Page 56 of Clashing With The Grumpy Wolf

When we finally break apart, both breathing heavily, I rest my forehead against hers.

"Please, Julia. I need to know you're safe. I need to get you home."

Something in my voice or expression must convince her because she leans slightly into my touch.

"I have never been as afraid as I was today," I confess, my voice raw with emotion. "When I couldn't find you, when I smelled the fire…" I break off, unable to complete the thought.

Julia's hand comes up to touch my face, her fingers tracing the curve of my jaw.

"I'm here," she says softly. "I'm safe."

"This isn't pretend for me anymore," I tell her, needing her to understand the depth of what I feel. "If it ever was. I want you, Julia. Not just for now, not just for a few days or weeks. I want you as my mate. I want you forever."

Her eyes widen slightly, but she doesn't pull away.

"I love you," I say, the words burning my lips as they finally escape. "Simply, truly, and irreversibly. I don't expect anything from you. I understand you're human and don't feel the mating bond the way I do. But I needed you to know how I feel."

Julia pulls back slightly, her eyes searching mine. For one terrible moment, I think I've said too much, pushed too far. Then she surges forward, capturing my mouth with hers, her kiss fierce and claiming. When she pulls away again, her eyes are bright with unshed tears.

"You impossible wolf," she whispers against my lips. "I love you too."

I take her home, leaving everything else behind. Nothing else matters but my mate.

Chapter 17

Julia

Theflamesdanceinthe fireplace, casting long shadows across Adrian's cabin. I stare into their depths, my mind replaying the day's events on a loop. The fire alarm, the billowing smoke, Silverine trapped beneath the overturned buffet. The desperate look in Adrian's eyes when he found us.

I pull the thick blanket tighter around my shoulders. Despite the warmth from the fire, I can't seem to shake the chill that's settled into my bones. My hair is still damp from the shower, the smoke smell scrubbed away but the memory etchedinto my skin.

Whoever that thief is, they’re willing to cause real harm. I don’t know why this shocks me, but it does.

Adrian moves quietly through the cabin, his bare feet padding against the wooden floor. He places a steaming mug on the coffee table in front of me. The earthy scent of chamomile rises from the surface.

"It's not fancy," he says. "But it’ll help."

I curl my fingers around the warm ceramic, grateful for something to do with my hands.

"Thank you."

Adrian settles beside me on the couch, his weight shifting the cushions. He doesn't speak, doesn't press me to talk. The silence stretches between us, comfortable yet weighted with unspoken thoughts.

I take a sip of tea, the hot liquid burning a path down my throat. It should be calming, but nothing can calm the storm inside me. Everything's spiraling beyond my control, the wedding preparations in chaos, the tiara still missing, now a fire that destroyed half the east wing. Seraphina is barely holding it together, Percy is furious, and Silverine is injured.

And none of it is under my control.

The pressure builds inside my chest until it feels like my ribs might crack. I glance over at Adrian to find him watching me, his green eyes reflecting the firelight. Concern etches lines around his mouth, but he remains steady, an anchor in my storm.

“You’ll be okay. Everything will be okay.”

I don’t know if it’s the gentle tone of his voice or the way he looks at me, like I’m something precious. Something beautiful and priceless. But a part of me that I’ve spent a lifetime building rips at the seams inside my chest. A single tear escapes, trailing down my cheek. Thenanother. And another. Until suddenly I'm sobbing, my body shaking with the force of emotions I can no longer contain.

Adrian moves instantly, gathering me into his arms. He doesn't offer empty platitudes or try to shush me. He simply holds me, one hand cradling my head against his chest, the other rubbing slow circles on my back. His heartbeat drums steadily beneath my ear, a rhythm to tether myself to as I fall apart.

I cry until my throat aches and my eyes burn, until there's nothing left inside me but hollow exhaustion. Adrian's shirt is damp where my face has been pressed against it, but he doesn't seem to care.

When was the last time I allowed myself to be this vulnerable with another person? I can't remember. Maybe never.