Page 41 of Hawke

Delilah threw her head back and laughed, her hair tumbling down her back in beautiful ringlets. I loved that laugh. I loved how she could be so carefree, but right now, she was forcing it. Trying to show she wasn’t hurt, but I knew she was.

She ached so far down in her soul, I could feel it in mine.

I didn’t laugh. I acted annoyed, which I knew she liked. It gave her great satisfaction to see me miserable right now because I couldn’t have her.

Mymate, yes, my mate could do what she wanted with me as long as I could get her back.

As her laughter quieted, I felt her exhaustion. We both were. We had been away from one another, and it took her to run away from me to realize she was the one keeping my wolf from going rabid too soon.

What if I never came to my senses? What would have happened?

“I would have gone rabid,”my wolf said.“But it seems another couple has taken on accepting a human as a mate. The goddess is working miracles.”

I guessed if I had accepted Delilah sooner, it would have been Delilah and I trying to explain to everyone that second chance mates could happen.

What an idiot.

“Let’s get you to bed.” I kissed Delilah’s forehead. “I want you well rested if you want to work tomorrow.”

I pulled out the covers. Her robe was still on, but I would not let her get back up to get dressed. She could wear what she had.

“You are going to let me?” she asked, yawning.

I nodded silently, tucking her in. I stripped off the laces of my boots as I sat on the bed, and she rubbed her eyes again.

“I’m notlettingyou do anything. You decide what you want to do, Delilah. I will do anything you ask, anything to prove that I will not run from you, not any longer. I want you and if that means you working in this crummy town for a while, I will support you. Just know once you are mine, I won’t let you go.”

Delilah bit her lip, contemplating my words. After my shoes were off, I kept on my pants and climbed into bed with her. I couldn’t let my cock out, my damned wolf would probably dry hump her in the night.

“You aren’t wrong,” he said.

Delilah cleared her throat. “What are you doing?” She eyed me as I held her.

“Going to sleep.”

She shook her head. “No, I’m going to sleep. You have a bed next door.” She hooked her thumb behind her head, meaning for me to get out.

“No,” I growled, tightening my hold on her. “You ran from me. I’m going to stay right here and make sure you don’t run again.”

“Oh, like you don’t have more GPS trackers all over my stuff. I’m not leaving again; I’ve got a job. Besides, you need to be groveling and listening to everything I say.” She stuck out her tongue.

I pulled her face toward me, my fingers pinching her cheeks. “I’m not leaving this room.”

My wolf wholeheartedly agreed. He would not give that up.

Delilah took the pillow that was under me and threw it to the floor beside her. “Down boy.” She pointed to the floor, and my jaw dropped.

“On the floor?”

She nodded, pulling the blankets over her. “You can go get the blankets from your room. I need these to stay warm.”

My wolf cried, whimpering, because he wasn’t getting his way.“But you let her kick us in the nuts,”he whined.“I wanna sleep in her bed.”

I sighed, rolling out of bed. Delilah was right. I was going to have to work for it, and she was going to let me sleep on the floor and not in the next room. I should be grateful for that.

So, I left, and when I returned I didn’t just bring blankets, I brought her the teddy bear. It still had a rip in it where my claws pierced through it when I was angry, but it was better than nothing.

I knelt down beside her bed. She was already asleep. Her eyes were puffy, and tears were still glistening in her lashes. I caressed her face, just thinking how lucky I was to have her still. She could have kicked me out, not that I would let her, but she was willing and even trusting to let me stay in the room with her.

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