Page 105 of The Witch’s Daughter

If I’d had control of my own eyes, I would’ve rolled them. But as annoying as it was, she was right. I’d thought I was doing everyone else a favor by burying my own wants and desires, but all I really did was hurt myself.

In denying my heart, I denied who I was. My fate. My intuition. My magic. My spark. No wonder everything had been so messed up for so many years.

It was as if my soul had started glitching and screaming at me to notice what I was doing. I literally ignored all the warning signs until my magic had no other choice but to act up.

And I hurt my one true mate in the process.

Do you think he’ll ever forgive me?

My wolf was oddly silent for a moment, no doubt remembering how Jaxon’s wolf had already tried to mount her, and she’d only stopped him because I’d begged her to give me one last chance to let Jaxon—the human—walk away. He deserved the opportunity to find someone less messed up.

I said I was healing, not healed, okay?

Jaxon has always forgiven you, she finally said. But you need to forgive yourself.

It wasn’t hard to do that when I saw the way Jaxon looked at me. The hungry desire behind his wolf’s eyes. He shifted into human form just as we crossed into his territory. With a feral growl, he lifted me into his arms.

My wolf wasted no time in giving me back my skin. Good luck.

I’d been in Cadejo territory years ago when we attended the celebration after Jaxon took over the Alpha position. They’d had a party in the streets, but Jaxon headed in early with us, where we’d all enjoyed a quiet dinner. I hadn’t seen much of the territory then, and I didn’t see much now.

Jaxon moved with a shifter’s speed, and the earth seemed to clear a path for him as he raced us to his house.

Later, I’d learn more about this pack. If I was to be his Luna, then I owed that to him and the shifters I’d be helping to care for. I tried not to be nervous about what that all entailed.

For Jaxon, I could do anything.

Except right now, I could only hang onto him for dear life as he kicked open the front door to the hacienda that would be my new home.

“Get out,” Jaxon’s voice was cold.

I turned my head, seeing his Beta, Victor, and I gave the old shifter a short, embarrassed wave.

“Thank the gods.” Victor smiled as he came out of the office.

I almost told him to watch his language, but Jaxon took the stairs two at a time, leaving Victor to shut the front door.

Then I was bouncing naked onto a soft bed of downy blankets that smelled of Jaxon’s earthy scent. I sniffed again, inhaling as much as I could.

No females, my wolf said approvingly.

But Jaxon didn’t join me.

He paced at the foot of his bed, dragging his hand through his hair and looking so much like a caged wild animal that my heart broke for him.

I sat up, reaching out my hand. “Jaxon… Come here?”

“You almost died.” His eyes blazed with fury. “I almost lost you. After everything we’ve been through. Before we could even… You don’t understand…”

He started to pace again as his words and sentences came out fractured. His shoulders seemed to broaden with each step.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, feeling lost on how to fix this. “I do understand.”

“No. You don’t.” I’d never seen Jaxon look so crazed. “You wanted to know what could drive someone like Vincent to do what he did? Do you know what I would’ve done to the world if you weren’t in it?”

I swallowed hard. “That’s not true. You’re a good wolf. A good Alpha. You could never—”

“If you want to test that theory, try it again.” His tone left no room for argument.