Page 67 of Taming the Beasts

“It won’t be.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I trust Kebe.”

But I didn’t. I stepped forward, pressing the side of my face against Callum’s chest, being careful not to touch the gash across his stomach. He knew what it was like to lose people he loved. He’d lost everyone but me. So he knew what him dying would do to me. But maybe he didn’t think 60 years of pain would be as awful as almost three centuries worth.

Being without him for just ten years had felt like hell. I couldn’t do 60. Maybe I’d been wrong for pushing this forever thing so much. I just wanted as much time as we had. I didn’t want to change anything.

I pulled back. “Can we maybe just take some time to think about it?”

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “But this would fix everything.”

I started to shake my head.

“You said you wanted kids. And I don’t know if I can give them to you when I’m like this.”

“So let’s just ask Kebe about that. Maybe it is possible.”

“I can talk to Kebe about that. But I want this. A normal life with you.”

“We are having a normal life together.”

His eyes fell to the side of my neck. “I almost lost control today.”

I swallowed hard and his gaze intensified. “But you didn’t.”

“But I could have. I don’t want to live like this anymore, baby.”

I understood that. I really did. And I’d be okay with him taking the cure if we had found it on our own. I just didn’t trust Kebe. Not even a little.

I couldn’t stop Callum from taking the cure though. If that’s what he wanted. Even though I was terrified. “But we can take a few days?”

He nodded.

For some reason I burst into tears.

“Baby.” He cradled my face in his hands again.

“If something bad happens we were so close to our happily ever after. I’ll never know what it was really like to be yours.”

“You are mine.”

“I mean to be Mrs. Callum Walsh. I mean Mrs. Theo Gold. I’d never know what it felt to be completely yours.”

“Okay.”

I stared up at him. “Okay, what?”

“I don’t think anything bad will happen. But if something did...having my last name for the rest of your life would bring some kind of solace?”

“I don’t know. I would just miss you so much. I feel like I can’t breathe.” It was the truth. I was having trouble catching my breath through my tears.

“Then let’s not wait.”

“Please, just think about the cure for a few more days...”

“I’m not talking about the cure. I’m talking about our wedding.”