“I was speaking of seeingyein battle, Mate. Do ye have any idea how my heart clenched, to see ye in such danger?”
She tipped her head back, and I could have guessed that she was frowning before I saw it.
“I thought we worked well together.”
“We did.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “‘Twas remarkable, really. But I was fighting to keep ye alive.”
“Good, because I was fighting to keepyealive.”
When she poked me again, her irritation obvious, I smiled again.
“My wee warrior,” I murmured as I lowered my lips to hers.
I’d intended the kiss to be soft, gentle…but my wildcat had other ideas. She was the one to wrap her hands in my braids, holding me as she practically climbed my body, wrapping herself around me. I hefted her by the arse, making it easier for us to devour one another.
I smiled against her lips, myKteerjubilant to be alive, to have her with me.
Mine.
My Mate.
When we broke apart, we were both breathing heavily, and I pressed my forehead against her, dimly aware of the males moving around us. There were no cheers, no clan chants—this wasn’t a decisive victory, but a hard-fought and heartbreaking victory.
Still, it had worked.
We were free.
We had a future.
Together.
“Dkaar, earlier, ye saidwe.Ye claimed Battleborn of Islay as yer clan.”
She brushed a kiss over my chin.
“That is because ‘tismy clan. My home.”
My heart soared at that claim, and I pulled back just enough to stare into her eyes.
“Ye mean it? Ye’re staying?”
“Of course I am staying. My Mate is the chief here, and I cannot ask him to leave.”
MyKteercrowed with satisfaction that had naught to do with the Mating Heat of these last days. As my grin grew, my gaze roamed over her face, half-hidden by the brown curls which now swept over her cheeks, sticking to the sweat at her temples.
I lifted my finger to brush one behind her ear.
“This is new.”
“Aye, well…” She shrugged and shook her head, sending the curls swinging against her cheek. “I thought ‘twas time to cut my ties with my old life. Begin anew.”
“Where ye belong?”
My voice rasped as I cupped her cheek.
“Here with us?”
“Here withyou. Vrogul, before you ran off to get yourself killed, you told me you loved me.”
