I nestled deep and whispered, “I’m sorry I took so long.”

Abel said nothing, just held me tighter.

“We’ll live wild and free,” I promised.

“You got it,” he agreed, now his voice was rough.

“After we save the world, that is.”

A deep, startled laugh surged up his throat and he pulled me even closer.

“Born to be yours, baby,” I kept whispering.

He again said nothing, just turned his head so I felt his lips at my hair.

“Born to love you, Abel.”

That was when his arms squeezed the breath out of me.

When he loosened his hold, I said, “Thank you for giving this to Snake.”

“My mate has me wrapped around her finger. I’d give her anything. But the man who died to make sure I could still hold her in my arms, I made sure he went home exactly how that needed to be.”

Yeah, I was born to love this man.

I snuggled close. Abel shifted his bent leg so his thigh and body trapped me precisely where I needed to be.

And the breeze blew our hair as we held each other on a pebbled beach with our family, a bunch of vampires and werewolves, and we watched Snake burn.

Chapter Fourteen

Awesome

Abel

Abel and Delilah walked into the breakfast room the first fucking thing the next fucking morning. They’d been summoned there by a loud knock on the door an hour ago, one of Gregor’s minions calling to them that this was what Gregor was expecting.

Regardless of this, Abel was in a mellow mood.

This had a lot to with last night, feeling the centuries of pain inside him swept away with Delilah’s quiet understanding.

And her love.

Christ.

He’d never forget it.

It got better after their moment, which was whacked because they were at a funeral.

But after the sun had set and the flames died, they all wandered to the bonfire and sat around it. Gregor’s minions had brought bottles of whiskey, chilled vodka, premium tequila, bags of marshmallows, bars of chocolate, and boxes of graham crackers, and some good-looking human guy came to sit with Lucien’s friend, Stephanie.

Poncho, Moose, Hook, and Jabber told stories of Snake. Conversation flowed, shifted, turned, and did it naturally. The melancholy stole out and goodness drifted in on a wave of memories, booze, sweets, and good people sharing time.

They drank. They made s’mores. They smiled. They even laughed.

And Stephanie turned out to be one seriously hilarious bitch.

She also was the first who started making out with her guy.

This prompted Moose to grumble, “We shoulda ordered bitches,” which made Delilah, Leah, and Sonia giggle and the men exchange smiles.