Page 26 of Cuffed By My Mate

“Thank you,” she says softly.

I squeeze her hand again, and then I stand and pull Vera up beside me.

“We’re headed home. Let me know if anything else happens,” I say as I turn to leave.

“Will do,” Griffin says, and I tug Vera down the hall and out to my car.

I open the door for her and then crouch down next to her.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“They were all so nice. It’s crazy that my pack hates them and thinks of them like the enemy when they were so nice.”

“They have to twist it in their heads to justify doing what they want,” I tell her, and she nods.

“I know. It still sucks.”

“I know. I’m sorry that you were cut off.”

“I’m not. I never wanted to go back there. It’s like I told you. I was looking for an escape. If you hadn’t been my mate, I would have only stayed here long enough to save up some more money, and then I would have disappeared.”

“Do you not want to live here?” I ask and my bear paws at me.

We want our mate to be happy, and I know that we would move without a thought to ensure that.

“I love it here. It feels like home. I just wish that it wasn’t so close to my dad and brother or the Red Fog Pack.”

“Me too, but we’ll take care of them. You’ll be safe here. I promise.”

She nods and I squeeze her hands.

“I love you, Vera. I’m sorry that I didn’t trust you earlier. I should have given you a chance to explain.”

“It’s okay. I messed up too. I should have told you when we first met.”

“I promise to always listen in the future. I’ll always trust you and protect you.”

“And I’ll always trust and protect you,” she whispers.

I smile and lean in, brushing my lips against hers.

“I love you, mate,” I whisper against her lips.

“I love you too,” she whispers back, smiling against my mouth.

“Now, let’s go home.”

She nods, and I kiss her once more before I stand and head around the car. I climb behind the wheel and take Vera’s hand in mine as we head home. My bear is happy and settled inside of me now that we’re alone with our mate, and I smile as he looks lovingly at her.

Things might still be tense between us and the Red Fog Pack, but at least my mate and I are alright. We’ll deal with her old pack soon. For now, I’m going to enjoy being with my fated mate.

ELEVEN

Crew

Five Years Later…

The scentof vanilla cake and warm syrup drifts through the house, wrapping around me like a blanket as I step into the kitchen. The soft morning sunlight filters in through the windows, casting a golden glow over the scene in front of me.

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