Page 55 of Big Bad Single Wolf Dad

But most of all, I want to say yes.

I can feel the tears already spilling over and running down my cheeks, and finally, with a soft sob, I nod. When I speak my voice is filled with emotion.

“Yes, yes! Of course yes,” I tell him, wanting to say it over and over and over again for the rest of my life, for the rest of eternity.

But all I can do is let out an incredulous laugh, one that mingles with my tears of joy. I only hope Greg knows how happy this makes me.

He’s beaming up at me from where he still kneels and I realize he’s holding out his hand to me. Without even thinking, I give it to him, and somehow it takes me a second to understand why. It’s only when he slips the ring on my finger that it becomes real — all this is real.

Pure joy and love flood through me as I feel the ring around my finger. It’s a symbol of love, of commitment, of two families becoming one and for the millionth time, I realize how lucky I am to be here.

Greg’s hand is still holding mine and he pulls me up from my chair and into a warm embrace. When his lips touch mine, I feel like I could melt, but the kiss is passionate — another declaration of his love, our love.

“I love you so much,” I finally tell him as we pull away from the kiss. “I can’t believe I get to spend my life with you.”

Greg smiles, his glowing amber eyes gazing deeply into mine.

“I love you too,” he tells me, and I hear in his voice how much he means it. In fact, I can’t believe I ever doubted its authenticity. “I can’t believe you’re going to be my wife.”

The word sends my heart aflutter all over again, and I feel as if I could burst — with happiness, with love, with gratitude, with excitement. I want to shout our love from the rooftops all of a sudden, like some foolish teenager in love for the first time. This, all of this, really feels like the first time for everything.

I pull Greg into another kiss, deep and longing this time as if I’m pouring all of myself into him and receiving all of him into me. For a moment it truly feels as if time is standing still and only he and I exist.

It’s the perfect way to begin the rest of our lives together.

30

GREG

“I think I should talk to Eric,” I say to Sarah one day as we watch the kids play in the park. They’re deep into another round of what’s become known as compliment frisbee.

Sarah looks at me, a little shocked. “Really? I thought you hated him?”

I chuckle a little. “I don’t really hate anyone,” I tell her. “I just get very protective over the people who are important to me.”

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her closer to me on the park bench.

She smiles at this, planting a soft kiss on my lips — something that never gets old. I feel my heart swell, knowing that I finally have all I’ve ever wanted and that nothing can take this away from me now.

“I admire that you want to talk to Eric,” Sarah tells me as she pulls away. “That wasn’t exactly what I would have expected of you.”

“I know when people think of werewolves and conflict, they probably think teeth and claws and all the rest, right?” I ask with a wry smile.

“I mean…” Sarah replies with a sheepish look, and she doesn’t have to finish the sentence.

“I know,” I say. “I get it. But what people don’t realize is that we can actually be incredibly diplomatic, under the right circumstances. When you grow up in a pack, you have to be. Nobody gets very far if every argument is settled with a dogfight.”

Sarah cocks her head. “That actually makes a lot of sense,” she replies thoughtfully. “And here I was thinking you were going to go around there and get all angry werewolf on him.”

I have to laugh at this. “No, I already did that once. And anyway, there’s no need for it now. I got the girl.”

I smile and kiss Sarah again, grateful for how everything has turned out. Now there’s just one last loose end to take care of.

After Sarah and the kids are back home, I take my car back out in search of the now-familiar house. As much as I meant what I said to Sarah, part of me still can’t believe I’m doing this.

But I’m not the kind of man who likes unfinished business, and things with Eric feel very much unresolved. And besides, I still need to put an end to his meddling, which I get the feeling will continue for as long as he thinks he can get away with it. He still sends her occasional texts, and I know she’s sick to death of it. Frankly, so am I.

I finally spot the house I’m looking for. The door I once had images of smashing to pieces almost makes me chuckle a little as I ring the doorbell. Now that things between Sarah and I are stable, the thought of Eric being any kind of threat seems ridiculous. Especially knowing that she was never actually interested in him in the first place.

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