But his smile falls away again and he pins me with his gaze. "Tell me, Sedona. Can you ever forgive me? Forgive my pack?"
"Yes. I know you had nothing to do with it. And the council is now gone. I should tell you-my father and brother and their packs will be here soon." I texted my dad when I landed last night. He let me know they were right behind me, on a flight this morning. I pull out my phone to text again and let him know I'm safe. "After we talked to the shifter from your pack, he believed me to be in danger from the council, so he's coming to help you clean house. I'll let him know it's already done."
"Then he will be here for our mating ceremony." Carlos' tone is light, but he watches me closely and I don't think he's breathing.
I throw a leg up over his. "I believe we're already mated."
His smile flashes, sexy and winsome. "Does that mean yes? You'll have me as your mate?"
My nod wobbles a bit. "We'll figure it out."
"Of course." Carlos sobers. "I would never keep you here if you cannot find joy. But I promise I will work very hard to keep you happy, mi amor. And if you wish to split your time with the States, I understand that, too. You'll be like Persephone, taking a break from hell."
"No," I answer immediately. "My place is with you. I mean, yes, I want to visit home, but there's nothing there for me. Not without you. And this place isn't hell. It's beautiful. A paradise, Carlos."
He blinks rapidly. "Thank you," he chokes and takes my face in both hands, stamping his lips over mine, stealing my breath. "I think it can be a paradise. It's a fixer upper, but if I'm working for you, there's nothing I can't do. Fates, I can't believe it. I feared I wouldn't manage to keep you."
"I'm here," I whisper.
He kisses me again. "I see you, preciosa. Gracias."
I gaze into his warm chocolate brown eyes, feel the love pouring from him. "When I thought you were in danger, all the walls I'd erected, all the fears and insecurities about whether you really loved me, or if it was just your biology insisting you follow because you'd marked me fell away. I knew I wouldn't want to know a future without you in it, that I'd be willing to die to protect you. So I'm here."
"Muñeca, yes, there's biology-fates, so much-but my love for you goes way beyond the physical. You are everything that's beautiful in the world. And I know I don't know everything about you yet-I don't know your favorite song, or movie, or television show, I haven't met your family, yet, I don't know your childhood stories. But I do know that I crave every part of you, even the parts you keep hidden." His hand curves around my nape and pulls my face to his. He kisses me with a soft, exploratory movement of his lips over mine.
Heat surges through my body, but I do my best to ignore it. Carlos needs to heal. Jumping his bones definitely won't help. There will be time for that tomorrow.
He must pick up my vibe, because his eyes smolder when he pulls away. "Don't think you won't be punished for putting yourself in danger out there, ángel. It's not your job to protect me. I would much rather die than ever see you hurt."
And just like that, my pussy is dripping. It's all I can do not to close the distance between our hips and grind against the bulge in his boxer briefs. I can't stop my lids from dropping to half-mast. My tongue runs over my lips. "How will you punish me, Carlos?"
His cock punches out to a full erection, tenting his shorts and he yanks my body up against his hard muscles. "You're lucky you're clothed or I'd already be inside you," he growls.
I push against his chest, but he doesn't give me any freedom-not that I wanted it. "Easy, big wolf. You still have five holes in your gut."
He squeezes my ass and wedges a finger between the cleft, working deeper until he presses against my back hole through my pants. "Tomorrow, muñeca. Tomorrow I'm going to fuck this ass until you scream. That's your punishment."
A tiny whimper escapes my lips as my entire body lights on fire, flames sizzling right down to my toes. I bite his bulging pectoral muscle. "Promise?"
Carlos
I wake with Sedona in my arms. I bury my nose in her thick hair and breathe in her scent. Somehow, I managed to actually sleep with her beside me and I didn't even have to tie her to the bedpost and fuck her senseless.
It must have been the bullet wounds and my body's need to heal.
Although my dick is rock hard, I don't move, content to simply watch my mate sleep. I've already marked her, but today she'll become mine in front of my pack and hers. Her mother and Garrett's mate are even flying out this morning to witness it.
Yesterday's cluster-fuck ended up better than I could've wished for. Sedona's father and brother spent a good ninety minutes giving me the third degree, but I think they finally conceded that I love Sedona and would give my life to protect her and make her happy.
We spent last night initiating a worldwide search for Santiago, who I believe must be "the Harvester." According to a hacker friend of Garrett, Santiago has gone dark. The hacker friend found every bank account he's associated with and issued a fake FBI freeze on the funds. She also removed him from every pack financial account, so I hope with his financial support cut off, his activities will be quickly curtailed. Sedona's father and brother vow to continue the hunt for him.