Page 40 of The Hunt

His teeth elongated.“My mate,” he said.

“My mate.”

“Forever.”

“Forever.”

“And for all eternity.”

“And for all eternity.”

He sunk his teeth against her neck, branding her with his essence, marking her as his.She wrapped her arms around him, and there was no pain.When it came to a marking, there was never any pain.

That connection had awakened fully, now he was able to feel her, sense her, and he knew her feelings were true.

All too soon, there was a sudden flash.He pulled away from her neck and then held onto her, as The Hunt had served its purpose.They were pulled out of this world and he felt the real world.The scent of home, the forest, and then the round of applause that happened as the dust seemed to settle.They were back home.

He was dressed in a pair of pajama pants, and she was in her own pajamas as well.Exactly as they had been the night they would have been taken.

They were surrounded by the pack.He spotted their parents together, and they rushed forward.They were pulled apart by their parents hugging him.He didn’t want to let Calliope go.

“Well done, son,” his father said.

He looked at his dad, and the truth was, he was a little pissed.That was fucking scary.On multiple occasions he had nearly lost his woman, his mate.He didn’t find this to be a celebrating matter.

They had pulled Calliope from his arms, and he nodded at his dad.He looked through the crowd and there was Calliope.The mark on her throat was still raw.

There were so many people, and with everything they had been through, he didn’t want to deal with any of them.He didn’t know how long he and Calliope were alone in The Hunt, but he knew he didn’t want to be parted from her right now.

“Enough,” he said, but he wasn’t quiet.He was loud enough for them all to hear, and for silence to fall.

He pushed past his dad, through the crowd, and then took Calliope’s hand.“You have no idea what we just went through.Yes, Calliope and I are now mates.We found each other, but you have no idea what happened to get us to this point.We’re back, and I am glad we are back, but you have to give us some fucking space.”

“He’s right,” Calliope said.“It’s ...not been great.”

Jaxson expected his father to argue with him, but no one did.He took Calliope away from the crowd and to his apartment.There were times he still slept at his parents’ place, but for the most part, he lived on his own.He didn’t think she would want to go to the place where they had played their childish games.

Once inside his apartment, he didn’t let her go.He continued to hold her hand, even when he moved them both toward the shower, in their clothes.

“The shower,” she said.

“I ...I just want to be with you, and I had a feeling you’d want to get clean before we go to bed, and I mean to sleep.It would be nice to just fall asleep and not worry about where we’re going to wake up.You know?”

“Yeah, I know.”She touched his cheek.

He saw the tears in her eyes.“Don’t cry.”

“I was so scared.I was just about to tell you I wanted to be mated to you, and then you were snatched away from me, by nothing.You were gone and I couldn’t sense you, and I panicked.I don’t want to feel that way again.I love you, Jaxson, and I don’t regret what we had to do.”

“I love you too,” he said.

Under the spray of the shower, he held onto her, loving her, kissing her, and he was not going to let her go.Not now, not ever.

They were mates, through and through.

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