Page 46 of Wishes in the Moonlight (Rocky Mountain Wolves #4)

~Troy~

The look Amanda gave me when I turned down her mark instantly took me back to the hallway outside her father’s office, all those years ago.

Confusion. Disappointment. Betrayal.

That look had haunted me since that day.

“What are you talking about?” Her voice cracked like dry wood as she sat up. “You’re mine. You said…”

“I am yours,” I promised quickly. “This is not a rejection, not in any way. For as long as I live, I will never reject you.”

“Then why don’t you want…”

She trailed off as she put the pieces together. There wasn’t much my mate missed.

“As long as you live,” she repeated. “Is that it?”

She’d hit the nail on the head, and I crept a little closer to her, on my knees, reaching for her hand. “If we’re fully bonded, the pain you suffer if I die would be excruciating. I won’t put you through it, not when I don’t have to.”

I didn’t fear death, but having to die knowing I’d be leaving her in agony? That was another story entirely.

Amanda slid her hand into mine, but her eyes remained narrowed. “There are four problems with that argument.”

I was willing to hear her out, even though I didn’t expect anything she said to change my mind. “That’s a pretty specific number. Hit me with them.”

She didn’t hesitate. “First, I’ll be in pain no matter what. The bond breaking hurts whether it’s been accepted or not.”

“It’s not the same and you know it.” Resisting the bond had been slow and steady torture. Rejection would have been temporarily debilitating. But the death of a bonded mate? That was a pain unmatched among werewolves. Worse than torture. Some never recovered.

Just the idea of Amanda enduring that because of me made me want to tear the whole world down.

She must have had no comeback for that, as she moved onto the next point. “Second, you’re not going to die. I’ve been busy today talking to people and making plans. There are things we can do. I’m not just going to let it happen.”

I didn’t know she’d been working on it, and that knowledge sparked gratitude and affection in my chest. But unless she’d found a 100% foolproof solution, it was still too much of a risk to take.

“I appreciate that, but just because you don’t want it to happen doesn’t mean it won’t.

We have to anticipate the worst-case scenario. ”

Undeterred, she moved on. “Third: the bond will actually strengthen you. Once we’ve accepted it fully and marked each other, you can draw upon my strength too. It might make the difference between life and death.”

That was the first point she made that actually made me pause.

It was true that mated werewolves had better resilience, and were able to draw power from their mate, especially when that mate had Alpha blood like mine did.

Having her mark and her strength behind me could make the difference if it came down to a close call.

I’d spent so long trying to protect her that I hadn’t stopped to think she might be the one who saved me .

As I wavered, debating the issue in my head, Amanda pressed on. “And last, it’s my life. My pain. You don’t get to make decisions that will affect us both without consulting me. That’s what got us into this mess in the first place.”

She was absolutely right, and I bowed my head in acknowledgement. “I’m not trying to take control away from you. I just don’t want you to suffer. You see my point, don’t you?”

Her bold brown eyes were waiting for me when I lifted my head again.

“You were willing to die to protect me, Troy. Do you think that only goes one way? Don’t you think I’d do the same for you? Do you really think that little of me?”

Those words would have brought me to my knees if I weren’t already there. The idea that this incredible woman, the angel I admired all those years and the mate I yearned for, would choose to put herself in danger for me?

Inconceivable.

Unacceptable.

And so fucking amazing, my heart nearly burst with pride.

She leaned even closer, still naked and so utterly mesmerizing, I couldn’t have looked away if the world was ending.

“I would have taken my chances with you seven years ago if you gave me the choice. I said I accept you now, and I do, but only on the condition that we’re a team from here on in.

Any decisions we make, we make together. Can you accept that ?”

I still believed that I made the right choice back then, to walk away to protect her, but Amanda was right this time. We were stronger together, and I respected her enough to admit when I was wrong.

“I do. You’re right, and I’m sorry. If you’re certain that’s what you want, then of course I want your mark. I’ve wanted it for seven fucking years.”

Hunter prowled just beneath my skin, every nerve singing in anticipation. This was actually going to happen. Except now, I’d ruined the moment, and I quickly racked my brain for a way to make it special again.

One thing I knew about my mate was that she never backed down from a challenge, so I decided to offer her one. “But I want to mark you first.”

She stared at me for a moment, reading my sincerity, before her mouth curled up at one corner. A mischievous glint sparked in her eye. “You think you’re faster than me, Captain?”

My muscles tensed, readying myself. “I don’t need speed. I’ve got strength.”

Her eyebrows raised, her smile both amused and full of challenge. “You do remember I’m the Alpha, right?”

Before I could answer, she pounced. Her weight wasn’t much, but she was strong, and the angle knocked me off balance, pushing me backwards over the side of the bed. I hit the floor with a hard thud and she landed on top of me, knocking the wind out of me.

She lunged for my neck but I countered, rolling her under me. She kept the momentum going, using her legs to push me off. I hit the table hard, the lamp crashing to the floor.

“Alpha?” The guard outside knocked on the door. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes,” she called back, and in the moment it took her to answer, I got myself back in the game.

From a crouch, I leapt towards her, lifting her off the ground with me as I sprang up.

We landed in a heap back on the bed, the frame creaking beneath the sudden assault. The headboard slammed into the wall.

Another knock at the door. “Are you sure you don’t need help?”

“I’m fine!” she yelled back, more forcefully, her eyes narrowing on me as she wrapped her legs around my waist and pulled me down. Her nose grazed against my throat, sending sparks shooting through my body.

The urge to give in was strong, but I was having too much fun, and I could tell she was too.

Summoning my strength, I pulled us backwards, off the bed once more and onto my feet, with her still wrapped around me.

My arms went under her thighs, hauling her higher on my body so she could no longer reach my neck, but hers was now directly in my line of vision.

I had her and she knew it, her body going slack as I licked up her throat.

I didn’t actually care about winning, though. I only wanted her.

“Together?” I offered.

Amanda sucked in a breath, clinging to me even tighter than before. “Together.”

Bending my head to the side, I offered my neck to her while she did the same to me.

We kissed and licked each other, need building inside me to a frenzy before Hunter howled and instinct took over.

Her teeth pierced my skin half a second before mine sunk into her, connecting us not only in this moment, but forever afterwards.

Mine.

As the bond locked into place, her soul brushed against mine, wild and warm and achingly familiar.

At long last, I was whole.