Page 104 of Love Bites Hard

“I know.”

An emotional laugh escaped him, and he hugged me tighter. “Fuck, I’m glad I forced you to marry me.”

I laughed. “You couldn’t have forced me if you tried.Ipickedyou.”

“I don’t care. I’m just glad you’re mine.”

We stayed where we were until I finally convinced him to let me take the driver’s seat—and he held my thigh like it was his anchor all the way back to the pack’s land.

twenty-two

IZZY

The sun was risingwhen we got back. Porter wanted to get me back to our room and take care of me before he dealt with the pack, but I refused. I would survive a few more hours, and the way we dealt with the situation would send a very loud message.

The moment we emerged from the truck, he transformed into the strong, powerful alpha male he always portrayed. Everyone was already gathered together, and he announced without flinching that we’d found the group who wanted me dead.

He warned anyone who might be working with them that we’d captured their leader, and would have the names of anyone else involved before the night was through.

I spent a few hours in a connected room while Porter interrogated Kim. He used his fists to get information out of people sometimes, but he didn’t need that with her. There was too much misery in her eyes and there were too many tears streaming down her cheeks.

He told her straight-up that Evan would know whether she gave us answers or not, and she spilled everything without hesitation. He used the pack’s link to make sure she was telling the truth, and had someone else taking note of everything she said.

Though I knew he wanted to kill her, Porter walked out when he was sure he had all of the information.

I stuck with him through the rest of the day as he tracked down a handful of traitors who’d tried to run, and killed them. It was gruesome, but necessary. Shifters weren’t like humans. They knew the consequences of working against their alpha. He was the leader of their pack family, but he was also their king. They didn’t have to like him, and they could leave at any point if they chose to. But helping with a plan to kill his mate was an automatic death sentence.

The sun was setting again when we finally returned to Wolf Manor, stopping in the cafeteria to grab full plates of food on our way.

I expected the pack to be afraid of us, or at least show us the cold shoulder after Porter had ended the lives of some of their packmates, but neither thing was true.

Somehow, everyone was even friendlier.

They thanked us for staying.

Apologized for the traitorous assholes.

Hell, they even gave us more gifts. None of which were edible, they assured us.

They were probably all sex toys, but I had my fingers crossed for more bath bombs. I’d been saving the few I had for a rainy day, and the next few days already felt like they’d be rainy ones.

There were tears in Nora’s eyes as she apologized about a hundred times, but it wasn’t her fault they’d used the chocolate to poison me. I still wouldn’t stop eating chocolate. And Kim had told us who was behind that, so we weren’t wondering if Nora was involved.

After I hugged her fiercely and assured her repeatedly that I knew she had nothing to do with it, we finally got our food and made our way out.

“When do you think they’ll stop giving me things?”I asked Porter mentally, as we made our way to our room. He was carrying four loaded plates, while my arms were full of gift bags and boxes.

“I don’t know. Hopefully never, if it’ll make you stay.”

I rolled my eyes at him, and he gave me a tired grin.

We were both exhausted.

Back in our room, we sat on the floor together and ate quickly. After we were done, he towed my tired ass to the bathroom, and started filling the tub.

When he dropped the peppermint bath bomb I’d been given during that first bonfire into the tub, I knew I’d found the perfect man.

He pulled me into the hot water with him, and we both relaxed. With his bare, strong body cradling mine, I didn’t think it was possible to get any more comfortable.

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