Breqlynn rose from the high-top table, her meal only partially consumed. Walking to the window, she stopped to gaze at the landscape passing below. She and Brice were the only passengers on the private airship that Keys had borrowed. Sin Bae and Jonathan came over on the dirigible shortly after Kala had whisked Jaeger away. Aeddon, Julian and Keys stayed behind with Amanda, in case there was an uprising closer to home. The loyal shifters had been welcome allies as Breq tried to bring order to the council's headquarters.
An issue the Kingsmen, free Firsts and Breqlynn had collectively agreed on was that Romania was no longer the best place for their headquarters. For one thing, it was too far removed from where Wolfrick was. For another, the king's council needed an eye kept on them if the failed uprising were any indication.
As Breq dealt with the treasonous assholes on the council, Jaeger lay healing in his bed, still unconscious. Whatever he'd done to exorcise the vamp from Zehra had sapped all his strength. Aeddon continuously assured her that Wolfrick would recover, given enough time. Her cousin had been right, as usual. Not that she'd ever admit it aloud.
It'd been three days since Breqlynn rescued Wolfrick; three days since she'd asked Keilynn to move her things back to her house. The hard reality of Breq's current situation hit her once her post-fight adrenaline faded, and she had time to think. Questions and doubts plagued her. She loved Wolfrick, but with the bond now nearly severed and no longer able to influence his emotions, would he feel the same about her? Would he still want her as his mate? Had her worst fear, the one that'd reared its ugly head when Jaeger had admitted that it wasn't only his beast who wanted her as its mate, come true?
The Firsts on the council now saw Breq as such. Gideon had seen to their acceptance in recognizing her as their king's mate by addressing her as "queen." He'd done it in front of the eleven Firsts not residing in the dungeon. They'd been reluctant to view her as someone with power over them at first. So, Brice and Wolfrick's Second saw to it the remaining council members learned all that happened; what she'd done to liberate their king from those who'd been led astray by a vampire. It was something - the pair were sure to point out - the Firsts had failed to do themselves. With the help of humans and loners, their king's mate had succeeded in saving Jaeger.
The men downplayed their roles in the rescue and instead made Breqlynn out to be some badass alpha, worthy of the shifter council's respect. As a result, the free members reluctantly agreed that she was strong enough to lead them, alpha enough to take Wolfrick's place in the interim. All of this served to make her the de facto leader of the shifters, and she'd had done her best.
Then, the big-mouthed Brice spilled the beans about Breqlynn's pregnancy. That sealed the deal. The mates of the Firsts, many of whom were not yet blessed with children of their own, took her under their collective wings. She'd been given clothes to replace her battle-worn "uniform," pampered with food and goodies. The women treated her as if she really were royalty to the point Breq had murderous intentions toward the North American First with his big mouth.
Raising her hand, Breqlynn plucked at the sleeve of a new, dark blue, designer blouse.
"I miss the other shirt." Brice came up behind Breq and handed her a glass of orange juice. They'd both been sleeping in their own, luxurious cabins. When they hit the east coast, she'd awakened, puttered about in her room and then come out to order a meal from the steward. It looked as if Brice had just woken. Even though his clothes were freshly ironed by one of the stewards and his blond hair under the ever-present white, cowboy hat looked combed, his eyes held a sleepy quality.
A short huff of breath escaped Breqlynn. The mates of the council Firsts were horrified when they saw her tee and argued that it was too damaged by tears and scorch marks to be salvaged. They'd thrown it away. She still felt pouty about it as that shirt had been one-of-a-kind.
Accepting the proffered glass, Breq's gaze returned to the passing landscape of the Black Hills of South Dakota. They were nearly home. "Do you think Gideon will be able to handle the council on his own?" For all her previous, murderous intentions toward the man next to her, they'd grown close in a short time.
Breqlynn's Kingsmen guards stayed behind to help Jaeger's Second. Wolfrick regained consciousness the previous day and had been busy trying to unfuck all the vamp had managed to fuck. Before they left that morning, Breq was able to speak to her wolf for the first time. It was a brief and somewhat awkward conversation that consisted of how she was and how he was. The call was interrupted before they could get very far by Gideon needing his king's advice on a council matter. She was no longer the person in charge.
"Without a doubt," the North American First replied, regaining Breqlynn's attention. He turned his back on the scenery and leaned a hip against the windowsill. "I Gideon had entered the contest for king, he may have won. But that's not something Michaels ever wanted. He says he's happy as Wolf's Second and has told me many times in the past few days that he cannot wait for the king to be king again."
Brice took a sip of his drink - scotch by the smell. Breq could feel his eyes on her profile. "You did well in Wolf's stead."
A humorless laugh huffed out, temporarily fogging the glass in front of Breqlynn. "I wanted mass executions, yet every one of those traitorous fucks still breathes."
"Yes, but they knew their lives were forfeit if they didn't repent. Zehra Avci resigned her position as First-"
"She claims the vampire made her do it," Breq sneered, then blew out a breath. "I suppose it could be. She's definitely not like the woman I spoke to on the phone or the one who skewered me with a knife. If I didn't know better, I'd say she was a weremouse."
Brice's lips briefly tilted up at Breq's lame joke. "According to Wolf, she's back to her normal self."
A double-stab of jealousy hit Breqlynn. First, because it was obvious the wolf beside her had more time and conversation with Jaeger than he'd given her. Second, because her wolf was showing interest in another woman's wellbeing.
If he is still your wolf, came the morose correction.
Brice's large hand landed briefly on Breq's newly healed shoulder. It was as if he could sense her doubts. His hand dropped, and he rested the palm against the sill beside his hip. "You earned the respect of many," he said, looking up at her from under the brim of his hat. "In the end, you brought the council around to the point where they now acknowledge you're strong enough to be Wolf's mate. Some even recognize that you are - witch or not - his true mate. That's no small feat."
Breqlynn's mouth lifted at one end. Brice's words only served to remind her once more of all she'd lost since her soul-bond was practically erased. Her hand itched to touch the mark, now the light grey of ashes. It was barely alive, hardly ever moved.
Still, Brice's words caused a warm glow to grow in Breq's chest. Fool, she admonished. It'd hurt less if she stopped hoping Jaeger still believed she was his mate.
"Zehra's abdication was a surprise." Coward that she was, Breq didn't wish to voice her doubts and so went back to the other woman's actions.
Beside her, Brice straightened and turned to look out the large window. "She claimed she never wanted power. It was all the vampire."
"Do you believe her?"
One shoulder rose, then dropped. "From what I've heard, Avci hadn't been herself for a few years. I suppose I do believe her claim."
"Then it's good that I didn't get my wish for mass executions." Breqlynn inhaled deeply in a bid for calm. "Every one of those assholes owes you and Gideon their lives."
"Yes, but only because they knew you'd end them if they didn't take the compromise offered." Brice's head turned toward Breq. "Believe it or not, but even they have a healthy respect for you now."
Breqlynn's chin lifted an inch. Those fools of Zehra's had cowered before her as they repented. They'd argued group mentality had taken over, and it probably had for the most part. But for three Firsts - those from the UK, Spain, and Italy - it hadn't. They still plotted to depose their king. She'd bet her new pair of fuzzy, bunny slippers on that.
Breq gave voice to her doubts. "Wolfrick shouldn't have pardoned Carlos, Geoffrey or Leonardo. They are untrustworthy."
"I agree, and I'm sure Wolf does as well. But in doing so, he showed restraint. They now owe him their lives. That gives him power over them and the council. They'll all be sure to stay on his good side and not make any move against him for some time to come. Hopefully, their fear lasts long enough for Wolf to cement his rule."
Shaking her head - Breqlynn still felt it'd be wiser to kill those three - she changed the subject. "At least they're moving their headquarters closer." One of the unconditional terms of their king's forgiveness was to relocate the council headquarters to the State of Oklahoma. Wolfrick agreed it was wise to keep them close, but not too close.
Vârcolac Turn wouldn't be completely abandoned, however. It'd still serve as a refuge to shifters who needed it, pack or loner. Gideon was overseeing its transformation.
"Yes, there is that." Brice took a sip scotch. As he swirled the liquor in his glass, Breqlynn sensed his mind no longer invested in their conversation.
Turning from the window, Breq walked to the high-top table. Brice followed, and she was glad the steward had quietly come while she contemplated the changes in her life at the window. He'd discreetly removed her unfinished meal.
"Is there an alpha near Enid who will view the council resettling as an invasion?" Breqlynn asked as they sat. The question served to bring Brice out of his own, internal dialogue. Somewhat, at least.
"No. There are packs in Oklahoma. But in shifter terms, the town is a no-mans land. No one claims it as part of their territory."
"Good. I'd hate for Wolfrick to have the added burden of dealing with a resentful alpha."
Brice's chuckle lacked its usual spark. "He'd probably make me deal with it for him with Michaels gone."
"It's good to delegate."
Brice flashed Breq a sly grin. "It frees him for more pleasant pursuits."
Breqlynn shot Brice a hard look and shook her head. She didn't want to discuss this topic with him. The werewolf took the hint and went back to studying the contents of his glass.
"Do you have any news on the hunt for Griffin Maxwell? I know Wolfrick had you looking into his disappearance."
Brice's brows dipped to form a V over his nose. "It's the damnedest thing. We found his trail in Texas where he boarded a steamer headed for Kinsale, Ireland. We notified shifters there, and they kept an eye on the port. He either jumped ship or vanished in midair. The man wasn't on the steamer when it docked. They checked it top to bottom."
"So, he's still in the wind." Breq wasn't happy with the news. There were questions only Griffin could answer.
The silence between them stretched. Brice stared out at the empty dining room and Breq out the window. She couldn't help but wonder what had the shifter beside her acting so off the closer they came to home.
Brice turned his head enough to look down the hall leading to their private cabins. "Is your sister seeing anyone?" he eventually asked. He tipped his hat back on his head, and his gaze switched to Breqlynn's.
Even as Brice's eyes flicked to her, Breqlynn couldn't help her sharp inhalation. The question hadn't been expected. "No, she isn't," she finally answered. Clearing her throat, she added, "She never 'sees' anyone." In fact, Keys was still a virgin. But that wasn't common knowledge, and she wouldn't betray her sister's confidence by blabbing to this wolf.
A frown dipped between Brice's brows. "Is it because of her magic?"
"Yes. And that she's a Darkin witch."
The wolf's features relaxed, and he grinned. "One, I know about it and two, I'm me. She won't say 'no' to me."
Breqlynn couldn't help but laugh at Brice's ego on display. "What is it with you Montana wolves and your sudden love of witches? I swear, even Gideon's caught the bug. He's more protective of Keys and me than Aeddon!"
Brice continued to smile, silently waiting for Breq's blessing. They both knew he didn't need it, but she appreciated the gesture all the same. Technically, as the eldest female in their family, Keilynn was its head. Therefore, her twin needed no one's permission to do anything. Not that Breqlynn needed it either.
"I wish you luck." Breq raised her near-empty glass of orange juice in a toast.
Brice's grin widened as his tumbler clinked against hers. "I appreciate your support," he said before taking a swallow.
The head steward, dressed in the dark suit of an Edwardian butler, entered. He stood in front of the half-moon, polished wood bar and stared straight ahead. "We will be arriving in Billings in twenty minutes," his crisp, staccato voice announced to the room at large.
Breqlynn's eye caught Brice's as the butler turned sharply on his heel and left. The wolf slowly raised a questioning brow, and she lost it. The steward was out of earshot when she burst into laughter. Or, so she hoped.
Sobering, Breq told Brice, "You're a bad influence." Grinning, she added, "I like you."
The wolf's teeth flashed. "I like you, too."
It didn't take long for the short-lived buoyancy of Breqlynn's mood to plummet. The orange juice in her stomach soured and burned her throat. "I suppose I should go pack my things." She tried to sound cheery but must have failed. She didn't miss Brice's frown as she placed her glass on the table, rose from her seat, and walked back to the cabins.
Being a private aircraft, the berths were spacious, containing large beds, a closet, dresser, and even attached bathrooms. The furniture was made of matching maple, and the room itself had light blue draperies and bedding. It was an airy and comfortable room. Breqlynn wished she didn't have to leave it and face reality.
As Breq's habits didn't lean toward messy, packing took only a few minutes. Setting her bags by the door, she shook her head. She'd certainly left Romania with more belongings than she had when she arrived.
Taking a deep breath, Breqlynn went to the already made bed and smoothed out a wrinkle. She was stalling, trying to formulate how she'd react to seeing Wolfrick again. Her stomach fluttered at the thought of him, his voice, his smell, and his rock-hard body.
Damn hormones. They made it difficult to think clearly.
Were Breq honest with herself, she'd admit that the possibility of being rejected by Jaeger was terrifying.
Sitting on the corner of the bed caused more creases in the comforter. Her head somewhere else, Breqlynn didn't take note. There were too many, various scenarios playing out in her mind. As she felt the aircraft dip and lose altitude, she decided that it would be less excruciating if she did the rejecting herself. Wolfrick didn't know she'd fallen in love with him. It'd remain her dirty, little secret.
Deep breath in and a long breath out, Breq put on a knee-length, emerald wool coat, collected her belongings, and exited the room. Brice met her in the hallway. He only had one bag and held out his hand for her suitcase. Relinquishing it, she adjusted the strap on her shoulder bag. They were a matching set, sporting girly, floral patterns. They'd been gifted to her by the First of Germany's mate, and so Breqlynn could do nothing but gratefully accept the luggage.
"Ready?" Brice asked.
No, Breq thought but nodded.
The North American First walked beside Breqlynn in the hall. Brice took the lead once they exited the aircraft. During her time with the shifter council, she'd learned the men did this, not to be rude, but to show respect and that they'd stand between her and any potential danger. The male shifters believed if a man didn't stand in front of a female, he had little to no regard for her. It was a shifter thing, for Aeddon wouldn't think of walking in front of her or Keys.
They stepped off the stairs and onto the tarmac, each lost in their thoughts. From behind, momentary silence enveloped them as the steam engine was shut off. Unseen, the deflating balloon began to float gently about the ship. Post-apocalyptic inventors, scarce on metal scraps, but keen on developing a new and cost-effective technology, garnered inspiration from hot air balloons. Breq didn't quite understand it all, but basically, they married dirigibles, pre-war jets, and hot air balloons and came up with modern-day airships. Whatever they did worked beautifully, after a few, early hiccups.
Now, what had once been wood was replaced with a lightweight metal. The "balloon" part of it was made from a new, synthetic material. That earth and air witches created it wasn't common knowledge. Rival, human companies tried and failed to reverse engineer the fabric for decades. Breqlynn had a bullet-and-fireproof vest made of the stuff that she used when on artifact hunts in dangerous territories. It was lightweight, tough, yet malleable and hard as steel when inflated.
Ahead and to their right, a jet bridge let out onto the second floor of the airport. Large, glass windows looked out onto the tarmac. A commercial flight was being loaded with passengers.
But their people weren't in the airport. They were standing in front of two vehicles on the tarmac. Keilynn and Aeddon were to the left, Amanda and Julian in the middle and Jaeger a little apart and on the right, leaned against the grill of his pickup.
The sight of Wolfrick made Breqlynn's stomach do a dizzy, little flip. Quickly, she looked away. She was a coward, unsure of how Jaeger felt now that she was back home. The bond, of course, told her nothing.
"Is the sexy, little redhead your sister?" Brice asked sotto voce over his shoulder. The sound of his voice broke off that of Breq's internal struggle. She couldn't help but roll her eyes in response. The North American First was a horndog and sure to get his heart broken.
Not able to resist, Breqlynn snuck another look at the shifter king. Jaeger caught and held her eye. Her palms tingled as she looked him over, wanting to touch him and assure herself that he was truly healed. There were no visible signs of the wounds he'd suffered at the hands of the shaman. Of course, hers were hidden, so his could be as well. Wolfrick's soul-bond had to look worse than hers. Was it even still there, she wondered?
"Breq!" Keilynn squealed as she came in for a hug, breaking Breqlynn's ogle-fest. Although her sister was small, she was powerful. Breq stumbled back a step and nearly ass-planted on the tarmac.
All around, welcome backs erupted as Aeddon, Amanda and Julian came to the fore. Brice introduced himself and began flirting with Keys. Over their heads, Breqlynn saw Wolfrick holding back, his arms crossed, a smile playing in his eyes. He seemed content enough, watching the antics of her family and his people. At least, she thought, he didn't seem pissed at her.
The commercial flight was taking off, drowning out their words. It was time to stop cluttering the tarmac. It was time for Breq to stop being a coward.
"Breqlynn," Wolfrick intoned as she approached. His arms uncrossed and wrapped around her, holding her tight.
Before her heart could overrule her head, Breq told herself that Jaeger was only showing his thanks for saving his ass. Still, she took a deep breath, pulling his scent in as her nose pressed into his chest. Kicking herself for weakening so quickly, she pulled away.
Wolfrick gave Breqlynn a questioning look, but Aeddon was there before he could ask her what was wrong. "Are you ready to head home?" her cousin asked, reaching out a hand, palm-up for her shoulder bag.
Wolfrick took it instead. "I'll take her. We have much to discuss." The last was directed at Breq with an unreadable look that made her stomach dip.
"Breqlynn?" Aeddon's tone let her know it was her decision. He must have picked up on the "offness" between her and the wolf king.
"It's fine, Aed. Jaeger is right. We do have much to talk about." It was past time to define their relationship, especially with the magical influence all but gone.
"You can sit in my lap," Breq heard Brice tell Keilynn as they tried to figure out the seating arrangements in the other vehicle. Five adults in one car were going to be a tight fit.
"Julian can sit in your lap. I'm driving," Keys responded and Breqlynn bit back a laugh. Brice's wooing wasn't going well.
They left the others to figure it out. As Breq followed Wolfrick to the passenger door, she put her hands in her coat pocket. For one, it was cold as balls outside. Also, she didn't want any awkward hand holding or worse, placing her hand in his and being rejected.
Wolf could tell Breqlynn was cold. After hitting the auto-start button on his remote, the engine turned over and began to hum. He wanted to wrap his arms around his mate and warm her with his body's heat. But he sensed she wouldn't welcome the move. Instead, he transferred the suitcase Brice had given him into his left hand and opened the passenger door for her. With barely a glance, she climbed in and sat, bringing her hands up the vents to warm them.
Shutting the door, Wolf wondered what he'd done to upset Breq. He couldn't think of anything he'd said in their last conversation fourteen hours before. He'd been dealing with Firsts and council business when last they spoke.
Wolfrick was tired and wanted only to hold his mate, to have her help ground him. He wanted to discuss it all with Breqlynn, but apparently, he'd done something to get her nose out of joint. A feeling of impending doom engulfed him as he opened the door behind her and put her luggage on the back seat.
Closing it more forcefully than he'd intended, Wolfrick swallowed. Surely after risking her life to save him, Breq wouldn't try to end things between them. He hoped her previous actions meant that she cared for him, even though her witch's link was practically no more.
Breqlynn turned on the radio once Wolf got inside and put the pickup in reverse. It seemed she didn't want to talk after all.
"What is this crap?" Breqlynn huffed as "What is Love" by Haddaway blared over the speakers. Wolf shrugged. It was a public radio station, and he didn't pick the songs.
"We have to do something about your taste in music," Breqlynn groused and changed the channel. The tuner stopped on 93.8, as Wolf merged onto the highway. It was another local station that went by the moniker "Rock Hard."
Breq bit off a groan as "Hail to the King" by Avenged Sevenfold began to play. It was at the chorus part to boot. Fate was laughing at her, and it sounded a lot like the shifter beside her.
"Okay, this song is not so bad," Wolfrick piped in. A small smile lifted the corners of his lips.
Yep, Fate sucked ass.
Turning the volume down, Breqlynn then clasped her hands in her lap. Looking out the window, the seconds seemed to crawl. It was shaping up to be the longest short drive of her life.
"Spill," the man next to Breq all but commanded as, on their left, the Yellowstone valley sped past below. The highway stretched out across the top of the Rims, north of Billings. "Something is bothering you, and I want to know what it is."
More than one thing was bothering her. Breq didn't know where to begin.
Breathing in deep, she decided to start small. Shifting in her seat, she looked at Wolfrick's profile. "Since you recovered, we've hardly spoken. You made time for others, but not for me."
Cringing inwardly, Breq knew that didn't come out well. She watched as Jaeger's jaw tightened and the look he shot her was hard, tinged with anger.
Although Jaeger took a moment to measure his response, it came out as an accusation. "You know I had to get my house in order." Inhaling deeply, he released the breath. "I knew you were all right. You're strong and can take care of yourself. You've proven this countless times. Among all my concerns on waking, your safety wasn't one of them."
"I understand all of that." It felt good to hear Wolfrick say he had faith in Breqlynn's abilities. Still, she felt a sort of rejection at his handling of her since waking.
"I hope your leniency doesn't come back to bite you in the ass," Breq mumbled under her breath. Wolfrick heard, but before he could reply, she went for broke. "Look, it felt like you decided to put distance between us. I don't know if that was your intention, and I know you had a huge mess to clean, but that was my perception."
As they sped past the turnoff to Jaeger's house, his head turned to glance out his window. Breqlynn watched as his grip tightened on the wheel, his knuckles turning white.
Then, Wolfrick's head swiveled back toward Breq. His golden eyes pinned her. Yeah, he was pissed, his wolf visibly close to the surface. "Is that why you had your sister remove your belongings from my home?" he demanded.
Finally, they'd come to the root of Breqlynn's fear. She hoped she was strong enough to see this through; strong enough to release Wolfrick if that was what he wanted.
Jaeger's golden gaze was back on the road. "No, I had her do that while you were still unconscious."
"Why?" Wolfrick's tone was wooden, probably due to the clenched jaw.
"Because the bond is broken." This is it, Breq thought.
"So?" Wolfrick asked, sounding confused.
Breqlynn huffed out a breath. Didn't the wolf know that meant he was free of her? "Without it," she explained, "you're surely thinking more clearly. My emotions are no longer clouding yours. My feelings are no longer influencing your own." A lump formed in her throat, but she spoke over it. "If you've realized that I'm not your mate, I understand."
They made a left and turned onto Breq's drive. Tense silence engulfed the cab. When they reached her house, the pickup stopped in a cloud of dust. Jaeger put it in Park and killed the engine. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his upper body shift to face her. She couldn't look at him; it was too painful.
"If you want to be free of me, this is your chance." Breq would not cry. She would not cry.
"Breqlynn," Jaeger's tone was soft, but she couldn't meet his gaze. If she did, she would bawl like a baby — stupid hormones.
When it became apparent Breqlynn wouldn't look at him; Jaeger let out a long breath. "Very well. I've heard what you said, and I cannot disagree. Your witch's bond pushed and pulled at us, and we can't be certain what was it and what was us."
"Yeah, well now you're free of it and me." Breq's temper began to rise. With a slightly shaking hand, she grabbed the handle and opened the door. Hopping out, she put up a wall of air between them so Jaeger couldn't stop her. Wrenching the rear passenger door open, she pulled out her luggage and noticed the driver's seat was empty; the door hung open. With a gasp, she stepped back only to have her shoulders hit a wall of muscle.
How had Jaeger moved so fast and quietly?
Strong arms came around Breqlynn and held her in place. Her luggage dropped onto the dirt-packed drive. "You didn't let me finish," Wolfrick growled in her ear. She struck at him with her magic. The wolf easily brushed off all she threw at him. He countered air with hardening dust, pollen and other earth-based particles in the atmosphere, creating a wall of sorts. The blows never landed. Jaeger drew moisture out of the ground and air to smother her fire.
"How is this possible?" Breq demanded in frustrated fury.
"I'm old," Wolfrick explained softly. Pulling Breqlynn back tighter against his chest, his arms wrapped around her waist and lower stomach. "Now, will you listen?"
At Breq's eventual nod, Jaeger continued. "The bond may have drawn us together against our wills - a shifter and a witch are not a normal pairing. But it had nothing to do with my wolf recognizing you as its mate. He did that before the artifact was triggered. I was a bit slower in realizing it, is all."
The back of Wolfrick's fingers briefly brushed against Breqlynn's neck, before lowering to wrap around her waist once more. Warm tingles were left in their wake. "Because of it, we were rushed into our relationship. As a result, you're unsure of me. I understand this. You don't have an inner being telling you that I am yours. Now that we have this second chance, I want to do it right. I want you to be as sure of me as I am of you. You are mine, Breqlynn," he practically growled in her ear. "I won't walk away from you, just as I won't let you walk away from me."
Breq's heart was pounding so hard in her chest, Wolfrick had to have heard its frantic beat. He didn't want to be free of her. Elation stirred within, then took flight. Still, she couldn't help but state, "You make it sound as if I have no say."
"Sure, you do. You can choose to wear something casual or nice tonight." Wolfrick's head bent forward. "I'll pick you up at seven," he whispered in Breqlynn's ear. Then, she felt the warm press of his lips against her cheek.
When Wolfrick released her, Breqlynn felt the cold, November air instantly. She was still standing in her driveway as his pickup disappeared down the dirt road. A smile spread across her lips. He had no intention of leaving her. Bond or no bond, he still wanted her.
I hope you liked this chapter. If you want to point out mistakes or want to leave a comment, I'd appreciate that! Also, if you enjoyed reading this chapter, please consider voting for it. Thank you!