Ora listened intently. She needed to dab the holy oil on her lips before confronting him.
If Rennick wouldn’t recognize their bond, she would force him to complete it. He would see she was right all along.
She’d thought it over all night. First, she’d slather her tongue and lips with holy oil and bite her tongue hard enough to fill her mouth with blood. Taking him off guard would be hard, especially with Amelia there, but all she needed was to press her mouth to his to transfer the oil and then bite him hard enough to bleed. He’d have no choice but to swallow her blood. It was a foolproof plan.
Grinning from ear-to-ear, she hurried through the snow, following her mate’s tracks to her impromptu wedding.
32
Amelia held her bow behind her back. “You’re not breaking my bow.”
Rennick folded his arms across his chest with a stubborn set to his mouth. “You don’t like to hunt. I’m destroying everything Ora fooled me into buying you.”
She raised her chin defiantly. “No, you won’t. I told you I love the gifts because of their meaning. If you break my things, I won’t speak to you for the rest of the day.” It wasn’t much of a threat, but it was enough.
He released a low growl of frustration. “You’re being ridiculous. I will buy you a better version of everything to replace the old ones.”
“I don’t want a new necklace or boots or anything. I want the things I have.”
Her mate balked. “Your necklace is awful, too?”
She covered her necklace and backpedaled. “If you break my necklace, I will never forgive you.”
They were at an impasse. “I won’t destroy your things,” he conceded, “but I’m buying you new ones. Prepare to go shopping next week.”
She flashed him a triumphant smile. “I plan on wearing one of my dresses and my boots tomorrow.”
He looked horrified. “You will not get married in clothes you hate.”
“You can’t tell me what to do,” she shot back, hiding a smile. Had she known he was this fun to rile up, she’d have done it sooner.
Her grave mistake was taking her eyes off him for three seconds, something she realized when he lifted her in the air and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Her bow fell to the ground, and the rest of her arrows slid out of their quiver.
“Put me down!” she laughed, screeching when he slapped her ass.
He popped her backside again. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
“But I dropped my bow.” She kicked her feet lightly.
Chuckling, he lowered her to the ground, and she bent down to gather her things.
He grabbed her hips and tugged her against him. “I like you bent over like that.”
“You’re insatiable.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. The animalistic look in his eye gave her an idea.
Rotating to face him, she pushed lightly on his chest and walked backward. “Let’s make a deal.”
He rubbed his jaw while looking her up and down suggestively. “I’m listening.”
“If you can catch me, I’ll let you fuck me bent over in the snow.”
His eyes sparked, and he took a step forward, but she held out a hand. “Your legs are longer than mine, and you have fae speed. It’s only fair that I get a head start.”
His feral smile sent a thrill through her. “Run, little mate.”
Returning his smile with a taunting one of her own, she flipped around and sprinted into the woods.
Rennick watched his mate disappear through the trees, knowing he’d be deep inside her within the next few minutes. Those thoughts came to a halt when Ora approached him from behind. “There you are,” she purred.
