Hunt Me! (I Crave The Chase) - Page 206

I didn’t.

Because Jeffrey was here. He was okay. He was whole and beautiful, and brighter than the moon that hung outside. Snow drifted in through the open door, scattering across the floor and sweeping across his blood-soaked sneakers.

“Butters turned me,” Jeffrey said. “I know that’s bad. I know he wasn’t supposed to but?—”

“It’s okay,” I shook my head. “It’s okay.” I would deal with this. I would fix it. If anyone mistreated him—if SAC came down on us for this, I would deal with it. “It’ll be okay.”

It wasn’t right, and I knew our path would not be an easy one. Butters would be banished now, and Jeffrey would spend the rest of his life shunned by those that didn’t know him.

But I couldn’t blame Butters.

In fact…I’d never been more grateful in all my life.

I’d buy him all the rocky road he wanted. I’d even brave the grocery store to do it. But more than that, I promised that I would make this right. That Butters would not pay for his choice to save the other half of my heart.

“He didn’t have a choice,” Jeffrey was shaking, minute little twitches that betrayed just how stressed his sweet body was. I ached to lay him out, to climb on top of him, to protect him from the events of today. To keep him warm and safe and docile sweet.

“I know,” I said, shaking. “It’s good. It’s good he did.”

“I can be your mate now—” Jeffrey’s voice was shaking, his eyes blurry with tears. “We can bond. Can’t we? Officially, I mean. You don’t have to leave again—you don’t have to choose someone else?—”

“You can—you are—” My voice was rough. “I won’t. I don’t.”

“Good because you fucking…you scared me. You scared me so bad. And you’re not supposed to.” Jeffrey’s words were angry but his scent was happy-sad-needy. “You’re supposed to be the one who makes me feel safe.”

I whined, even though he was right. He was right. Of course he was.

“I am sorry,” I said, because he deserved an apology. They all did. “I am sorry. I thought there was no other way. And I just?—”

“I know.” Jeffrey reached through the bars, warm hands cupping my cheeks. Warm despite the chill, because he was other now, just like I was. My wolf spun in circles, a new kind of hunger floating to the surface. “Believe me,” Jeffrey’s lips tipped up into a knowing, sweet smile. “I know what it’s like to be backed into a corner. We do stupid shit just to survive. And if anyone can understand being a self-sacrificing asshole, it’s me,” he laughed and I was…

God.

So relieved.

I wasn’t sure what I’d expected. I hadn’t had much time to anticipate at all. And I hadn’t dared let myself hope. Maybe I should have. Because Jeffrey Prince was a good luck charm. Better than a rabbit’s foot and an incantation. And he had this uncanny way of making my life better, even in the darkest of times.

I nodded jerkily, sagging into his touch. Pressing kisses against his palms, I ached for him.

“You’re not angry?” I asked, my voice hoarse. “That I…left?”

“No,” Jeffrey shook his head, forehead pushing against the bars. We were pressed head to toe, with the bars squashed between us. “No.”

“I…”

“How could I be mad at you?” His violet eyes glinted, tears swimming inside them. “When I would’ve done the same thing.”

I had never been so happy to be understood.

When we kissed, it was awkward and disjointed. Hard to reach between the gaps, but not impossible. He tasted like freedom, like happily ever afters, like fairy tales and oranges and happy-happy-happy.

Teeth, tongue, bruising. Biting. Eager. The kiss evolved from soft to needy, to desperate. Neither of us wanted to acknowledge just how close we’d gotten to losing each other. And as the silvery threads of our bond twisted tighter, tighter, tighter, I knew we’d be fine.

I knew as surely as I knew the next moon would rise that Jeffrey Prince was my happy ending.

Only, our story wasn’t over yet.

I had never been as relieved as I was the moment I pushed through the doors into the hangar at the hunting lodge west of Elmwood and saw Mutt standing naked, blood soaked, and shaking inside his cage.