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And by the way she continued to tug him closer, kissing him with her own sweet fierceness, Kade knew she wanted him, too.

He pulled away, resting his forehead on hers. “Do not doubt that I want you. Need you, Evelyn.”

She shuddered at his words. “I don’t know how to not doubt myself, not yet anyway, but I trust you.”

Kade kissed her forehead. Her cheek. Her other cheek. And then her lips.

“I know I said I came to convince you to come back with me and fulfill our duty, but my focus shifted. I wanted to get to know you. I wanted to understand you. Not because of your title or that you were my betrothed, but because of you.”

Evelyn melted into his arms, resting her head on his chest. A long sigh escaped her, and Kade held her tight.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Evelyn

The next morning, Evelyn awoke earlier than Kade. Sound asleep, her werewolf lay on his side, one hand splayed across her belly. Serene and calm, his features were at ease, and he breathed deeply and steadily. The fire lit the dim room, casting glints of gold through Kade’s tousled bed hair. Evelyn’s roaming fingers likely had something to do with his disheveled look, too.

Which had been the only exploring she’d done last night after Kade had enforced an obscenely early bedtime, because she needed “rest” and she’d “almost died,” which he’d reminded her at least a dozen times. She was surprised he wasn’t the firstborn with his overbearing and keenly attentive healer-like qualities.

Except Kade had destroyed Evelyn with his lips, and she knew what he wanted.

Her. Them. Us.

She should never have doubted him. His feelings for her were true, and she needed to trust that no matter how her heart raced with doubt every time she thought of it.

Rain still poured outside, the lingering aftermath of a sea storm. Evelyn could barely make out Callum through the steady stream of rain and the gliding droplets down her windows. Between the winds and the downpour, no one would be out in town. They certainly weren’t going anywhere either.

She stretched out her arm, stiff as a board but no longer throbbing. She glided her hands over the salve Kade had given her, noting how dry and cracked it had become. Mirella would tell her it was safe to wash off, so Evelyn eased Kade’s hand off her side and slid from the bed. In her place, Maxie walked up to the bed and nuzzled herself into Kade’s chest.

Evelyn almost laughed, amazed she’d missed the signs. No wonder Maxie had grown attached to Kade. Her familiar had sensed Kade was her fated.

Well, fated mate.

Evelyn bit her lip, nervous they had yet to talk about that or about going home. She’d hoped Kade would’ve brought it up. He’d mentioned his parents being mates, even how Carena and Finton hadn’t been.

She tiptoed to her dresser and grabbed a fresh oversized tunic and knee-high socks. Mindful of her sleeping fated, Evelyn continued to tiptoe to the bathroom. A hot, steaming shower would do her thoughts some good.

The scalding water soothed her creaking muscles. Rest and sleep had helped her body heal, but the better Evelyn felt, the more restless her energy became. She needed to do something.

Like find the White Lady.

She scrubbed and washed her body, taking care to ease the salve off her forearm. A fleshy pink scar ran up the side, slight but nonetheless a reminder of what had happened. Considering she’d almost died from a demon’s venom, Evelyn would take the scar.

She inhaled the herby steam from her soap, letting the shower cascade down her body and trickle through her hair.

Fated mates, the White Lady, deadly demons.

Evelyn sighed, turning off the shower. Who exactly was the White Lady? Was she behind the murders or working with a vampyr? If so, why? With the storm, Evelyn and Kade would be going nowhere, which meant she’d have to face another conversation entirely. She’d told Kade the truth about her parents’ death, and it hadn’t deterred him. How was the gravity of this any different?

Drying herself and readying her hair, Evelyn realized more decisions lay on the horizon. Despite wanting one another, despite being fated mates, they were still Daughter of the Goddess and Son of the God. They had a duty to uphold back home with her coven and his pack.

Goddess, Evelyn didn’t want to face her sisters. Or the Elders. Or run into a particular tutor. Worse, she couldn’t fathom facing Kade’s pack, his brothers, after she’d run away.

No.

Going home, facing what she had done, and navigating her flame—it would be challenging, scary at times, and it would take courage, but for Kade, she would.

Refreshed, clean, and comfy, Evelyn exited the bathroom to find her bed made, Maxie curled in the middle of it, and Kade making coffee in the kitchenette. She tripped on the floorboards when he turned, the bastard not bothering to wear a shirt. The sight of male muscle zapped any remaining sleepiness from her. There was nothing like a bare-chested beast of a man to wake a woman up.