Her eyes widened. “That’s why your vision changed, isn’t it? Why there wasn’t an end. The future isn’t set.” The realization dawned on her. “I had a choice. To stay in Zhobghadi, or come back here. I made the choice.”
Gunnar’s mouth slowly turned up into a smile. “I guess we’ll never know, really.” He kissed her on the cheek and then clapped his brother on the back. “I’ll see you soon.”
They watched Gunnar retreat back into his room, both of them dumbfounded. “Am I right?” she asked Cross. “Was it that choice?”
He wrapped an arm around her. “When you think about it, he could mean any of the choices you or I made. Like when you decided not to take a second dose of the potion. Or when I decided to bring Ransom to New York. Or maybe it was when you chose to come into Wicked Brew that morning I ran into you.”
“Ugh.” Her fingers massaged at her temples. “I’m getting a headache just thinking about it. Is there any way you can skip meeting your father, and we can just go home?”
He flashed her a brilliant smile. “I’ll leave him a voice message now, then we can go.”
A short while later, they were in her loft apartment. “I still can’t believe I’m back,” she said. “And I can finally shower and wear my own clothes!”
He slipped his arms around her and pulled her close. “How about we save the clothes for later?”
Desire hummed deep in her. “Okay.”
“Good, because I can’t wait.” He lowered his head and gave her the most passionate, bone-melting kiss she’d ever experienced in her whole life. In a split second, she found herself under him, on top of the bed, her clothes completely gone. I guess there are some benefits of having a magical boyfriend, she thought with a laugh.
He didn’t kiss her as much as he devoured her—as if he had never tasted her lips before. She could feel the urgency in his kisses and his hands as they roamed her body. When he finally made love to her, she was moaning his name and clutching at him, her body moving in rhythm with him as they sought their release together. Her body exploded in pleasure and she moaned his name over and over again.
Afterwards, as they lay together in a sweaty, satisfied heap, he gathered her to his side and kissed her temple. “I’m not sure which choice led us to this path,” he said. “Or maybe this was always where we were meant to be. I think that’s what Gunnar was trying to say. We should let fate run its course. He didn’t tell me you’re my mate because he wanted to warn me to stay away. He always knew I would make my way to you.”
“Hmmm … maybe.”
“I am glad about one choice I made.”
Though she was sleepy and bone-tired, she made an effort to look up at him and gaze into those gorgeous azure eyes. “What’s that?”
“When I decided to make you fall in love with me again.”
She paused, letting his words sink in, then chuckled. “Oh, Cross.”
“Why are you laughing?”
Reaching up, she brushed his cheek, feeling the warmth of her emotion for him, and for the child she now carried, burning in her chest. “I never stopped.”
Epilogue
Despite the excitement of yesterday, Sabrina managed to wake up before Cross. Though he dragged her back to bed, thoroughly intending to make love to her all morning, she insisted on getting up and going to see her father. While he wanted to make up for all the time they’d wasted during the last three years, he couldn’t begrudge her, not after what she had been through and finding out the truth about her mother. And to be honest, he wanted to make sure Ransom was recovering as well, since it was his fault the Lone Wolf was injured and dragged into this mess.
They dressed and got ready, then as soon as she finished the massive breakfast he brought for her, they went straight to the medical wing of The Enclave.
“You’ve spoiled me,” she said when they appeared in the waiting room. “I don’t know how I’m ever going to travel like a normal person again.”
He chuckled and kissed her temple. “I’m sure you’ll manage. You did find a way to get back here from Zhobghadi.”
“Well, that was a private jet,” she said. “So, I’m not sure if that counts as normal travel either.”
Cross reminded himself to thank Deedee and Karim, and maybe, see if they could drop by for dinner sometime next week. For now, they walked into the recovery ward together.
Jonathan was already dressed and ready to go, seeing as Dr. Blake had given him a clean bill of health. “I’ll go wait outside if you want to visit your friends first,” he said, before leaving the ward.
“I want to go home too,” Julianna whined. “I need a shower. And a cheeseburger.”
“Dinna fash, darlin’,” Duncan cooed. “Everything’ll be fine and you’ll leave when you’re ready. And I have a surprise coming for you.” He glanced over at the third bed, where Ransom was lying, still asleep. “Your friend’s doin’ fine,” he said to Cross. “Looks like a nasty wound, but he’s been sleepin’ all this time, so he should be doin’ some good healin’.”
Cross and Sabrina made their way over to Ransom’s bed at the far side of the ward. A blanket covered his legs, and he was naked from the waist up, the wolf tattoo above his hip. Bandages wrapped over his left shoulder and around his chest, and his skin was still ashen. But his breathing was normal, and he looked serene as he slept. “You really took one for the team,” Cross mused. “I didn’t think he’d do something like that.”
“Maybe there’s more to him than we think,” Sabrina said, nudging his arm. “Bringing him along was a good idea.”
“Och, now, here’s my surprise,”
