Page 65 of Protected By Artemis

“I don’t want to be punished for your fears, Cade,” she said quietly. “You broke us apart because you couldn’t handle what we had. Now you want me back because you’re ready? What about me?”

“When I saw my eyes glow…” Cade paused, his voice low. “I made the worst decision of my life.”

She narrowed her eyes, folding her arms across her chest. “Your eyes were glowing because of your wolf?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. Then something clicked, and his brow furrowed. “Wait…how do you know about that?”

She gave him a measured look. “I saw Geri’s eyes. She told me about how your wolves’ eyes glow when they approve of a love interest.”

He blinked in surprise. “Geri told you that?”

She nodded slowly. “She was explaining it at girls’ night with Aphrodite. I thought…I thought maybe it was the same with you.”

He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah…it is. My wolf approves of you. But I panicked. I freaked out because it was so real, so intense. I thought I wasn’t ready for it, but now I know”—he stepped toward her, his voice full of desperation—“I know I was wrong.”

She tilted her head, her gaze softening just a fraction. “And now you think you’re ready?”

“I don’t think,” he said, his eyes locking onto hers. “I know. I’m ready now. For you. For us.”

He moved toward her, the magnetic pull between them undeniable. He pressed his body gently against hers before falling to his knees, his heart racing as he wrapped his arms around her waist. This time, she didn’t pull away. She let him hold her.

He looked up at her. “Can I scent you?” he asked, his voice soft but laced with a deep need.

“What?”

He gathered her hands in his, holding them tightly. “Can I scent you?” he repeated, his eyes searching hers.

They stared at each other, and he could feel the weight of their shared memories hanging in the air between them. He knew she was seeing it too—the whirlwind of their time together. From their heated arguments about Geri’s wedding to the quiet, stolen moments in Turks and Caicos to the easy way they’d fallen into each other’s lives back in Alaska. It had been so brief, but it had shaken him to his core.

“Oh, Cade…” she breathed.

He kissed her hands gently, placing them on his shoulders as his lips traveled up. Slowly, deliberately, he pressed soft kisses along her neck, savoring the taste of her skin. Her familiar scent wrapped around him as he stood, looking down at her. Her breath hitched as their eyes locked, and the world seemed to fall away for a moment.

“Please, Artemis. Let me make it up to you. I’ll do anything—whatever it takes—as long as you’re back in my life. Just don’t shut me out.”

She looked at him, her expression unreadable, but her silence filled the space between them, heavy and suffocating.

“I need to be with you,” he continued, his eyes searching hers, pleading. “Even if you’re mad—even if you can’t forgive me right now—it’s better than not being beside you at all. I just need to be close to you.”

She stared at him, her breath shallow, her lips pressed into a thin line. He could feel her inner conflict and see the emotions playing behind her cool, steady gaze. He waited, every second feeling like an eternity, hoping she would give him another chance.

“Stupid wolf,” she whispered, but her touch was tender as her hands reached up to hold his face. “I can’t live without you either.”

He froze as her words washed over him, barely believing what he was hearing. Her gaze softened, the wall she had kept between them starting to crumble.

“I love you so much,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

A rush of relief, joy, and overwhelming love flooded Cade’s senses. Without thinking, he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers, his hands wrapping around her waist. He could feel her heart racing, mirroring his own.

“Artemis,” he whispered as her words settled deep in his soul. “You’re my mate,” he said, his voice low but steady. “You’re smart and beautiful, and you drive me absolutely crazy.”

He watched as her breath caught, her eyes widening, “Your eyes…”

It was his wolf—acknowledging what Cade had taken too long to admit.

“Yes,” he continued, holding her tighter. “My wolf knew. From the moment I scented you, from the first time we sniped at each other…and that kiss. He knew you were mine. I had to catch up and realize it too. But you’re so much more than just my chosen mate.” He gently took her hands, holding them between his. “You’ll be an amazing Alpha’s mate, Artemis. You’ll lead our pack, you’ll protect them, and I know you’ll be the best mom. You’re good at everything you do.”

Her face softened, but then he noticed the sadness flicker in her eyes, and she pulled back ever so slightly. “Oh, Cade…” she began, her voice thick with emotion. “There’s something you don’t understand.”

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