It’s late, and I know Kara’s exhausted after everything that happened, so we decide to stay at her house for the night instead of flying back to California. The car ride is spent in silence, and my mind races the entire time. I don’t know what Kara wants or where we go from here. Now that she’s back in Virginia, I don’t know if I can make her leave. Channon Vineyards is her home.
Evangeline walks inside, and the tingling of magic cascades down my body. I can see the shimmering wall of the spell she left around the house. She shuts the front door and sits across from me at the kitchen table. “The house is protected. Other wolves will be able to pick up Kara’s scent, but they won’t be able to get within fifty feet of the house. If they do, all I have to do is put them to sleep.”
“Yeah, I’m very familiar with that one,” I tease her.
She laughs and glances down at my arms. “Your wounds are almost healed.”
When we arrived at Kara’s house, I took a quick shower to wash the blood off me. If I hadn’t, I’d look a lot worse than I am. The gashes that were previously on my arms are now just red scars that’ll be gone in a few hours.
Lifting my arms, I survey the marks and shrug. “Nolan was a good fighter, but I knew I’d win.”
Evangeline smiles. “Of course. You were fighting for your mate.”
“Speaking of mates,” I say, staring curiously at her. “Xavier called you while you were outside.”
She purses her lips. “Nosy, huh?”
I tap my right ear. “Wolf hearing, remember? Just so you know, I didn’t listen in on your conversation. I respect your privacy.”
Evangeline waves me off. “I don’t care if you did. Xavier’s not going to hurt me. He did say the Rich Valley pack won’t be bothering us. Nolan doesn’t plan on telling them what happened.” She winks. “His pride got a little bruised tonight. I guess he doesn’t want his pack knowing a female saved him.”
Jaw clenched, I can feel the anger well up in my chest again. Nolan had touched Kara and was about to go further than that if we hadn’t shown up. I never would’ve been able to forgive myself if we showed up too late.
“I wanted to kill him,” I growl.
Evangeline places a hand over mine. “I know. I’m glad we were there.”
“Me too,” Kara whispers, appearing in the doorway, her hair wet from the shower and dressed in a pair of plaid, flannel pajamas.
Evangeline jumps out of her chair and hugs her hard. “I’m heading out, but you’re safe here. I put a spell around the house.”
Kara’s expression softens, and for the first time, I can see how vulnerable she is; she’s not hiding behind the cold-hearted bitch exterior she often portrays.
“Where are you going?” Kara asks her, releasing her from their embrace.
Evangeline stares at me and then back to her. “Xavier wants to talk. It’s long overdue.”
Kara crosses her arms over her chest. “Are you sure that’s wise?”
“I’ll be fine,” she utters to us both. “Seeing him tonight made me realize I still love him. If anything, he needs to hear it. Will it do any good? I don’t know, but it’s something I have to get off my chest.” She winks at Kara. “I told you light magic always wins. Especially when you believe in it as I do. Love can accomplish anything.” Trying her best not to smile, she peers back and forth between Kara and me. She’s not very subtle.
A car pulls into the driveway and stops at the barrier of the protection spell. Evangeline grabs her chest, and I can hear her nervous heartbeat. “He’s here.” She hugs Kara one more time and then comes over to me. “Be safe going back to California. I know you two have a long road ahead of you.”
I glance over the top of her head to Kara, who looks away. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”
Evangeline lowers her voice so only I can hear. “You will.”
She smiles reassuringly at both Kara and me and walks out the door. Kara and I watch Evangeline get in the car with Xavier and disappear down the driveway. I wait for Kara to move away from the window, but she stands frozen in place, her heart rapidly racing. I want to pull her into my arms, but after what she just went through, I don’t want to overstep. The fear of what could’ve happened to her if I showed up just a few minutes late weighs heavy on my chest. I almost failed her as a mate.
Gradually, I step away from the window to stand by the fireplace, the fire crackling and warming the room. On the mantle are various photos, all of Kara at Mount Rushmore, the White House, the Space Needle, and the Eiffel Tower.
Kara comes up behind me. “My mantle of memories. I’ve been many more places, but there was only so much room.”
Grabbing the one with her in Paris, I face her. “Who took all of your pictures?”
She shrugs. “Random people.”
“Did you always travel alone?”
Kara stares at the picture, her expression forlorn. “Always.”
I set the picture back on the mantle and take her hands. “Why did you leave?”
A tear falls down her cheek when she looks up at me. “I did, but I didn’t.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, feeling her sorrow.
Her eyes well up even more. “Physically, I left, but mentally, I was still there. When I felt the bond between us, it scared the hell out of me. But it was also the first time I’ve felt my wolf since this,” she murmurs, holding up her wrist with the bracelet. “It was as if I was brought to life again.” Her eyes narrow angrily at the bracelet. “But getting this off was important, too. I thought I could find help.”
“If you had gotten the bracelet off, would you have come back to me?” It’s a question I’m not sure I want to know the answer to.
Kara lowers her gaze, and it’s all the answer I need. “I don’t know,” she confesses. Her fear fills the room.
“What are you so afraid of, Kara?” She tries to pull away, but I don’t let her go. “Tell me.”
She jerks her head back and forth, averting her gaze, more tears falling down her face. “I’ve lost everyone I’ve ever loved. I’ve been betrayed by the people I thought loved me. I don’t know how to trust anyone with my heart.”
After letting her hands go, I bring mine up to cup her cheeks and turn her to face me. Then, using the pad of my thumbs, I wipe her tears away. “You can trust me, Kara. I will never betray you. You’re mine now, and I’ll do everything I can to protect you.”
Her eyes begin to soften, but then they harden just as quickly. “What about your pack? They’ll never accept me.”
“Once they see the real you, they will.”
“You don’t even know the real me. You can’t see inside of my head.”
I move closer, my body flush against hers. “Then let me. Let me taste you. That way, you can see everything in my mind. Then, you’ll never have to doubt me.”
Another tear falls down her cheek. “I’m afraid. What if the bracelet doesn’t let us do this?”
“Hey,” I murmur, tilting her face up, “it’s okay to be afraid. It’s okay to cry and let others in.” I try to touch the bracelet, but it repels me, like trying to put two of the same side magnets together. “The bracelet may not let us have our vision or the mental bond, but we can at least try to see if it works. When we’re together, you can feel your wolf, right?”
She shrugs. “Yes, but not fully. It’s like she’s just underneath the surface.”
I smile. “And that’s all that matters. Laila said it’s up to you to figure out how to free yourself. When you’re with me, things get better. Maybe we’re on to something here. All I know is I’m never going to leave your side.”
She lifts on her toes and rests her forehead to mine. “Promise?”
“I promise.” I kiss her gently, waiting to see if she responds. When she does, I deepen the kiss, and she opens up to me, pressing her body desperately against mine. I can feel her want, her need; it matches my own.
Without warning, I slide my hands down her thighs, and lift her into my arms. I don’t want to start this in the living room like the first time. No, this time is different. Before it had been all about primal need, but right now, I need to show her I can protect her … that I love her.
With one arm across Kara’s back and the other under her knees, I hold her close so she can lean into my chest as I take her to the bedroom.
Once we’re there, I situate her on the bed, and she grabs my hand, her steely blue eyes boring into mine. “I think it’s time you made love to me.”
She doesn’t have to ask me twice. I’d stripped her naked first last time, but tonight I want it to be my turn. I yank my shirt over my head with one hand, then pop the button on my jeans as her eyes rake down my body. Her desire hits me full force and it goes straight to my cock. Soon, I’m naked and standing before her, allowing Kara to look as much as she wants.
“I could stare at you all day,” she says, her voice smooth and seductive. Her tongue shoots out to wet her bottom lip and she pats the bed. “Lie down, Chase. I need to taste you in another way.” Her eyes stray down to my dick, and it hardens even more. I know what she plans to do.
Groaning in delight, I lie down beside her. “You’re killing me, princess.”
A spark twinkles in her eyes as she wraps a hand around my cock, pumping my length with the right amount of pressure. Tilting my head back, I moan and suck in a breath when I feel her warm lips close over the head of my dick. She takes me in as far as she can go, up and down, sucking greedily to the point where I feel I’m about to lose control.
“Kara, stop,” I beg.
She giggles and looks up at me, but I grab her shoulders and push her onto the bed. If I don’t make love to her, I’m going to go insane.
Kara snickers again. “I like watching you lose control.”
Slowly, I crawl over her and kiss her as my hands push under her shirt. I rip it off, never once taking my tongue from her mouth. My cock is raging hard with a desperate need to get inside of her. Once I have Kara fully naked on the bed, I kiss down her chest and palm her breasts. I suck one nipple, then the other, into my mouth. Her fingers thread into my hair and pull. When she gets her wolf strength back, I can only imagine the damage she’ll do in bed. I look forward to finding out.
I continue my trek down her stomach, dropping wet kisses along the way. Kara’s body moves in waves as she anticipates where I will strike next. Everything I do is gentle. I trail my fingers down her skin, creating an avalanche of goosebumps as Kara’s moans fill the room. My wolf wants to give her pleasure, to show her just how good it’ll be with me, that I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she’s happy.
Taking my place between Kara’s legs, I lick her clit, and my name falls from her lips. When she’s wet enough, I slide two fingers into her and stroke gently in rhythm with my tongue. Before I moved fast, but this time, I take my time guiding her to her release. Her breaths come out in rapid pants as I feel her clench around my fingers, her orgasm close. Her thighs squeeze my head when her release hits like a truck, making her body arch off the bed.
“Chase,” she gasps, her voice laced with need, “I want you now.”
Without giving her the chance to recover, I position myself between her legs and push inside of her, but not fully. Kara drops her head back and cries out, making her breasts lift in the air. I suck her nipples, loving the way her pussy clenches around my cock.
Kara gasps and moans again; the sound is music to my ears. I run my hand down her face as her fingers dig into my back. The sting is worth knowing that she’s enjoying my touch. Pushing in just a little bit more, I circle my hips to get her ready for me. “Is this what you wanted?” I ask, thrusting in a little deeper.
She shakes her head. “No, I need more.”
When I enter her fully, she grips her legs tighter around my waist and moves her hips along with mine as I thrust inside of her. I lick and suck her nipples one after the other as I pound my hips against hers.
“Chase,” she moans. The sound sends me over the edge.
The second her nails dig into my back and her muscles clench tighter around my cock, I know it’s game over. She screams as her orgasm starts to hit its peak, but I cover her mouth with mine, and muffle her cries with my own as I come inside of her. I stay between her legs for a few more seconds, letting her body milk me completely.
Still connected, I bite into my lip, and the taste of my blood lands on my tongue. Kara stares at the crimson on my lips, her desire flashing in her eyes.
“Are you ready?” I ask her.
She glides her hands up my chest and cups the back of my head, pulling me in closer. “I am.” Her mouth closes over mine, the force of her need making me want to make love to her again. Her legs wrap around my waist, and I push into her just as I sink my teeth into her neck. Her blood tastes sweet with a hint of cinnamon.
Our surroundings begin to fade away, and everything dissolves all around me. I’m no longer making love to my mate but holding her hand as we stand together in a hazy room, almost as if it’s filled with mist. I can’t see anything but her. My mate. I’m in love with Kara Channon. I fell harder than I ever thought possible. Even before when she hated me, I felt this undeniable attraction to her. And now that she’s mine, I refuse to let her go.
Kara gasps and squeezes my hand, her eyes wide with wonder.
“It worked. The bracelet didn’t stop us.” But then her eyes narrow when she looks around. “Or maybe it didn’t. I don’t see anything.”
When two wolves who are destined to be mates share blood, it transports them into a vision of their future. I look around at the mist, wondering if the bracelet is hindering us. But then, something catches my eye. The fog begins to pull back, revealing the scene around us.
“Look,” I whisper, pointing at the two figures before us.
Kara cups a hand over her mouth as everything unfolds before us. The Kara in the vision sits at my desk, scribbling away on a piece of paper while I pace the floor behind her with the biggest grin on my face.
“I think we have a winner,” the dream me says.
Kara smiles up at me. “I think so, too. If we work hard, we could enter it into next year’s competition.”
The real Kara squeezes my hand. “Are you listening to this? If I heard right, I believe we just came up with a wine recipe together.”
I wink at her. “I’d say so. I’m curious to see what we do.”
We focus back on our vision selves, but in all reality, our visions are real. What’s happening now will come to pass one day. It could be days, years, or even centuries.
The dream Kara waves her hands excitedly and gasps. “I know what’ll make it better.” She writes something else down on the recipe, and the other me leans over her shoulder to see what it is.
He kisses her tenderly. “Perfect.”
He takes her hands and carefully helps her up, revealing her swollen belly. She’s pregnant. The dream me pulls Kara into his arms, and they kiss. The real Kara stares at herself, her mouth gaping.
“This is surreal.” Then, her eyes drift to the paper on my desk. “I need to look at the recipe.”
She rushes over, but I grab her arm, pulling her back to me. “We’ll find out when it actually happens. Let’s just be surprised.”
Kara glances over at the paper one last time and then gives in to me. “Okay. It’s so tempting.”
I’m not going to lie, it is. I’d like to know what we were working on, too.
Kara cuddles up to my side, and I drape an arm over her shoulders. “We look so happy,” she says, smiling at our dream selves, who are still in each other’s arms.
“That’s because we’re together. It’s all going to work out.” I point to her arm. “See … the bracelet’s gone. You figured out how to free yourself.”
Her eyes widen. “You’re right. I do.”
The swirling mist creeps its way in, and our dream selves dissolve into nothing. The last thing I feel before I get sucked back into reality is Kara’s arm around my waist, holding me tight.
“Chase,” Kara murmurs.
Kara’s body squeezes around my cock, and I moan as my eyes begin to focus. I look down at her, and she cups my face. “Do you really mean it?”
“Mean what?” I ask, leaning into her hand and kissing it.
She smiles, and I can see the vulnerability behind it. “I heard you, Chase. I heard what you were thinking in the dream.”
It’s going to be interesting knowing she can hear my thoughts. It doesn’t matter anyway because I have nothing to hide. I want her to know I love her. “You mean the part where I said I’m in love with you?”
Kara nods and a tear rolls down her cheek. “And also, the part where you said you fell harder than you ever thought possible.”
With our bodies still connected, I brush her tears away with my thumb. “Yeah, I did say that. What do you have to say about it?”
She closes her lips over mine, and her need engulfs me. I don’t have to hear her say the words to know she loves me back; I can feel it inside of her.
Kara breaks from the kiss. “I want you to hear it,” she whispers. “I love you, Chase.”
Hearing the words makes me want to claim her even more. Feeling her body clench around my cock makes it harder to resist.
“And do you want to know my favorite part of your monologue?” she adds, sliding her hands away from my face to rest on my back.
“What?”
Her gaze lands on my lips. “I love the part where you said now that I’m yours, you’re never going to let me go.”
“Never,” I murmur.
Kara smiles again. “Good. I don’t want you to. Especially now that I think I know what to do.”
Smiling, I push into her. “About what? Do we need to switch positions?” I tease. Seeing our vision makes all my doubts slip away. I know Kara’s going to be happy with me.
Kara rolls her eyes, arching her back off the bed when I thrust harder. “No, we’re good like this. But I’m being serious.”
Slowing my pace, I eventually come to a stop and gaze down at her. “Then tell me.”
Her crystal blue eyes twinkle. “I know what I have to do to get the bracelet off.”
“And that would be?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “I’ll tell you in the morning. Right now, we need to finish this. I can’t seem to get enough of you.”
Her pussy clenches around me, and it feels so fucking good. I thrust into her, again and again, loving the way her nails dig into my back. Finally, Kara screams out her release, her body bucking beneath mine and milking me to completion.
Once her breathing settles, I slowly slide out of her and pull her onto my chest. “I’ll never get enough of you.”