Mated in Mist (Talon Pack #3)(56)

Walker had helped strip Ryder and put him in bed, leaving Leah to tend to him for now. While her mate slept, she quickly showered, washing his blood from her skin and soaking in the water, needing its healing presence to soothe her soul as well as her body.

She’d almost lost him today, and she hadn’t even had the chance to fully take action against those who took him. One day soon she would, she knew, but for now, just having Ryder near would have to be enough. Her Pack and her new family were in danger, and all she wanted to do was cuddle into her mate and try to remember that there was a reason they fought.

That, in its own way, was another form of healing. One she needed to embrace.

She shut off the water and dried herself off before walking naked into the bedroom. Ryder slept on his back, his wounds almost fully healed. Because he hadn’t broken any bones nor hurt any internal organs, he’d be back to full strength by the morning. It should have surprised her, but considering what she could do with her own magic, it didn’t.

Leah lifted the covers and slid into the bed beside him, careful not to jostle his nearly healed wounds. When he turned his head and opened his eyes, she bit her lip, another tear sliding down her cheek.

“Never do that again.” Her voice broke. “I can’t stand the thought of losing you.”

He lifted his arm, and she carefully pressed her naked body to his. Immediately, her magic reached out and wrapped around him, needing him as much as his wolf needed her. The bond pulsed red-hot between them, and she sighed.

“I’m sorry, little witch. The only thing I thought about when I was there was seeing you again. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” He kissed her forehead and she sighed. “I love you, Leah. You’re my mate, my heart, the other half of my soul. I love you.”

The tears flowed freely down her cheeks now. “I love you, too, my wolf.”

They’d mated already, and the bond between them glowed brightly. But it was the words that the humans needed.

Together, they lay cuddled under the blankets, healing in a way that only they would understand. They’d fought together and had saved one another from not only the outside world but also the demons within.

When she’d been running for her life, she’d never thought to find the one person who could complete her in a way that never left her wanting. And yet, the goddess had blessed her with not only a mate, but a male who truly understood what she could provide to the Pack.

She would fight by his side and fight for their Pack. She was witch, she was Talon, she was Ryder’s. And most of all, she was Leah.

She wasn’t alone anymore.

Not by far.





Epilogue


Ryder gripped his mate’s hips, pumping in and out of her as they both panted with need. Leah knelt in front of him, her hands fisting in the sheets as he f*cked her from behind. With one hand, he slid his fingers over her and probed her ass. When she gasped and pushed back, he slowly worked his way inside, his fingers slick from her juices.

That movement made her come, her * clenching around his dick. Since he couldn’t hold back when he was with her, he thrust into her once more then came, as well, filling her up until they both lay together on the bed, spent and sweaty.

“Good morning,” Leah panted.

“Good morning,” Ryder chuckled. He kissed her neck then slid slowly out of her. “We need to shower if we’re going to make it to Brie and Gideon’s on time.”

As a former member of the Redwood Pack, Brie had been used to family dinners. The Brentwoods, it seemed, were now having weekly meals at their place. Ryder couldn’t find fault in the idea, other than the fact that it meant he had to get dressed and out of bed. But now that the others knew what he could do and what Leah would soon learn to do with her share of his craft, he didn’t want to hide from them anymore. Family meant getting the good and the bad, and he had to remember that. They had always been there for him, and he would always be there for them in turn.

Leah spooned back into him and grinned over her shoulder. “Brie is making a roast. Let’s get dressed.”

He smacked her ass then rubbed the sting. “You’re trading me in for a roast?”

She turned in his arms, gripped his dick and kissed his lips. “I need fuel so I can keep riding you long into the night. Roast first. Hot sex later.”

He laughed before kissing her again. “Deal.”

They showered quickly and made sure every inch of each other was clean before getting dressed and ready to head out. Leah grabbed the deviled eggs she’d made earlier and handed them over to him.

“You’re the big, strong wolf. You can carry these.”

He just shrugged and did as he was told like a good mate. It didn’t make much sense to argue.

Though they were still on the hunt for those who could hurt their Pack and worried about the repercussions of what Ryder had learned while in captivity, they couldn’t forget that their Pack and family needed emotional health, as well. The compound had been deserted when Kameron and Mitchell went back. The fact that it had emptied so quickly worried Ryder. That meant there was more than once place McMaster and his staff could hide.

That also meant that Shane was nowhere to be found.

The man had saved Ryder’s life and the lives of his mate and Packmates. Without Shane, the others would have had to fight to get inside the compound and back out again. He hoped Shane was alive somewhere, but he couldn’t be sure. Not anymore.