"Are you going to kill him?" Kate asked anxiously. After what Dimitri had done to her, she suspected that Jeremy would have no qualms ripping him to shreds. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about that course of action.
Jeremy glanced down at her, and she could detect his rage simmering just beneath the surface. "Believe me, I'd like nothing more. But I need him to admit to Roman's hand in all this. That's the only way I'll be able to prove that he's not a worthy leader."
"So you want to depose him?"
He nodded. "Being banished would be a fate worse than death for someone like Roman. He prides himself on his lineage, on his family's history. The blow would bring him to his knees."
Kate placed her head on his chest. "I take it wolves are not allowed to bite humans deliberately?"
"No. It's arguably our most important law and carries one of the most severe forms of punishment. Banishment means no interaction with any packs, anywhere in the world. You're literally thrown out with nothing, no connections, no family, no funds. In essence, Roman would be reduced to mutt status, less even."
"That sounds awful." Kate could imagine how isolating and humiliating that would be to someone like Roman. From what Jeremy had told her about the Russian alpha, he was a proud, arrogant man. Having everything he held dear taken away from him would probably be worse than death.
Jeremy placed a soft kiss on her temple. "It's no more than what he deserves. I almost lost you. I can never forgive him for that."
Kate glanced up at the fierceness in his tone. She could understand the sentiment. If their roles had been reversed, she knew she'd feel exactly the same way. "I hope you get him," she said sincerely.
He made to stand. "I should go. Get some rest. I'll send Elena up with something to eat."
She grasped his hand, halting him. "Promise me you'll be careful."
He smiled, cupping her cheek. "Dimitri's the one you should be worried about."
Despite the smile, she didn't miss the steely undertone to his words. Kate almost felt bad for the Russian. When Jeremy was angry, she didn't think anyone stood a chance against him. "Nonetheless, we want you back in one piece."
His eyes softened, his hand moving to settle across her belly. "Rest. I'll be back as soon as I can." He leaned down to kiss her before departing.
Kate reclined against the pillows. Poor Dimitri. Jeremy was not going to go easy on him.
Downstairs, Jeremy found Dimitri strung up inside the cage. Elena, Logan and Nick were staring daggers at him while Clay made sure his bonds were secure. When the young Russian saw Jeremy, his eyes widened with fear. Good.
"Elena," Jeremy said, addressing his daughter-in-law but not taking his eyes off Dimitri. "Would you stay with Kate, please? She shouldn't be alone right now."
Dimitri's mouth dropped open. "S-She's still alive?"
"You didn't factor that into your plan, did you?" Elena asked, sounding triumphant. She glanced at Jeremy. "Of course."
"I can make him talk," Clay said, moving to stand beside his father.
"No," Jeremy replied. "He's mine."
Clay and Nick inclined their heads, stepping back.
Jeremy removed his waistcoat, slowly unbuttoning it before throwing it onto the nearby table. With its removal he felt his inner beast unleash, the steely, judicious rein he exercised over his control, slipping incrementally with every step he took towards his foe. Rolling up the sleeves of his blue shirt, he approached the cage. "You came onto my property with the intention of harming someone I care about and thought you'd get away with it?" Jeremy couldn't have known the intimidating figure he presented, his face a cold mask of fury, his voice low and menacing, his advance unhurried, but filled with lethal intent. "You will tell me all about Roman's involvement in this scheme, but not before I show you what happens to those who think they can hurt my family and escape unscathed."
He now stood at the entrance to the cage. Dimitri was frantically tugging against his metal restraints, trying to get away. "I-I won't tell you anything," he said bravely, though his stammer betrayed him. Wolves could smell fear and it was rolling off the Russian in waves.
"Really?" Jeremy asked, taking the few steps necessary to face Dimitri head-on. He moved so quickly, the other man didn't see the blow coming. His fist, when it hit Dimitri's face, instantly broke his nose, blood spurting everywhere. His howl of pain didn't move Jeremy at all. "What was Roman's instruction to you?"
"Screw you!" Dimitri yelled.
Jeremy punched him again, harder, his hand connecting with and breaking some of his captive's ribs. The sound of snapping bone made him feel marginally better, as did the other man's cry of agony. Dimitri doubled over as much as he could considering his position, but Jeremy didn't give him any reprieve. He struck him again and again, his clenched fist connecting with strategic parts of the Russian's body, his attack designed to cause the maximum pain. By the time he'd exercised a fraction of his anger, Dimitri had lost consciousness, his head lolling to the side.
Jeremy stepped back and glanced at Nick. "Get some water and wake him up."
Nick moved to follow his instruction while Jeremy watched Dimitri's swollen, bloody face. He'd make him talk if it was the last thing he ever did.
"We're all upset and the bastard deserves everything he gets, but if you keep that up, he won't remain alive for long," Logan said, moving to Jeremy's side.
He knew Logan was right but he'd be lying if he said it hadn't felt good. He glanced down at his bloodied knuckles, having hardly felt the impact.
Nick returned with a bucket of ice cold water and threw it over Dimitri. The Russian sputtered awake, groaning. Jeremy approached him threateningly, and a pair of fearful, engorged eyes looked up at him. "W-Wait," came a ragged whisper. "Please. N-No more."
"You'll talk?"
Dimitri gave an imperceptible nod. "Whatever you want to know."
Sweet triumph coursed through Jeremy's veins. "Start at the beginning and don't leave a word out. I'll know."
Dimitri swallowed, then grimaced. Clearly the taste of blood in his mouth was fowl. "C-Can you at least untie my arms?"
"Talk!" Jeremy snarled, and Dimitri jerked in fright.
"Roman's been w-watching you for m-months," he sputtered almost immediately. "When you became involved with the doctor he saw it as the perfect o-opportunity to trap you."
Jeremy frowned. "Trap me?"
He nodded. "He w-wanted to prove to the Council that you weren't as n-noble as they all thought. That you were f-flouting the rules you expected everyone else to u-uphold." Dimitri licked his bloody lips. "After we visited you, Roman was u-upset. He'd hoped to catch you then, but you'd m-managed to smuggle the doctor away. H-He had to leave the country, but made me stay to keep an eye on her. When I told him she was p-pregnant—"
"You told him what?!" Jeremy roared.
The Russian shrank back against the wall, expecting another blow. Jeremy stepped forward to do just that, but Clay grasped his arm. "Let him talk."
His hands clenched reflexively, his jaw working as he strove to control his anger. "What else?" he commanded in a clipped tone.
"W-When Roman found out she was pregnant, he ordered me to k-kill her, but not before you knew she was carrying your c-child. He wanted you to suffer when she d-died."
Jeremy's chest was rising and falling rapidly. All he wanted to do was finish Dimitri off. "Whose idea was it to bite her?"
"Roman's. He said a slow and p-painful death would be the most fitting."
"So you waited until she came to Stonehaven to attack her, knowing Jeremy was within close proximity?" Logan burst forth. "You know what? Jeremy should kill you."
Dimitri shuddered, his eyes so swollen they looked completely shut.
"Does Roman know you followed through with his orders?" Jeremy asked.
"Yes," Dimitri said, nodding slowly. "I called him once the job was done."
"You weren't alone," Clay interjected.
"A local mutt helped. For a hefty price he was happy to be my chauffeur."
"Logan's right. Jeremy should kill you," Nick said, disgusted.
"Is there anything else you haven't told me?" Jeremy asked.
"No. No. That's everything, I swear."
"In that case…" He walked up to Dimitri and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, lifting him clean off the ground. "Know this: The only reason you're alive right now, is because she is. If I ever find you anywhere near my family again, I will kill you. I will not stop to ask questions, I will not hesitate. I will rip your throat out and leave your body to the crows. Do you understand me?"
Dimitri's head bobbed up and down, his throat working as he attempted to breathe.
"I want to hear you!" Jeremy growled, shaking him.
"Yes!" he yelled. "I-I understand."
"Good." Jeremy dropped him, then, with barely restrained rage, punched him in the face one last time. Dimitri sputtered, coughing up blood, gasping for air as a tooth fell out of his mouth and landed on the floor.
Jeremy turned to Clay. "Leave him hanging for a couple of hours before you take him down. There's no need to make him comfortable. He just needs enough breath to repeat everything to the Council."
Without a backward glance, Jeremy stalked out.
"What happens now?" Kate asked hours later when he finally made it to bed. He'd been on long distance calls for most of the afternoon and into the early evening. Kate sat propped up against the pillows, her pale complexion and sunken eyes a reminder of what she'd recently overcome.
"We'll keep Dimitri here until the Council chair interviews him. I imagine that will happen before the week is out. I've informed them of Roman's involvement, but they'll need Dimitri's testimony before they take any action against him."
He undressed, neatly stacking his clothes on the chair beside the roaring fire. "Do you think there's any chance he'll get away with this?"
Jeremy shook his head, unhooking his wrist watch and placing it on the nightstand. "No. Dimitri's testimony was pretty damning." If it hadn't been, Jeremy would have found a way to ensure that Roman got what he deserved.
"So, what do you have planned for me?" Kate asked, looking a little nervous.
Smiling, he climbed into the bed beside her. "There's a lot you'll need to learn – how to control your new abilities, the rules of our kind, combat—"
"Combat?" she asked, alarmed.
"It's important that you know how to defend yourself, Kate. It's a skill we've all had to acquire."
She grimaced. "What if I don't have an aptitude for it?"
Jeremy laughed. He doubted there was anything she wouldn't be good at. "You'll be fine. Ask Elena, it comes naturally."
Kate chewed on her lower lip. "What about us?" she whispered. "Are we okay?"
Jeremy's heart squeezed as he gazed at her. He loved her so much. If anything had happened to her… He tilted her chin up until their eyes met. "We are more than okay. I don't have any doubts that you'll be fine. Initially, it's going to be hard and you're probably going to resent the adjustment. But I'm not going anywhere. You can count on that."
"I know."
Kate hugged him, cuddling against his side. Her complete faith and trust in him was humbling. A few months back she'd moved to Bear Valley with no expectations other than making a fresh start. Now, because of her love for him, she was no longer completely human and the life she once knew was gone. The fact that she didn't hate him was a miracle he would never take for granted. He didn't need anyone to tell him how fortunate he was, how blessed.
"We still don't know for sure if you're actually carrying twins," Jeremy said. "I just keep assuming that you are."
Kate smiled. "I know what you mean. I can't explain why, Jeremy, but I can feel it. I know there are two of them. I don't need a test to confirm it."
"We do need to confirm that they're healthy though," he said, his voice dipping slightly with concern.
She looked up at him. "We do. But I think I'd know if something was wrong."
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I have zero experience in this field. I never thought I'd ever—" He went silent, at a loss.
"—be a father?"
"Be a biological father," he amended. Clay was as much his son as any child they had together would be.
"Clay was a very lucky boy," she said, softly.
He smiled. "Thank you. Although I think I was pretty lucky too." Jeremy held Kate tighter against him, dropping a kiss onto the top of her dark head. "Get some sleep."
It had been a trying day for all of them and he felt exhausted. He knew, however, that what Kate was feeling was much worse. The next month would be the hardest for her and he vowed to do whatever he could to lighten her burden. If she was anything like Elena had been, the transition would be much easier that it appeared to be for men.
Listening to the even cadence of her breathing as she fell asleep, Jeremy closed his eyes. Maybe, just maybe, everything would be alright after all.
In the weeks' that followed, Kate thrived. Jeremy had not been kidding when he'd said it would be tough, but she persevered and he was right beside her every step of the way. Because it couldn't be avoided, she'd called Dr Robinson and told him she had a family emergency back in California. Sympathetic and understanding, he'd told her to take as much time as she needed. Kate felt guilty about the deception, but there was unfortunately no way around it. She'd also had to lie to Sara in order to prevent her friend from visiting Bear Valley. It had taken some convincing, but Sara had eventually agreed to postpone their catch-up. How they would manage that when the time came was something else she and Jeremy would have to discuss.
Once the Council heard Dimitri's testimony of Roman's crimes, the vote to depose him was unanimous. His pack was taken from him, his land and wealth seized and handed to his successor, a man Jeremy knew only in passing, but believed had a solid reputation. Both Roman and Dimitri were banished with immediate effect and as such, were forced to live as mutts. If either transgressed again in any way, they would be killed. Because Jeremy had not wanted to leave her so soon after being bitten, he'd not had the opportunity to face Roman himself, a thing Kate was sure he regretted. For her sake though, she was glad. She wanted to put the entire chapter behind them. Besides, she was certain the Russian knew better than to venture their way; Jeremy would kill him.
The Council had been shocked to hear of her survival. Finally they seemed to be realising that Jeremy was the only man who could teach them all a thing or two about helping a human female survive the first change. Many of them had come forward, offering him all manner of riches in order to teach them, but Jeremy wasn't interested in power or wealth, he'd never been. The safety and security of his pack had always been his main focus and that was not going to change.
These days he spent the vast majority of his time with her, teaching, mentoring and encouraging her. For the most part, like Elena, Kate learnt fast, thanks to the support and encouragement of the pack. Much to her surprise, she found that she enjoyed her self-defence lessons immensely. Once Jeremy had shown her some of the basics, the rest of the pack willingly practiced with her. She knew that there was a lot more she needed to learn about fighting, but because of her pregnancy, Jeremy was restricting her lessons to the essentials, at least for now.
In the beginning, when she'd been grappling with her overwhelming cravings, there'd always been someone with her, but as time passed and she became more comfortable controlling her senses and her appetites, she developed the confidence to do things on her own. The real test had come the first time Jeremy had taken her for a short trip into the next town. It had been hard and the reality of how easily she could lose control had been frightening. But with practice and more supervised ventures, she'd learnt to cope remarkably well. Jeremy kept telling her that she and Elena were very alike and that their adaptive abilities were superior to any male transformations he'd ever encountered. If everything continued to go as planned, she was sure she'd be back at work within another week.
"What's with the furrowed brow?"
Kate glanced at Nick. They were sitting in the kitchen at Stonehaven. Clay and Elena had left for Toronto earlier that morning. "Nothing. Just thinking."
For the first time since her turn, Jeremy had gone to New York overnight on a business trip he'd said was unavoidable. She knew he didn't like leaving her in the care of everyone else, but when she'd tentatively broached the subject of accompanying him, he'd flat out refused. She admitted to being a little surprised by his vehemence, especially since she'd gone with him on many shorter trips, but she hadn't argued the point. It was the first time in weeks that they'd spent an entire night apart and she missed him terribly.
Kate wished she could ask Jeremy about their future, about what her role in his life would be now that she was a wolf too. They loved each other, but once she was over the adjustment period, did she move back into town? Did they see each other on weekends? If she was honest, she wanted more from their relationship; she wanted permanence. But how was she supposed to articulate that? She didn't want to force him into something he didn't want. Besides, she didn't want him to marry her because he felt he had to.
Nick raised an eyebrow and closed the cover of the glossy magazine he'd been perusing. "Care to elaborate?"
She grinned, getting to her feet. Nick was like a bloodhound. "No, I do not, actually. However, I would like to know about this new venture of yours."
"Do I detect some scepticism in your tone?" he asked teasingly, sitting back in his chair. "You haven't been talking to Clay, have you?"
Laughing, Kate pushed the newspaper away and walked towards the stove. "He did mention a few derogatory things about your business acumen, but I wasn't paying attention."
Nick chortled. "So little faith…"
"What are your plans?"
"I'm meeting a land developer tomorrow. There's this fantastic property in the city that's perfect for a new cocktail lounge—"
Kate groaned.
"What?" Nick asked, hands aloft.
"Another club? Really?" She filled the kettle with water.
He shook his head. "What is wrong with you people? You all act like you're ancient."
"That's not true," Kate countered. "But come on. Haven't you owned enough nightclubs?"
"Cocktail lounge, please. Get the terminology right."
Kate rolled her eyes, amused. "Whatever you want to call it, it translates to the same thing – a spot for men to drink themselves into the ground while picking up women."
Nick snorted. "See? This is what happens when you hook up with a man almost thrice your age," he said, his eyes sparkling with humour. "You lose your sense of fun. You should have picked me."
Laughing, Kate threw a dishcloth at him, watching as he ducked to avoid being hit in the face. "Shut up." She was about to make herself a cup of tea when she heard a car coming up the drive.
Nick stood automatically. "I'll see who that is."
While Kate had mastered filtering noise, she was still learning to identify particular sounds. She could tell that a car was approaching, but she hadn't yet managed to differentiate between the sound of Logan, Clay or Jeremy's vehicles. Everyone told her the ability would come in time.
Kate was just about to place the kettle back on the stove when she inhaled deeply, then froze. Clean soap, the barest hint of cologne. Jeremy. Beaming, she turned and caught sight of him as he walked into the kitchen. She forgot the kettle instantly and made a beeline for him. Dropping his bags on the threshold, he rushed towards her, wrapping her in a tight embrace.
Without words, their lips found each other's. The kiss was deep and passionate, filled with all the longing of two people deeply in love who'd recently been separated. Kate's fingers ran across his head and down towards his hair roughened cheeks, unable to keep her hands off him.
In the doorway she vaguely heard Nick's amused, "I'll be off, if anyone cares." A moment passed. "I guess not."
When they eventually surfaced for air, they were alone. Kate knew her face was flushed, her lips swollen. In fact, her whole body tingled. "You're back," she whispered, righting her spectacles.
"I would have been here sooner, but traffic out of the city was a nightmare."
She shook her head. "I'm just glad you're here. I missed you."
"I missed you too." He leaned down and stole another kiss. His hands moved down her body and settled on her thickening waist. At eight weeks, her clothes were already too tight. While it was still too early to definitively detect twins via ultrasound, the last round of blood tests she'd had the week before, indicated that her hCG levels were through the roof. That was generally a good indication. "How are you feeling?"
"The nausea is completely gone, thank goodness. If I never see another dry cracker it will be too soon," she said, laughing. "How was your trip?"
"Lonely," he replied, his nose bumping affectionately against hers.
Kate's heart swelled as their lips met once more. She didn't know how it was possible, but with every passing day she loved him more. He was so good to her, so thoughtful, so caring. They'd known each other for less than six months, but she felt as though she'd known him for a lifetime, their bond was so strong.
"Are you hungry?" she asked at last, pushing his thick jacket off his shoulders.
Underneath he wore a dark grey jersey, the collar of a navy and white check shirt peeking out of the top. If she didn't step away from him, she was afraid she'd accost him. They hadn't made love in weeks, not since her turn. She suspected he was being sensitive to her needs during her transition, but Kate was at the point where her hormones were in overdrive. Whenever she looked at him, she wanted to jump his bones. As a wolf, all her senses were heightened, including her physical desire for Jeremy. It had kicked into overdrive.
Jeremy shrugged out of his coat, surrendering the bulky item into her care. "Depends on what you're referring to," he replied, his voice low.
Blushing, her eyes lifted to meet the heat in his. Warmth spread throughout her body when she realised that they were clearly on the same page. Throwing his jacket to the floor, she launched herself at him, her arms encircling his neck, her legs wrapping around his waist. Jeremy caught her against him, both hands cupping her buttocks as his mouth ravaged hers. Their lips briefly separated as she tore at his jersey, pulling it up and over his head before her mouth fused with his once more.
Their breathing rapidly escalated as tongues mated and hands roamed. Before Kate knew what was happening, Jeremy turned and placed her on the edge of the kitchen table. Automatically she parted her legs and he stepped between them, their bodies moulding together. She'd never been more grateful she'd decided to wear a dress.
Sliding his hands up her thighs, Jeremy's fingers inched closer and closer towards her hips, settling on them before yanking her sharply against his groin. They moaned simultaneously, the feel of the hard bulge in his jeans rubbing against her so intimately causing pleasure to ricochet throughout her supple limbs. Jeremy's mouth was on her neck, trailing hot kisses across her skin and down between her breasts. Reaching up, he quickly undid the tiny row of buttons down the front of her dress until her bra was exposed. Unclasping the front, her breasts swung free and his mouth descended, hot and insistent. Kate cried out, her breasts still so sensitive, but loving his frenzied attentions.
Panting, she sandwiched her hands between them and tried to undo his belt buckle, but her hands were shaking so badly she did nothing more than fumble at it. Thankfully Jeremy finished the job. Reaching beneath her dress, he lifted her slightly so he could drag her panties down her legs. Tugging her towards the edge of the table, his lips swooped down on hers again. The kiss was sizzling in its intensity, fuelling the fire raging between them. Kate's hands reached into his hair, holding his head against hers, slanting her mouth across his to deepen the caress.
Planting his hands beneath her bare buttocks, he angled her body just so before he slid into her wet heat. Kate shuddered, breaking the kiss, desperately trying to drag air into her lungs. The pleasure was too much, too overwhelming. Her arms moved to encircle his neck, holding on as he thrust into her again and again, the table scraping backward with every rhythmic plunge. She could feel her nipples chafing against his shirt, the friction causing delicious frissons of pleasure to bloom across her skin and shoot towards her groin. Jeremy set a hard and fast pace, and it wasn't long before Kate felt her climax approach, her pants of gratification filling the warm kitchen air. This was what she'd needed, what she'd been craving for weeks. When she came, she felt all the tension of the past month drain from her as ecstasy exploded, filling her, satisfying her like nothing else could.
Jeremy followed her quickly into oblivion, pouring himself into her, their foreheads coming together as their breathing slowed. Kate smiled. "I should have jumped you a long time ago."
His hands touched her face, his brow furrowed. "Are you alright? I shouldn't have been so rough. I lost control. The babies—"
Kate placed a finger across his lips. "—are perfectly fine," she assured him. "They survived their mother being turned into a werewolf. I think a little energetic lovemaking should be alright."
Jeremy chuckled, sagging against her in relief. "You have no idea how many times I've wanted to do that."
"Then why didn't you?" she asked, planting soft kisses along his jawline.
"Because I didn't want to push you. There's been a lot going on. I wanted you to focus on getting back to full strength before I made any physical demands on you," he replied softly.
"Danvers, you can make those kinds of demands on me, anytime," she said, softly.
He kissed her before drawing back. His eyes roamed across her face, his gaze so penetrating she thought he could see straight into her very soul. "What is it?"
"You're so beautiful," he breathed.
Jeremy was looking at her with so much love it made her heart full to bursting. "Let's see if you still feel that way when I'm as large as a house," she teased.
His lips twitched, his fingers pushing her bangs back from her forehead. "I look forward to it."
She laughed softly, enjoying the quiet intimacy of the moment. It wasn't often that they had the house completely to themselves and she relished the freedom. Jeremy drew back slightly and righted his clothing. Instinctively, she did the same.
"Kate?"
"Hmmm?" she asked, feeling a wave of drowsiness sweep over her.
"Marry me."
Kate's gaze jerked upward to meet his, shell-shocked. "What?"
"I'm sorry," he replied, looking a little embarrassed. "This is probably not the most romantic moment and I had thought to do this diffrently, but—" His blue eyes bore holes into hers. "Marry me," he repeated earnestly.
"You don't have to do this," she blurted, wide-eyed. She wouldn't let him marry her because he felt her had to, no matter how much she wanted it.
"What do you mean?"
Her throat clogged with tears. "Jeremy, you don't have to marry me because I'm pregnant."
It was his turn to stare, stunned. "You think that's why I'm asking you?"
"Aren't you?" she countered, suddenly incredibly emotional. "Be honest. Were you even considering it before I was bitten? Probably not." She pushed him back, upset.
Jeremy placed his hands on her waist, holding her still. "Yes, I was."
She gaped at him. "I thought we agreed to be honest?"
Jeremy looked as though he wanted to laugh. "Kate, I wanted to marry you before you were attacked. I just didn't ask you because I knew it would take some time before we could do so safely."
Kate hesitated. "Really?"
"I wouldn't lie to you, you know that," he argued. Stepping away for a moment, he retrieved his jacket from the floor. Reaching into the pocket, he produced a navy blue velvet box.
Kate tensed, staring at the square in his hand, her heart thundering. "Is that what I think it is?" she choked out.
He cracked it open and she gasped. Inside was a plain, round cut solitaire set in platinum. "This was why I went to New York."
And why he hadn't wanted her to accompany him. Her eyes filled with tears. "Oh Jeremy," she breathed, her hands shaking.
He looked adorably self-conscious as he watched her closely. "It's a traditional choice, I know, and if you don't like it—"
"It's perfect," she said, cutting off his words. She swiped at the hot, scalding tears sliding down her cheeks. "You were really thinking about marriage before the attack?"
He nodded emphatically. "The only thing that stopped me was my concern for your wellbeing. I would have married you, Kate, it might just have taken us a little longer to get there."
A little overwhelmed, she whispered, "Ask me again."
"What?" he said, momentarily confused.
"Ask me again!" she insisted, scooting closer to him.
He glanced at her apprehensively. "Kate, will you marry me?"
"Yes!" she exclaimed, flinging herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
"Hey," he said, rubbing her back soothingly as she cried. "This is supposed to be a joyous occasion."
"I-I am h-happy," she stammered tearfully and Jeremy laughed.
He reached for her left hand and extracted the ring from its velvety cushion, slipping it easily onto her fourth finger. "I love you."
Kate stared at the diamond, still incredulous. "I love you, too."
Through a haze of happy tears, she leaned forward and kissed him. Finally, she'd found her home.
*The next chapter will be the last.