Page 53 of The Alpha's Arranged Bride

He clasped it, his heart pounding out that same sentiment she’d expressed. He was torn, half of him wanting to participate in that run with the pack and the other half that wanted to keep her with him, just like this, skin to skin, for the rest of eternity.

She ducked outside and came back with the braces. She sat down across from him and held them like the boys did, with reverence and care, and she looked at them with something close to love, not disdain. Because they didn’t look at them as a weakness, he’d lost that sense of shame.

“I’ll help you and then I’ll shift and I’ll be right behind you.”

“I’m sorry.” He still felt the need to apologize for not being whole. For her having to bear this burden right along with him.

She arranged the braces in her lap and caressed his face. “I’m not sorry. Not at all. I’m so honored that you’re my mate. I would make that choice over and over again that day, to put myself in the hands of fate and be delivered to you.”

The entire world was in her eyes. He saw himself there, fitting into it. Maybe romance could be hard and cruel, and love could be grief and bite and imperfection.

Somewhere inside him, that deep and secret place, gave a sigh of relief.

He was home.

Epilogue

Prairie Rose

The big cabin was full of noise and commotion. It was full-on chaos with all her brothers and sisters, her parents, Kieran and Zora’s twins, Briar May and Castor’s daughter, and Blake and Levi running through the place.

It might have taken them until spring to finally get together as a family, but what better time, when everything chose to renew itself?

She thought that the noise and the talking and the endless laughter and happiness, the shouts from the kids, the hustle of trying to cook food to feed so many people, and all the other craziness of having a huge family and a packed cabin would overwhelm Agnar, but so far they were hours into a gathering that started in the afternoon and would go all night, and he’d only had to dip out onto the porch a few times.

She bumped into him coming back. She’d gone to get a roll of paper towels since they’d had a gravy incident in the kitchen.

He caught her before she smacked straight into his chest. She was in a hurry and wasn’t watching where she was going.

She still grunted at the impact, but then she smelled his peppery, leather and pine masculine scent and relaxed into those hands. “Agnar.” She forgot all about her errand and the gravy probably making a river from the countertop onto the floor and was dazzled by her mate all over again.

“Do you need help? You look flushed, and for a change, I didn’t make you that way.”

She blushed brighter. “Goodness. Yes, we could use help, if you’re offering.”

“You know I can’t cook worth shit. It’s probably worse than that, actually.”

“Now that you mention it, there are probably too many people in there. That’s how that whole pot of gravy tipped over.”

“Did anyone get burned?”

“No. No, but we are out of paper towels.” She pointed at the closet in the hall. “We’ve always kept it in there and Zora and Kieran didn’t change the layout much after mom and dad moved out and they took over the place.

He opened the wooden door and handed her two huge rolls. “That should do it.”

“Yes. Thank you. We already ruined Zora’s favorite tea towel.”

She tried to rush back to the kitchen, but he caught her around the middle. “Have I ever told you how much I love these dresses?”

She grinned and pressed his hand so his palm flattened on her stomach, and said teasingly, “Really? I thought you preferred me out of them.”

He laughed then looked serious, “I once thought you were prettier than the desert flowers.”

“And now?” She mock pouted, sticking out her lower lip in a tease.

“And now I think you’re more beautiful than any flower.”

He rubbed his palm gently over her belly. It wasn’t so flat anymore. There was a nice mound there, hidden beneath her flowing floral dress. A secret which Blake and Levi had known about for a few weeks, but one they’d share with the rest of her family tonight. Everyone had probably already noticed that her scent had changed, but they were diplomatic enough to let her announce the news for herself.

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