Prologue
“I promise to love you until I take my last breath.” Jaxon Taylor looked down into the soft blue eyes of the love of his life and soon to be mate, Ginny Wilson. His heart seemed to expand in his chest with the love he felt.
“You better, Jaxon Taylor.” She smiled, her beautiful lips curving upward. The gentle spring breeze ruffled her brilliant blonde hair, sending an errant strand across her cheek. He reached down and tucked the silky tress behind her ear.
He gripped her slender hips, took a step forward and pressed her back against the trunk of the old oak tree in the middle of the pasture. The green grass and rolling hills were decorated with yellow wildflowers, making it one of their favorite places to be alone. Here, they could lock out the world. Here, only they existed.
He nuzzled her neck and inhaled her intoxicating scent. When he pulled back, she was looking at him with that smile that always made his heart trip.
God, she was beautiful. More beautiful than he deserved.
While other guys his age were enrolling in college or planning a summer vacation to the beach, he was jumping to marry the only female he would ever love.
But then again, he wasn’t just any male. He was a werewolf. And when a werewolf met his mate, nothing would tear them apart.
“What if I die before you?” She looked up at him and cocked her head. A slight smirk played on the corners of her full lips, lips that he was dying to have on his body. “Will you mate with someone else?”
“Not a chance. I will die when you die.” He spoke with certainty and without flinching. His heart ached at the thought of being apart from her. He couldn’t bring himself to imagine a life without Ginny.
“We’re only eighteen. We’ve got years and years to think about that. First we have to make it down the aisle.” Jaxon cradled her tight against his chest. He rested his chin on the top of her head.
She fit him.
She always had.
She always would.
In a few short hours, they would be married according to human law and mated in werewolf law.
“We could just leave now. Run away and mate and forget about the wedding,” she suggested.
He wanted her like never before. He’d held off for months and had never pushed the issue of making love. As much as he wanted her, he wanted their first sexual encounter to be once they were mated and married, never to be torn apart.
“You’ve got too many human friends, and they’ll think you’re just shacking up with me.” He smiled. As much as he wanted to mate with her right then, he wouldn’t do it. He wanted their relationship to be different from any other. He wanted theirs to last through eternity.
“Getting tired of all those cold showers you’ve been taking?” She trailed her finger down his chest and arched her perfect brow.
“You have no idea.” His smirk slid off his face, and he narrowed his eyes a little. A flicker of worry gnawed at his gut. It was the same worry he’d felt when he’d woken up this morning. “You’re not trying to weasel out of getting married, are you?”
Her smirk grew into a breathtaking grin. “Not at all. After this afternoon, Jaxon, you won’t be able to get rid of me.”
“That’s exactly what I want to hear.” He bent his head and covered her lips with his. He slid his hands around her waist and pulled her tight against his chest. He could feel the thrum of her heart beating against his chest in sync with the rhythm of his own.
She moaned and opened her mouth. He deepened the kiss. He touched his tongue to hers, tasting her sweetness.
His heart thudded in his chest, and his breathing changed to a pant. His body ached. He didn’t know how he was going to keep from taking her right now up against the tree.
He pulled away, took a deep breath, and shook his head. “Woman, you’re going to be the death of me.”
“Don’t say that, Jaxon.” She covered his lips with the tips of her fingers. Fear flashed through her blue eyes.
“It’s just a saying. I don’t actually mean it.” He snorted.
She shook her head. “You know how superstitious my grandmother is. If she’d heard you right now, she would have crossed herself and thrown salt over her shoulder.”
“Come on, Ginny. You know I don’t believe in that hocus-pocus bullshit.” He tilted her chin with his fingertips. “I believe we make our own destiny and our own future. My future is with you.”
Her expression relaxed, and she finally gave him a smile.
“You’re right.” She glanced down at the watch on her wrist and sucked in a hiss. “I’ve got to go. I’ve still got to get my hair and makeup done before the wedding.”
“You don’t need to do any of that. You look beautiful right now.”
She laughed and pressed her hand against his chest and stepped away. “Jaxon, I want to be perfect for you. I want the first day of the rest of our life to be perfect.” She giggled as she ran toward her grandmother’s car.
He grinned like an idiot as he watched her climb into her grandmother’s old beat-up, gold Buick. She gave him one last wave before she pulled out onto the dirt road.
Today was the first day of the rest of their life together.
He liked the sound of that. He liked the sound of that a whole lot.
He didn’t realize then that today would be filled with unimaginable pain and he would lose his heart forever.