Even without our bond, I felt the pride beaming from Hunter. His right hand slid up to my throat, cupping his claim there as he leaneddown and softly pressed his lips to mine. I almost blacked out from how fucking good he felt and tasted.
“I never doubted your strength for a second,” he purred, after what was a chaste kiss for him, but still leveled me with its intensity.
Before I could reply, Talon stole me from our entitled alpha, and his kiss was fierce. His hands cupped the back of my head as he demanded entrance, his tongue dancing with mine. The ashy sweetness of his touch had my head spinning, and I was gasping for air by the time he pulled away.
Slade, my scariest and hardest-to-crack alpha stepped into me, blocking out the rest of the world. His eyes shone, and I could have sworn a tear lingered on the edge as he stared into my face. “I thought we lost you,” he whispered, and when his voice broke, my heart fucking broke.Again. It felt like the moment I severed our bond was happening all over again. “When you broke the bond, our dragons went ballistic, and we burst through the walls of the plane.”
I jerked my head toward Finley and Kellan, wondering if they’d knownIwas the reason for the plane crash. Their shuttered expressions gave away their guilt.
Sorry, Kellan mouthed, and I decided that we had more important shit to worry about than their need to protect my feelings.
“Your father cushioned us from the explosion with magic,” Slade continued, bringing my attention back to him. “Even as tapped out as he was from our fight in the underground bunker. We left the pilots and crew near the wreckage and raced back here. All the time fearing we’d be too late.”
Your father cushioned us.I hadn’t had a chance to even see Constantine since he’d slid off Talon’s back, but I owed him a huge thanks.
He’d saved my pack and therefore my life.
“I want to hear about the fight that you guys promised me you wouldn’t get in,” I said, narrowing my eyes as I reminded them I wasn’t the only one who’d broken a promise. “Then I’ll tell you about Jewels, Warrick, and Cora.” I sniffled, wiping my eyes on my sleeve. “I can’t believe that in my quest to save you all, I almost killed you via plane crash. I promise, the irony is not lost on me.”
Slade cupped my face, his big hands catching the rest of my tears. “You made the logical choice at the time. Don’t punish yourself. The goddess knew what you were doing.”
When he kissed me, my knees buckled, and he grasped my thighs to keep me from falling. Flexing his strength against my skin, he drew me slowly up his body until our faces were the same height. When he tilted his head back, a feral smirk lifted his lips. “I will be getting my mark back on you, Snow. To-fucking-day.”
Yes.YES. All the yeses.
CHAPTER 49
EMME
As badly as all of us wanted to escape from this street, we couldn’t quite leave yet. We watched as Cora, Warrick, Richard, and Sierra were whisked off to the healing wards, and the Alpha Council assured us they’d all be questioned and dealt with appropriately.
Slade almost torched them where they stood, but my hand on his chest managed to keep him in check. “Please, it’s complicated,” I said softly. “Let’s take some time before we decide how we feel about what happened.”
With a huff, he settled for glaring at their retreating medical stretchers.
Moving past the feeling of betrayal wouldn’t be easy, but it had been against their will, and in the end, they’d risked their lives to save me. At least the healers had assured us they would be fine once the last of the magic left their bodies.
Jewels was brought out of the house to be examined on the front lawn, and once the council was satisfied with our statements and the evidence from the enforcers who’d been here, they allowed Slade to incinerate her via dragon fire. We managed not to reveal my witchy side, and everyone left believing it was simply my training and quintet strength that allowed me to take her out. Which wasn’t a complete lie. Ithadhelped.
When Jewels was no more than ash, her remains were sealed up tobe disposed of in the darkest corners of the globe so the witch could never taint our world again.
Constantine appeared at my side right around the time we celebrated the Jewels bonfire, and I threw my arms around him. “Thank you,” I murmured, and weirdly I let myself rest against him as if he’d always been there to shoulder my burdens. “You’ve been saving me for years. I’m sorry I didn’t show more gratitude when you first appeared on my doorstep.”
His faint citrus scent was comforting now, and I lost myself in his hug.
He wasn’t as vital to me as my alphas, but he did feel like family. The first shifter outside of my pack to ever do so.
“It’s been my greatest pleasure to finally be in your life,” he said in a husky rasp. “With all the American witches dead, there’s no real threat left for either of us. So…”
“No more running?” I asked as I drew away.
He nodded, a beaming smile turning his whole face into sunshine. “No more running. I might even get the chance to settle into a true pack and live out the rest of my life with the sort of happiness I see in you and your alphas.”
“I’d love that for you,” I said, meaning every word of it. I doubted Constantine would ever risk having another child or even find an omega who could carry our unique genetics, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t find happiness.
“How did you really destroy Jewels without your pack?” Constantine asked, all but whispering the question into my ear.
I eyed each of my mates, heart pounding hard in my chest. “I still had them with me, since they don’t follow orders either.”
