Chapter 32
Katya
A sweet smell tickled my nose. I rolled over. Soft, warm blankets enveloped me. So did a pounding in my head. A fluffy pillow seemed to help the aching.
What was that aroma? It made my stomach rumble. Had Che made me breakfast?
Images from the forest flooded my mind. Jaguars, wolves, dragons, bears, witches, and trolls fighting.
I’d bowed before the alpha jaguar to offer myself in exchange for everyone else.
What had happened after that?
Had he accepted the deal? Was I now part of the family as a wife and baby-maker for a tyrannical husband?
My stomach twisted in such tight knots that not even the delicious smell could relax me. Food didn’t matter if I now had only a lifetime of servitude to look forward to. It would be worth it if my loved ones were safe—if my mom and dad could finally be together again. At least they would have Alley.
The anticipation was too much. I needed to open my eyes and see where I was. It was time to face reality.
I cracked open one eye. The strange room was dim, but there was enough light to see. I appeared to be alone. At least from the section of the room I could see.
The furniture appeared to be expensive, and everything was tidy.
I opened my other eye and sat up, scanning the room. More pricey items decorated the huge bedroom.
At least if I was going to be forced into a miserable marriage, I’d have nice things.
Somehow, that seemed like little consolation. I was only trying to make the horrible situation seem tolerable. It never would be. Not when my heart would always belong to Carter.
“You’re awake.”
I froze. The male voice came from right next to me—in the bed.
Fear tore through me.
Why couldn’t I have died in the woods?
“Katya.” The voice was gentle. Familiar.
I turned toward him. My gaze met the eyes of the man I loved more than life itself under the covers with me. I crumbled back onto the pillow, unable to hold myself up.
Carter brushed hair away from my face. “Are you okay?”
I gasped for air, unable to breathe. The only thing I could do was take in his sight. He was just as gorgeous as ever and had on no shirt. A blood-stained bandage wrapped around his torso.
Finally, I found my voice. “What happened? How’d we get here? Where is here?”
He scooted closer and pressed his lips on mine. “Toby’s mansion. We won. The few remaining members of your relatives ran away with their tails between their legs. They aren’t coming back.”
“Who’s left?”
“Not many. I killed their alpha. Not that he made it easy.” Carter rubbed his bandage. “But once the dragons arrived, victory came quickly. Between them and the witches, the other side didn’t stand a chance.”
“What about Josh? He helped me. I hope he’s safe.”
“He’s downstairs—he was a lot of help during the battle, too.”
Relief washed through me. I leaned my forehead against his. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
He kissed my cheek. “I’m better than okay. You’re alive and well, and those jaguars are gone for good. What more could I ask for?”
“What about my dad and Che? Your pack?”
“Your dad and Che are back at the hotel. They concocted a story about a hunting accident. Your mom and sister think you’re helping me recover from that.”
Sadness ran through me. “They can never know about us being shifters?”
Carter shook his head. “Not unless they witness something that we can’t explain away—such as one of you shifting. It’s better that way.”
I nodded, understanding but hating it. “What about your pack? Is everyone okay?”
He cleared his throat. “We weren’t without casualties.”
I gasped. “You lost family because of this? Who?”
Carter rubbed his thumb along my jawline. “Don’t feel guilty. We all knew what we were getting into.”
Tears stung my eyes. “Who died?”
He wiped his eyes. “A couple guys you never met.”
“I need to know their names.”
Carter cleared his throat again. “Mateo and Dash.” His voice cracked. “They were wolfborns.”
It felt like a punch in the gut. “And now they’re dead because of me.”
“No, to keep you safe. To stand up for the freedom of shifters everywhere. Anywhere a shifter is in danger, it’s a cause our pack stands up against.”
I snuggled closer to him, pressing my ear against his bare chest and listening to his heartbeat. No matter how he tried to justify it, good shifters had died for me.
He ran his palm over the length of my hair a few times. “Don’t blame yourself. They wouldn’t want you to.”
“How do you know?”
“Because they were excited to fight for a cause. To help take down people like your fam—your relatives.”
I looked at him. “But still. They shouldn’t have had to pay the ultimate price.”
Carter pressed his mouth on mine and kissed me deeply. It took my breath away, and almost made me forget why I was upset. Almost.
His phone rang, and he reached over to a nightstand. “It’s your dad.” He swiped his finger across the screen. “Hey, Kevin… Uh-huh… Yeah, sure. Give us an hour.”
I arched a brow.
“Okay. See you then.” Carter ended the call and set his phone down. “We’re going to meet your family at the hotel. Your mom and sister are worried about you.”
“I’m sure they are.”
He kissed my forehead. “I’ll let you get the first shower. That dried blood in your hair will freak them out.”
My hand immediately went to the sorest spot on my head. Sure enough, my hair was stiff and a little sticky. “What happened?”
“Someone hit you in the head with a rock while the alpha had you pinned. I killed him before the alpha.”
My heart raced as I stared into the eyes of someone who loved me enough to actually kill for me.
He brushed his lips across mine. “Hurry up and get that shower. I told them we’d be there in an hour.”
I held his gaze as I climbed out of bed and headed into the bathroom. Inside, a pile of folded clothes awaited me.
Once dressed, I went back into the bedroom. Carter sat on the perfectly made bed, already showered, a tray of steaming food next to him.
“What’s this?”
He smiled. “Laura brought us up breakfast. I’d already put on fresh blankets, so now it’s breakfast on bed instead of in.”
“Sounds good to me.” I climbed over and snuggled against him.
Carter picked up a strawberry and fed it to me. I picked one up and dipped it in a little tray of melted chocolate. Smiling, I held it out for him but then took a bite myself.
He laughed. “You’re beyond adorable.”
“You think that’s adorable?”
“I do.”
“How about this?” I dipped another strawberry in the chocolate and leaned toward him, but at the last second, I smeared it across his face.
Carter grinned slyly. “Now you have to lick it off me.”
“You wish.” I put the fruit in his mouth and reached for another.
He dropped it on the tray, wrapped his arms around me and rolled me over. “Yes, I do wish.”
My cheeks heated, but I leaned closer and kissed the chocolate from his face. He then covered my face in kisses, stopping at my mouth.
Carter held my gaze. “I love you.”
“I love you more.”
He pressed his mouth on mine and deepened the kiss right away.
It sent a wave of warmth and excitement through me. My heart raced and threatened to explode out of my chest.
Carter sat up, pulling me with him, and he ran his fingertips from my ear to my chin.
A chill shivered its way across my whole body.
He traced my lips. “I can’t live without you. Now that I’ve tasted what life is like with you, I’ll never be able to go back to my boring, monotonous life.”
I kissed his fingertip. “You don’t have to.”
Carter stared into my eyes with an intensity I could feel to my core. “Will you marry me?”
My mouth gaped and my pulse raced through my body. He wanted to marry me?
“It doesn’t have to be today, or even before you graduate. But will you make me the happiest man alive?”
I threw my arms around him and kissed him. “Yes, yes! A thousand times, yes.”
He squeezed me tightly, then turned to the tray of food. “Where did Laura put that ring?”
It hadn’t been an impromptu proposal? He’d put enough thought into it to get a ring?
Carter dug around behind a napkin. “Found it.” He held up a gorgeous sparkling diamond engagement ring and slid it on my finger. “I hope you like it.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off it. “I love it almost as much as I love you.”
“It was my mother’s.”
I turned to him. “You want me to have your mom’s ring?”
He nodded. “As long as you’ll have me.”
“Forever and for always.” I gazed into his eyes. “Where are we going to spend the rest of our lives?”
Carter kissed my nose. “Here. The hotel. I don’t care as long as we’re together. Maybe we could travel to Central or South America to where the jaguar shifters originated. I’ve always been curious to visit the old ruins.”
“I like the way you think.”
His eyes lit up. “We could also check out Egypt. We have a lot of jaguar history there too. In fact, my friend the valkyrie loves it over there. She could show us around—you two will hit it off for sure.”
“That sounds like quite the adventure. I’d love to explore the world with you.”
I wrapped my arms around him again and kissed him passionately. I couldn't wait to be the wife of the most wonderful jaguar shifter in the world.