He shrugged. “I’m a big boy. I can handle it.”

Yeah, right. No one was that big. Maman didn’t like anyone going against her wishes-as was proven by Aimee’s current situation.

“So how goes it?” she asked, dying for an update.

“It’s tense. There’s a lot of riffraff coming in, thinking they can push it since they no longer have to fear Savitar’s wrath. But Remi’s having a blast since there’s no eirini laws in place to restrain him. We’ve all been getting some of our more predatorial instincts out.” It was then she realized just how bruised his knuckles were.

She shook her head, amused and yet worried about her brothers. “How many have you killed?”

“None, but there’s always tomorrow.”

She laughed in spite of herself. “You’re so sick.”

He smiled with pride-gods, how she’d missed that shit-eating grin of his.

“What about the rest of the family? Are they returning?”

That sobered him immediately. “They’re still in Oregon. When the cubs are born, they’ll return.”

It was what she’d figured. “Then you’ll be on the run again. Moving from place to place like we used to do.”

“No.” Those blue eyes of his cut completely through her. “This is our home. No one’s going to chase us out.”

Her heart stopped at what he was saying. To continue to run the club without Savitar’s backing was suicide. “Is Maman sure?”

“Yeah. After all Dante runs a club that isn’t a limani and they haven’t had too many incidents.”

“Yeah, but-”

“It was a decision we all made,” he said, cutting her protest off. “Besides, we’ve added a few others to our company, including Constantine, who is here to defend us for as long as we need him.”

“It’s the least he could do.”

He nodded in agreement. “The Dark-Hunters are also taking up posts at night to help us out and Kyrian and Talon, hell even Valerius, are making sure to come by and visit… just in case. And of course Nick is there so much, I’m about to start charging the little bastard rent.”

She laughed at the last bit, though the news did surprise her. While some of them had been patrons over the decades, she hadn’t realized the extent of their loyalty. “Really?”

“Yeah. Since the Dark-Hunters can’t be around each other without draining their powers, they swap out each night. So all in all, it’s not as bad as you think.”

Aimee narrowed her gaze on him. “But?”

“But what?”

“There’s a but in your tone.”

He tucked his hands in his pockets in a way that reminded her of a bashful kid. “I don’t know. I just have a bad feeling and I think Maman has it too. She’s really been on edge these last few days.”

“Maman is always on edge.”

“True, but this is…” His voice trailed off as he looked past her shoulder.

Aimee turned to see Fang in the doorway.

There was an instant tension between the two of them. Like two enemies measuring each other up as if waiting for a chance to strike. She hated for the two men who meant the most to her to be this uncomfortable together.

She looked back at Dev to see his gaze drop down to her hand, which was still unmarked.

He cleared his throat. “I better get going.”

“Dev, wait.” She went to place a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” He left so fast, she was surprised there wasn’t a vapor trail.

Fang came forward, his expression apologetic. “I’m so sorry, Aimee.”

She placed her hand over his lips. “Don’t ever apologize for loving me, Fang. That’s the one thing in my life I would have no other way.”

He pulled her against him. “Yeah, but I hate what it’s costing you.”

So did she, but she would never let him know that. Aimee laid her head against his shoulder. It always felt so good to be next to him. Even at night when he slept as a wolf. He always lay right next to her and half the time she used him as a pillow. He never complained.

Fang closed his eyes as he held her. He didn’t understand it, but being with her was like coming home. He’d heard that expression his whole life but he’d never really understood it until now.

And as he held her, his hand began to burn like it was on fire. Cursing, he stepped back.

“Ow!” Aimee snapped, shaking her own hand before she blew cool air across her palm.

The two of them froze in place as reality hit them hard. They knew instantly what it was.

They were mates.

Aimee moved to put her arm under his and hold her hand beside his hand so that they could watch the marks appear together. The highly stylized symbol was similar to Vane’s and Fury’s, but different enough to mark it as their own.

After all this time…

They finally knew in reality what they’d known all along in their hearts.

Aimee placed her marked palm over his and tightened her grip on his hand. “They look like wolf heads.”

Fang frowned. “No, they don’t.”

She turned her hand over again. “Yes, they do. It has ears and everything.”

Fang cocked his head as he realized she was right. It did look like a wolf outline. “Are you all right about this?”

“Should I not be?”

Honestly, he half-expected her to wig out at any second. Not that he would blame her after everything she’d been through. “I don’t know… I mean, it’s cost you everything.”

Aimee swallowed. It was true in a way, but in another… “It didn’t cost me you. I always knew I wouldn’t have a choice over who the Fates chose for me and truthfully, I’d have it no other way. I never once dreamed that I’d feel toward my mate the way I feel toward you, Fang. Do you think I’d go stalking through two hell realms for anyone else?”

He laughed. “I hope not.”

Aimee held his hand in hers as she walked into his arms until her breasts were pressed against his chest. “How do you feel about it?”

Fang swallowed as he felt his body harden. Damn, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. And like her, he’d never once dreamed he’d feel this way toward another person, never mind his mate. “Relieved that I’m not a complete freak.”

“Fang!” she said in a chiding tone.

He gave an innocent blink. “What?”

Aimee shook her head at him. “We have got to do something about your brutal honesty.”

“Like you didn’t have the same thought.”

Okay, maybe a little, but she’d never admit that out loud.

“Are you two coming to eat?”

Hating the interruption, she looked past him to see Bride in the doorway. “We’re coming.” When she started to pull away, Fang held her close.

“I just want to feel you here for a minute longer,” he projected to her.

Her vision swam at that. He held on to her as if she were the most precious thing he’d ever touched and it made the love inside her well up. Gods, how she loved the way he felt against her. The hardness of his body. The deep masculine smell of his skin. She could stay like this forever.

“Uncle Fang?”

Smiling, Aimee looked down to see Trace tugging at Fang’s leg.

“What you need, sport?”

Trace wrapped his arms around Fang’s leg, squeezed tight, then ran off toward the kitchen.

Aimee laughed. “I guess he needed the same thing I did.”

“Guess so.” Fang took her hand into his and pulled her toward the dining room.

Bride pegged them both with a stern frown. “What are you two up to?”

Fang looked at Aimee then back at Bride. “What?”

“You look like two wolves who found a bone.” It was a Katagaria expression that meant the same thing as the cat who ate a canary.

Bride’s gaze dipped to Fang’s hand. She gasped and almost dropped the salad bowl she was holding. Setting it on the table, she snatched his palm up to look at it. “Oh, gods, you’re mated!” Then her eyes really widened. “I really hope it’s to Aimee.”

Aimee laughed before she held her palm up to show her. “Thankfully so. Otherwise I’d have had to kill me some ho and then beat Fang senseless.”