Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 38003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Klaus didn’t want them staying in the pack. This was a joyous occasion, but he also saw the sadness in Greg’s gaze.
George clapped his hands and announced that a celebration ceremony would begin tonight. The wolves didn’t need any other excuse not to have a fun time.
He turned toward Poppy, tugging her close.
The pack was watching as he stared into her eyes.
“I didn’t think you were going to come,” Poppy said. “I kind of panicked. I thought you didn’t want me.”
“Never. Don’t ever think that. I want you, Poppy. Always. I … I didn’t know if I should have allowed you to choose.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Greg has never hurt you. He’s never bullied you. You’d have a good start with him. With me, we’ve got a … bad past.”
“It’s bad, but it’s not awful. We know each other, and sure, there are going to be complications, but we know this.” Poppy stared down at the ground.
He wanted to look into her eyes. “Poppy?”
“Do you not want to be mated to me?” she asked.
“What?”
“Do you … would you like me to leave?”
He couldn’t believe she was asking him this.
Klaus closed the distance between them, cupped her face, and tilted her head back so she had no choice but to look at him. He couldn’t stop her from closing her eyes and being difficult, but he hoped she saw reason.
“No,” he said. “No, I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want to give you up. Never. I … Poppy, I … love you.”
“What?” she asked.
“Yeah, I love you. Being mated to you is what I want. I know I have no right to ask for you to marry me, to be mine, but I want it. I want to be the kind of man who deserves you.” He stroked her face and looked into her beautiful eyes.
She was everything. The love of his freaking life.
Klaus hadn’t thought about his feelings because he didn’t want to be reminded of what he’d fucked up with.
“I will understand if you don’t want that. You have every right to not want me.” He deserved the very public rejection.
With the whole pack looking on, they would be able to see his shame. They probably already did. He had fucked up, and it was time for him to pay that price.
Poppy cupped his face, and within the next second, her lips were on his.
Klaus wrapped his arms around her as the whole pack faded. He didn’t care that they saw this. Saw her kissing him.
She was his mate, and he loved her.
Poppy broke the kiss all of a sudden. “I love you too.”
He opened his eyes, staring at her. “What?”
She giggled. “I love you too.”
“Say it again.”
“I love you.”
“Again.”
“Klaus, you’re pushing it, but, I do love you, and yeah, I want to make this work. You and me, if you want to, of course.”
“Yeah, I do.”
He pressed his face against her neck, hearing the pack as they cheered. He breathed in her soft scent, and he knew he was never going to let her go.
Not ever.
He’d bullied her, and now, he was going to love her for the rest of his life. Glancing over his shoulder, he looked at his dad, who discreetly gave him a thumbs-up, so no one would see.
Knowing he had his father’s blessing was a huge relief, but there was one person he had to make it right with.
He pressed a final kiss to Poppy’s lips, took hold of her hand, and turned to Anna.
“I know I don’t deserve your daughter, and I have a lot to make up for, but I will do everything in my power to make it right.”
Anna’s lips were pursed as she looked at him, then at her daughter. Poppy gripped his bicep and rested her head against his shoulder.
She pointed at Poppy. “I don’t like that you kept secrets from me, but … I understand it. You have my blessing, but I can promise you, Klaus Demon, alpha’s son or not, I will castrate you if you hurt my daughter again.”
“I will give them to you, willingly,” Klaus said.
Anna moved toward him and kissed his cheek. This time, Klaus smiled as Poppy finally growled.
“I’m sorry,” she said, hiding her face away.
He had no problem with her being jealous, no problem at all.
Epilogue
Five years later
“ … and then Mommy forgave you?”
Klaus looked down at his son and daughter. Twins. Born within a minute of each other.
He and Poppy had been gifted with these two angels. When they realized she had gotten pregnant from their first time together, Klaus had been worried. He was worried that Poppy might have felt trapped, but she hadn’t.
This had brought them closer.
Klaus had been with her every single step of the way. Every single appointment. He’d stayed up all night when the babies had been kicking so badly that she couldn’t sleep. They even went to birthing classes together.