Page 102 of Healer's Call

“You didn’t,” I remind him.

“But I could have.” He shakes his head and swears. “I was surrounded, outnumbered. It was the first time in a long time that I was truly afraid.”

“I’m sorry, Mav. That must have been terrifying. I'm so sorry.”

He tips my head up with his finger. “I wasn’t terrified for me. I was terrified because I thought I was going to lose you. I’ve never known fear like that...not since I lost my sister. And even that couldn't compare to what I felt, Healer.” His words end on a whisper. He runs his thumb over my cheek, and I close my eyes. “I made a vow to myself that if we got out of that, I wouldn’t waste any more time pushing you away,” he pauses and stares into my eyes. “If you want to, whenever you want to, I want you to become my mate in every way. It doesn’t have to be right away. You can take as long as you need; I just don’t want there to be any more hesitation on my part or for you to think that I don’t want you because,” he takes a step closer and runs that thumb over my lower lip. “I want you,” his words are gravelly. “I’ve wanted you from the moment I first saw you. I just didn’t let myself. When you’re ready,ifyou want—”

He doesn’t finish the sentence before I throw my arms around him. “I want,” I tell him simply. He wraps his arms tightly around me and lifts me off my feet. And then his lips meet mine in a kiss that is nothing like the experimental kiss hegave me before. No, this one is hungry and desperate and filled with...love? I return his kiss with my own passion, passion that has been brewing for a while. He groans low in his chest and pulls me even closer as he all but consumes me in a kiss. My skin begins to heat, and I think I’m going to combust. That is until somebody clears their throat, and my surroundings come crashing down around me. I pull back, gasping for air. Mav looks down at me, his eyes running over my face. Then a scowl fills his face. “You’d better have a really good reason for interrupting us,” he growls.

Somebody coughs. “Cade needs you.”

That pulls me out of my stupor. Embarrassment floods me when I remember that we’re practically in the middle of an all-out war with rogue wolves, and Maverick and I are over here just making out like it’s not a big deal. “I’ll be there in a minute,” Mav growls. “Look at me,” he says gently when whoever it was that was bothering us is gone. I lift reluctant eyes to his. “We are not ashamed of this.” He motions between the two of us. “Never of this.” He stares into my eyes. “Did you mean it?” his question is quiet, almost uncertain.

“Mean what?” I ask. My brain is absolutely mush after that kiss.

“When I asked if you want to be my mate, and you said—”

“Yes.” I interrupt. “I meant what I said, Mav.” I hold his gaze, letting him see the sincerity in my eyes. “I want this.”

He takes my hand and interlaces it with his. “I can’t promise nice. I’m not nice, Healer.”

I smile up at him. “I know, Beta. I don’t want you to be something you’re not. I just want you to be you. It’s not like you’re getting a great deal. I’m broken, remember?” I say, referencing the conversation we had the other day.

He growls low in his chest. “There is nothing broken about you. You're beautiful and strong.”

I laugh. “I am not strong, Mav.”

“Rose, you went against a rogue wolf. You got close enough to him to touch him, to heal him. That is not something that anybody in this pack has ever done or was even willing to do. You're more brave than everybody in this entire pack, myself included. And I know you’re not getting anything special, but if you will let me, I will love you and protect you with my dying breath.”

“Oh, Mav,” I say, wiping a tear away. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Chapter 48

Rose

Mav finally heeds Cade’s call and lets me go back to his room. Carl and Van escort me there without a word and stand guard outside the door. I stumble into the bathroom and blearily get ready to sleep. A few moments later, I crash in bed unable to keep my eyes open any longer. I thought the events of the night would keep me from sleep, but the exhaustion forces it.

The next morning, I wake up and glance over at the other side of the bed and see it hasn’t been disturbed. I get up and shower and get dressed quickly. When I step out into the hallway, there are two shifters that I recognize but don’t know the names of. “Do you know where Maverick is?” I ask.

“I’ll reach out to him,” the first one says. “He’s on his way here.”

“Thanks.” I wait a moment before I decide to head to the dining hall to grab something to eat. I’m going to need strength if I’m going to be doing what I think I’m going to be doing today. I run into Maverick in the long hallway. He looks stressed and tense and tired. Without saying a word, I step into him and wrap my arms around his waist. It takes him less than a second to respond. His strong arms wrap around me, and I can’t help the sigh that releases from me. “Are you okay?” I ask softly, knowing he’ll hear me.

“I am now,” he responds just as softly. I smile at his words before I pull back.

“You didn’t get any sleep.”

He runs a hand through my hair gently. “Yeah, it’s been a long night.”

“What happened while I slept?”

“Have you eaten yet?” he asks instead. When I shake my head no, he takes my hand and leads me to the dining hall. I glance down at our hands and can’t help the smile that comes over me. He surprises me by bypassing the gathering area and heading right into the kitchen.

“Hey Pam,” I call out to the gray-haired cook.

Relief comes over her face when she sees us. “I’ve been worried about you. I heard about what happened. You healed a rogue wolf?” Her eyes are huge. “Why would you let her do that?” she asks Mav.

Mav snorts. “It’s funny that you think she gave me a choice.”

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