Page 70 of Enemy Wolf

Orson pulled in a deep breath and lowered his voice. “I think I might have a little dragon in me after all.”

I stared at him. “How?”

“Remember what Mokir said about my eyes? That I have the eyes of our ice dragon ancestors? Well, I was able to kill him because…” Orson didn’t speak for a long time. “Because I breathed ice. Ice-fire. Something like that. I was so out of it, but I’m pretty sure that’s what killed him. I froze his internal organs.”

Orson leaned back against his headboard and looked at me, his expression apprehensive. “Do you believe me?”

“Yes, I do.” I squeezed his arm. “That probably explains your hypothermia. Your insides had to be freezing for that to occur.”

“Sure as hell felt like they were.” His expression hardened, his emotions closing off. “You know everything about me now, more than anyone else. I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you before. Not just about me but the cameras too. Everything that I’ve fucked up.”

“It’s okay. You had your reasons.” I was so close to him, I was practically in his lap. But his closed-off body language and his hard expression kept me on edge. “I’m sorry I accused you of working with Mokir. I…I can’t believe I jumped to that conclusion.”

“Your trust in me was already shaken. I don’t blame you for that.”

“Well, you should, because it was a pretty big accusation. You deserve better than that.”

“And you deserve a mate who doesn’t hide things from you.”

I reached up to stroke the dark shadow of beard on his cheek, trying to catch the gaze of those incredible eyes. “Well, nothing is hidden anymore, right?”

Finally he looked directly at me, a sliver of vulnerability peeking through his emotionless mask. “No, and it never will be. I’ll always be an open book to you.”

“And you did slay a dragon for me, so.” I allowed a smile to pull at my lips. “How many can say their mates did that?”

Orson pulled in a sharp breath, his mask crumbling. “You still want to be my mate?” he whispered.

“I am your mate. I never stopped being that.” I brought a hand to the nape of his neck and rested my forehead against his temple. “And I accept you wholly and completely as you are. Dragon, wolf, human, all of the above; I don’t care. You are mine, Orson, and I’ve already made this vow to the moon. It was she who led me to you.”

Finally, the last of his defenses melted away. Orson turned his head, his forehead rolling against mine. “You mean that?” he asked in a rough whisper, like he couldn’t believe it.

“With every bone in my body.” My fingers scraped through his hair. “I’m sorry I ever made you doubt. I never will again.” I lifted my face away just enough to look at him clearly. “Will you still have me as yours?” A stab of fear hit me at the idea that he might not trust me anymore.

Orson wrapped a large palm around my nape, bringing his forehead to mine again and our noses to touch. His breath fanned over my lips as he spoke.

“With my whole heart and the moon magic in each of my cells. With every strand of DNA that makes me man and wolf, you, Shiloh, are the mate for me. All of me.”

The kiss he initiated started out as soft and tender. I opened my mouth with a gasp, an invitation for his tongue to lick inside. And then it became a desperate press and pull on both our ends, the craving for each other maddening, and a rush of emotions.

It was release and relief. The weight of everything felt like it lifted all at once and gave me the sensation of floating. I also started crying because what else would be a better release of everything I was feeling?

“Hey, what?” Orson pulled away with a worried expression, his thumbs dragging over my tears. “What’s wrong, my pretty witch?”

I laughed with a sniffle. “Nothing, I promise. I just can’t believe it’s all over.”

“Your nightmare is over.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “But we’re just beginning.”

“You’re so right.” My arms went around his neck while his wrapped around my back. He started pulling me across his lap, which got me scared for another reason. “Orson, wait. You have a pelvic fracture!”

“No idea what that is.” He kept hauling me over him and looked adorably annoyed as I hovered over blanket-covered legs.

“You’re still healing and shouldn’t put any weight on here.” I pointed straight down.

My werewolf made a dismissive sound, grabbed my waist and pulled me down right on top of him. I tried to fight the movement but was no match for his strength. All I got was lost balance and careened forward into his chest. His arms went around me again, trapping me in place against his torso and the other hard place just under the covers.

“I feel just fine,” he said in a low rumble against my ear. With a sensual lick, he added, “I miss my mate. And this time, I need to mark her.”

Chapter 26

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