Chapter 54

Rose

"Everybody out except for Mav, Rose, and Stu. Eli, take Jackson back to the gym. I'll be there soon."

Jackson shakes Eli off when Eli grabs his arm. "I can walk."

As soon as everybody else is gone, Stu drops into the seat next to Cade and opens his laptop. "Watch." We all turn our gaze to the screen where Stu has projected an image.

"What am I looking at?" Cade asks.

"I hacked into the video feed from the vampire site two hours from here and found something rather interesting."

Cade's eyebrows rise. "Already?"

"That's why you pay me the big bucks," Stu says.

"What is it?" Cade asks impatiently.

"Just watch," Stu says. He speeds up the tape and then slows it down. I suck in a breath as we watch Jacob walk down the hallway of the facility. Cade curses low under his breath, and Mav looks like he's ready to murder somebody. We watch as he talks to somebody and then continues down the hallway. We watch for a while. You can't hear voices, but we catch Jacob coming and going several times over the course of a few days. And then I see something that makes my blood run cold.

"Stop!"

The men turn to look at me, but I'm staring at the screen. "That man." I point at the screen as a sick feeling fills my stomach. "I think I know him," I whisper.

Three sets of eyes face me. "Who is it?" Mav growls.

I lean forward, studying the screen. "Is it possible to get a closer view of his face?" Stu works his magic, and I get a better shot of his face. "I'll have to ask Raechel for sure, but I think that's the guy she fought when he openly challenged her in front of everybody during one of the meetings Garrett had when he brought in other packs." Three sets of eyes focus on me.

"Want me to call her?" I ask. Cade nods, and I pull out my phone.

Raechel answers on the second ring. "Hey, Chica! How's it going down there? Have you bedded your wolf yet?"

I feel my face heat up, even as I watch a devilish smirk cross Mav's face. I turn away from all three men. "Uh, so I'm here with Cade and Mav and Stu."

She laughs out loud. "Are you trying to warn me that they can hear me?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing. And I have something serious to talk to you about."

She immediately changes her tone. "What is it?"

"Do you remember that guy you fought in front of all the packs when they were gathered together before the great war with the vampires?"

"You mean Ajax?" Her voice has lost all its warmth now.

Ajax. I remember now. Raechel had been beaten badly by him in an underground fight ring; he hadn't stopped when she went down. He kept beating on her. Max wasn't there for it, or Ajax would have been a dead man. But then, he showed up at the meeting of all the packs and called out Raechel in front of everybody after Garrett informed them that she would be training the females for the war to come. She had to fight him in the ring to prove herself. And prove herself she did. It was amazing to see her knock him out; it had been an amazing night.

"Yeah," I say into the phone. "If I send you a picture, can you tell me if it's him?"

"Yes, but why?" Her voice has an edge to it that I don't like.

I glance at Maverick for confirmation to continue. He nods, and I swallow. "I think he might be back." Raechel is completely silent on the other end. "If it's the same guy, he was working with one of the shifters from the Orlando pack...the one that tried to," my voice pauses. I glance at Mav and his jaw is tight. "The one that tried to kill me," I finally say.

"Show me the picture," Raechel says in her no-nonsense voice.

I look to Stu. "What's her number?" I rattle it off. "Sending it now."

We wait in silence. "That's him."

I take a breath. "Thanks, Rae. Are you okay?"

"She will be." Max's voice comes across the line, and I smile.

"Hey, Max."

"Rose," he says in response. "I want to know everything," he says in his deep voice that means business.

I look to Mav, but it's Cade that speaks. "Max, this is Cade. We're trying to piece things together, but we have photos of one of our former pack members meeting with this Ajax guy at the vampire facility."

"Former?" Max growls out.

"Yes. He came after Rose," Cade begins.

"And I killed him," Mav finishes without an ounce of remorse in his voice.

"Rose, are you okay?" Max asks, his voice not quite as harsh as it was.

"I am. Mav protected me. But he's back, Max." I can't help the shudder that runs through me.

Max says something low that I can barely hear. "I killed him, but I guess he didn't stay dead."

"Who is he and why would he be working with the vampires?" Cade asks.

"His alpha was Alec, Emma's brother. Alec's dead for sure. Garrett and I made sure of that," Max says. "They were working with the vampires back then."

"Why?" Cade asks.

"Why does anybody fall in with those devils?" Max asks. "Greed, manipulation, compulsion. If he's showing up again, you need to be careful." There's noise in the background, and then a new voice comes over the line.

"Cade, it's Garrett. What's going on?"

"Hey, Garrett," Cade's voice sounds wary.

"Ajax is back," Raechel says from her end. It's goes silent for a moment.

"Where?" Garrett's voice is low and angry.

"We have him on camera at a vampire site less than two hours from here," Cade answers.

"My men and I will be in the air in two hours. Can we stay there?"

My eyes jump to Cade's, but he doesn't look surprised. "Yes."

"Why is it always the males?" Raechel asks in the background. "What about the females?"

I bite back a smile. "Angel, you're coming with," Max says in a low voice.

"Yay. I'll see you in a few hours, Best Friend," she calls out, and I can't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. I feel Mav's gaze on me, and I meet his eyes. There's a warmth to them that wasn't there a few minutes ago.

We end the call, and Cade stands up. "Guess we'd better prepare to be descended on by the Northwoods Pack." He looks down at Stu. "Keep me in the loop with whatever else you find."

Stu doesn't even glance away from the screen in front of him. "Will do."

Mav puts a hand on his shoulder. "We'll bring you some lunch."

"Thanks," Stu says without looking back.

Mav puts a hand on my back as we move into the hallway. "You hungry?" he asks, glancing down at me. "Hey." He stops a moment and then pulls me into a small alcove. His concerned eyes run over my face. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head. "I'm fine."

He studies my face again. "You don't have to ever put on a front with me. I want the real you all the time." His thumb comes up and runs softly across my cheek.

My eyes blink back tears, and he steps closer. "I don't know, Mav. I have lots of emotions, all the time."

"I can handle emotions," he says with a scowl, almost making me grin. "What I can't handle is when you hide those emotions from me."

I stare up at him, at war with myself. "But you told me I need to toughen up."

He closes his eyes a moment. When he opens them, I can see the regret there. "I said a lot of things when I was pushing you away—words I can't take back. I wish I could." His face is filled with pain. "I'm sorry for the things I said. I love everything about you, Rose, especially your tender heart. Don't ever change." He steps close until his big body is crowding mine. "I am mean and vicious, especially when I'm protecting those I love. But I need you, Rose. I need your gentleness, your tenderness. I need you ." He steps closer, until we're chest to chest. "I love you exactly for who you are; don't ever change." And then he leans forward and kisses me so tenderly. I sigh, and he wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me closer. When he pulls back and looks into my eyes, he smiles; and I catch my breath. "Come on, let's get food for Stu before he starves to death." He takes my hand and leads me through the building and into the kitchen.

Pam greets us with a smile. "How's my favorite couple?"

I can't help but smile. "We're good." There must be something in my smile, because she gives me a second glance and then a huge grin fills her face. "Oh my." She puts out her arms, and I step into them. "Congratulations," she whispers and kisses my forehead. "You too," she says. A moment later, Mav steps into the hug with us, sandwiching me between the two of them. After our hug, she wipes her eyes. "What can I do for you?"

"We're here for food for Stu," Mav says.

She shakes her head. "That boy never takes a break, does he?"

"I don't think I've ever seen him without his laptop," I comment. A few minutes later, she has food packed in a box. "Did you two eat?"

"We did, earlier," I tell her with a smile. "Thank you."

After dropping the food off with Stu, I turn to Mav. "I need to start healing the wolves from Jackson's pack."

"I'll go with you." His look is resigned.

"How are our pack members doing?" I ask as we walk. "I haven't had a chance to check in with Amber."

"I don't think you'll have to," Mav says, surprising me. "The water sourcing has been changed, and we had a team come in to work on the airducts. They found where the strychnine was coming in and stopped it."

"So, everything is good?" I ask.

"For now," he says.

I'm not naive. I know that there will be more problems, but for now, the pack is safe. And that's a reason to be happy. I smile, and Mav looks down at me.

"What's the smile for?"

"I'm happy." He slows his steps.

"Yeah?"

I look up at him with a smile. "Yeah, Mav. Nobody's dying of strychnine poisoning, and I have a powerful mate at my side who loves me and wants to protect me. Yeah, I'd say life is pretty good."

Mav's gaze runs over my face. "It doesn't take a lot to make you happy, does it?"

I stare up at him. "Mav, all I've ever wanted was someone to love and to be loved in return. I found that. With you."

He swallows. "I want to have a family, Rose. With you. I don't want you ever to be sad or lonely again. I don't know that I'll make a good dad, but I want this. For you."

His words are so earnest, I tear up. "Mav, that means the world to me." I bite my lip. "I have something to tell you," I whisper. "The wolf creator told me I have much life ahead of me—becoming a mom and a grandmom." Mav gathers me in his arms, and I swallow down my emotion. After several long minutes, I reach up and put my hand on his strong jaw. "And I have no worries about you being a dad." I reach up and plant my lips on his. He pulls me close instantly, deepening the kiss. When we finally pull apart, my eyes meet his dark ones. "Only when and if you want, too, Mav."

"I want it."

I smile. "Okay then."

We walk hand-in-hand to the gym so I can start healing the rogue wolves. I can't keep the smile off my face. Yes, there is still much ahead of us. But I'm not alone anymore. I have a strong, gorgeous mate at my side. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us.

After

Rose

I stare at the roses on the end of the bed as a smile forms. I step close and pick up the small card.

Date tonight?

My smile widens. Yes. I send through the bond.

He answers immediately. I was hoping you'd say that. Do me a favor and go see Sara. She's got everything you need for tonight.

I smile, even as confusion runs through my mind. For a date?

Yes.

He doesn't give me anything more, and I decide to just let him be. He's been so busy; we both have. I've been helping Amber keep things in the pack afloat, while Mav and Cade have been busy meeting with all the pack leaders that have been showing up from across the country. Of course, we spend every night together. A sigh escapes my lips. I can't really complain because Mav makes up for all the time we spend apart during the day. So, if he's got something special planned, I'm not going to mess it up. I close my door and make my way to Sara's apartment. She opens her door before I even knock.

"Mav told me you were coming!" Her words are filled with excitement. She grabs my hand and pulls me inside.

"Hey, Rose," Sabrina calls out from the bathroom. I get a good look at the apartment and freeze.

"What's going on?"

Sara pulls me forward. "We are under strict orders from your mate to pamper you and take care of you."

"For our date tonight?"

Sara's dancing eyes meet mine. "Yes, for your date."

I don't get a chance to even sit down before they get to work. They do so much to me, but I barely notice because we spend all afternoon laughing. Hours later, I stand in front of a full-length mirror. "Whoa," I say softly.

"Whoa is right," Sara says, bumping my hip with hers. "Mav is going to swallow his tongue when he sees you, or maybe your tongue," she says with a wicked grin.

I shake my head at her. "You need to get mated."

"Oh, I know!" she responds dramatically.

I stare at myself in the mirror. "You both are miracle workers."

"No, we're not," Sabrina says, coming to stand beside us. "You're just exceptionally beautiful both inside and out."

My eyes tear up, and they both turn to me with matching expressions. "No tears!"

I laugh and wipe them carefully away, being careful not to mess up Sabrina's work of art for my makeup. I take in the dusty rose dress and run my hands over the soft fabric. It's the most gorgeous dress I've ever worn. It's cap sleeved with a sweetheart neckline. The top of the dress is embroidered with flowers, ending in a fabric belt that cinches tight above my waist. Then the dress falls to the floor with a layer of tulle over it. It's backless and so incredibly gorgeous; I can't stop looking at it. The girls curled my hair in long waves, pinning a few of them up on the sides.

"Now, to finish it," Sara says, handing me a black box.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Why don't you open it and find out?" Sabrina asks with a gleam in her eye.

I open the box and catch my breath. There's a gorgeous necklace and matching earrings that match my dress perfectly. I look up at the two of them. "Mav picked those out," Sara says softly.

"They're beautiful," I say, trying to talk past the emotion in my voice. "Can I wait and have Mav put the necklace on?" I ask, holding the case close.

Both girls smile. "Of course."

"Do you think this is a little much for whatever date Mav has planned?" I ask nervously.

"No," Sara answers. "You look gorgeous; own it Rose."

"Thank you, both of you." I give both of them a hug. I'm busy putting the earrings in when a knock sounds at the door. "Is that him?" I ask, panicky all of a sudden.

Sabrina squeezes my hand while Sara goes to answer the door. Right before she opens the door, Sara turns to me and winks. Then she opens the door, and I'm struck speechless because Mav is dressed to kill. I swallow hard and meet his eyes, but his eyes aren't on mine. I watch as his gaze starts at the floor and works its way up my body. I feel his gaze like a caress, and I shiver. When his eyes finally meet mine, I take in the heat there and I swallow.

I don't have the words to describe how incredibly beautiful you look, Mate. He steps into the room and closes the door behind him. But I made a critical error.

I stare at him. What?

I should have made sure we were in our room, alone, when I saw you in that dress.

I grin. Why? So you could take it off?

His eyes go molten. "Okay, you both need to go before this turns R rated," Sara says.

"Too late," Sabrina says, her eyes wide.

I laugh and make my way over to him. "Will you put this on for me?"

He finally looks down at the necklace and nods. Turn around, Love.

Can you handle this? I ask.

Absolutely not, he returns. He very carefully lifts my hair and puts it over my shoulder. I feel his lips on my neck, and I close my eyes. I will never get over how soft your skin is. I take an unsteady breath. I'm about ready to step away and tell him we'll do it later, when I feel it drop around my neck. A moment later, he turns me around and glances down at it. Gorgeous. But his eyes aren't looking at the necklace; they're locked on my face. Are you ready for tonight?

For our date? I ask. He nods and puts his hand on my lower back and guides me towards the door. "Thank you, Sara. Sabrina."

They smile at him. "Of course."

"Thank you!" I call out right before he closes the door. Then I'm in his arms and his lips are on mine. I let out a soft sigh, and he growls low in his chest, deepening the kiss. When we're both breathless, he lifts his head. I suck in a breath at his glowing eyes and run my hands over his powerful chest and shoulders. "Thank you for all this, Mav. You didn't have to do all that."

"I wanted to," he says in a low voice. He gives me a dark look.

"What?" I ask.

"I just wish I hadn't made plans for tonight. I wish we could go right back to our room and—"

"But you did," I say with a laugh, slipping my arm through his. "Come on, Handsome. Take me on this special date. I didn't just go through seven hours of pain to go back to your room and get naked."

He groans low, and I laugh. "Woman, you can't talk like that to me and not follow through."

"Oh, I have every intent of following through," I tell him, and he sucks in a breath. "Later," I say softly, running a hand over the back of his head. I kiss him, biting his lower lip, just a little. He growls, and I step back before he can deepen things. "I'm hungry. What are we eating for our date?"

And just like that, he's back on track. "I'll make sure you get fed," he says. "Come on, Beautiful." We walk through the building to the front doors. Instead of walking over to his car, though, he surprises me by taking me around to the back of the building.

I look up at him in surprise. "We're doing a date here?" He puts out his arm rather formally, and I giggle as I take it. "You're not going to tell me anything, are you?"

"Nope,"

We walk for a little bit, but not towards the pool area. I glance up at him, but he's focused straight ahead, so I just stay quiet. I figure we'll get to his surprise soon enough. I hear music playing, and I glance up at him in surprise. We walk a little further, and the trees open up. I catch my breath and stop walking. "Mav, what is this?" I ask in a whisper.

He turns me gently to face him. "So, remember how you said you weren't sure if you like surprises?" I nod. He gives me his gorgeous smile, the one that I crave. "Tonight, we'll see if you do."

"Rose." I turn at the voice and watch as Cade walks towards us. He's dressed up too, and I stare at him.

"What is this?" I ask, glancing behind him and seeing the chairs and all the people for the first time. I look back at Mav. "Is this..."

"Our mating ceremony," he says softly. I suck in a breath.

"You did all this?" I ask, my voice shaky.

He takes a step closer, his eyes filled with concern. "I did. I wanted to surprise you, but if it's too much—" He doesn't get to finish the words because I wrap my arms around him in a fierce hug.

"Thank you," I whisper. His arms come around me.

"I love you," he says just as softly.

I look up at him. "I love you too." His lips meet mine in the most tender kiss. He pulls back and stares intently into my eyes.

"Is this okay?"

I nod, wiping away my tears. "Yes."

"So, you'll meet me at the front?" he asks.

I grin and nod. "I will."

He gives me a last kiss. "I'll be waiting for you." I watch as he walks down the aisle, tall and confident.

A voice clears, and I turn to Cade. My face heats, "Sorry, Cade. I forgot you were there." He gives me a gentle smile.

"Would you allow me the privilege of walking you down the aisle to meet your mate?"

And just like that, the waterworks start again. "I would like that so much," I manage to whisper.

He gives me a tender smile and puts out his arm. I put mine in his. "You know I couldn't ask for a better mate for Mav." He glances down at me. "I know it's not official yet, but I want to be the first to say, ‘Welcome to the family, Rose'." He kisses my cheek, and with that, my hopeless battle against the tears is lost.

I can't even say thank you. I have to settle for a nod. He squeezes my arm, seeming to understand. And then we walk down the aisle. Cade keeps our pace slow and steady, and I take in everything. The white chairs, the fairy lights hung everywhere, the pink rose petals on the walkway. And then there's the people. Stu gives me a thumbs-up when I walk past. I'm assuming he's on music detail because he has his laptop in front of him hooked up. Sara and Sabrina wave at me and blow me kisses, and I do the same back. Eli and Van nod at me as do the other enforcers. Pam wipes her eyes and gives me a side hug as I pass. And then I stop. Because the Northwoods Pack is here. My gaze takes in Garrett and Emma sitting at the end of the row. Emma wipes her eyes and waves at me. Talya and Liam are beside them. Talya waves and blows a kiss. Sage leans forward and smiles from her seat next to Paul. Raechel waves giddily from next to Max. Kyle and Madison are here too. And then I see Sam and Wyatt in the next row. I bite my lip as Sam wipes her eyes and gives me a watery smile. Ava smiles a genuine smile at me, from where she sits next to Sam.

"You good?" Cade asks quietly, and I realize we've been standing still. I nod, and we start forward once again. We reach the front and Amber reaches out and squeezes my hand. I let go of Cade's arm and bend to give her a hug.

"Wose!" Paige says loudly, causing everybody to laugh.

I stop in front of her and give her a kiss on her forehead. "Hi, Paigie girl."

"You look so pwetty," she says shyly.

"So do you," I say softly before going back to take my place next to Cade. And then I face the front and see the gorgeous man standing there and everything else fades away as I let him fill my senses. It took so long to get to this point. I've held back my attraction to him for so long, my longing for what could never be mine. And in this moment, I realize it was all worth it...a thousand times over. To be loved by Maverick is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. I realize now that if he had loved me right away, I wouldn't have been able to trust in that love. I would have always doubted it, thinking the bond made him feel that way. But knowing I had to work for it...a smile fills my face. I know it's real.

You okay, Healer?

My eyes meet his dark ones. Never better, Beta. He gives me his soft smile, the one reserved only for me.

Mav walks over to me and puts out an arm. Let's make this official.

I can barely keep my emotions in check as we make our way through the official mating ceremony. I know Mav did all this for me. I asked Amber one time if they did mating ceremonies in the Orlando Pack and she gave me a confused look. I know he put all this together—for me. Marriage isn't really a wolf thing; it's a human thing. And he did it all...for me.

"So," Maverick asks me later as he holds me, and we dance on the dance floor. "What do you think? Do you like surprises?"

I smile up at him. "Yes. I think we can safely say; I love surprises."

He grins. "Good. Because I plan to spend my entire life planning them for you."

We dance for a little while longer when Mav suddenly stiffens. I look up at him. "What is it?"

I turn to see Jackson standing only inches from Ava. "Who are you?" she asks, glaring up at him. Mav and I are already moving.

"Mate," he growls out, and my heart nearly stops in my chest.

Ava takes a step back. "No, no, no, no. I already have one furry backside after me. I'm not having another."

"Uh, Jackson," I say when we get close.

"Mate," he says, staring down at Ava, his eyes glowing.

Suddenly, a fierce growl rocks the ground. I turn and see a white wolf rocket past me and plow into Jackson. Ava and I stumble backwards, right into a firm body. "You good?" Mav asks as he steadies me. I nod. "I've got to help deal with this. Stay out of harm's way."

"I will." He kisses me and then disappears into the madness.

I turn to Ava, who's staring at the chaos. "Sooooo, Bryce is here."

Don't miss Ava and Bryce's story in book 3!