Sadie looked at Max, the words and her heart almost too heavy to speak out loud. She had made quite the fool of herself out in the forest, but instead of feeling embarrassed about it, she was relieved. She might never have been able to say these words to him otherwise. But now that she had, it seemed like everything was going to be better between them.

“You got quite a burn there,” Max said, shaking his head angrily.

“It’s going to be fine,” Sadie said quickly, trying to move her foot away so Max’s attention would be diverted.

But it wasn’t that easy, and she knew it. He was in full protective mode, and she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of warmth surge through her body. He cared for her. He loved her. And he would always protect her. That was the one thing she could always count on.

“I’m going to bandage it up, okay? Make sure you take good care of this. Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?”

“No, I just want to stick around in my own house for a few days. Every time I leave, it seems to lead to nothing but trouble.

Max chuckled. “I kind of get what you mean.”

Sadie smiled despite herself and shook her head.

“Thank you. For saving my life like that. I don’t know how to thank you enough.”

“Maybe start by trying to stay out of trouble,” Max said. But there was a lightness to his voice. He was joking with her.

“I will definitely put that on my bucket list,” Sadie said, sighing.

Max finished bandaging her wound, and then held his broad hand out to her. She took it, and he helped her to her feet.

“It’s going to get better fast. Try not to worry too much about it. I know how you can get. But your leg isn’t going to fall off or anything.”

Sadie’s eyes sparkled. “I know that,” she said quietly.

They stood in the hallway, between the doorway to the bathroom and her bedroom, their eyes locked intently.

“I love you,” she said suddenly, taking Max’s hand in hers. “My mother…she hid the letters. I had no idea…”

She was on the verge of tears again, but Max’s hand was on her cheek now, ready to catch them before they fell.

“I love you, too,” he said.

Their bodies were pressed suddenly together and Sadie gasped as Max’s tongue found itself inside her mouth. She had been waiting for this for so long. There were no secrets between them. All the garbage had been cleaned out and all that was left were two people who were madly in love with each other. She had never felt luckier.

Max lifted her gingerly from the floor, pressing her body against his strong, broad chest and kissing her gently on the nape of the neck. She gasped at the unexpected pleasure that coursed its way through her, and found that he was carrying her into her bedroom.

He laid her down, carefully removing every article of clothing on her body, eyeing it and touching each exposed part of her gently, as if it were the first time he had ever seen her. When she saw his face, she found that it was showing the most emotion she had ever seen on it. He was happy. Truly happy.

Suddenly, he was on top of her, his lips seizing hers and filling her with an electric pleasure that nearly made her cry out in ecstasy. He wasted no time in prying her legs apart, dipping his hand between them to sample the sweet nectar of her longing.

The feeling of his fingers against her middle made her shudder in pleasure, and then her entire body was electrified by the abrupt, sensual charge of his member as he pushed himself inside her.

Sadie covered her mouth as she cried out loudly, and Max held her gaze, the electricity between them palpable. Suddenly, his mouth was against her neck, his hands traveling every inch of her body, sending slight thrills and pools of heat all over her. She squirmed under his touch, overwhelmed but desperate for more, until he thrust himself inside fully, enveloping himself within her.

She moaned deeply, arching her back as the feeling of his thickness consumed her with pleasure. Sadie bit her bottom lip as she felt herself contract around him, filling them both with a deep, carnal gratification.

Max’s eyes flashed at her, and for a brief moment, Sadie could swear she saw the wolf staring out at her. She gazed at it in disbelief, and then finally tore her gaze away as Max began to pleasure her in earnest.

His body moved across hers, expertly teasing out every bit of gratification he could. He knew her body better than she knew it herself, and soon, they were joined as one on her bed, inseparable and united, together in a way she had never been with anybody else.

But, with Max, she knew this bond between them was unbreakable. They were together. Forever. And there was nothing that would ever tear them apart.

She held onto him, breathing softly against his shoulder as she felt the incredible wave of ecstasy begin washing over her. They were building toward their climax together, and she tensed up, catching Max’s eye. He answered her without words, and suddenly, his powerful body was plunging deep inside her, sending a surge of heat throughout her entire body.

She quaked beneath him as she climaxed, and Max growled in pleasure, his hard member erupting in a powerful orgasm. She felt him empty himself in her, thrusting again and again until every last drop of himself had been spent.

They collapsed onto the bed together, tangled up in each other, kissing frantically and passionately, afraid to let each other go after so long.

“I love you,” Sadie whispered, touching Max’s face tenderly. “Stay with me forever.”

“I always have and I always will,” Max said, gathering her into his strong arms.

They stayed like that until Sadie’s eyes grew heavy, and she nuzzled against the man she loved, perfectly content for the first time in years.

She sat up suddenly.

“We should have dinner with my mom.”

“What?” Max asked incredulously.

Sadie sighed. “I want her to know what you did for us all. What you’ve done for me. She was trying to protect me, you know. We both took it really personally, but she loves me. And I think, once she sees the real you, she will love you too.”

Max leaned back and considered this. Finally, he sighed.

“All right,” he said, sighing. “I guess I should get to know my future mother-in-law a little better…”

“Mother-in-law?” Sadie whispered.

Max looked at her and grinned.

“And you, my future wife?” he asked softly.

“Yes!” Sadie exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. “Oh, yes.”

Max chuckled and they held each other, glad that, after so long, they were finally where they belonged. Together.

 

THE END