Page 109 of The Fated Hunter Wolf

"I'm not doing this blind," she said. "I know what you did. I know why you did it. And I'm choosing to trust you anyway.”

"I understand."

"Do you?" She stepped closer, and there was steel in her voice. "Because I need you to know something too. I love you. But I am who I am, and I’ll never change. You cannot make me doubt my worth again. I won't stay and suffer through it. I'll walk."

The words should have stung. Instead, they made me love her more.

"Good," I said.

That surprised her. "Good?"

"Yeah, good." I reached for her hand, slowly enough that she could pull away if she wanted. She didn't. "You should love yourself more. You should have standards. You should demand better from me. That's exactly what I want."

Her eyes softened slightly, but she didn't let go of that strength. "Don't make me regret this."

"I won't."

"You better not." She squeezed my hand once, hard.

I kissed her forehead. "Always."

She took my hand and led me back toward the bed. We sat on the edge together, the city lights spilling across the sheets, painting everything in blue and gold. Her head found my shoulder, my arm wrapped around her, the steady thrum of the bond settling into place.

"Rhys?"

"Hmm?"

"Tonight." Her voice was soft but certain. "When we seal it. Don't hold back."

My arm tightened. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, give me everything. All of you. No walls, no protection, no fear."

I pressed a kiss to her hair. "You sure you can handle that?"

"Try me."

I smiled against her temple. Tonight, I would bind myself to her—completely, permanently, irrevocably.

"Sable?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

She turned her face up to mine and kissed me. Soft at first, then deeper, and the bond flared bright between us. When we broke apart, we were both breathing hard.

"I know," she said, her fingers already working at the buttons of my shirt. "And tonight, you're going to show me."

38

SABLE

Ipulled him toward the bed. No more waiting. No more distance.

My wolf wanted him. My vampire side wanted him. And I was done pretending either could wait another second.

Rhys came willingly—but the moment we reached the mattress, I saw it: that flicker of restraint in his eyes.