “I’m sorry, I…”

“You do know better than that, don’t you?”

She nodded. “I’m just so used to fighting you on everything. Greeting everything with suspicion.”

“Part of that is my fault. I know that.” He held her tighter. “This thing with your wolf, you know they don’t live forever. They live a long time, but not forever. Not like you. Do you understand what that means?”

It meant the blistering loss that burned through her soul earlier would come for her one way or another.

Loving anyone who was not her kind meant losing.

She nodded slowly, even as ice descended down her spine.

“I’ll put off my long sleep until then, if you want him. And when he’s gone, you’ll have the murder.”

Realization struck her hard. “That’s what you did, isn’t it? After Siduri?” My mother.

This future was what she had to look forward to. Memories of everything they shared would turn to dust and she’d be left with only the blood.

“Yes. I had the murder and you.”

It all became clear. “That’s why you wanted me to drink. You thought it would make me hard. Cold. So I’d never have to feel this.”

“Too late, isn’t it?”

She swallowed hard. After he was well, she could leave him. She could help them win the war and then she could leave. She could go back to El Castillo and pass the days of his life. She could hollow out her heart so she never had to feel that again.

Belle had always thought of herself as a coward, but she hadn’t realized the extent of her weakness until just now.

As the speeding limo carried them closer to Aphelion, the more she wanted to run.





Chapter 13





Parker had thought he knew what death felt like when he’d gotten shitfaced on Wolfsbane liquor.

It hadn’t even been close.

Well, the throbbing in his head was pretty on point. He felt hungover like he had after the Wolfsbane.

But the death part. It had been so much more.

And so much less.

When that grappling hook had pierced his chest, his whole life hadn’t flashed before his eyes. Not the things he’d already done, but the things he hadn’t.

Everything he’d ever secretly wanted bloomed in a movie reel that seemed to play both forever, and then had been over in a second, the images narrowing to a pinprick of a second, to that single moment in time when his heart had been pulled out of his chest.

There’d been no pain after that, nothing but a numbing empty cold that went on forever.

It was the empty that was the worst. Seeing that long dark and being without his brothers, his uncle, his Westwood...

His new nephew, Noah.

His mate.

Yet, he knew if given the chance, he'd go back to that cold place. Back to that loneliness if that's what it took to keep any of them safe.

Parker would not hesitate.

There was a certain peace in that for him. A rightness. No, he'd not be able to see Blake and Randi's child come into the world. Or Noah grow. Or even watch his uncle fall in love again, as he was so sure that he would. But the fact remained that their lives would continue in trade for his. They'd get those things.

He'd always said he would do what he had to for his family, but it was an easy line to talk, and now he knew it wasn't just talk.

It was the walk, and he'd taken those steps.

In his most secret self, he'd doubted his strength. His commitment. Himself. He'd never been called on to put anyone before himself. He'd always been spoiled brat, Baby Woolven.

Maybe he was still Baby Woolven.

Maybe he was still spoiled. In fact, he knew he'd like to keep it that way.

But he knew what he was made of.

And Parker Woolven no longer found it lacking.

When he'd finally accepted he wasn't dead— he was, in fact, home at Aphelion in his bed and Belle was next to him—he knew a moment of utter bliss. Wolves weren't supposed to purr, but his did.

It was a low rumble in his chest, and he forced his aching body to roll over and pull her close to him.

She fit so perfectly against him. Just that connection, that touch, soothed the throbbing in his head and tuned out so much of the pain in the rest of his body.

At the moment, it felt like the powers that be were putting him back together out of only eggshells and nails. Everything felt broken.

Except for this thing between him and Belle.

He knew that was a kind of illusion. He knew she had her own path she had to walk and that it was going to take her away from him. He could only hope it wouldn't be forever.

Parker nuzzled the back of her neck, loving that cacao scent of her.

She squirmed against his grip and struggled to roll over and face him.