by Slater, Lia
"Death's door?" The words seemed silly to her. Everything seemed so unreal. Soon she would wake up from this dream, she hoped, but first she wanted to play in the moon's warmth. "I have to go."
He swallowed and nodded his head. "I'll see you soon."
* * * * *
Mace didn't have time to blink before she leapt out the window. She was breathtaking in her wolf form, as he knew she would be. But he hadn't been able to gauge her reaction before she'd fled. The moon had lured her out as was common in newly made Weres.
No doubt she was angry with him for allowing her to be infected with the plague. How could she not be?
In the morning, when the sun rose and she transformed back to her human form, he imagined her adrenaline rush would die down, leaving her only with the grim reality.
She was Were.
But she was alive. She'd survived the transition. Whether she hated him or not, she would live another day. And he wanted to keep it that way. The forest was a dangerous place for a new Were and he wanted to keep her safe, while allowing her to discover the advantages of being a werewolf at the same time.
He turned to Kaige. "Take Blanca and follow her. Give her room to explore her new abilities but don't let her out of your sight. I'll find you at daybreak and release you."
Kaige opened his mouth to speak, then clamped his lips shut. He nodded, changed into wolf form and jumped out the window.
Mace watched them go, despair punching him in his gut. When the trio was out of sight, he sat on the bed and lowered his head. He was a coward for not joining his mate on her first night out. The look in his friend's eyes reinforced that knowledge. But a rational conversation wasn't possible when she was in newly wolf form. And he simply couldn't pretend otherwise.
No, if she wished to reject him, he'd wait until morning, when he could face her rather than the Were she'd been changed into without her consent.
Damn it all. He could only hope she'd understand enough to forgive him.
* * * * *
Mace held a heavy quilt in his hand as he approached Nayla. She lay in a fetal position on a patch of grass only a hundred yards or so from her castle. She'd almost made it home before the sun rose over the crest of the nearby mountains. Then she'd transformed into human form and fell to the ground.
He'd watched it all. Hell, he'd watched her from afar for most of the night. He hadn't been able to stay away. Not when his bond to her was so tight. He loved her with all his heart.
When she didn't rise right away, he ran over and kneeled by her side. Her eyes were closed but a curious little smile peaked the corners of her full lips.
"Nayla? Are you all right?" He wrapped the quilt over her naked body and gathered her into his arms.
Her hand reached for his jaw and caressed him there. "I'm fine, Mace. Don't worry about me."
Relief flooded through him and he held her closer. "Tell me how you feel. I'm going insane here."
"How I feel?" She finally opened her eyes and her green orbs glistened up at him. "I've never felt so amazing in my life."
"Amazing?" He kissed her forehead. "Are you angry with me, love? Do you hate me for allowing this to happen to you?"
"Hate you?" Her smile broadened. "Mace, I love you. And..." She readjusted in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"And what?"
"And I'm glad I was infected. Wait." She shook her head. "What an awful word. I wasn't infected. I was blessed. I was given a gift. Being a Were isn't a sickness. It's a privilege. One I'll cherish for eternity." She kissed his lips. "My eternity with you."
"Oh, Nayla." Warm relief washed down his body, easing his tension. "I was worried you'd hate me for allowing you to turn into your worst nightmare."
"I'd never hate you. You've changed my life for the better. You've opened my eyes and made me see that I was letting my past dictate my future. Now I know I don't have to be lonely. I can have everything."
It was all he needed to hear but one factor remained. "And if your kingdom doesn't accept Weres?"
"They will. If they don't..." She shrugged her dainty shoulder. "If they don't, then they're a kingdom of fools and I won't want my family near them. We'll leave and continue our journey for a home."
"Your family? We? But I thought you couldn't have..." He let his words fade and dropped his gaze, sorry he'd almost brought up the sore subject.
"We can try, Mace. While Blanca ran beside me last night, she mentioned any ailments I had as a human would be healed as a Were." She cupped her tiny hand against his jaw and forced him to look into her vibrant green eyes. "My body feels different. Like I wasn't truly living before but I am now. It's the most amazing feeling." Color rushed to her cheeks and her smile widened to her ears.
"Sweetheart." He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. "I've never loved anyone more than I do you. Never."
"Oh, Mace." Tears brimmed her eyes. "I don't mind sharing you with your memory of your late wife. I realize how much she meant to you."
"It's all in the past, love. I'm ready for the future, with you and you alone."
She laughed and wiped away a stray tear. "No more sharing, then."
He couldn't hold back a smile. "Absolutely no more sharing. You are mine and mine alone." He kissed her sweet lips. "And I am yours."
About the Author
Lia Slater thinks the world would be a better place if everyone read romance novels. There's so much to learn from the storylines. Love. Loyalty. Confidence. Passion. Desire. Conflicts would be resolved with happy endings. And, of course, the sex would be mind-boggling.
Lia is well on her way to helping the world become a better place by writing steamy romance with heart-pounding emotion.
Lia welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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