Page 48 of The Reaper's Vow
“But not what you wanted?”
“I never thought about what I wanted. It wasn't relevant.”
“And now?”
“Now everything's different,” he admits, the words rough and unsteady. “You changed everything the moment I caught your scent.”
My heart hammers against my ribs at the raw honesty etched into his features. “How?”
He reaches up, covering my hand with his, where it still rests against his jaw. “Because for the first time in my life, I want something that's mine. Not my father's choice, not a political alliance, not a duty to fulfill.” His thumb strokes across my knuckles. “I want something that is wholly mine.”
“What if I'm not worth it?” The question escapes before I can stop it, my own fears spilling out. “What if I'm not strong enough for this world?
For a moment, I think he'll pull away, erect those walls again. Instead, he cups my face in his hands, his touch surprisingly gentle for someone who deals in death.
“Worth it?” The word escapes him like it physically pains him. “You don't understand what you are, do you?”
I try to look away, but he holds me firmly.
“Listen to me, Karina. You survived for years on your own, without a pack, without training. You built a life among humans while carrying a secret that would have destroyed you if discovered.” His thumbs brush across my cheekbones. “That kind of strength isn't taught. It's born.”
“But I'm not like Selena. I don't know pack politics or wolf customs. I didn't even know mates existed until I met you.”
“Good.” The word surprises me. “I've had enough of politics and customs to last ten lifetimes. What I need isn't anotherwolf who knows how to play the game. What I need is someone who reminds me there's more to life than power struggles and territory disputes.”
My wolf preens at his words, stretching beneath my skin with satisfaction. But the human part of me isn't so easily convinced.
“And what happens when your father finds out you've chosen a stray over his political alliance? What happens when he calls you home?”
Damien's jaw tightens at the mention of his father, but his hands don't leave my face. “Then I deal with the consequences.”
“Just like that? You'd risk everything—your pack, your birthright, your family—for me?”
“You're not just someone. You're the other half of my soul. It means that losing you would be like losing half of myself. It means that no title, no territory, no alliance is worth more than what we have.” His thumbs trace my jawline. “It means I'd burn down everything I've ever known before I'd let anyone take you from me. I would rather die than live without you, Karina.”
The other half of my soul.
Something inside me cracks open—something I've kept locked away my entire life. The part of me that always wanted to belong somewhere. To someone. My wolf howls with joy, pressing against my skin like she wants to break free and roll around in his declaration.
And I'm terrified because I feel the same way.
I've known this man for two days. Two. Days. I should be running for the hills, not melting at his feet. This isn't me. I'm practical. Cautious. I research minor purchases for weeks before buying. I once spent three months deciding on a coffee maker. And yet here I am, ready to bind myself eternally to a man who kills people for a living, all because my body hums when he's near?
I'm losing my mind. There's no other explanation.
But even as I think it, I know it's a lie. This feeling—this pull between us—it's more real than anything I've ever felt.
“Kitten, you still with me?”
I blink, refocusing on his face.
“Yeah,” I breathe. “I'm here.”
“Where did you go?” His thumb drags slowly across my bottom lip, deliberate, almost punishing in its restraint. The touch makes my body ache to lean into him. “I could feel you spiraling.”
Of course he could. It’s impossible to breathe, this constant exchange where my emotions bleed into his and his into mine until the edges blur and I can’t tell where I end, and he begins.
“I was just… thinking.” The words scrape out of me, uneven. “About how insane this is. Two days ago, I was crying over a breakup, and now I’m in your cabin, letting you touch me like I already belong to you. I’m shaking because all I want is for you to finish what you started this morning, and I hate myself for wanting it so badly. Because I’m terrified.” My chest seizes, the confession spilling too fast to stop. “Terrified that I’m falling for you, and I don’t know if it’s this link making me crave you…or if it’s real. Everything I thought I knew about myself, about what I wanted from life, is shattered into pieces. I had plans. A promotion at work. Maybe buy a house someday. Normal things.”
