Ty smiled at her, his gorgeous chocolate brown eyes full of love and the promise of a lifetime together. “There is something I’d like an answer to sooner rather than later, though.”
Parker watched, puzzled, as Ty took a deep breath before standing up. He reached into his pocket for something and then dropped to his knees on the floor in front of her. He opened his palm and Parker gasped and covered her mouth with trembling hands when she saw the ring sitting in his palm.
“I ran into town and picked this up the other day, after I decided that I didn’t care what my wolf wanted. I love you, Parker. I want you in my life forever, and while I honestly don’t care if you ever become a shifter, I want you in the human tradition. I want you to have my last name. I want everyone to know that you’re mine, and I’m yours. Will you marry me?”
Parker blinked the tears from her eyes as he held the ring up. It was modest, with a white gold band, and two small diamonds nestled on either side of a slightly larger princess cut diamond. It was gorgeous. She took a deep breath, and held out her hand, fingers trembling like mad, so he could slide it on. “Of course I’ll marry you, Ty. Yes. A thousand times, yes!”
Ty gave her a breathtaking grin as he slid the ring onto her finger. He surged up from the floor, kissing her passionately as they fell back onto the bed together.
Today had been eventful and a little bit crazy. Seeing Ty’s wolf, an unknown sister showing up, a long, heartfelt conversation. Then declarations of love, and now a marriage proposal.
When she’d made the decision to come back home and tell Ty about the baby, she never would have been able to guess that it would end in love and marriage. Her imagination hadn’t been good enough for her to even dream this up. But she couldn’t imagine her life going any other way now. She had every
thing she’d ever wanted, right here in Ty’s arms.
Chapter Seventeen
Ty walked down to the kitchen, intent on grabbing up leftovers from dinner for him and Parker. Neither one of them had eaten after all the craziness of the day, and Parker especially needed to eat.
He lifted a hand in greeting to Chase as he walked to the fridge. His brother was sitting at the counter, eating his own meal. “How’s Parker? Is she taking the whole shifter thing well?”
Ty grinned wryly as he pulled bowls from the fridge. “She’s fine. Apparently, she already knew I was a shifter. I guess she saw me shift once years ago, when we were teenagers.”
“No shit?” Chase said before throwing his head back on a laugh. “You were worrying like a little old woman for nothing.”
“Don’t be a dick, pup. I’ll remind you of this moment when your wolf picks a human for a mate.”
“My wolf will have the good sense to pick a shifter.”
Ty snorted. “Don’t count on it. How’s Kelsey? Have you heard or seen her since she went to bed?”
Chase sobered and shook his head. “I heard her moving around in her room for a while, but it’s been quiet here lately. When do you think she’ll talk to us, tell us what happened to her?”
Ty sighed as he made up two plates. “I don’t know. Parker said to give her some time and not push her. So that’s what we’ll do. She looks like she’s had it hard enough without us scaring her more.”
“I think she’d been living in the woods for a while,” Chase said, pushing the food around on his plate. “I hate to think of when she’d even eaten a decent meal last.”
They were both quiet after that, lost in their own thoughts. Ty warmed up the plates of food as he put the leftovers in the fridge. He paused before he left again, looking at his brother seriously.
“Look. I think it’s clear that Kelsey wouldn’t have hurt Parker, or any of us. But we might not have known that, and we might not have managed to catch her, if it hadn’t been for Ian. Our sister is upstairs, safe, warm and fed right now, because of him. I figure I owe him. Him and his crew can stay in the old place, as long as they stay away from the farmhouse and don’t get in the way of running the farm. I don’t know his other shifters, so make that clear. I trust Ian, though, so if he trusts them… I’ll let them stay. I won’t even charge them rent on that dump. But I don’t want any trouble. Not from them or anyone they know.”
Chase nodded. “There won’t be. Ian won’t accept charity, though. He’ll pay rent, whether you want it or not.”
Ty inclined his head. “Either way. As long as there’s no trouble,” he reiterated, as he began walking out of the kitchen.
“Hey, does this mean you’ll come to a fight?” Chase called.
“Why don’t you hold your breath while you wait and see?”
Ty made his way to the stairs, grinning as he heard Chase’s muttered, “Fucker”.
He took the stairs two at a time, ready to see Parker again. He hadn’t even been away from her for ten minutes, and he was already anxious to get back to her.
Mate.
Yes, she definitely was, Ty thought as he agreed with his wolf. He’d imagined a lot of different scenarios since Parker had come back into his life, envisioned what he had thought was every possible ending. Every ending but this one. One where his wolf finally spoke up and confirmed that Parker was his true mate. One where Parker accepted what he was wholeheartedly and unconditionally.
He juggled the plates and opened the door to his bedroom. Their bedroom. His breath caught as he saw Parker, reclining on the bed while she caressed the swell of her belly. She looked over and smiled at him, and Ty felt his heart swell in his chest.