Page 31 of Bonded Beyond Regret

When she steps into the room, I growl again, but this time it’s because she’s still wearing her outfit from training. She took it easy today with training because she was working with Marlene and focusing on strengthening her muscles and stamina. There was no sparring, and I don’t think my female even worked up a sweat.

That doesn’t mean she wasn’t glowing because she was. The pride she felt for the progress Marlene has been making was written all over her face.

“Our Luna,”my wolf sighs, content to have our female in our office.

Nyx comes closer with a box in her hands. She’s holding it out in front of her like some sort of offering. The scent of chocolate chip cookies, my favorite, make my mouth water, but it’s her scent that my wolf is soaking up like a lovesick fiend.

“You’re doing the same thing,”he grumbles.

“Never said that I wasn’t,”I shoot back at him.

I narrow my eyes as Nyx sinks down into a chair on the other side of my desk. That’s not going to fly with me. The need to have her closer is riding me hard.

After standing up quickly, I stalk toward my woman. Her eyes widen and she lets out a squeak of surprise when I pick her upand cradle her against my chest. The way she melts against me and rests her head on my shoulder has me puffing up my chest.

“Our female is so sweet,”my wolf shakes out his fur in my mind.“Fits in our arms perfectly,”he muses while his fur puffs up.

I nuzzle against the top of her head as I sit down on the couch in my office and position her on my lap. When she’s this close to me, I have to touch her. It’s a need in me and something I’ve never experienced like this, not even with Kathy. Sure, we had the bond, but it was never pure, and it wound through her evil.

“You make it difficult to come in here and have a serious conversation,” Nyx’s words are almost slurred as her body completely relaxes against mine.

“Is that why you brought cookies? Trying to butter me up?” My voice is teasing because I want a smile from her.

I know she has something on her mind. She’s been thinking hard and preoccupied with her thoughts—or maybe her doubts—in the last few days. I think it might have something to do with whatever she talked to Serenity about, but I haven’t pushed her to tell me yet.

It was obvious that she needed a little time to think through whatever is bothering her. As much as I wanted her to talk to me, I also want to give her whatever she needs.

“They were coming out of the oven in the kitchen, and I know they’re your favorite.” She looks up at me with a small smile on her face.

Even though I want to kiss her until we’re panting messes, I know now is not the time. Still, I can’t help myself from kissing her forehead. “Thank you,” I murmur against her skin.

She sighs and plays with the hair at the base of my neck. Her touch has pleasure streaking up and down my back. I love her hands on me. I love holding her like this. I just love her.

Which means that whatever is bothering her, we’ll tackle. Together. Even if she doesn’t know it yet.

“What are we doing, Samuel?”

I jerk slightly, not expecting that question. Even though I know it shouldn’t, her question pisses me off. I thought I had been showing her exactly what we’re doing. Maybe I was wrong.

“Calm down. You know our female is scared after losing her fated,”my wolf growls, the warning to me clear.“We will listen, and we will help her understand what she means to us. And if she needs us to do that over and over then we will.”

“I want you, Nyx, and only you.” She looks up at me, her brown eyes a little sad which guts me. The only consolation is that I don’t see the same pain in her eyes that I saw when she first arrived. It feels like a victory. “I want this to be forever.” I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We won’t have another chance at a fated bond. I don’t miss my mate, but I know you miss yours.”

She opens her mouth, but I shake my head. Not because I don’t want to hear whatever she’s thinking, but because she needs to hear me out. “It’s okay that you miss him,” I reassure him. I’m glad he was in your life and able to love you and give you Aisley. I’m grateful to him because of that.”

Her eyes glisten and I know she’s fighting back tears. “You deserve someone better than a she-wolf who misses her dead mate.”

“Do not speak about the woman I love like that,” I growl the words, the warning clear.

She freezes and her eyes round and go wide as her mouth opens and closes. “I, um, you,” she stutters before shaking her head, “I mean, what?”

I grin at the precious woman in my arms and pull her even tighter against me. “You heard me. It might be fast, and you might not feel the same way, but I don’t care. I love you. You are a female worthy of love, and it is so damn easy to love you. You are everything I have ever wanted in a mate but have never had before. I know how lucky I am that you have give me so much of your time and I will never take you for granted.”

“I’m scared,” she whispers.

My heart fucking melts for this woman. I’ve seen her strength. I’ve seen her pain. I’ve seen her struggle. I’ve seen her vulnerability.

Every facet of her is perfect and all her.

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