Stupid werewolf strength, she thought.

“I’m sorry I ignored you,” he finally told her. “I wasn’t trying to do it purposefully. I’m just trying to figure out the most efficient ways to protect you if the need arises. My wolf is extremely unhappy about males we don’t know coming here where you are and I’m not much better than he is.”

Sally finally opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. She reached up and brushed his hair out of his eyes. Costin leaned into her touch and she smiled.

“No one is going to hurt me, or anyone else. You worry needlessly.”

“You can’t know that,” he argued.

“And, you can’t know that something will happen, so why stress over it? Don’t we have enough to stress over?”

Costin stared into her big, brown eyes and wished that he could put her in a bubble away from all danger, but she was a healer, and it was in her blood to be with those who needed her. And, with an imminent battle on the horizon, there were going to be many who would need her. His job as her mate was to make sure she could do what the Great Luna intended her to. He had to trust that she knew what she was doing when he put Sally in his care.

“What are you thinking about?” Sally asked, him as his silence grew.

“How proud and blessed I am to get to be your mate.”

Sally grinned and it was one of those smiles that made his heart dance.

“Funny, that’s exactly how I feel about you,” she turned on her side so she could face him and his hand slipped under her shirt. His fingers trailed softly along her back and he smiled at her as he watched her eyes glaze over.

“Sally.”

“Hmm,” she responded huskily.

“I need to ask you something.” Costin had not planned on doing this now. He had planned on waiting until the time was right, when the atmosphere was romantic and sexy. He had wanted to show her just how much she meant to him and how he wanted to shout from the mountains that she was his. But, sometimes life did not give us the perfect moments that we've longed for and so we had to turn a small part of the messed up moments into cherished ones.

“Stop touching me if you want me to think clearly,” she teased him as her lips turned up in a sultry smile.

“Maybe I don’t want you to think clearly when I ask you this.”

Sally’s eyes snapped open as she heard the worry in his voice.

“What’s wrong Costin? Are you okay, is everything okay?” Sally didn’t like it when she felt the confidence he carried, so casually slip, it made her feel inadequate as a mate when he felt unsure about her.

“Nothing is wrong, beautiful. I just wasn’t planning this, but I feel like it’s the right time.”

“Okay,” Sally said cautiously. She started to sit up but Costin stoppedher with his hand on her hip.

“Stay here with me,” he told her, softly. He moved closer to her and raised himself up on one elbow so he could look down at her. She rolled to her back and placed her right hand on his chest, over his heart. She felt his heart beat quicken and frowned when she realized how hard it was beating.

“Costin?” She asked, nervously.

“I love you,” he told her. He released her hip and brushed the wispy hairs from her face. “I never imagined anyone as amazing as you, could ever be mine. But, now that you are, I will never let go. You are mine Sally and I am every bit as much yours. I will forsake all others for you. I will die for you, kill for you, and live for you. You’ve accepted me as your mate, you’ve let me claim you through the Blood Rites, you have my markings, and you bear my bite on your incredibly sexy neck. Now, I would ask that you accept me as your husband and wear my ring.”

Sally’s mouth dropped open when, seemingly from nowhere, Costin produce a small ring. A solitaire diamond, princess cut set in platinum. It was beautiful. She looked more closely and realized that there was an inscription etched into the band. She couldn’t read it though.

“What does it say?”

Costin smiled. “You’re going to make me sweat aren’t you?”

Sally let out an airy laugh, and then blushed when she realized that she hadn’t answered him. “Oh, shi–,” she slapped her hand over her mouth before the word slipped out and stared wide eyed at Costin who was grinning like an idiot, obviously enjoying her embarrassment.

“Sally,” he pulled her hand away, “for goodness sake, love, end my torment.”

“Yes,” she told him.

“Yes, you will end my torment or yes, you will be my wife?”

“Yes,” she answered again.

Costin grinned and then leaned down and kissed her gently. He nipped at her lips when she refused to part them.

“Sally,” he growled.

“Not until you tell me what the inscription says.”

Costin held the ring over her face so she could see it. He smiled roguishly. “You want to know what the inscription on this ring says.”

“I just said that,” she growled and he laughed as it made him think of an angry kitten.

“Calm down brown eyes. I have a proposition for you.”

Sally’s eyes widened. “You can’t be serious. You aren’t going to tell me what my engagement ring says without making a deal with me?”

“You’re a sharp one,” he joked and whipped his head away just in time to miss her teeth from biting his chin. “Play nice Sally,” he warned, though his eyes glowed with a different kind of warning. Sally quivered under his hungry gaze.