Page 86 of Moonlighting with the Werewolf

“It was hardly an ass-kicking,” she said, and I pressed a finger to her lips so I could finish.

“Making a speech here, woman.” I cleared my throat. “If you’ll still have me, I’d love nothing more than to live out the rest of our days together.”

Kerrigan flung her arms around me and peppered my face with kisses that were highly preferrable to the punches I’d received. Then she fused her mouth to mine with such intensity that I rocked back a step, my broken bone letting me know it could use a few more hours before bearing any weight.

Something I didn’t bother telling my mate as she wrapped her legs around my waist and hooked her ankles, fully trusting me to hold her up. To ensure I wouldn’t let her down, I shifted most of my weight to my uninjured leg, planted my hands on her amazing ass, and squeezed with equal zeal.

Then she smiled against my mouth and said, “Silly, werewolf. I’m already yours.”

EPILOGUE

Sweeties that they were,the witches granted Diego an hour to heal and clean up before the ceremony.

Okay, so it was probably more a matter of not wanting to be embarrassed by the wedding photos. Whatever the reason, it permitted me time to patch up both Diego and Conall, as well as administer a steroid shot to speed up their healing time even more.

Since I was almost scared to let go of Conall, for fear I’d lose him again or would wake up and discover today had all been a weird roller-coaster of a dream, I had no choice but to join him in the shower. I know, poor me.

By the time we arrived at Diego’s house afterward, both of us had damp hair and the sort of grins that only hot shower sex could bring.

As soon as we entered the room with Diego, Tyrese, and Nissa, we had to turn down the wattage on our happiness so it wouldn’t feel like we were rubbing it in the groom’s face. I’d never chatted much with Diego, and definitely never one-on-one, but I signaled to Conall I wanted a minute. Then Iapproached the new alpha of the Bridgewater Pack under the guise of helping him with his tie.

“Your face healed so nicely.” I winced at my awkward introduction, but Diego merely chuckled.

“Better not say that too loudly, or Conall will start punching it again.”

“I heard that,” Conall said, and Diego and I shared a laugh.

I raised my voice as I tugged out more fabric on the right half of the black bowtie, working to even up both sides. “Don’t worry, babe. I prefer ruggedly handsome to pretty boy.” “Pretty boy?” Diego balked, and the rest of the room snickered.

“Oh. Did you not know?” I smoothed the silk into place and repositioned the points of his collar over the black neckband. “I just figured between the bronze skin, dark scruff and eyebrows, and dimples for days, you already knew. If anything, I should’ve done a worse job patching you up. You don’t want to outshine the bride.”

“As if that’s possible.” Diego’s gaze drifted toward the window and then to somewhere beyond, to a time and place that didn’t exist in the present. “You’ve seen her, right?”

“Talia?” Actually, it seemed only her coven used the shortened version of her name. “Yeah. Up close and personal while she held the sharp end of a letter opener to my jugular.”

That jerked him back to the present, and he cleared his throat, a hint of trepidation creeping into his features. “Sorry about that.”

I shrugged a shoulder, which was a bit of a weird blasé reaction after the trauma the witches had caused. Getting to be with the man I loved made it easier not to care. “Not your fault, and seriously, I can’t thank you enough.” I nodded at my handiwork. “There. All fixed. It’s good to know if the doctor thing doesn’t work out, I totally have a future in bowties.”

Either my joke wasn’t funny, or my companions were too anxious to laugh—I chose to assume the former.

Diego stepped in front of the mirror and slipped into his suit coat, wincing slightly at the movement. Undoubtedly a side effect of the fractured rips and gaping hole that’d been ripped out of his hide. “I’ve never wanted to get hitched, and this isn’t even a real marriage, so why am I so damn nervous?”

“It’s a real marriage,” Conall cut in, scooting to the edge of the seat he occupied. “You told me you understood how serious the terms are.”

I waved his statement away, as he was missing the point entirely. It was a good thing I’d come along, as dudes were so bad at emotional pep talks, and Nissa and Tyrese were a bit lost in their own world. “It’s a big moment in your life,” I told Diego, “even if it’s one you never planned for. On top of that, you’re now in charge of the future of the pack. That’s huge.”

Diego blew out a long exhale. “I’m ready.” He raised his voice, aiming the next words at my mate. “I am ready, Conall. You don’t have to worry. You did all the legwork of forming the pack and getting us to where we are now, but you deserve a break. I also owe you, so I’m happy to take on more of the weight.” He pivoted to sit in the windowsill, the setting sun lighting up his profile in gold. “I just didn’t expect to feel anything. Now I feel...too many things.”

The knock on the door drew all our attention.

Time was up.

Right before we left the room, I hugged Diego around the middle. “Thanks again.” Conall gave him a bro-hug with a hard pat on the back, and then they were having a pat-off, as though there hadn’t been enough testosterone expelled between them earlier today. They decided it’d be for the best if Conallwasn’ta groomsman, for obvious reasons, so he and I went to go find a seat.

About ten minutes later, Diego, Tyrese, and Mikal were in place near the altar, and soft, lilting music began to play—the same song that’d about ripped my soul in two earlier this evening. It caused a pang, not on my behalf but on Diego’s.

Conall interlaced our fingers and canted his head toward mine. “One day, in the not-too-distant future when you and I get married, I’ll have to restrain myself from racing up the aisle to meet you so I can carry you to the altar before you change your mind.”

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