Destiny's Choice (26 page)

She laughed at that. “Alright. Tristan
,
it is then.”

“Good.” A flare of spectrum coloured light
lit up the clearing, showing a naked Tristan once it faded. “I’ll see you two later.” He gave them both a respectful nod then left.

“You ready to shift back, sweetheart?”

“Yeah. Uh…how?” With everything that had been happening, shifting back hadn’t crossed her mind. Until now.

“Sorry.” His expression was sheepish. “Just concentrate on your human form.
W
alking on two legs
.
Using your hands and fingers.”

Closing her eyes, she did just that. A few seconds later, that green/gold light burst behind her eyelids again. When she blinked her eyes open, she was once more her human self.  Roan had shifted back as well, his smile wide. And
he was
very naked. It was a sight she hoped to see many times.

“Did I tell you how much I greatly enjoy that look you give me?” He sauntered over and took her into his arms.

Warm. He was so warm. Smelled so good. Felt so good. She burrowed closer in his embrace. “And just what look would that be?”

His voice was close to her ear when he said, “The one that says you want me.”

She looked up into his glacier gaze. “I do, Roan. So much that I ache.”

That must have been all the encouragement he needed because he crashed his mouth down on hers, stealing her breath.

She whimpered at the power behind
his kiss. At the sheer expertise with which he took her mouth. It was as if he wanted to devour her. She would gladly let him.

“Sweetheart,” he rasped as he came up for air
. His
eyes h
eld
a dim glow as he looked at her. “You’re like a drug. Ever since that first taste, I’ve wanted more.” His thumb came up and skimmed her bottom lip, making it tingle even more. “I crave more.
J
ust looking at you makes me burn.”

N
o
man
had ever
said that to her. Not even close. But then,
she’d
never met a man quite like Roan LeGuer.
He was s
o strong, so capable. Yet not without his flaws. Those made him just that more appealing to know that despite his appearance, he was far from perfect. And he wanted her. She could see it in his flushed face and mildly glowing eyes. Feel it poking her in her stomach and singing loudly through their bond.

“I want you to take me, Rivera. To make me yours.”

Rivera blinked, the request rendering her momentarily speechless. “What?”

“I’ve done a lot of thinking these past nine days,” he began as he gently touched her cheek. “About a great many things.” He smiled ruefully.  “But mostly, it was about you, about us, and how I needed to be a better
Mate
. To be the True
Mate
you deserved.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck with a small smile. “You’re everything I could have asked for and more, Roan.” She quickly rose up and kissed him before he could open his mouth. “It wasn’t the right time nor was it right to rush things. And since we both tend to use our intellect more in any given situation, well, waiting was the smart choice.”

He gave her a tight hug
.
T
heir warm bodies meld
ed
together perfectly. “It was,” he agreed. “But I could have
lost
you, Rivera.
Los
t you without knowing what giving myself to you would truly feel like.
Not know
your warmth. The feel of your silky skin. The beautiful music o
f your sounds as we make love. All of it, gone. And I would have gladly followed you knowing everything had been taken from me.”

“Roan,” she choked. “I…”

“No. I need to say this.”

She nodded, feeling tears well in her eyes.

“For
nine days
, I sat by your side. Long days and nights of wondering, hoping, and praying that I’d see you open your beautiful eyes and smile at me.
F
eeling our bond but getting nothing from it. Of being able to do absolutely nothing to help. It was the longest and hardest nine days I’ve ever experienced. Because no matter my strength, my power,
not a bit
of it mattered.
None
of it could help.” He grimaced and Rivera could see the weight of her ordeal sitting heavy on his shoulders. “I think the only good thing to come out of my time was the realization that without you by my side,
nothing
mattered. Not my success, my plans, or even the Pack.”

“How can that be a good thing? You’re the Alpha. Caring for the Pack is what drives you.”

“Before
you came along, that’s all I thought I’d ever have.” He took a deep breath. “I had even convinced myself that my feeling for my sister-in-law were more than platonic.”

That threw her a bit. “Why would you convince yourself of that?” She didn’t pull out of his arms but she did put a little space between them. Hearing this sort of confession, she didn’t think she wanted to be that close.

“Because it was easier than being continuously disappointed
about
not finding my own True
Mate
. Knowing that I would be alone until I found her.
H
owever long that would take.” He gazed up at the night sky, expression one of guilt and shame. The feeling from their bond was even more intense. Then he looked back down at her. “And I was envious of my brother.”

She nodded, understanding somewhat of his dilemma. “Being twins, I’m sure the sibling rivalry was a given growing up. But I’m still not getting how you could make yourself care in that way for your brother’s True
Mate
. In the short time I’ve known
you;
you never struck me a
s the kind of man to covet or
even take another’s
Mate
.
Or interfere for that matter. And since we’re talking bout your brother, well, I’m sorry if I seem a little confused.” She was. She could tell the two were close. It just didn’t make a lot of sense to her.

“It’s because she was safe.” He let out another harsh breath, his frown deep. “By setting my unrequited feelings on her, I didn’t risk too much should I meet yet another female that wasn’t my True
Mate
. The drawback was feeling even more alone than before. It was better than having a string of meaningless affairs that would’ve went nowhere though. And after finding out I had a True
Mate
, there was no way I was settling for less.”

Seeing the logic, Rivera couldn’t help finally understanding where he was coming from. Seeing his brother so happy and
Roan
knowing he also had a True
Mate
was probably hard.
But
not knowing when or where she would be
,
or if she was even born,
must have been painful
. The ache of disappointment and despair had to have been great to push him to such a degree. It was the old “Devil you know” scenario.
Better
to hurt once than over and over again. Being Alpha with
its
responsibilities
doubtless
didn’t help either.

“Okay.” She placed a hand on his chest. His heart was beating fast and she could feel his apprehension and guilt through their bond. “It’s okay, Roan. I’m glad you told me. But where does that leave us?” She was almost afraid ask lest the happy ending she’d dreamed of be snatched away once more.

“Oh, sweetheart.” His smile was tender as he cupped her cheek. “It was meeting you that made me realize the feelings I thought I had for her were a lie. That I was protecting myself and using her as an excuse.” He shook his head with a rueful grin. “Talking with you, holding you, tasting you, it’s magic. Pure magic. No one, and I mean no one, can affect me like you do. These feeling I have inside, these are real, Rivera. And they’re
a
ll for you.”

A small gasp escaped as she felt some of what he was talking about through their bond. Joy, gratitude, pride, caring, yearning, arousal. There were more, of course, but it was a swirling mesh that made her dizzy trying to decipher it all.

“I can’t believe you feel all
of
that for me.” It wasn’t a declaration of love, but it was damn close. And they had time.

“
N
o one else, Rivera. Ever,” he
vowed. “Before I met you, I didn’t realize just how empty my life
was
. How I
had been
going through the motions and basically working myself into a stupor to keep from thinking about how alone I really was.”

“And now?”

“Now…” His smile was radiant enough to light up the world. “Now,
all
I want is you.
Everything
I can see
and
feel, is you.”

She touched his dear face, moved beyond words.

“Please, Rivera.” He took her hand, kissing the palm. “I
need
this. I
need
you.”

For the rest of her life, Rivera would
remember
this moment.
H
ow she fell just a little more for Roan.
The feel of
his warm lips
as they
touched her palm. The rasp of his stubble against her fingers. The look
of utter want in his glacier eyes. And how, after baring his soul to her, she wanted him more than ever.

“Are you sure?” No matter her needs, she wanted to give him the option
to say no
. Herself as well. She really didn’t want a repeat of their first attempt.

With his expression open and their bond singing, Roan got down on one knee, her hand still tucked firmly in his.

“Rivera Montgomery, will you do me the honour of making me yours? Of taking all that I am? I give it to you willingly without fear or hesitation.”

Staring down into those icy orbs, she nodded, her throat tight with emotion. “Yes.”

Rising to his feet, he picked her up, cradling her close in his arms. They didn’t say a word as Roan carried her back to the house. Going through the kitchen, Rivera noted that it was blessedly quiet. A good thing too. She wanted no interruptions.

Making his way up the stairs, Roan carried her to a door at the end of the hall. She reached out and opened it, Roan gently kicking it shut behind them after they were inside the room. It was done much like the one at the cabin. Only the furniture in this one seemed older and there were more windows. In fact, an entire wall showed the forest. The full moon cast it’s silvery rays, making the darkened room glow with a magical aura. Of course, the moon’s radiance was nothing compared to the light in Roan’s eyes. They were luminous as he set her on her feet beside the bed.

“How-“

“Shh.” She laid a finger over his soft lips. “No dominance games, no power plays, Roan. Just me
,
making love to my True
Mate
.”

She felt his warm lips lift in a smile as he nodded.

Taking her finger away
, s
he rose up
and kissed him. It was gentle
at first, Rivera tracing his lips with her tongue. But as she slowly slipped inside his mouth, his minty flavour made her ravenous for more. She practically devoured him, exploring every inch of his mouth and
get
ting
such spine tingling
sounds from him that it made her greatly anticipate
receiving
many more.

When they finally came up for air, they were on the bed with Rivera draped over Roan. She had no idea how they got there, but she wasn’t going to complain. He was exactly where she wanted him to be
.
Beneath her and more than ready. His hardness pok
ed
her in the ass as she straddled him.

“Sweetheart…” His voice was raspy with his arousal, lips red and swollen from her kisses. His cheeks were flushed, eyes glowing with icy flames and mahogany waves mussed from her fingers. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. And he was all hers. “Christ…the way you look at me. Never stop, Rivera. Never, please.”

Holding his gaze, she brought her lips close to his, sharing his breath. “Only you, Roan. Only you. Forever.” She sealed that promise with a kiss, taking his mouth with brutal passion.

D
one with talking for the moment, Rivera wanted to use her mouth for something better
.
Like exploring
every inch of
her glorious True
Mate
. Using all her senses to go on a guided tour, she began at his neck and the top of his right shoulder. She knew it was a hot spot and wasn’t d
isappointed when a gasp escaped him as she kissed and licked his skin. It was warm and slightly salty with musky undertones. The texture went from prickly under his jaw to silky smooth when she reached his shoulder. The scent of his arousal was strong. Pine, a mountain breeze, and male. The combination went right to her head. And other parts of her anatomy.