Page 65 of Unbreakable Bond

“Damn right it’s not going to happen again.” She tilted his chin so that he had to look her in the eyes, “Because you’re not going to keep secrets from me anymore. Do you understand? I won’t stand for it. I’m your mate, not your pup. I don’t need you to protect me from the truth. We’re partners. Equal partners from here onout.”

“I promise.” Rafe pulled her into his arms again and hugged her tight, “I promise, Zoey. I won’t hurt you again. You come first. I swear. I fucked up but now you know, you got stuck with a defective wolf, a defective mate. Michael was right, I’m not stable and I’m not good enough for you but I’m your mate and you’re mine and I’ll be better. Ipromise.”

Zoey gripped him tighter as his words sank in, “You’re not defective. Don’t you ever say thatagain.”

“I’m amess.”

“You’re my mess.” She nuzzled against hischest.

“I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to you, Iswear.”

“Just promise me that you won’t leave me like that again. I don’t want to lose you, Rafe. Not when I just found you. Not when we have our whole lives together ahead ofus.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Ipromise.”

“Meeither.”

“Except home.” He amended as he pulled back and cupped her cheeks, “Can we gohome?”

Zoey’s eyes watered a bit at the question. Home. He wanted to go home. He was standing on pack land just outside the lodge his parents had owned, but that wasn’t what he was talking about. He wanted to go home, to the cabin, with her. And he was right. It already felt more like home than her apartment ever had. Because it wastheirs.

“Yeah.” She tiptoed up and kissed him softly, “Let’s gohome.”