Page 27 of The Wolf Prince’s Mate (Marked Beneath the Moon #2)

twenty-seven

NOVA

On the day of the full moon, we lounged in bed. Our wolves were quiet and calm after spending so many days in the forest.

“I’ve never felt this much peace before,” Clay mumbled, still running his hand slowly over my back. “My wolf is sleeping, Gorgeous. Sleeping .”

“He’s just a wolf,” I murmured back. “A good wolf. A strong wolf.” I flexed my muscles half-heartedly, still laying on the bed with Clay’s arm under my back.

Clay chuckled. “Sure.”

“He is. Just a strong, scarred wolf.”

“I’m glad you think so.” He kissed my forehead. “Are you sure you want to seal the bond? We can wait. Give you time to make sure you’re not going to change your mind.”

I rolled to my side and propped myself up on Clay’s chest, so I could look him in the eyes. “I’m not going to change my mind, asshole. Stop thinking that. I didn’t drive all the way here and force you not to kick me out just so I could change my mind about mating with you. I’m all in. Do you want to wait a month so you have time to change your mind? With your wolf’s newfound sanity, you could literally have any unmated woman in Crimson River.”

Clay’s arm tightened around my waist, pulling me closer. “Gorgeous,” he said, his voice lowering. “I’ve never wanted anything the way I want you. If anyone else had shown up at my door the way you did, my wolf would’ve killed them. I would’ve killed them. But you?” he chuckled. “I belong to you, body, heart, and soul. I will never change my mind about that.”

“Good.” I leaned down and kissed him lightly, before rolling to my back again. “Because Aspen said I’ll be going through heat again as soon as we seal the bond.”

He squeezed my hip. “Is that supposed to deter me? Did you somehow manage to forget how much I fucking love heat?”

“I was just giving you a heads-up.”

“Noted.” He kissed my temple. “Where do you want to do it? In the forest?”

“No. We’ve spent way too much time out there this week. We should do it here.”

“In the cabin?”

I nodded. “In the kitchen, where you left me on my ass when you were trying to be a gentleman.”

“I’m in.”

“Good. We should nap until then, though.”

He laughed. “Deal.”

We dozed until dinner time, and spent the evening talking while we cooked.

“What’s life going to be like when we go back to Crimson River?” I wondered, leaning against the cabinets and watching Clay spoon butter over two thick steaks.

“Fun.” He flashed me a small grin, though I could tell he was still worried about his wolf.

We’d get past that.

There was no rush.

“You’re going to move into my house, right?” I checked. “We picked everything out together, except the pink couch. She’s nonnegotiable. You’ll have to pick another mate if you refuse my couch.”

“I would never try to separate you,” Clay said with feigned seriousness. “And yeah, we’ll move into your place. It’s bigger, and there are no shitty memories there.”

“Do you have shitty memories in your cabin?”

His expression darkened slightly. “I have shitty memories pretty much everywhere. My wolf would break free and try to kill the people I love, remember?”

Right.

There was no getting away from that unfortunate truth.

“We’ll stay here as long as you want. There are a lot of episodes left in that mystery show I’ve been watching. Like ten seasons. I think there’s a few spinoffs, too.”

“I still don’t want you trapped here with me.”

“You can go down on me every time you start to feel guilty.”

His grin was back, and it met his eyes that time. “You’ll get tired of it.”

“I definitely won’t.” I reached past him to stir the pot of vegetables he was steaming behind the steak, and he put a hand on my thigh.

“I’m going to be so fucking obsessed with you, Nova.”

“Aren’t you already?” I teased.

“Good point.” He squeezed my leg.

We finished cooking and eating dinner pretty quickly, then went out to the porch to look at the stars. We had to sit on the steps leading to the dirt for the best view, but it was worth it. They were pretty in Crimson River, but they were stunning from Stray.

We stared up at the sky and watched the moon rise slowly, both of us lost in our thoughts until it reached its peak.

“Are you ready, Gorgeous?” he asked me. His arm was slung around my shoulder, his body warm against mine.

“So damn ready.” I kissed his cheek, and he turned to catch my mouth.

His honey-colored eyes gleamed in the moonlight as he pulled away, starting to stand.

I caught his shirt and pulled him back down. “Let’s do it here.”

“Here?” He lifted an eyebrow. “On the steps of our porch?”

“Yeah. Beneath the stars and the moon.”

His lips pulled up in a lopsided smile. “Alright, Gorgeous. Come here.” He lifted me onto his lap, so our eyes were level. “I love you.”

“Then bite me already.”

The command earned me a feral grin—and he bit down in the same place he had two weeks earlier.

This time, it felt bigger.

Emotion welled in my chest as he licked my wound clean.

“I love you too, Savage,” I said, and lowered my lips to the place where his throat met his shoulder. I kissed him there once, just to make him shudder—and bit him too.

He rumbled fiercely, dragging my mouth away from his skin and crushing his lips to mine.

His hands tangled in my hair as he pulled me closer, his erection pressing against my core.

“I hope you’re ready for a lifetime with me,” I breathed, and he laughed.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He yanked my panties to the side and freed his cock before driving into me.

It was perfect.

He was perfect.

Yeah, things were still kind of a mess, but that was life. Everything didn’t always make sense, and that was okay.

Because we were together

And when everything else fell apart, we would hold on to each other.

After a few days filled with newly-mated sex, incredible food, coffee, and shifting, Clay’s brothers showed up at the gates.

Clay had been quiet all morning, silently watching them get closer to Stray on the same app he used to track my location during my road trip.

I knew he was worried he would hurt them, but I wasn’t.

“Your wolf is even more calm since we sealed the bond,” I reminded him, sprawled out on the bench near the front door while he paced on the porch.

“He is,” Clay agreed halfheartedly.

He knew I was right, but past experience was proving to be a real bitch. Trauma was like that, I guess.

When his brothers turned down the dirt road that led to our gates, Clay ran a hand through his hair.

“This is a terrible idea.”

“Maybe,” I agreed. “Or maybe it’s the best idea.”

He grimaced. “I should tell them to turn around.”

“You can try, but I doubt they’ll listen.”

Clay had told them about how his wolf had chilled out, and how much time our beasts had spent running around together. They’d been the ones to decide they were coming to test his wolf today.

“Aspen shouldn’t have come with them.” Clay shoved a hand through his hair again. It was a mess, but neither of us cared. Given the situation, wild hair was reasonable.

“Would you let me drive back to Crimson River alone now that we’re mated?” I checked.

He growled. “No.”

“Then you know why Aspen came.”

He made a strangled noise. “This is going to drive me fucking insane. Again.”

I laughed, and his expression softened slightly. Just for a moment.

He resumed pacing while we waited for his brothers to reach the gates, and when they did, he let out a harsh breath.

“The plan will keep them safe, even if he tries to kill them,” he said.

“Right,” I agreed.

“You’re going to stay here until we see how he reacts,” he added.

“Mmhm.”

He pinned me with a look. “If my wolf gets violent, you’ll go inside.”

“Agreed.”

“I’m serious, Nova,” he warned.

“So am I.” I stood up, grabbing his face and pressing my lips to his. “It’s going to be fine, Savage.”

“I hope so.” He kissed me again before running his thumb over my cheekbone and stepping back.

Car doors opened and closed as Enzo and Hunter climbed out of a black Jeep.

Aspen gave me a thumbs-up from the back seat of the vehicle, and I mirrored the gesture.

It was going to work out. I was sure of it.

Clay met his brothers at the gate. They exchanged a few words I couldn’t hear before Clay finally jerked his head in a nod.

All three of them stripped, and my gaze was on my man’s backside as he stepped out of his clothes.

I still couldn’t believe he was mine, forever.

They shifted quickly, and suddenly there were three monstrous wolves standing together. Facing each other.

I leaned forward, trying to hear if Clay’s wolf was growling. He didn’t make a move toward them, which was good.

I looked at Aspen again, and saw her beaming.

He must not have been growling.

I was right—he was scarred, not insane.

My mate shifted back after a moment. He hesitated, looking over his shoulder at me.

I gave him a thumbs-up and he nodded again, like he was trying to convince himself.

“Want me to join you?” I asked him mentally.

“No. Stay on the porch.” He was still scared shitless, and I didn’t blame him for it. Even though I would’ve rather been right next to him, I stayed where he needed me.

“Alright. You’ve got this.”

He made a noncommittal noise that curved my lips.

I watched closely as he typed the code into the keypad, and the gates opened slowly.

He stepped back, and Enzo’s and Hunter’s wolves stayed where they were.

Clay’s shoulders lifted with a heavy breath, and he nodded once. I wondered if his brothers had said something to him.

He took a few steps back, then finally shifted again.

His wolf stayed where he was.

My lips stretched in a grin.

The wolf looked over his shoulder at me, and I gave him a thumbs-up too.

“He’s not attacking them,” Clay said, almost in awe.

“He’s not insane.”

“He really isn’t.”

Clay’s wolf slowly padded toward his brothers. I leaned forward, watching from the edge of my seat as his wolf slowly sniffed the other wolves.

Hunter and Enzo didn’t looked thrilled about it.

Someone growled.

The other two wolves did too.

I held my breath for a moment, but Clay’s wolf finally stepped back to his side of the gate, and shifted once more.

Hunter and Enzo did the same, all of them pulling on their pants before they all crushed each other in a massive hug.

My grin returned, bigger and brighter than ever as I stepped down from the porch and Aspen got out of the car. The guys were talking in low voices, and I saw Clay discreetly wiping a tear away.

I slipped under his arm, and he pulled me flush against his side, watching Hunter closely.

Hunter’s expression was pure, unadulterated relief.

“How’s your wolf?” Enzo asked Hunter, the bluntest of the three as usual.

“Happy,” Hunter admitted. “The fucker’s practically prancing.”

“Maybe he was just keeping her safe for Clay,” Aspen teased, stepping up to Enzo’s side. He captured her hand, and she laced her fingers through his easily.

“Let’s go with that explanation,” Clay agreed, and chuckles went around the circle.

I just smiled.

I had Clay, and his wolf wasn’t insane.

He was perfect, and we were both safe and free.

That was all that really mattered.