Opening the hotel room door for her, Wes followed Dakota inside. She kicked off her heels and rolled her shoulders, the green silk draping off her caressing her body with each movement. Yet even looking at her luscious body couldn’t distract Wes from what was on his mind.

They were now closer than ever to finding the books, yet he didn’t feel like celebrating. No, all he wanted was to know where Dakota stood, and if she even cared about him at all. It was time to lay the cards on the table, and see what happened.

“Dakota,” he started, and she whirled around to face him across the room. “Why did you run away earlier? And don’t tell me it was because you like to shop alone or any other such bullshit. I want the truth.”

She looked taken aback for a moment, before crossing her arms in front of her.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she argued.

“Yes, you do,” he replied, taking a step closer. “I know you’re attracted to me. I can smell it on you. But ever since last night at the barn, you’ve been holding back. I don’t want to push you into anything, or demand anything from you, but I would like to know what’s up.”

Dakota chewed on her bottom lip, her arms still crossed tightly in front of her.

“I just don’t think we need to complicate things for ourselves,” she shrugged, but her tone was strained. “We both know how this is going to end.”

“Do we?” Wes arched a brow at her. “Enlighten me, then.”

“You know,” she said, letting her arms drop to her sides. “I’m an assignment for you, and while we’ve become friends during this time together, that hasn’t changed. Once we get the books back and you see I want nothing but to destroy them, you will go back to your home. Your family. I don’t have a family anymore. All I have is this job that no one else knows about, and a responsibility to throw myself into danger so others don’t get hurt. You see the problem here?”

“I don’t,” was Wes’ curt reply.

“What?” Dakota frowned.

It seemed she hadn’t expected that particular response.

“You’ve got it all figured out, but you forgot one thing,” he said. “You forgot to actually ask me what I think about all this.”

Dakota looked uncomfortable as she looked at him, fidgeting with the sides of her dress. Taking off her earrings, she walked into the bathroom, and Wes followed her, not wanting to let her get off that easy.

“What’s there to think about? There are facts, and…” she began to argue, but Wes wasn’t having it.

It seemed Dakota was trying to tell him she was pushing him away for their own good, and he just couldn’t agree with that. And the fact she hadn’t consulted him before deciding she knew what was best for him didn’t fly with him at all.

“What facts? Have you ever thought that maybe I don’t want to go back to Pinedale once this is over?” he waved a hand. “And if you had just talked to me, you would know that.”

He had never said it out loud, but there had been a niggle on the back of his head for some time now. The pack was all he had ever known, but that wasn’t a good enough reason to stay with them. He would always love his wolf brothers, but he knew they would be the first ones to tell him he needed to do what felt right to him.

Absentmindedly placing her earrings on the edge of the bathroom counter, she tapped her fingers along the edge of it before turning around.

“But your pack…” she trailed off, as if knowing what he had been thinking about.

“Will be my family no matter where in the world I am,” he finished for her, leaning on the doorway. “But I want to carve out my own path. I can’t do that in Pinedale. I have more to give than they need, but I think it’s just right for you. For us.”

Blinking at him, Dakota looked to be gathering her thoughts.

“And what’s that path?” she asked after a long moment.

“I was kind of hoping my path was with you,” Wes admitted, not giving himself a chance to shy away from the truth.

Dakota was his mate. He was sure of that now. That meant there was no holding back. She might have been fighting her feelings for him, but he wasn’t going to any longer. Life was too short for that.

“Do you really want to be a part of this kind of life?” Dakota sighed. “I’ve tried having relationships before, but it never works out, for obvious reasons.”

“But I know about everything,” Wes argued. “Demons, spells, the whole nine yards You don’t need to hide anything from me. I’m not some squishy human who will break at the first hurled projectile. No more secrets. We can do this together.”

“You really want a life full of danger?” Dakota countered.

“Do I strike you as the playing it safe type?” Wes arched a brow at her. “And who are you really trying to convince here? Me or you?”

“I don’t know,” she shook her head. “I’m just figuring everything out myself – taking over for my dad, getting his books back, what I’m going to do after I do that… I guess I’m afraid,” she admitted.

There was that familiar sinking feeling again, and Dakota was beginning to understand that it didn’t come from anything else other than inside herself. She could have all the support she ever needed but if she couldn’t get over her insecurities, it wasn’t going to change anything.

Could she change? Could she trust him?

“Of what?” he asked.

“Of leaning on you. What if I get too used to it, and then one day you’re not there anymore?” she asked, eyes getting shiny.

Wes crossed the room in one long stride, placing his hands on her shoulders.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he assured her. “Because you’re it for me, Dakota. I felt it the moment we met. And being with you, doing this work with you feels right. More right than anything ever has. It’s like I’ve finally found my place.”

“What are you saying?” Dakota’s eyes widened.

“I’ve trusted you from the start. I never thought you were going to use the books for some evil purpose. I took the assignment to follow you because I couldn’t not ever see you again. My wolf has acted like he knew you from the second we stumbled upon each other in Pinedale,” he replied, watching a single tear stream down her cheek.

“Are you saying… I’m your mate?” Dakota asked, her voice little more than a whisper.

“I am,” he nodded. “But I’m not saying it to put pressure on you. I’m saying it because I need to say it.”

What could she say to that? Other than what she knew in her heart. There was a lot of bad out there, she knew it, but this was something good.

“It does feel right,” she replied under her breath, locking eyes with him. “Being close to you is like a drug, and it scares me sometimes.”

Relief surged through Wes as she said the words he had wanted to hear. So she did feel as strongly about him as he did about her. He had dared to hope so, since they were soul mates after all, but hearing it out loud was still special.

“You’re only afraid because you’re holding back,” he said. “You’re scared because you’re not letting go. You’re getting stuck in your head. Just trust me when I say I will always be by your side, if you’ll have me there,” he added, reaching out to wipe the tear from her cheek.

“Just be patient with me, okay?” she replied. “I’m trying to trust myself more, but it may take me a little while to get the hang of it.”

“Whatever you need,” Wes nodded. “Just promise me you’ll talk to me about what’s going on in that head of yours.”

“All right,” she replied. “Can I be honest then?” she asked, leaning back against the counter.

“Always,” he replied.

“I thought you were the hottest man I’d ever laid eyes on when we met,” she said with a small grin.

“You did?” he arched a brow at her, his wolf growling low in his chest. “Well, if we’re being honest, then I have to say I haven’t been able to tear my eyes away from you all night,” he said, letting his gaze trail over her. “You in this dress…” he trailed off, appreciating every inch of her silhouette.

“Oh, this old thing?” Dakota asked, cocking her hip. “I guess it is nice,” she shrugged. “But I can’t wait to get out of it,” she added, with a fire in her eyes that was hard to misinterpret.

“Let me help you, then,” Wes said, stepping closer, until Dakota was pressed up against the counter, her chest rising and falling as her heartbeat quickened.

“Please do,” she tilted her head at him. “What are partners for, after all.”