He’d brought me to another clearing, but this one was much smaller. There was only enough space for a picnic table, a campfire ring that could fit several chairs around it, and a tent big enough for three of Keane to sleep in. The trees were filled with twinkle lights that cast a pretty glow over the area now that the sun had fully set.
“I-I don't know what to say,” I breathed.
Keane squeezed my hand and pulled me in to tuck me into his side. Then he walked us over to the picnic table and urged me to sit on the bench seat.
“I’m hoping you’ll say yes,” he said gruffly as he dropped to one knee.
My eyes must have been popping right out of my head, and my jaw felt unhinged. Was he…? Holy cow!
“Weddings aren’t common among shifter couples,” he began, “because our mating is stronger than any piece of paper that declares we belong to each other. Although many do have a mating ceremony. However, since you’re human, I thought maybe the tradition might be important to you. And I will always do anything I can to give you whatever you ask for. So”—Keane shoved a hand into his pocket to retrieve a small box and flipped up the lid—“Laina Ash, will you marry me?”
The ring was a simple, a white-gold band with small diamonds spaced around the circle. It was perfect. But my favorite thing was the more masculine version tucked in there as well. A small laugh escaped my lips. “You just want me branded in yet another way to warn off all other males,” I teased.
“Damn straight,” Keane grunted as he grabbed my left hand and slid the band onto my finger.
“As long as you’re wearing my brand, too.”
“Like I said, damn straight, baby.”
“Then my answer is yes!” I grinned and took the other ring, sliding it onto his finger.
The second the ring was in place, his chest puffed out proudly, and I felt his love wash over me. It made what we had feel even more special because he was as anxious to declare himself mine as he was for me to be marked as his.
“I love you,” I whispered as I slipped my arms around his neck.
“I love you, too, baby.”
He scooped me up and stalked over to the tent, then set me on my feet so he could unzip the front and hold the flap back for me to enter.
The tent was just as big as it looked from the outside. “This is definitely a step up from the last one I slept in,” I laughed. “But I think you went a little overboard for just you and me.”
Keane grunted as he zipped the flap shut again, then turned to me and hauled me into his embrace. “I wanted to make sure there was plenty of room for rolling around.” Then he kissed me senseless before giving me multiple mind-blowing orgasms.
Epilogue
Keane
A knock on our door at nine o’clock at night had a growl of annoyance building up in my chest. If whoever that was woke up Atlas, they would find themselves facing off with one pissed-off grizzly.
Laina patted my shoulder and murmured, “Relax, big guy. Our cub would sleep through a tornado.”
She had a point. Still, I stomped to the front door and whipped it open, my most intimidating scowl firmly in place.
But my expression morphed into shock when I saw the person standing on my porch.
“Aaron?”
The wolf shifter looked tired, his shoulders hunched, and his head hung low. “Hey, Keane.”
I wanted to ask him where the hell he’d been. No one had seen him since his fated mate had rejected him years ago. But I was a private guy and didn’t appreciate anyone sticking their nose in my business, so I didn’t pry.
“What can I do for you?”
Aaron ran a hand over his short hair and sighed. “I need a place to crash for a while. I was hoping you’d let me use one of the unoccupied cabins.”
I didn’t hesitate. “Of course. There’s one down past Rome’s that’s empty.”
“Thanks, man.” He waited, watching me warily. Probably waiting for me to ask questions.