I kissed another.
And he’d kept my secret all these years when I’d refused to hear anything he had to say. Because I’d never heard a peep out of Tombs, and if he was capable of something like this, then I had no doubt he could hold onto a grudge for years.
I kissed another.
Gabriel trembled under my touch.
“I’m so fucking sorry.” My voice broke on the words.
He went to turn around, but I stilled him, hands gripping his waist.
I rested my head between his shoulder blades and let out a shuddery breath. “I’m sorry I didn’t protect you from this. Fromhim.”
When he tried to turn this time, I let him. He cupped my jaw, making me look at him.
“This had nothing to do with you.” His thumb slid over my mouth to stop me interrupting. “I knew I was breaking the rules. And I’d gladly suffer through any of Tombs’ wrath if it meant keeping you safe.” A tear ran down his cheek. “I loved you so fucking much.”
And I’d thrown it all away.
“I’m sorry.” It was all I could think to say.
“We were so young.” His smile was sad. “I hurt you. Betrayed you in a way that was unforgivable. I don’t blame you for leaving.”
“I do.” Deep down I knew it had happened as soon as I realised he hadn’t killed him. “Forgive you,” I added when he looked confused. “I loved you too, more than you know.” I swallowed the words on the tip of my tongue. “It’s why it hurt so much.”
My heart pounded behind my ribcage, feeling like it might burst free at any moment. “Because you’re mine.”
He stilled, eyes searching mine, looking for a truth I knew he’d get from my words.
“Rys?” His voice faltered.
“You’re my soulmate.” I captured another of his tears. “Deep down I knew it from the moment we kissed. It took me a while to realise why I felt such a pull towards you.”
“You never told me.”
“No.” I sighed and pulled him close, needing to feel his warm skin against mine. “You weren’t the only one keeping secrets. I was coming to tell you that day, but…”
He clung to me, so close I could feel his heartbeat. “It almost broke me when you left. I didn’t understand why it felt like my heart had been ripped out because we hadn’t been together long. But you left a hole inside me I could never fill. No matter how hard I tried to put it all behind me.”
I kissed the top of his head, choosing not to examine his words too closely. Still far too on edge to think about anything else that had the potential to set me off again. I’d had enough talking anyway.
I kissed his temple, his cheek, nudging his head up enough to capture his mouth with mine. Traces of salt hit my tongue, the reminder of his tears pulling a low growl from me, and I held him a little bit tighter.
Gabriel wrapped his arms around my neck, kissing me back hard, and finally,finallymy wolf settled enough for me to focus solely on having Gabriel’s solid weight in my arms.
Nothing else mattered.
“Tell me you want this,” I whispered, once again trailing kisses along his throat. My jaw ached with the urge to bite down.
“I want this.” Gabriel tipped his head back, his breathy sigh encouraging me to scrape sharper than normal teeth across the delicate skin. He shivered but made no move to stop me. “Want you.”
I was so close. Close to allowing my wolf side out enough for my fangs to drop down and claim him. And the way Gabriel bared his throat, chin tipped up, eyes closed, I knew he’d let me.
Ten years ago I would’ve done it without a second thought, too young to think about anything but what I wanted, what Ineeded.
But now I knew better. Following my instincts was one thing. Acting without a thought for the consequences was another. Biting Gabriel now would set something in motion that I couldn’t change, and we needed a long conversation before I went down that path.
I nipped the base of his throat instead, not breaking the skin, but with enough force to make him gasp and push against me. He was hard again, rubbing his cock alongside mine, and I’d never wanted anything as much as I wanted to feel him naked against me.
