“They are fine where they are now. Megan mated last year to the younger son of a stronger pride leader in the lands adjoining ours. It was a negotiated deal when they fell in love, between the two prides. Percy, my pride leader, can’t harm my family without causing a war he can’t win. Their pride is bigger, their family really large, and they’d wipe out every male in my pride if it came down to a fight. Darbin, the other pride leader, accepted our family as his own when Megan mated his son. To harm any members of her family except me would be a grave offense.”

“Why not you?” His voice turned into a snarl again, his rage clear.

“Because I am mated to Percy’s son. I’m considered their property and not part of my family any longer. I’m not protected by Darbin.”

“You’re mine now to protect and no one will ever hurt you. Why didn’t you come to me sooner if you could have left a year ago after your sister and family were safe?”

“I didn’t know where you were. I thought you’d have mated by now anyway or you wouldn’t want me back. I only found you because the prides were declaring war on your pack and I saw your picture.”

“Us and our damn rules about not talking about our families.” He growled. “I should have given you my address and made you memorize it. I should have ignored you when you made that stupid rule.”

“It was safer for us both if we didn’t know where our families lived. We knew one day we’d have to part.”

“It was stupid. You could have come to me a year ago.”

“Why aren’t you mated?” It still stunned her.

“Why do you think?” He didn’t give her time to answer. “I never forgot you. I dated but they weren’t you, Charma. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved and the only one I ever will. Women find me cold and remote because my heart is taken. None of my relationships lasted. You have owned me since the day you touched my arm and looked up at me, thinking I’d eat you.” He smiled. “I wanted to but not the way you feared.” He glanced at her lap. “I wanted to strip you bare and talk you in to wrapping those pretty thighs around my face.” He met her gaze. “And I still want you to.”

He straightened and pulled his sweater over his head. He threw it to the floor and Charma stared at his muscled, tan upper body. He still took her breath away. She studied the changes in the body she’d once memorized, his apparent, massive strength. His shoulders had broadened, his biceps were thicker than before and the inside of his right arm was marred by a new, thin scar. Her gaze lowered to his firm, rigid abdomen that rippled with a tight six-pack. More tiny scars adorned his lower stomach. She slid off the counter to reach him, her fingertips tracing a few of them.

“What happened here?”

“Fights. I came home in a bad mood after college. I spent a few years raising some hell. Just don’t freak out when you see my back, okay?”

She instantly walked around him and gasped. Two scars ran from his shoulder blades to his mid-back. They were deep ones, white lines on his tan skin. He spun, met her horrified stare, and smiled.

“It looks worse than it was.”

“I hope you won.”

“I did.”

“You’re bigger.” She peered up at him. “Your hair is longer. I love it.”

His gaze slid over her body. “You’re so thin.” His features tensed when he met her gaze. “Give me the address of where you lived. I’ll get them and bring them home, Charma. Here with us. I’ll take some of my cousins and we’ll fight our way in and out. I know it will be tough at first but we’ll make it work. I love you and I’ll love them.”

She stared at him, confused.

“Your kittens, honey. I’ll take them from your pride and we’ll raise them.” Pain clouded his features. “I swear I’ll accept them as if they are my own.” He lowered his body to kneel before her. “I know you hear bad shit about wolves killing young that aren’t theirs but I swear to you that I’d die to protect them and you. That shit isn’t true. They’ll be safe here and loved.”

She stepped closer and hugged him, pulling his face against her chest. “I never had kids, Brand. Thank you though.” Tears spilled down her cheeks. “That means so much that you’d accept them and get them back for me…if they existed.”

He hugged her tightly. “Why are you so thin? I thought maybe having kittens had changed your body.”

“You’re relieved, though, aren’t you?”

He hesitated. “The idea of you carrying another male’s offspring hurts but I would have loved them because they were part of you.”

All the reasons she’d fallen in love with Brand slammed home. Years had passed, things had changed, but the man she knew still existed. He had a huge heart and the fact that he’d offered to fight to retrieve her children, face danger to do it, just made her more certain she was where she belonged.

“I just wasn’t happy. I’m not sick or anything.”

“Good.” He pulled away to stare at her. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“You have no idea how much I thought about you and how those memories of us together got me through every day.”

He released her and rose to his feet. “Let’s shower together and go to bed.” His gaze raked over her. “No more waiting, Charma. I’m making you mine and that bastard you mated is dead when he shows up here to take you back.”

“He won’t fight to the death over me. He won’t even search unless his father orders him to. He’d do a half-ass job because he won’t want me back. He’ll be relieved.”

“I don’t believe that for a minute. Any male would do anything to find you and bring you home.”

“It wasn’t a love match. We…” She hesitated. “I hated him. It became mutual. I couldn’t prevent mating him but I could control certain things. I sneaked pills to avoid ever getting pregnant or going into heat. He never guessed, just thought I was defective as a mate. After a year he became really angry when I never conceived and he grew bitter.” She watched Brand’s face, hoping he wouldn’t judge her. “Part of the reason he chose me was because he thought I could give him litters of kids and make him a stronger leader when he takes over the pride. I failed to do that and it pissed him off.”