“Funny that,” Jacque said. “I was thinking the same thing about you.” She felt Fane kiss the top of her head and she snuggled closer.

Jacque held out her left hand and studied the writing on the band. She remembered the words that Fane had said were engraved on it and she felt warmth fill her. “It’s the most precious thing I have ever received, Fane.” Jacque’s voice was filled with awe at the beautiful gift he had given her. She remembered then that he had told his father that the second offering was something he wanted to give her in private. “So where is my second offering, oh wolf of mine?” Jacque asked him in the haughtiest voice she could muster as she sat up and turned to look at him.

“Oh yeah, about that,” he began.

Jacque interrupted him quickly. “Don’t you even try to act like you don’t have something, fur ball.” She slapped his leg playfully.

“Have I ever told you that you are a violent little thing?” Fane asked her as he reached to open the bedside table drawer. He handed her a box wrapped in purple paper with a simple ribbon tied around it. Jacque untied the ribbon and unwrapped the package to find a shoe box. “Um, shoes. Great, thank you,” Jacque said, trying hard to keep the confusion out of her voice, knowing she was failing miserably. Fane’s face was blank. Jacque could read no emotion on it nor could she pick anything up from their bond.

“The shoes represent my ability to provide foot coverings for you and maybe one day our children.” Fane cleared his throat and continued, fumbling along as he went. “You see, it is important that you know that you won’t be without something on your feet, so-”

Jacque held up her hand to stop Fane from going any further. “There are no shoes in this box, are there?”

Fane shook his head once. “Not one.”

As Jacque began to open the box Fane heard her mutter under her breath, “Furry little liar.” He started to say something in response but stopped when he saw Jacque’s face light up as brilliant as the sun breaking through the early morning dew. “Fane! I can’t believe you remembered!” Jacque pulled out the first edition copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstien. She held it so reverently and ran her hand across the cover.

“Open it,” she heard Fane tell her. When she pulled open the cover she could feel the binding bending for the first time, the newness of the book apparent. If it was possible her face got even brighter as she saw the hand written autograph on the cover page.

“This is so freaking awesome,” Jacque told him as she closed the book and flung herself into his arms. Fane was surprised by the motion but caught her easily and held her tight. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he heard her whisper.

“If I had known you would react this way to a bookI would have proposed with it instead of a ring,” he teased.

“The book is amazing, no doubt. But that you remembered something so random, yet so important to me means so much to me. You got skills, wolf-man. Serious, mad skills.”

Fane kissed her gently on the lips and then let her pull away from him. She sat flipping through the book and he was content to just watch her. Jacque finally looked up from the book when she felt Fane begin to rub her back. She couldn’t help the big grin that spread across her face. He was hers; she could feel the mate bond growing stronger now that the blood rites had been completed.

“Will it continue to grow stronger?” Jacque asked him.

Fane's brow furrowed as he thought and was quiet for a moment. “From what my father has told me it will be stronger because of the blood rites, but once we consummate our mating it will be its strongest.”

Jacque's eyes widened at his words, and Fane realized how that had sounded. “Jacquelyn, I’m not trying to rush you. I know you said we would make love once we were married but if you aren't ready I will wait for as long as you need. I will never pressure you. Do you believe me?” Fane asked her and desperation coated his voice.

Jacque looked up at him. “I believe you and I love you all the more for your patience. But it's not necessary. I'm ready, Fane. I'm ready to be yours in every possible way.”

Fane sat frozen at her words, then a slow grin stretched across his face. Jacque felt that grin from the bottom of her feet to the tips of her red hair. He stood up and Jacque watched as he began blowing candles out until there were only four left burning, one in each corner of the room. Fane stepped close to Jacque. She tilted her head back to look up at him as the candle light danced shadows across his face. Jacque's breath caught as she saw Fane's eyes glowing wolf blue.

He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently, then whispered to her, "I can't believe you're here, and you're mine." His body shook with emotion as he stared into her eyes. "I love you, Jacquelyn Lupei. I will love you until my last breath."

She took a shuddering breath as she felt him untie the robe and slowly push it off her shoulders until it fell in a gentle heap on the floor at her feet.

Fane never took his eyes off hers as he pulled her into his arms. As his lips met hers Jacque trembled at the skin to skin contact. She felt his hands on her back, his fingertips lightly moving over her skin. Fane pulled back and they were both breathing hard as he continued to torture her with his gentle caresses.

Fane chuckled at her thoughts. "It's not meant to be torture, love," he told her gently. He pulled her closer to the bed and then tilted her chin up with his fingers to look him in the eyes.