This warm feeling consumed me when he kissed the top of my head. I closed my eyes and sighed. He pulled the blankets over us, and I leaned closer, snuggling in and loving the heat that came from Damon.
I inhaled deeply, taking his scent into my lungs, and couldn’t help but smile. I felt safe, protected in Damon’s arms. This had never been my world, but God it was now. It felt like I was always meant to be here. With him.
This all felt right, and I didn’t want to let that go.
I wouldn’t.
Chapter Eleven
Rue
I felt a little intimidated and very anxious as I stood in Damon’s living room and greeted each of his brothers and their mates. There were only five brothers, so it should’ve been easy enough for me to remember their names, but I felt like everything that was said was going in one ear and out the other, my nervousness so pronounced my hands were actually shaking.
And then I felt Damon wrap his arm around my waist, pulling me in close, giving me that support I needed. I tipped my head back and looked into his face, seeing he already watched me, a smile spread across his lips, his warm brown eyes showing me without words that he loved me more than anything else.
Although this mating had been fast and hectic, unexpected, it felt so right. It felt like this was exactly where I was supposed to be, wrapped up in his arms and meeting his family. And later today, he’d be formally introduced to mine.
After introductions were made, with genuine happiness from Damon’s brothers and their mates in welcoming me, we all started preparing dinner. It was like a family affair, all of us working together.
Mena and Cason were making the dessert, Maddix and Allison were preparing the homemade apple cider, and Ainsley and Asher were finishing off the fresh bread with honey spread. Bethany and Zakari were having a loving, teasing argument on how much butter to put in a specific recipe. And then there was Oli and India working on setting the table, Oli whispering things in India’s ear that had her blushing.
All I could do was stand back with a glass of warmed apple cider Allison had given me and smile, feeling like I already belonged in this family unit. And the children… God, the children were adorable and sweet, kind and rambunctious. I could see the brothers in each of them, little snippets of their personality coming out.
I hadn’t come from a big family, no siblings, only one aunt and uncle on either side, and the fact that I felt like I had an instant family with these bear shifters and their mates had this perpetual grin spread across my face.
I took a sip of the cider, the liquid warm and spicy, with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon dancing across my tongue. I looked over at Allison and said, “Delicious.” She grinned and tipped her glass in my direction before taking a long drink.
I felt strong, big arms wrap around my waist, pulling me back toward an equally powerful chest. I instantly smelled Damon, the scent of the wilderness that surrounded us mixed with the spicy aroma that was all him.
“Missed you.”
I grinned at his words and turned my head to look up at him. “You just had me an hour ago,” I whispered so only he could hear. My cheeks felt hot as I blushed, remembering how he’d pinned me to the wall in the home we shared and fucked me until I came three times.
He slipped his hand down to cover my belly, his mouth by my ear. “When should we tell them about the little one inside you?”
I felt my face get hotter, pleasure and happiness filling me.
“It’s so early.”
He hummed and kissed the shell of my ear. “They’ll be able to scent you’re pregnant before too long, mate.”
I knew this, but I liked just us knowing. I hadn’t known Damon would be able to smell me being pregnant before I even knew, but apparently a shifter could smell their mate carrying their young before any other shifter even suspected.
“You’re right,” he said low and against my ear. “I like having this little secret between us, at least for the time being. But the truth is, I also like the idea of everyone knowing you’re carrying my baby.” He kissed my temple.
I leaned back and sipped my cider, enjoying watching everyone interacting so naturally, so lovingly. This was what I’d always wanted.
This was what we both deserved.
Epilogue
Damon
Five years later
I stoked the fire and stared at the flames. The scent of the meal we just had lingered in the air, filling the cabin. My mate had fed me well, cooked the buck I’d gotten for us earlier this week and made a delicious stew out of some of the meat, as well as homemade peach cobbler. My female was one hell of a cook.
I looked over my shoulder at the couch where Rue sat, a book in her lap and a blanket thrown over her feet. I loved watching her read, loved knowing she was in her element when she got lost in her books.