Wolf Shifter Diaries: Lies Tamed (Sweet Paranormal Wolf & Fae Fantasy Romance Series Book 2) by E. Hall (books for men to read TXT) 📗

“Wait. Now?” I pause, gripping his hand tighter. “Corbin, I want to marry you, but not here. And I’m not so sure I want our honeymoon to be the same as my parents.”

His face falls.

“There is no question that my future is with you, but don’t you want the pack to be there?”

He nods his head slowly. “I understand how you feel, but this is just for us. Believe me, the pack will be there when our wolves seal.”

I eye the Strip below. “What about in a church? A proper service?”

Gripping my arms, he says, “Whatever you want.”

“Let’s be engaged for a little while. I want to show off this rock.” I wink. “It’s beautiful.”

“A beautiful diamond for a beautiful wolf.”

“Where did you get it?”

He shifts from foot to foot. “I’ve had it for a while.”

I playfully whack him. “You’re sneaky.”

“Patient. Years ago, I won it in a bet. Here as a matter of fact. Back when men dressed for the occasion and weren’t just after free drinks and a chance to win at the slots.”

“Sounds romantic.”

“I try. Anyway, I won it and then some in a card game with the Alpha of Pack Sandstorm.”

“Ah, so was this favor a prize from the game you won?”

Corbin nods. “He was surprised I remembered after almost sixty years.”

“Thank you for understanding how I feel. But I promise I won’t make you wait sixty years.” I peck him on the cheek.

He holds out his elbow. “We have reservations. I doubt they’ll mind if we’re early.”

“You really are romantic. I am one lucky gal.” I laugh.

“Luck has nothing to do with it. Remember, we’re fated to be together.”

After steak and dessert—caramel and chocolate mousse cakes—we return to the penthouse suite to find our clothing freshly laundered and a bag of toiletries to take with us. I carefully pack away the dress, saving it for our wedding.

We get back on the road in the late afternoon. Corbin drives again. Towers of red rock and blooming prickly pear shooting up from the sand eventually gives way to rough cobbled mountains separating the desert from the rugged coast.

We cross the state line from Arizona and into California. We’re getting so close.

I smile with anticipation and my leg jitters. Before I can stop myself, I ask, “Are we there yet?”

Chapter 16

Corbin

I laugh. “Are we there yet? Since I don’t know where there is, I’m not sure.”

“Good point. My mother said we’d see the rainbow made of stars and surrounded by the moon. Sounds vague and kind of hippy-ish if you ask me. I wonder what kind of resort this is.”

Seeing Kenna smiling, laughing, and joking is a lot better than trying to wipe the looks of confusion and consternation from her face that she wore most of the way here. Granted, it was likely my fault because I’m trying to be the strong, silent type when in reality, she makes me melt inside.

My Alpha isn’t quite putty in her hands because that goes against my nature, but I want to give her every other aspect of myself, especially my hand in marriage. I’m not so old or so fully a wolf shifter that I’m not a gentleman. I also want to lavish her with all the good things this life has to offer—pretty dresses, flowers, cherry Chapstick, and whatever it is she wants and likes.

The other thing is I’m afraid to lose her. When we’ve made pit stops, I’ve seen guys checking her out. I’d feared Clove was interested, though now realize that was foolish. She’s declared herself an Alpha. Yes, she’s allied to my pack—our pack. But that won’t stop other Alphas from sniffing around. Per archaic custom, she’s fair game until we seal our wolves together. Granted, we’re fated mates, but just like Amanda challenged her, it could happen again, but the other way. Another wolf could challenge me for her.

As strong as I am, my greatest fear is losing her. I risked that by being distant, and if her father perceives that as a weakness in me, so be it. I cannot imagine anything worse than having Kenna torn from my life. Even thinking about it carves me out, fills me with dread unlike anything I’ve ever known—worse than losing Logan. I’ll do whatever necessary to keep us together. But I have to be careful because as important as she is, there’s a lot more at stake than our relationship.

The stark desert landscape gives way to palm trees and an ocean breeze as we near the California coast.

“I sense tacos are in our immediate future. Wouldn’t it be fun to drive up and down the coast, checking out beaches and all the food trucks with the best tacos?” she asks.

“That sounds fun.”

“Right? If I live hundreds of years, maybe we can plan an annual vacation and do things like that.”

A tug in my stomach pulls me back into her comment. “If you live hundreds of years?” I ask. “More like you will live hundreds of years.”

She shrugs. “I’m tri-magical, remember? Who knows, I could live three times fewer years than the average magical. Or—”

“Or three times as long.”

“Or there could be a Mate Call-Out or stray silver bullet,” she answers quietly, gazing out the window. “If I contain all three primary forms of magic, couldn’t I be killed as a vampire, fae, or wolf?”

“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.

“All the more reason I have to talk to my father. Maybe he knows. How are we going to pull this off?” she asks, changing the subject.

“Do you mean finding Greyson?” The question pulls me from my cluttered thoughts, reminding me that she has