I smirked. “Don’t apologize to me,mate. Apologize to your almost beta—who now has to wait forbothof us to get changed.”
Marcus agreed with a wide smile. “Maybe you should wear a different color dress.”
I’d settled for a simple black sleeveless gown paired with a shawl and got changed while Marcus put on a new pair of pants.
In less than an hour, Maya was going to be sworn in as the new beta. This ceremony was going to be the first ritual in the Den since the fire, so everyone was in high spirits. I couldn’t have been prouder of her.
Marcus had been afraid that Maya would turn down his offer, but herboyfriendplayed a huge role in convincing her to accept. Maybe Marcus would promote Jerome to gamma as gratitude.
I felt Marcus staring at me from the bathroom as I finished patting on more powder foundation.
“Take a picture. It’ll last longer,” I quipped.
He chuckled, pushing off from where he leaned against the doorframe.
I turned my back to him, gathering my braids to the side, silently asking for help with the zipper of the dress.
I could’ve sworn his breath stopped short.
“There’s a lot a man can do with a picture,” he finally replied, his voice low and provocative. He trailed his finger down my back, making me shudder. “But a picture can’t do that.” He placed his hands on my waist and pulled me closer, eliciting a small whimper from my lips. “Or that.”
He pulled away with a snicker and zipped me up, and when I turned around… he was on one knee.
My jaw dropped. “Marcus, what the hell are you doing?”
He held one hand behind his back and reached for mine with the other.
The blood drained from my face. No way… “Marcus.”
He sighed. “I think I’ve loved you since the day I met you, Joanna.” He straightened. “Will you—”
“Marcus—”
“Wear this holster?”
I gawked at him as he pulled a thigh holster from behind his back.
A corner of his mouth rose. “I want you to feel safe in the new Den since I didn’t let you have your weapons the last time.”
I blinked at him rapidly before hitting him in feigned rage. “You fucking piece of shit. Why the hell would you do that?” I sputtered.
He stood, blocking my attack and laughing. “Mate, you just accepted the bond. You think I’ll be impatient about marriage?”
What anasshole.
“What is it with you?” I mumbled, grabbing the holster from his hand. “You jumped straight fromJoannatomate?”
He shrugged. “Maybe it’s a wolf thing? I love the sound ofmate.” His smile was all teeth. “As forJoey… Everybody calls you Joey. Maybe I wanted to be different.”
“Maybe you wanted to piss me off,Alpha.” I rolled my eyes and bent to fasten the holster to my leg when he took a few steps toward me, making me stop and straighten.
“Maybe… deep down I always knew how important you were, and that scared me. So, I found a way to challenge our familiarity with one another, and I ran with it. And maybe that still didn’t work.”
I scoffed. “No shit.”
“Maybe I knew I couldn’t fight it. So, I gave myself a rule.”
I shook my head, raising a curious brow. “A rule?”
