Chapter 51

Rose

I stare at the ceiling in shock. Then I look down at my body and close my eyes in relief. I'm back. With renewed purpose, I climb out of bed. It only takes me a moment to know I am fully healed. I feel amazing. I laugh to myself and spin around in a circle. The door to the room opens suddenly, and I spin towards it.

"I don't care! Find him!" Mav's words are harsh as he slams the door. He still hasn't noticed me, so I take a moment to study him.

"You look terrible!" I can't help it; the words come flooding out.

Maverick's head snaps up, and his eyes nearly bug out of his head. He glances at the bed and then back at me and then back at the bed again. "You were dead." His voice is hoarse.

"Uh, yeah, I'm not dead anymore. Surprise?" He walks over to me slowly before reaching out and touching my cheek gently. His eyes close, and I watch as he takes a breath. And then I watch in amazement as a tear makes a trek down his face. The sight breaks me. "Mav," I whisper, reaching up to catch the tear. "It's okay. I'm here."

His eyes search mine. "You're really here?" I nod. "But you were dead. I heard your heart stop beating. I held your dead body for hours."

I grimace. "Well, that's not a lovely thought, but yes, I'm really here."

"How?"

"Well, it's been an interesting night, to say the least. But the short story is, the wolf sent me back. He said that saving the rogue wolf resulted in a life debt, and I could use it to come back.

His eyes narrow. "What wolf?"

I wave him off. "It's a long story, and I'll tell you all of it. I promise. Talya and Liam, the beta from the Northwoods Pack—"

"I know who he is," Mav growls.

"Well, they were both there. We learned a lot, and we're going to have to talk to Cade...and Garrett. Oh, and Wyatt, and..." I shake my head. "We're going to have to talk to all the wolves, but we'll get to that."

"Rose," he begins, but I cut him off.

"What is this?" I ask, pulling my shirt to the side and revealing the bite mark.

His face pales. "Rose, I didn't mean...I didn't know you would...I thought you were dead."

I cock my head to the side. "Did you mean it?"

He scrunches up his face. "What?"

"Did you mean it?"

He frowns fiercely. "Of course I meant it."

"So, it wasn't some decision made out of guilt?"

He scowls even more. "What are you talking about?"

"I just want to make sure that you meant to do it, and it wasn't out of misplaced guilt." I try to shrug nonchalantly.

His eyes bounce back and forth between mine. "Are you trying to ask me if I regret it?"

"Uh, maybe. I mean I just want to—"

"Healer," he growls and steps impossibly close to me. "The biggest regret of my life is not marking you sooner. You are mine, and I want the entire world to know. You are everything to me, and I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner."

His words soothe the fear inside me, and a huge smile breaks out on my face. "Okay, good because you're stuck with me now. I'm going to be like white on rice when it comes to you."

He frowns. "That doesn't even make sense."

I wave him off. "I know; just go with it." I step closer and smile up at him. "You're stuck with me now, Beta."

"Not quite."

His words give me pause and bring me out of my hazy bubble. "What?"

He smirks and steps impossibly closer. "You haven't marked me yet, so I'm not technically yours yet."

I stare at him. "Are you teasing?"

His eyebrows rise. "Does it look like I'm teasing?"

"Do the other humans mark their wolf mates?" I ask.

He growls low in his throat. "I neither know nor care about what anybody else does; this is about you and me, Healer."

I bite my thumbnail before he gently pushes it down. "Okay, tell me what to do," I say trying to be brave.

He studies me. "Never mind. Don't worry about it. It's enough that I marked you."

"No, wait." I grab his hand. "I want to do it; tell me what to do."

His eyes search mine again. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Mav. Absolutely."

I can see the uncertainty in his face, and I know I'm going to have to be the one to take the lead in this. He's too shaken still from "losing me." I step close and run my hands over his chest. "Tell me what to do," I say. Even I don't recognize my voice. But I love what it does to him. His eyes light up, and I know his wolf is present. "Tell me, Mav," I tell him, running my hands up and over his shoulders, standing on my tiptoes to do so. And then, taking a chance, I run my fingers along his lips before I hesitantly touch mine to his. He reacts to that instantly. His arms come around me and wrap me up tight before one hand delves into my hair and the other hand lands between my shoulder blades, pulling me to him. He deepens the kiss, and my skin begins to tingle. I sigh, and he groans low in his throat. He kisses me harder, and I push myself against him, arching into him. Before I know what's happening, he's pulled us over to the bed. He lowers himself onto it before pulling me onto his lap, all without losing our connection. It's impressive really. "I should have never wasted time staying away from you," he says in between kisses. "I was doomed from the first moment I saw you. I knew you were going to be trouble." He pulls back and smiles indulgently at my swollen lips. "I thought I lost you." His face tightens. "I'm so sorry for what I put you through. I'm sorry for being awful to you, to your friends. I'm sorry for not protecting you. I'm sorry I wasn't—"

I put my finger on his lips. "I forgive you, Mav."

"I don't deserve it."

I shake my head. "Everyone deserves to be forgiven and loved, Mav." I stare into his gorgeous gray eyes. "I love you, Mav."

His eyes close, and he takes a deep breath before opening them again. This time, they're glowing with the presence of his wolf. "I love you, Rose, more than you can possibly know." He kisses me again, and we go from zero to sixty in no time flat.

"Tell me what to do," I murmur against his lips. He kisses me hard, and I almost lose my focus. He reaches back and grabs the back of his shirt and pulls it over his head. His eyes blaze when mine run all over his chest before running my hands over all those muscles. He puts his hand on the back of my head and guides me gently to his shoulder. "Right here," he directs. "Bite hard enough that it stays."

I pull back and meet his eyes. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Baby, I want this kind of hurt," he says in a raspy voice before once again directing my head to his muscular shoulder. I find the section of skin between his muscles and then open my mouth, refusing to think about what I'm doing and just bite. I latch onto his shoulder and bite hard. I expect to be repulsed, but it's just the opposite. He groans low in his chest, so low it's almost a growl. He pushes my head against his shoulder, and I bite deeper. The moment is so intimate and amazing.

"Was that okay?" I ask, my own voice hoarse.

His blazing eyes meet mine just a moment before his lips crash into mine. He kisses me hard and pushes his tongue into my mouth and wrestles against my tongue. I groan low, feeling euphoric. He growls again and plunders my mouth. I'm a mess of feelings and desire, and I feel like I'm going to erupt. I pull back, and he releases me slightly. His eyes are so dark, his pupils blown wide. "We're mated now, right?"

"Yes. Now and forever. You will always be mine, and I will always be yours. It's like marriage in the human world," he explains patiently, even though I already know all this.

"Then make me yours all the way," I tell him.

He goes still and searches my eyes again. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." There's not an ounce of uncertainty in my voice. "I need you."

Those words are his undoing. "I need you more," he says against my lips. And then we're moving. He places me so gently on his bed and glances down at me. I can see the uncertainty in his expression, and I grab his hand. "Show me you love me," I whisper to him. "Because I want to show you how much I love you."

I thought it would be rushed with him, with how intense we both were. But he surprised me. He took his time with me, lavishing me with love and care. One thing was certain, I was never going to be the same after this night; and I was okay with that.