Tarian Alpha (New Tarian Pride #1)(35)

Her destiny was to protect the neck of the Tarian Alpha.

And he would protect hers in return.





Chapter Fifteen


His hand around hers felt like a big moment. He was leading her through the snow toward the big house, but with his hand, his cut, calloused, strong hand, clasped around hers…Emerald hadn’t realized life could be like this.

He turned and smiled. The man bore claw marks on every inch of his body, but he still smiled at her. When he saw her face, though, he stopped and turned, cupped her cheeks. “What’s wrong, Sweet Kitty.”

“I’m just overwhelmed.”

He searched her face, worry swimming in his eyes. “Did they hurt you?”

Her lip trembled. and she rubbed her cheek against his palm, cupping it with her own hand to keep him touching her. “No. I don’t think they could if they tried. I think when I saw Derek dragging my dad behind that snowmobile…”

“No one will ever hurt you or your dad again.” He rumbled, “Look at me.”

She lifted her gaze and gripped the hem of his shirt. It was just them, alone on the trail between the big cabin and where the girls were settling in for the night.

“No one.” He shook his head slowly, and his eyes morphed from blue to that stunning green-gold. “When I saw you running for that snowmobile, for Derek, I was scared for the first time in as long as I can remember. I was scared you would get hurt. And then I watched you beat the ever-loving shit out of his face, watched his shock. I wanted to get to you, but more than that, I was so fucking happy you did that to him. Your protective instinct is so sexy, Em.” When he pulled her close, she could feel it against her cheek—his steady heartbeat. “And then I saw your lioness fight Derek tonight. I could tell you were trying to get to me. Every time I looked over at you, at your lioness posted up, not afraid a bit, smaller than him but going for that neck, going for a kill shot…I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder of a person in all my life. You were beautiful, Em. You know that, right? You were lethal grace, relentless. He didn’t make you cower a bit. Big old dominant lion and look what you did. You know how strong you are, right?”

“I just learned tonight,” she whispered thickly.

“It’s just the beginning. Those women in there are on a completely different path because you gave them confidence and empowered them. What better queen could there be?”

“Ronin?”

“Yeah?” he asked, resting his forehead on hers.

“I don’t want you to choose me because they follow me. I want you to choose me because of me.”

“Silly, Sweet Kitty. I watched you when I was a boy. Wished for you. Wished for someday. It took us a lifetime, but we found that someday. You could’ve stayed submissive and quiet, and I would’ve still burned all of those pairing contracts. I wanted you either way. There was always something about you. When you wouldn’t answer my texts? I went insane with worry. And then your dad woke up and told me about the murmurings he’d heard about the revival of the council, and I couldn’t wait. I had to trust you to handle yourself, yeah, but I also had to trust what you’d told me. To believe in my Pride and give them a chance to prove themselves.” He gripped her hair and rubbed his forehead against hers. “And you were right. You. Fixed. Everything that was broken. That’s power, Em. When you see something and call it out, dig in, support change, that’s power. You did that, not knowing if you would ever see me or my Pride again. You did it for me. I couldn’t respect another person any more than I do you. The lionesses pledging their fealty to the Pride? That’s a bonus. I was already with you before tonight, though.”

She rolled her eyes closed and sighed in relief. Slipping her hands around his shoulders, she hugged him up tight. Ronin was purring. Purring! Big old beat-up Alpha, and he purred at her touch.

This was really happening. To her.

“Come on,” he murmured. He kissed her sweetly and then pulled her by the hand again toward the big cabin. “I have someone who has been clawing at the walls to see you safe.”

Emerald followed him through the back door of the cabin, down the hallway, and into a room. God, if felt like a hundred years had passed between now and the time she’d seen her dad’s lifeless body in the snow.

Rose was sitting on the edge of his bed with a bowl of steaming soup, talking low to Dad. When the silver-haired woman looked up, her cheeks were flushed. She made her way out, but Emerald didn’t miss it. The woman’s smile stayed on her lips the entire time.

“You look much better than the last time I saw you,” she said, making her way to the bed.

Dad’s dark eyebrows lifted as he ran his hand through his silver hair and exposed a long row of stitches. Stitches on a lion shifter with heightened healing meant someone had bashed his head in pretty good. “I feel much better. Those Old Tarians aren’t very hospitable.”

“Yeah, well…” Emerald cast a glance back at Ronin, standing in the open doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. “The New Tarians are different. Thank God.” She inhaled deeply and said, “I was really scared you were dead.”

“It’s okay,” he said suddenly.

She didn’t understand what he meant, though. “What’s okay?”

“Staying here. You don’t have to run anymore if you don’t want to.” He cast a quick glance at Ronin. “I like him.”