I giggled at such an overwhelming understatement. I felt his answering rumble of laughter, and I turned around so we were facing each other. I saw the scar of my mark on his neck, already healed. My fingers traced over it. I jumped when he did the same to mine.
“I didn’t know we did that,” I whispered, meeting his green-eyed stare. “Marked each other.”
“Sorry.” He didn’t look sorry at all. “I couldn’t resist it.”
Pushing myself up to meet him, I brushed my lips across his. “I didn’t want you to resist. Does it fade?”
Cannon shook his head, a soft smile playing across his lips. “No. The mark is my claim on you. And your claim on me. That okay?”
I nodded eagerly. “More than okay.” Reaching for him, I kissed him again. I couldn’t get enough of him. The kiss became more, not the frenzied fuckfest we’d just had, but a slow, leisurely kiss that messed with my emotions.
Cannon drew his head back and stared down at me. “We will fight this war together. As mates. As one.”
“As one?”
“You are my equal and I yours. It’s you and me, Kezia. For life.”
I felt the tears run down the sides of my face into my hair. “I really want that with you.” I was feeling so emotional, and I knew it was because of everything that had happened as well as just being with Cannon. Completing the mate bond felt so right. “I want a life with you.”
“You have it.”
This time when he took me, it was slow and gentle. Gone was the rush and fever of my heat, of our need to complete the mate bond, and I realized that we were making love.
I’d claimed him and he had claimed me, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
We were complete.
CHAPTER 15
Kezia
The journey back to the Blackridge Peak packlands was quicker than I thought. Royce hadn’t been exaggerating when he said we weren’t far, and the thought of anyone having come across us made me squirm with embarrassment.
We walked back, neither of us willing to admit out loud the threat of Moonstar, although since forming the bond, I felt different. More secure. Which was weird, as I had always been somewhat confident. Even in the Anterrio Pack where most of them treated me like I was an outsider, it had never made me feel insecure about who I was. It was probably because of them that I had a thick skin.
But now, I knew I was different. It may have been the Cannon effect; he oozed confidence and perhaps, with the bond completed, that was coming through our connection to me.
“I can feel you thinking,” he said, and when I looked up at him, he was smiling.
“I feel different.”
“Yup.”
“You too?” I watched him with curiosity. There was something about him that was changed. “You look weird.”
“Your charm, as always, leaves me speechless.” He was still smiling, so I knew he wasn’t offended. “How do I look weird?”
Good question. He was smiling, but he smiled before. He looked sure about himself—no change there, really—he was always an arrogant dick. He looked good, well…when did he not? “I don’t know, you just look…”
“Happy?”
My mouth opened and I shut it again. “Are you happy?”
Cannon looked down at me. Reaching out, he took my hand and interlinked our fingers. “Aren’t you?”
“Um…” Yes, I felt content. He was here beside me, and we’d accepted the bond, and I felt…good. No, not good, great. I realized my cheeks were sore from smiling. “Oh Luna, I’m going to be an idiot like Kris and Cass are.”
Cannon laughed loudly in the quiet of the night. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you.” He was far too amused for me to believe him.