"I love you, Megan. " He whispered the words slowly, unused to the freedom to feel, to expect emotion in turn.
Her savage, beautiful lion was still a shade uncertain in that regard, which continued to surprise her, The emotion in his face clenched her chest and tightened her throat with tears as she smiled tremulously, basking in the savagery of his pride and his possession of her.
The horrors he had lived through in those Labs still gave her nightmares. The stories the Breed females had related to her and the reports she had read were horrifying. They were still events Braden refused to talk about. It was how he lived with it. How he retained that playful, amusing side of his personality.
"Oh Braden," she whispered, tearing up despite her best efforts not to as she glimpsed the fears in his gaze. The fear of losing her, of having the gift he believed she was, taken from him. "I love you. With all my soul, all I am. I love you. Forever, Braden. "
He lowered his head, touched his forehead to hers, his eyes filled with the heat of emotion, hunger, need. All he felt for her, all he was. And in that they were equal. Because he had all she was as well.
"Forever," he whispered, his voice soft, husky. "I may have left my mark on your shoulder, Megan, but you marked my very being. Forever, I'm yours. "
"Now, let's get the hell out of here. " He bounded from her and the bed, leaving her to stare at him in surprise.
"I'm ready to hit the road, woman. What are you doing lazing around?
Don't we have a mission to complete?"
Megan tossed her pillow at his back as he chuckled in delight before disappearing into the bathroom, the taut line of his buttocks drawing her gaze as she moved from the bed.
Maybe they had a little bit of extra time after all, she thought as she began stripping off her clothes and following quickly. Yep, definitely enough time to love her mate before they headed out. There was always time for that.
Jonas stared out at the gated driveway leading from Sanctuary, a frown creasing his brow as the newest in the line of law enforcement~military vehicles headed toward the main road.
The plain black model-eight SUV appeared as harmless as any other on the road. The stealth and armed advancements to it were anything but harmless though. The computerized display screens engaged quickly, with voice or manual commands; the small computer that folded into the dash had a secured link into one of the most advanced satellites orbiting in space. A nice little gift donated to the Breed community by a benefactor with more money than he knew how to spend.
The vehicle was occupied by the latest Mated pair of the community: Braden and Megan Arness.
Jonas tucked his hands into his black slacks, his head lowering as he watched the vehicle drive out of sight and the wide gates close securely behind it.
He remembered the last time he had watched such a vehicle leave Sanctuary. The ever-present pain sliced through his chest as he thought of Aimee.
He hadn't suspected that she had Mated with Mark.
There had been no signs of it until the autopsy was performed.
The Mating mark hadn't been placed on her shoulder as normal, but rather in the tender flesh of her upper breast. Mark's had been placed similarly. And the marks hadn't been fresh.
His fingers balled into fists at the thought. She had Mated with the other man years before, even before their rescue from the Labs, and never revealed it. Neither Breed had shown a sign of Mating, only one of a very close friendship.
His lips tightened at the thought, his teeth clenching with enough force to send a jarring ache through his jaw. He had cared . He shook his head, pacing from the window and staring around the neat, expensive office he inhabited.
Head of National Breed Security Affairs. He had an office in Sanctuary as well as one in Washington. He had a personal assistant, the latest in gadgets and the freedom he had always longed for. But the woman had eluded him. She had chosen another.
Not that he blamed her. He had been unable to protect her in the Labs when she had come of age. What would have made her believe he could have protected her now?
He snarled as the fury bit at his soul. So many wasted lives. He had been his Pride's leader; it had been his responsibility to protect the younger females, to deflect the Trainers and guards and to lessen the horrors of their lives.
He blocked the memories. Years of practice had taught him how to blur the edges of that night, how to push it back into the recesses of his mind. But he never truly forgot. It
was always there, waiting to strike, ready to destroy him.
"Mr. Wyatt?" His personal assistant knocked timidly at his door, her voice hesitant.
"Enter," he snapped, doing nothing to hide his impatience at the distraction.
The door opened slowly as the normally confident, balls-busting secretary stepped into his inner sanctum. Her cool gray eyes flickered over him with only a hint of nervousness, her composed features never shifted, the emotionless mask never dipped. She was as cold as an iceberg and as efficient as a robot. And it was all a very brilliant, very impressive facade. He could feel the nervousness, the hint of fear that raced through her. To give her credit, she hid her fear of him much better than others did.
"We received a message from the liaison in Washington. You're needed back at the office for a meeting first thing in the morning with the Oversight Committee regarding Senator Cooley. Senator Tyler is requesting that you take care of this personally. He'd like to get the amendment to the Breed Articles pushed through quickly to allow for the dismissal and prosecution of Agents Farrow and Harding. "