“Ryder,” she panted.
They had only consummated their mating once, and part of the frustration and animosity between them these last few weeks had been their need. They still wanted each other, even when they were struggling.
Naked beneath him, Jaeden urged Ryder’s jeans off and then enveloped him in her embrace, her legs wrapped around his waist.
“I love you,” he whispered as he gazed down at her. “Do you love me?”
That he even had to ask. A tear escaped, aching for having hurt him so badly, and she pressed a sweet kiss against his lips. “I will always love you. Never doubt it, no matter what stupid thing I say or do.”
He groaned and made love to her, a slow, gentle love that caught fire and grew frenzied, as if they were both afraid the other would disappear.
As they strove to catch their breath, Ryder pulled her closer into the warmth of his body, gazing up through the trees to the sky that had darkened to midnight blue above them. He smelled of Jaeden and now she smelled of him. As soon as they walked into the hotel, the pack would know what they’d been up to, but he didn’t care. He was glad to have her back.
And he did have her back, that he was sure of. Life with Jaeden was always going to be interesting, but he’d never doubted she loved him, no matter what she said. They were mates, blessed by the gods themselves. She’d been right before. He was as much a part of her as she was of him. He knew she was angry, and he knew exactly what she’d been doing when she pushed him away like that. Ever the strategist, he’d decided to back off for a while, let her cool down on her own. That morning at breakfast, he’d seen the vulnerability in her eyes for the first time—the guilt, the realization of what she’d been doing to them all. It was the best time to bombard her, make her think she was going to lose him.
Worked like a charm.
And he wasn’t even going to feel bad about manipulating her because his mate was tucked up nice and safe in his arms, just where she should be.
“I have to tell you something,” she whispered hoarsely, and Ryder stilled. The sound of guilt gilded her words.
“What did you do?” he groaned, peering down at her.
Of all the things in the world, he had not been expecting her admission that she’d helped blackmail Caia into killing the Septum.
“For Gaia’s sake, Jaeden!” he snapped, pulling out of their embrace and shoving himself back into his jeans. “I can’t believe this!”
She started dressing herself, her body shaking, her lips trembling. He tried not to feel bad but he couldn’t believe she’d been keeping this to herself for weeks.
“That little bloodsucking fiend blackmailed Caia into killing the Septum, and Lucien thinks she just left! He kicked her out of the pack, Jaeden!”
“I know!” she cried. “I wasn’t thinking. It was just another one of the many selfish things I did this last month, alright?”
“Lucien is going to kill you!” he swore, shoving his hand through his hair. “I’m going to have to fight my best friend because he’s going to want to kill you.”
“Ryder.” She stamped her foot, a bit of the old Jae creeping back into her voice. “I feel terrible about this—you don’t have to make me feel any worse.”
Holy mother of … Lucien would go ballistic. Ryder sighed and grabbed hold of her hand, tugging her toward the house. “Let’s get this over with.”
21
Faith
The dining hall looks good, Lucien mused, gazing around as he ate the roast chicken Lucia and Cera had prepared. Ella roped him and some of the others into appropriating dressing screens from the bedrooms and placing them across the dining hall as a temporary wall. Shortening the length of the room had instantly made it cozier, and they’d arranged the tables into one massive table they could all fit around. Then they had taken fabrics—throws, curtains, bits of muslin—and dressed the windows. With some candles to soften the lighting, Lucien had to admit, despite himself, that Ella had been right. The place was starting to feel more homely.
It would be even more homely if his mate were at his side instead of Rose. His gaze dropped to the redhead and then lifted almost instantly. He and Rose had had a difficult conversation today. She’d found him in his suite with a photo of Caia and himself from Irini and Aidan’s mating ceremony. Magnus had made a big deal of Lucien putting his arm around Caia, and she’d blushed like an idiot as he drew her into his side for the photo to be taken. Only hours later he’d kissed her for the first time on the back porch and had been relieved when she’d kissed him back.