Not once in that cage had I feared Wheeler. When his wolf had approached me with a savage look in his eyes, I’d somehow known everything would be all right. Even now in his arms, feeling his chest rise and fall with each breath, seeing his eyes settle on mine whenever I looked up, I still had that feeling.

And it made me tear up again. Naya James was not a crier, and yet here I was, wrapped up in a blanket in a man’s arms and weeping like a babe. And how could I have ever imagined a man I’d been so rude to—whom I’d spent years bickering with—could be one of the most compassionate souls I’d ever met?

“We’re here,” Austin said. “I have to go back and run some errands, Wheeler. Do you want me to drop you off here, or are you coming with me?”

“I’ll go with.”

My heart sank.

The car slowed to a stop and the engine cut off. Lexi got out and pushed her seat forward so I could climb through the door. When my feet touched the ground, I wrapped the blanket around me and tucked it in like I would a towel.

I glanced up at my apartment, but I didn’t see it. All I saw were trees. Disoriented, I turned around and faced the Weston house, lit up inside as if it had been expecting our return.

“Wait a minute. I thought you said you were taking me home?”

Wheeler hopped out of the car and stood next to me, ruffling his tangled hair. “And that’s exactly where you are, Naya. Home.” He cupped his hands around my neck and looked at me with love shining in his eyes. “I’m not a romantic. I’m scarred, inked, and maybe a little ruined. I regret every shitty thing I’ve ever said to you, because you didn’t deserve it. I’m not a perfect man, but if you’ll have me, I’ll be your man. Whatever that means, I’m yours.”

I glanced at Lexi in surprise. “I can’t, Wheeler. I feel the same, but I can’t live here.”

“Why not?”

“I’m a panther. You live in a pack.”

Austin patted the hood of his car. “Naya, I’m the Packmaster. What I say goes, and if you want to mate with this bastard, then I’m not going to stand in your way. You’ve stretched your neck out for us more times than I can count, and you’ve shown more loyalty than most wolves have with their pack. I don’t know how this is all going to work out when I introduce your animal to the wolves in this pack, but we’ll figure something out. It’s unconventional, but hell,” he said with a loud chuckle, “we’ve already acquired a reputation for being a pack of misfits. Besides, having a panther as an ally is a mighty powerful thing.” Austin winked and slid back inside the car.

“Well?” Wheeler asked, his hands resting on my shoulders.

“Are you asking me to be your mate?”