Epilogue

EPILOGUE

S ix weeks later…

Jessica shook her head as another of Eric’s dates stomped out of the restaurant. Every she-wolf who’d met him for dinner had been tall, fit, and attractive, but he hadn’t shown the least interest in any of them. Just what was he looking for?

She waited a few minutes to make sure the woman wasn’t coming back, then knocked on her office door. He came out immediately, giving her a sheepish look that sat oddly on that hard face.

“I’m sorry to keep asking you to do this for me.”

She shrugged.

“I don’t really mind, but I’m surprised it keeps working. You’d think they would have figured out by now that you always have an emergency whenever you’re corralled into one of these dinners.”

“They’re too competitive. None of them would ever admit that I left them.”

“Surely some of them are friends?”

“Not really. The pack hierarchy is too important. Someone is either above you or below you and you don’t want to give either one of them an advantage.” He smiled at her horrified expression. “Which is why I am quite happy to be away from it all. Unfortunately, she—they—aren’t prepared to accept my departure.”

“She?”

He sighed. “My mother. She has… ambitions for me. She’s convinced that as soon as I’m mated I’ll give up this foolish business of being sheriff and return to the pack. Hence the parade of what she considers eligible females.”

“So find your own girlfriend. She can hardly expect you to have dinner with her picks if you’re already dating someone.”

An odd expression crossed his face before he firmly shook his head.

“No thank you. I prefer to be a lone wolf.”

“Ahroo,” Cody howled softly as he came up to them, then grinned at Eric. “Not gonna happen, dude. A wolf needs his mate.”

“Not me,” Eric said firmly before turning back to her. “Are you and Leo coming to the Christmas festival, Jessica?”

“Of course. He loves being able to move around town so freely now. He’s determined not to miss a single festival.”

“Then I’ll see you there. Good night.”

“Bye.”

She watched him leave, then gave Cody a curious look.

“Did you mean that? About a wolf needing his mate?”

“Yep. And I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks so,” he added quietly, nodding at the front dining room.

Flora and Gladys were sitting at the table in the bay window but Flora was looking outside, a speculative look on her face. Oh Lord . If she had Eric in her sights, he was definitely doomed. Or blessed , she amended with an internal smile, just as Flora looked over at her. Those dark eyes studied her for a moment, and then Flora smiled, a slow, satisfied smile, before turning back to the window.

She couldn’t possibly know. Could she?

The door opened again and Damian swirled in in a cloud of dark cloak, his arm tucked around a pink-cheeked Wendy.

“You’re off the rest of the evening,” he announced in his usual arrogant tone.

“I am? Why?”

Wendy giggled.

“Don’t ask, just go. Don’t you have someone waiting for you?” she added when Jessica hesitated.

“Well, yes, but…” She looked around and saw that Flora and Gladys were beaming at her, Cody was grinning, and even Damian was smiling. “Why do I suddenly feel like this is a conspiracy?”

“Because it is.” Wendy tugged her out from behind the host stand and pointed her towards the stairs. “Now go.”

She laughed and went.

Her breath caught when she opened the door to the apartment. A fire was burning in the fireplace and all of her candles were lit, casting a warm glow over the room. Leo was waiting for her by the fireplace. He was wearing his usual jeans but he’d swapped out his flannel shirt for a crisp white shirt that accentuated his broad shoulders and muscular arms.

“Leo, this is beautiful.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He gestured towards the fire, where a bottle of wine was breathing next to two glasses and a basket covered with a white linen cloth. “Come and join me.”

“I didn’t realize you had a romantic streak,” she said teasingly as she went to his side.

“Neither did I, but it seems to be emerging. I blame you for that.”

He put his arm around her waist and she leaned against him, loving the warmth of his touch. He hugged her back, then picked her up and carried her down to the rug with him before pouring her a glass of wine.

“How did it go at the cabin today?” she asked, watching the firelight play across his face as he opened the basket and began cutting up an apple.

The land trust which he had created had included a provision that allowed him, and his descendants, to build on the land and he’d been working on a house for them. As much as they both loved Midnight Manor, they also wanted a place of their own. He was doing most of the work himself, but it wasn’t uncommon for a volunteer to show up and help him, with Eric as his most frequent assistant. The big werewolf enjoyed both working with his hands and being out in the forest without having to worry about pack politics.

“It’s going very well. If you don’t mind roughing it a little, I thought we could spend Christmas there. Just the two of us.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” She took a deep breath. “Although technically it will be the three of us.”

“I don’t understand. Do you want to invite someone else?”

He looked so confused that she couldn’t help smiling as she reached for his hand.

“I suppose you could say that.”

She placed his hand over her stomach, watching his face anxiously. She was almost positive that he’d be happy about her news but it was going to be a shock. When he finally realized what she was telling him, his eyes lit up.

“A baby?”

“Yes, Leo. We’re going to have a baby.” Her smile faltered slightly. “Are you happy?”

“Happy?” He gave a joyful whoop and pulled her onto his lap. “Sweetheart, this is a miracle. A wonderful miracle.”

He kissed her, his mouth firm and demanding, and she responded eagerly, opening to him. His tongue swept inside, warm and demanding, and her body melted at his touch. Arousal spiraled through her, leaving her aching and needy, and her hands tightened on his shirt.

But when she tried to pull his shirt up, he broke the kiss.

“Wait a moment.” His eyes glowed down at her. “What kind of mate would I be if I didn’t take care of you first?”

Before she could respond, his mouth was on hers again, kissing his way down her neck to the valley between her breasts.

“I love you, Jessica.” His voice was a low, possessive rumble as he took one taut peak into his mouth, rolling it between his teeth. She moaned, her hands clutching his head, and he growled his approval, his hand covering her other breast, his thumb brushing her nipple until she was squirming impatiently against him.

“Leo!”

“You’re so beautiful. And so sensitive,” he murmured approvingly as he turned to her other nipple. “I can’t wait to see how responsive these are going to be.”

His mouth closed over the tight bud and she shuddered, her hand reaching instinctively between them, desperate to touch him. He abandoned her breast long enough to strip off first his clothes, then hers.

She sighed with pleasure as he kissed her again with nothing between them. Her nipples brushed against the hard wall of his chest, sending sparks of pleasure straight to her aching pussy.

He kissed his way down her body, exploring her with fingers and tongue until he reached the place where she ached for him most. He parted her thighs, his eyes glowing as he studied her wet, swollen folds. Then his mouth was on her and she cried out as his tongue delved deep.

He growled in response, the sound vibrating against her sensitive flesh and sending her flying, her back arched, her body shaking. He continued licking her, more gently now, waiting until the last tremors had shuddered through her body before he moved back up to kiss her and she could taste her own sweetness on his lips.

Her hand slipped between their bodies again and he growled approvingly when she grasped his cock, her hand sliding up and down the thick length of it until his growl became a groan.

“Enough, love.”

His eyes blazed into hers, then he positioned himself to enter her. She was slick and wet and ready for him, but the long, hard thrust of his cock still stretched her almost to the point of pain. His gaze locked on hers as he began to move, his strokes hard and fast and demanding, the pleasure building and building, her breath coming in frantic, urgent pants. He changed his position, his cock rubbing against the sensitive button of her clit with every stroke, and she exploded into a shattering climax, her body shuddering, her vision sheeting white as the waves of ecstasy rolled over her. With a final hard thrust and a low, drawn-out cry, he joined her, and she felt the warm rush of his seed inside her as his cock jerked and pulsed.

He collapsed down on her, then immediately rolled them over, tucking her against his chest as he pulled the blanket over them both, the warmth from the fire keeping them snug. She snuggled into his arms with a contented sigh, and he leaned forward to press a kiss against her hair.

“I love you, Leo.” Her words were a little muffled, spoken against the comforting warmth of his chest, but she felt his arms tighten around her.

“And I love you. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me. Even death couldn’t prevent us from being together.”

She swallowed hard. Sometimes, she was still afraid that he would be taken from her. That the magic that had brought him to her would prove to be temporary. But he was already lifting her chin to look deep into her eyes, the familiar warmth of his skin reassuring her.

“Forever, sweetheart,” he said firmly. “I won’t let anything take me away from you. I promise.”

And he sealed his vow with a kiss. Forever, she thought as she lost herself in the kiss. From All Hallow’s Eve to every night beyond, bound together by the power of love—the truest magic of all.

Eric’s story is coming up next in Wedding for My Werewolf !

A runaway human…

A frustrated werewolf sheriff…

Pretending to be mated was supposed to be the easy part…