“I won’t let you throw away what I never had,” I say softly. “You have a mother who loves you. A brother who wants you home. A whole community of people who share your blood. That’s precious, Tolin. That’s rare. And I want it. Not just you. All of it.”
“Imani...”
“I don’t just want you.” I cup his face in my hands, making sure he can see how serious I am. “I want the clan too. If I’m going to have a future with you, a family, I want the community. I want our children to have cousins andaunts and uncles and grandparents. I want them to know where they come from.”
He stares at me, and the change is immediate. Fight draining away, resistance giving way to hope.
“You really want that?”
“More than anything.”
He lets out a long breath, his shoulders dropping. Not defeated. Just surrendering to something he wanted anyway but was too stubborn to reach for.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“We’ll go to the clan.” He presses his forehead against mine. “But not to stay. Not yet. Just to visit first. I want you to meet my mother. She’ll...” He swallows. “She’ll want to meet you. She’s been waiting a long time for me to find my mate.”
“Really?”
“She’s been pestering me about it for years. Asking when I’m going to stop being stubborn and find someone to share my life with.” He can’t help but smile. “She’s going to love you.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.” He kisses me softly. “You’re everything she ever wanted for me. Everything I never knew I wanted for myself.”
I melt into him, the warmth between us undeniable. This grumpy, stubborn, ridiculous bear shifter. My mate. My future.
“When do we go?” I ask.
“Tomorrow.” He tucks a curl behind my ear. “Today, I want you all to myself. One more day in our bubble before the real world comes back.”
“That sounds perfect.”
He kisses me again, deeper this time, and I feel his arousal stirring against my thigh.
“Again?” I laugh against his mouth. “We just finished.”
“I told you.” His hands slide down to grip my ass. “Insatiable.”
I can’t argue with that.
And honestly, I don’t want to.
20
TOLIN
IRONWOOD CLAN
Imani is practically vibrating with excitement in the passenger seat, her eyes bright, her smile wide, anticipation radiating off her in waves. Meanwhile, my stomach is in knots.
Not because I’m worried about my family accepting her. They will. My mother has been waiting for this day since I was old enough to understand what a mate was. And Ronan, despite our strained relationship, fixed her car without hesitation the moment I asked.
No, my nerves are about something else entirely.
I don’t want to share her.
