Page 54 of The Werewolf Cowboy
“You came back to me. Or are you a mirage?” Voice shaky, she hugged him.
He didn’t feel like a mirage.
He removed her hat, tossed it aside and smoothed back her hair. “I’m no hallucination. I’m the real deal.”
Aiden and the others galloped over, and slid off their mounts. Grayson ignored them, his gaze centered on her.
“Reckon you were right, Katy. The Dark Kingdom is no place for you. You have too much power. You gave it up to live here. So I reckon I could give up being alpha of the Gray Wolf pack for you. I can’t live without you, sweetheart.”
“But your pack…all that power. You gave it all up, just for me?”
Grayson shrugged. “What use is power if you don’t have your mate to ground you, get you through the bad days and enjoy the good ones? I handed control of the pack to Chase. He’s going to make a good alpha leader.”
He looked over Aiden, and his expression hardened. “Your place is here, then so is mine. I won’t be pack here, with Aiden. Can’t be pack. But I’ll live next door and be here when you need me. If you need me.”
Katy felt her world tilt on its axis. Crazed with hope, daring to believe he was doing this, she stared up at him. “You’re staying here, in the Skin world? You’re alpha of your pack now!”
He gathered her hands into his. “Being alpha ain’t great unless you have a mate to share your life with, sweetheart. I’d give up being alpha over all the wolf packs in the Dark Kingdom just to be with you. Reckon I’d rather have years in your arms than centuries without you.”
Aiden’s look turned into respect. He stuck out a hand. “You’re a tough son of a bitch, Grayson Moore.”
Grayson shook it. “Be an honor to run with you at times, but understand, I’ll never be part of your pack, Mitchell.”
Aiden nodded. “Katy, I’m formally releasing you from our pack. You’re honorary, just as Grayson is.”
“Thank you,” she told him.
Overcome with emotion, she hugged the alpha. Aiden hugged her back, and when he released her, his dark gaze was solemn.
“I want you to be happy, Katy. When you find that special someone who is your forever mate, you need to stay with them for the rest of your life.” His gaze flicked off in the direction of the ranch lodge. “That’s how it is with Nia. I would give up everything, including this place, to stay with her.”
Katy nodded, her throat too tight to speak. Then she and Grayson mounted their horses and galloped off to his ranch.
In his bedroom, she tore off his shirt in her eagerness to be skin to skin with him. Two werewolves, needing each other. No love for power could ever equal this.
Kissing his hand, she nibbled her way up his bare arm, to the curve of one strong shoulder. Grayson shuddered beneath the touch of her mouth as she licked and kissed his neck. Having this big, strong wolf under her control thrilled her, but she needed more.
“Pack doesn’t come first,” she whispered, lightly biting his earlobe and then giving it a soft lick. “Mates do. And if you’ll make me your forever mate, you will always be first in my life, Grayson. Just as I want you to be now. You risked everything to save me. Now risk everything to be with me, forever, here in the Skin world.”
He kissed her back, and tumbled her backwards onto the bed. As they made love, Katy knew for certain she had made the right decision.
Grayson had given up so much for her, but in surrendering all, he gained everything, just as she had.
They were meant for each other. Neither could live without the other, and both had survived in Skin far too long for the rich temptation of pure power in the Dark Kingdom.
Both of them were so lonely. Through joining physically and emotionally, their loneliness amid their packs turned into belonging to each other.
Their sadness at being outsiders turned into love and happiness.
This was where they were meant to belong.
Together, forever.
* * *
Thank you for reading The Werewolf Cowboy. I hope you enjoyed the stories.
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