Curves & Courage (17 page)

It was swiftly dispelled when she did the amazing, the humbling. There was no way I could remain a hard as stone future alpha when she did things like that.

She sat where she was and lower her head, surrendering to me. It was the ultimate submission, to leave yourself vulnerable as a wolf while your mate stood as a powerful man before you. It was the greatest apology. It was the most prevalent show of trust. It was the mightiest proof of love.

It was a moment I would never forget. It was an act I would never forget. Sophie was an amazing woman who, even should fate steal her from me too soon, I would never forget.

I now understood my father’s lot. I couldn’t imagine living a day with
out her. I couldn’t imagine facing tomorrow knowing she wouldn’t be there; I couldn’t handle being buried in her memory, in the many memories we’d created together day after day. I couldn’t imagine doing as my father did.

I loved her. And if one day too soon I lost her, I would willingly accept the pain, for love was worth the risk. Loving her was worth the pain of losing her. She was worth it. She was worth life and death to me. She was my mate, and would always be my everything, whether she was here or not.

Chapter 37

Sophie

Dom lowered himself before me; he made himself my equal…or perhaps he made me his equal.

His fingers
coursed my fur as he leaned in and kissed my nose. “I love you.” He gazed into my eyes, staring at my wolf and me without hesitation. “Now shift back so I can claim you properly.”

My eyes darted around the area. An older couple stood at the entrance to their building; their eyes were trained on us. Their heads were cocked with confused interest.

“Trust me, Sophie. I swear I’ll protect you.”

I closed my eyes, willing my wolf to take a step back, willing her to recede back inside me. I promised her freedom again; I assured her it wouldn’t be years
before she ran again. I refused to imprison her again.

Gracefully, she slipped back into the depths of me. My shift back to human was much easier. The pressure was brief, not lasting. My body was relaxed, not panicked, making it less difficult to process the mental and physical changes in unison.

I opened my eyes to find myself naked and lying face down on the sidewalk. I lifted my head to gaze upon my mate. Love shone in his eyes as he offered me his hands. Trustingly, I slipped my hands into his. He stood at the same time as he lifted me, immediately tugging me into his front once we were erect. He did just as he’d promised on all fronts. He protected me, he defended me, and he loved me. There was nothing more a girl could ask for.

Just as every couple does at the end of every cheesy romantic comedy movie, we stared into each other’s eyes with big smiles on our faces, silently acknowledging our plans for forever with each other.

“Claim me, Dom.”

He winked cheekily at me, his dimples
seeming to do the same. “Oh, I’m going to claim you, sweetie. I’m going to rock your world.”

I smirked, unable to contain my amusement. “I thought you already had? I never would have stood naked with a boy in the middle of a city before you.”

He laughed a humorless laugh. “This is nothing. I want you howling my name naked in the middle of the city.”

“Who says you can make me howl?”
I quirked a brow.

His eyes narrowed as I challenged him. “
You don’t think I can?”

I knew my eyes sparkled with the light he gave me, with
a spirit he encouraged within me. “No. I asked who gave you permission to make me howl?”

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” His voice carried to us, jarring us from the moment.

Dom and I spun our attention to our alpha. His hands were shoved in his pockets and his gaze was averted. For the first time, he appeared uneasy. “Go upstairs. You have two hours before I’ll be back.”

I chuckled, feeling only a little
sorry for Dan.

Nerves that weren’t there before slid into place as I
met Dom’s intense stare. Gone was his humor; gone was the playfulness. Before me stood my mate, the man I would spend the rest of my life with, the only man or wolf I ever wanted to submit to again. His wolf was present, a faint glow in his eyes. It was in his eyes, in him that I found my strength. Dom made me the wolf, the woman I wanted to be, and in him, I became the wolf, the woman, I was.

“I love you, Dom.” I looked down at his hard, muscled body pressed against my soft one. He had the body of a future alpha, the body of a werewolf capable of protecting his own, the body of someone capable of claiming anyone he chose. It was humbling to know he was submitting to Nature and choosing me. “Claim me, Dominick.”

A wide grin split his face as mischief lit his eyes. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

I shrieked as he hoisted me into his arms. I clung to him ensuring he covered as much of me as possible as he carried me
up to our new home, as he carried me into the better future I’d always longed for.

~*~

And when the day comes I must say goodbye

It’ll be with happy tears, not painful cries

For we will have lived a life of love and laughter

We both will have enjoyed our happily-ever-after

~*~

~~*~~

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Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed Dominick and Sophie’s story.

For more information on the Future Alphas series, and my other titles, please visit:
www.christinlovell.com

Thank you for picking up this book.

Christin

~*~