Page 161 of The Broken Aztec Princesses

He chuckled, brought his hand up to his mouth, and licked his fingers, making my face flame.

“Anytime you want now that we know it won’t trigger you.”

“I love you so much,” I whispered, feeling grateful tears stinging my eyes, making him frown when he noticed them.

“Hey, none of that. We’re having a good moment.”

“These are happy tears,” I explained.

“Are they?”

“Mhmm,”

“Well, alright, then.” He bent down and kissed me. “I love you, Violet.”

Chris stood, removed his pants, leaving him in just his boxers, and crawled back into the bed. We cuddled for a little while, and I was beginning to fall asleep when he asked, “What do you call it when a snowman throws a tantrum?”

I giggled and answered, “A meltdown.”

“You know that one,” he chuckled.

“Mhmm.” I wasn’t going to tell him Dad used to say that one whenever Areli was close to crying.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Bellarose

Idid my best to create distance and avoid Cade over the next couple of days. But now, Adrien was leaving in a few hours, and not only was Elim going with him, but so was my excuse to avoid Cade.

I was doing fine while I busied myself with work. Cade was pretty busy during the day with all the preparations for his new pack grounds, too, so that helped. I didn’t even know where they were moving to, only that they were going to be in Arizona.

I wished things were simpler. They had been. Before him, I was struggling with the financial aspect of the pack, but my heart was safe and the goal was clear: I was going to convince the council to make me Alpha and everything would make sense again. It would be worth being so far away from everyone, and I could feel the Moon Goddess hadn’t abandoned me, or forsaken me, if I had a purpose.

Now, my feelings were all over the place. I didn’t want to be alone anymore. I wanted someone in my bed who cared aboutme. I wanted family around to love and support me. In a way, it might have been easier if Cade had been my second-chance mate. I knew now, I wouldn’t have been able to push against the pull of the mate bond. Cade was a good man. Hell, I gave in without one.

No good was going to come from this conversation we needed to have. He was either going to ask me to be his luna and merge packs or not.

Not asking would crush me. Asking would put me in a position I didn’t want to be in. I worked so hard to become alpha, to gain the respect my pack gave me. What was going to happen if I just threw it away for another alpha? I was going to just settle back into being in the background, waiting hand and foot for Cade to give me instructions on what he needed me to do. I wasn’t sure I could do it again. And if he asked, and I said no, both of us would be hurting.

And, what if I said no, and didn’t get the position of alpha? What would happen, then? My pack would be dissolved and I would run back home with my tail tucked between my legs. Or would I try to see if Cade still wanted me? I didn’t think that a man like Cade would take me back.

It felt like an impossible situation. One that would leave me heartbroken no matter the end result.

Getting involved with Cade had been a mistake.

And thinking that made me feel like shit. It wasn’t Cade’s fault. He’d been amazing, and that was the problem. Things would have been more simple if he turned out to be an asshole like Brandon. Then, my heart wouldn’t have gotten involved.

“Luna, where do you need these?” Hugh brought me out of my thoughts as he entered the wine cellar carrying two boxes.

“What are they?”

“Labels. They just got delivered.”

“Perfect! Put them over there at the end of the assembly line.”

That was the last item on my list. We’d be able to start bottling tomorrow now that they were here.

I worked until lunchtime, then headed to wake up Adrien. He wanted to have lunch with all of us before they left this evening. They were leaving shortly after sunset, so he wouldn’t be here for dinner.

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