Rapture Untamed (Feral Warriors #4)(81)

He watched her, his gaze blazingly intent. "Does that mean you believe me?"

"Yes, I believe you. More than that, I love you, Jag."

The tension flowed out of his features, joy rushing in. "You are my forever, Liv. There will never be anyone but you. And I'll make you happy. I swear it."

Olivia pressed her palms to his cheeks and drew his face down, kissing him, and he pulled her fully into his arms and held her tight. Her heart sang. She had no illusions that Jag would ever be a gentleman or ever be entirely tame. But that was fine with her.

She pulled back and slid his hair back with her fingers. "I need to be able to trust you and to know that you always have my back." Her fingers trailed down his cheeks, and she leaned in and licked his nipple.

A purr rumbled in his chest, his body rising to her tease.

She pulled back and looked up at him with a devilish smile of her own. "But the last thing I want is a tame house cat."

Jag began to laugh. And then he had her pressed back against the tree, his arms pinning her as he kissed her with a fierce tenderness that brought tears to her eyes.

When he pulled back, he framed her face with his hands, both hands now, his arms all but healed. "You were meant for me, Liv. I've waited my whole life for you."

She looked into his eyes and saw no trace of the old guilt, anger, or hatred. She saw only love and devotion, and a hint of devilment that she hoped would never die.

In his eyes blazed a promise as deep as the ocean. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life proving that I was meant for you, too, Red."

Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck as she stared into the eyes of the man she loved, the man who'd been destined to be her mate.

You were meant to live.Her father's words whispered in her head from long ago. And deep in her heart she knew her entire existence had been leading her to this moment.

To Jag.

Epilogue

Firelight flickered over the dark-paneled walls and ceiling of the ritual room deep below Feral House two days later, the remnants of magic still charging the air. Still buzzing from an experience deeper, more intense, than anything he'd ever known, Jag lifted his precious mate down from the altar, where they'd opened themselves bodies, minds, and souls, binding themselves to one another for eternity.

Olivia's glowing, loving eyes caressed his face as he set her on the ground, her own face flushed and radiant. With her bright red hair brushing the sheer blood red of the ritual gown, she was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman who'd ever lived.

And she was his now. His.

His mate. His love. His life.

Around them, the other four Ferals, their chests bare, their armbands gleaming in the firelight, lifted their fists into the air, shouting their approval in a tradition as old as time. Watching from the other side of the room, their color high, their eyes bright, were the three Feral wives, Kara, Delaney, and Skye.

If not for the shitload of mess the Ferals found themselves in, with Foxx dead and Tighe and Hawke trapped where no one could reach them, this moment might just be perfect.

For the first time in centuries, Jag felt like he could breathe freely, without the terrible weight on his chest, a weight he'd never even realized he'd been carrying. Yes, he'd made mistakes, some terrible ones. But he'd never intentionally hurt anyone. And forgiving himself finally felt right. It felt...incredible.

Jag pulled Olivia against him, curving his arm across her strong, slender shoulders as the others gathered around to congratulate them.

Lyon clasped Jag, forearm to forearm, a smile flickering briefly over his features, for a moment lifting the grim concern that shone out of all their eyes. He turned and gave Olivia a kiss on the cheek.

"May the goddess bless this union forevermore," Lyon said formally, then held out his hand to Olivia. When she placed hers in his much larger one, he covered it with his other hand. "Jag said you were both fine with moving his bedchamber down here. I want to be certain you understand this isn't a lack of trust but strictly a safety precaution in case you ever gain unintended strength again, and Jag's not close enough to warn you."

Olivia nodded. "I not only understand, Lyon, but I prefer it this way. We'll both sleep better."

The basement extended well beyond the footprint of the house, much of it unused space. Wulfe and Vhyper had procured enough lead-lined drywall to cover the walls of a nice-sized bedchamber. Yesterday, they'd installed it, then he and Olivia had run a test to see if it worked. It had. The lead blocked nearly all of her feeding. Even if she accidentally fed hard, only someone in the room with her, or possibly standing right outside the door, would be affected. And since Jag would be the only one sharing her bed, and he always felt her feed, that wouldn't be a problem.

Jag squeezed Olivia's shoulder. "We get a brand-new room without any damned sun to keep me awake after a hard night watching my mate fight the draden."

She cut her eyes at him, pleasure dancing in their depths, making him grin. "And we can get as rough as we want without anyone beating down the door or pounding on the walls. What's not to love about this arrangement?"

Jag met his chief's gaze, turning serious. "Thanks, Lyon. You've accepted the woman I love, a woman with a gift most fear, and you've allowed us to remain under this roof when few would have the guts."

Lyon nodded, then glanced down as Kara joined him, slipping his arm around his own mate. He turned back to Jag. "Olivia's good for you. Her strength and unique skills are going to benefit all of us."