She squealed as he caught her, laughing as she turned in his arms and shoved the pile of clothes at him. Backing away from him with a mischievous grin on her face, she held up a small box that she'd felt in his pants pocket. "What's this, Gramma" Have you been hiding something from me?"

Her squealing made him laugh, though he scrambled to catch his clothes as she pushed them into his arms, fingers grasping and finding ....nothing. Emrys looked up in time to find Marissa holding the little box in her hands. "Uh ..." He hesitated, glancing down at himself clutching his clothes to his crotch, and back to her again. Ah, well ....so much for romance. "Why don't you open it, kitten, and find out?"

She was hardly worried about his nudity, as she'd seen it all before and then some. His, that is, and though the view didn't disappoint, she was curious now about the little box she'd found in his pocket. "Is it for me?" she asked, a knowing smile on her face. Who else could it be for, after all"

Despite the absolute lack of privacy and general romance in the moment, Emrys had a feeling this was going to be an evening they'd remember. He rolled his eyes at her, frankly, ridiculous question. "Well, it won't fit me," he informed her playfully. His smile softened. "I was going to give it to you tonight," he told her quietly. "Of course it's for you, kitten."

She hesitated, almost afraid to open the little box that was obviously the kind of box that held some sort of jewelry. Was it a ring, earrings, necklace" She suddenly found herself a little afraid to open the box, afraid she had spoiled his surprise. "Would you rather I waited until later?" she asked uncertainly, on the brink of opening it, her heart beating wildly.

He considered her for a moment, dropping his clothes to move over and wrap his arms about her from behind. "It occurs to me that it's impossible to create a romantic moment," he mused, his lips warm against her temple. "They just happen. Let's not waste this one, Marissa." He kissed her damp hair softly. "Open it now."

"I'm afraid to," she whispered, though she wasn't quite sure why. Would she be disappointed" Would he be disappointed by her reaction' What if it was a ring" She didn't need him to give her a ring to prove that he loved her, and yet, she was secretly hoping for such a thing. No one had ever given her such a thing before; no one had ever loved her that way before, or maybe she had just never let anyone get that close.

"I love you," he reminded her softly. "You are my world. Is there any reason to be afraid of something I would give you?" He tilted his head to watch her expression, knowing her moods better now. A few months ago, that fear in her would have offended him. He knew better than to let it push him away now. "Should I tell you what it is" Would that make it easier?"

"I'm afraid it's going to make me cry," she explained quietly, her lower lip already starting to tremble. It wasn't just the box she held in her hand, or his lovely words, but the knowledge that, after all the pain and the sorrow, she had at last found her happily ever after in him. It was more than she'd ever dared hope for.

"Happy tears," he promised her. "Here, let me help." Gently, his hands closed about hers, guiding the lid of the little box open to let her see what was nestled on a bed of black velvet. A heart-shaped peach sapphire, set in a heart of pave diamonds, twinkled up at her ....the ring he hadn't known she wanted, but had been so determined to find for her. His lips brushed her temple as he murmured to her. "It's enchanted," he told her. "You won't lose it when you shift. I saw Neville's ring on Demeter's finger; heard Dorian making plans to find a ring for Seren's finger; and I knew, finally, what it was I hadn't given you. I'd like you to wear it, kitten, if you want to. An everlasting sign that I love you."

Like any woman, she adored sparkly things, but sparkly things had never been very practical when they were so easily lost, and she had never bothered to look into enchanted jewelry for her own sake. To know he had not only gone out of his way to find her something as lovely as this - something special, a gift from the heart - but to know he had even gone so far as to have it enchanted so that she'd never have to worry about losing it was more than she'd ever dreamed of or hoped for. "Emrys," she whispered as she looked to the sparkly symbol of his love. "It's beautiful," she whispered again, not trusting her voice.

"It's a rare kind of sapphire, the lady said," he tried to explain the unusual hue of the gem. "She said people don't use it because it doesn't look like a sapphire to them. I said it was perfect, because people don't see the best of you when they look your way. You hide your beautiful soul behind layers of physical beauty and quiet strength, and only someone who knows what they're looking at knows how precious and rare you really are. A peach sapphire seems perfect for you."

She was quiet a long moment - one of those long moments that used to give Emrys pause and make him worry that he'd done something to offend her - but it was only because she was at a loss for words, afraid her voice would give her away. But then, what did it matter" There was nothing to fear where he was concerned; he would not judge her or find her weak for crying. She turned to face him, unconcerned that he stood naked before her, and pressed her face against his chest, overcome with emotion, leaving a puddle of tears on his bare chest.

Thankfully, these days, Emrys knew when he'd managed to offend her. He knew what that silence sounded like, and this was not one of those silences. He smiled as she turned to him, gathering her into his arms to let her cry herself out, glad he had made the right choice when it came to this gift. He owed Duncan and Evan several days' worth of hard labor to pay them back for the loan of money that had allowed him to buy it, but Marissa didn't need to know that part of the deal. He helped out enough up at the Brambles that she wouldn't find anything strange about his presence up there. And it was worth it, to know that he had touched her so deeply she didn't have words to describe it.

She could have easily paid for the thing herself, if she'd known he'd gone into debt for it, but then it wouldn't have been quite as special as it was, knowing he had somehow found a way to do this special something for her. Maybe it wasn't so romantic with him standing there in his birthday suit, and her sobbing all over him, but it was genuine and honest and heartfelt, and nothing could be more romantic than that. "Emrys," she whispered again, sniffling a little as she lifted her head from his chest to look up into his handsome face, brown eyes swimming with tears. "I don't know what to say except I love you."

His smile gentled as she looked up at him, unable to hide a certain amount of manly pride that he'd done something so absolutely right for once. "That's all you need to say," he assured her, bending his head to touch his nose to hers affectionately. "Will you wear it, Marissa" So that everyone who sees you knows that I love you, too?"

If he asked her, she'd tell him he almost always did everything absolutely right. It was her who was awkward and unsure and fearful of love, though she had grown bolder and surer in recent days because of him. "Do you really need to ask me that?" she countered, as if there was any other answer she could give him but yes. She didn't admonish him for buying it, knowing it meant a lot to him that she liked it - and she did. It was quite possibly the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

"What?" he asked, his question more for her giggle than her evasion. "Is there something making it difficult for you to think straight, kitten" Something rising in your mind, perhaps?" And in reality, it seemed - it was definitely in evidence as he pulled her to him, grinning down at her and daring her not to notice.

Oh, she definitely noticed. How could she not' She leaned closer, her lips mere inches from his, as though she might kiss him. "My dearest Emrys, I believe something's come between us," she teased, batting her lashes at him before shoving him playfully away and gathering her skirt, she darted away again, daring him to catch her.

He snorted with laughter, letting her take the head start this time because it was more fun. With his clothes still bundled under his arm, he charged after her, making absolutely no attempt to outrun her. After all, if his kitten wanted to play, who was he to argue"

She was halfway to the cabin when she shifted, changing shape from woman to tiger from the sheer joy of running. No bare feet upon the cool grass, but padded paws, the frock discarded carelessly on the ground to be replaced by orange and black striped fur. She roared with unbridled joy, running swifter than any man or wolf.

"That's cheating!" Emrys yelled after her, pausing to laugh as he bent to tuck her discarded frock into the bundle of his own clothing and set it all to one side. Then, with a howl that vibrated through the woods, he leaped forward, shifting his own shape in mid-motion to land on four paws, accelerating through the bracken to make a decent attempt at catching up with her. He didn't have a hope of actually catching her, but he made a good guess at where she was heading, veering off to try and intercept his joyful tigress before she got too far away.

The tigress sped onward, but as fast as she was, she could only sustain her speed for so long, veering off away from the cabin to give him chase before circling back around.

Inside his mind, Emrys was laughing as he ran for the cabin, knowing she'd have to come back there eventually. His size gave him an advantage that other wolves did not have - an ability to leap up onto the roof and lie in wait there, ignoring the panic of the animals who would settle down as soon as they realized they were in no danger. Hunkered down behind the chimney stack, he waited, every sense on high alert for the approach of his mate.

When she did return, it was in human form again, the dress back in place over her, rumpled as it was, his clothes bundled up in her arms, the ring he'd given her shining on her finger. It might have seemed silly to some, but the run had been invigorating and it had helped soothe her restlessness. As she came into the clearing, she lifted her gaze, instinctively sensing his presence without even having to see him. She wasn't sure which of them had won that race, nor did it matter. It had been a long time since she'd given herself over to play, and she realized that was exactly what she and her Emrys had been doing.

"Come down now, Gramma. It's time for supper!" she called to him.

Letting out a sigh at having his ambush predicted and negated, the Alpha wolf dropped down from the roof, bouncing around her like a puppy at play, all clumsy paws and wagging tail. Big eyes looked up at her adoringly, the absolute truth of his feeling for her writ large in the eyes of his wild side as he licked her fingers affectionately.

As happy as she was that he was now master of both his forms, she wasn't always quite sure what to do with him when he was in wolf form. Should she pet him like a puppy, rub his belly, give him a treat' But then, he was a wolf, not a dog. She crouched down, letting the pile of clothes fall into her lap while she wrapped her arms about his neck and buried her face in his fur, trusting him implicitly, proving those who believed wolves and tigers were natural enemies wrong.

A low rumble sounded in his chest as she embraced him, his big head resting over her shoulder to let her enjoy the warmth of his fur for a long moment. With an ease he would never have believed possible without her, he shifted his form back to the man she loved, wrapping his arms about her in return as his lips pressed to her neck. "Sure you want me to put my clothes back on?" he murmured teasingly.

"Supper will get cold," she warned him, though it probably already was, and she didn't much care about dinner right now. They could just as easily hunt for their dinner as they could cook it, straddling the human and animal worlds according to their whims. "I love you, Emrys," she told him once again, as if she could never say it often enough. Her fingers trailed through his hair and over his shoulders as she kissed him again, a more urgent hunger making itself known.

There was no need for him to answer her with words, his kiss as hungry as her own. Strong arms lifted her up as he rose to his feet, crossing the porch in just a few strides to deposit her on the first reasonably comfortable surface he could find in their little cabin. Words could never express the depth of their connection, the sense of oneness he felt with his wildcat. Words couldn't express it, but perhaps this could.

She let him take the lead, happily giving herself over to him, trusting him in all things - trusting him not only with her life, but her body and her soul. She trusted him to be gentle when gentleness was needed and firm when it was not. She trusted him to find the woman in her she had worried for so long had been lost. She trusted him to love her and to never leave her, just as he'd promised. She opened her heart to him, and took it upon herself to keep his own heart safe.

Did it matter that supper was cold, that the animals had not been personally bedded down for this one night' There was no comparison. Such small things were trivial when placed against the sheer need that thrived between man and woman, wolf and tiger - a need they shared for one another and the constancy of loving protection they offered, each to the other. Even falling off the couch with a rousing thump wasn't enough to do more than interrupt their loving with laughter, no longer shy of skin and touch and tenderness. By the time they were done, the half moon had risen, illuminating them through the windows as they lolled together on the bear pelt Marissa still hadn't managed to convince Emrys to get rid of.

Perhaps they could not live on love alone, but for the moment, neither seemed to care. He was all she ever needed. She traced lazy circles against his chest as they lulled together, everything forgotten in their need to share these precious few moments together. The ring sparkled like stars on her finger, a constant reminder of his love, just as the pendant that lay against his chest served to remind him of hers. "I know it's selfish, but there are times when I wish no one else existed but the two of us."

"So do I," he murmured softly, tracing his own fingertips up and down her bare arm, admiring the beautiful woman curled against him with warm eyes. "Marissa ....once before you asked me if I would be open to a binding ceremony with you," he said, his voice soft and thoughtful. "To bind our blood together. I said yes then. But tonight ....the timing feels right to me. Does it feel right to you?"

She smiled as she lolled against him, but then something he said took her by surprise and she tilted her head toward her, brows lifting curiously. She had thought to ask him earlier, but had dismissed the thought as too impulsive. How was it that he read her thoughts so easily' "Are you sure?" she asked, needing him to know what it was he was agreeing to. "It will bind us together in more than just words."

He lowered his head, his gaze boring into hers with absolute certainty. "Trust me," he told her, his voice low but firm. "Believe me when I say that this is what I want. You are all I want. Don't doubt me based on past experience with other men."

There weren't many other men to judge him by, but in retrospect, there really was no comparison. "I do trust you," she told him, meaning that with all her heart, knowing that trust was almost as important as love when it came to a relationship. She hoped he trusted her, too. They had been through so much together already.

She knew enough of him to know he had a practical streak a mile wide; that he was a man who would gladly take personal pain from the past if it meant keeping what he loved in the present. He was not a man who would bind himself so unequivocally to her unless he truly believed it was the right decision to make. Cupping her face in his hands, he smiled at her, leaning close to touch a kiss to her forehead. "Take my blood, Marissa," he told her. "And my lifetime bound to you with it."

If that wasn't a promise, she didn't know what was. She smiled up at him in adoration, her eyes soft and warm with love, knowing in her heart that the time was right and that he was the one she'd long been searching and waiting for; he was the one who was meant for her. She touched a kiss to his lips before drawing back to take the blade from the sheath. "Give me your hand," she told him, fearlessly and without hesitation.

Despite not really knowing what was about to happen, he did as she asked, offering his right hand to her as he settled back on his heels. He trusted her with every part of his being; the sight of her with a drawn knife in one hand and his fingers in the other did not fill him with fear. The thought of doing to her what she was about to do to him ....well, that made him a little uneasy. He never wanted to hurt her.

No more than she wanted to hurt him, and yet, if they were to do this, they would both have to be brave. In truth, they had each faced far more painful things than this. Without hesitation, knowing the anticipation of the blade was far worse than the actual pain it would cause, she touched the tip of the blade to the pad of one finger until she broke the flesh and drew blood. She then handed him the blade so that he could do the same.

In truth, the blade was so sharp there was no pain at all; just the heat of the blood as it welled up from the cut. Resisting the urge to suck the little injury - with no little effort - Emrys took the blade from Marissa's hand, gently taking hold of her own fingers to slice the pad of one delicate digit open to match his.

Like him, she did not even flinch as the blade sliced her finger, blood welling up in a crimson drop. She touched the bloody finger to his forehead, then to his chest right over his heart, painting the shape of a crescent moon in her own blood against his flesh. "With this blood, I ask the Goddess to bless this union. With this blood, I bind my life to yours."

The words were solemn, ritualized; words Emrys had never heard before, and yet were easy to memorize as he felt her blood mark his skin deeper than any eyes would ever be able to see. Reaching out, he gently swept his bloodied finger in a crescent on her forehead, pausing to undo the buttons of the shirt she wore to echo the symbol over her heart. "With this blood, I ask the Goddess to bless this union," he repeated, feeling his world contract down to this shaft of moonlight, this woman, this moment. "With this blood, I bind my life to yours."

There was no one to witness this moment, but the moon and the stars, the wind and the trees, the grass and the crickets chirping their approval. The Goddess was there with them, alive in all things, watching and smiling on her children. They were ritualistic words, solemn and meaningful, words that would bind them together so long as they lived, and yet, that was not all. She took the knife from him and took his hand in her again, as she met his gaze. "Trust me, Emrys," she urged him quietly, just as he'd asked her to trust him.

The little cuts were already healing, leaving just a smear of blood to paint their fingertips as she took his hand once again. Who needed witnesses when the world was standing watch over them' The witnesses were the birds and beasts of the woods Marissa had claimed as her own, the woods Emrys had accepted under his protection when he had given his heart and his life to the tigress who cared for them. Crickets chirped; the wind gently rustled the leaves on the trees; the moonlight painted them in shades of silver; and Emrys didn't need any time at all to answer her quiet urging. "Always, Marissa," he whispered back to her. "Forever."

His answer of trust given, she turned his hand palm upward and drew the blade across his palm, only deep enough to draw blood but do no permanent damage. They would both heal quickly, so there was little cause for worry, though she did not wish to cause him any undo pain. She was surprisingly quick and skilled with the blade, knowing any hesitation would only cause him more pain. When it was done, she handed him the blade and offered him her hand, palm upward so that he could do the same.

He barely winced as the blade sliced through his skin, the sweat on his palm causing the sting more than the knife edge itself as the blood welled up once again. Taking the knife from her, he drew in a deep breath, stroking his fingers over her palm just once before setting the blade against her skin. With a swift flick of the metal, blood bloomed, and he raised his eyes to hers once again.

The blade was sharp, the cut straight and clean, and though it hurt, it was a good kind of pain, knowing what would come of it - a pain with a purpose. Like the kind mothers knew well when giving birth to their children, or mates when they were making love for the first time. She smiled encouragement at him, before taking the blade once again and this time setting it aside. She cupped her hand so that the blood pooled there before clasping her hand to his, the palms slick as her blood mingled with his. "Now, we speak from the heart and tell each other how we feel," she told him.

Blood mingling in their enclosed palms, Emrys held her gaze, startled to find that though his mind seemed blank, his tongue knew what to say. "From the moment we met, I have known that you are the missing puzzle of my life," he said quietly, each word sincere in the stillness around them. "You have made me the man that I could never have been without you. You returned to me my family; you made me a part of yours. I know you have been hurt, and I know I will make mistakes, but my darling Marissa ....know that I will never hurt you intentionally, and if I ever do cause you harm, I will let nothing stand in the way of undoing that hurt in any way possible. You are my sun and moon, the stars that chart my course through this life. You are the center of my world. And as long as I live, I will love you and cherish you as no other ever could."

She, too, was a little shy when it came to speaking her mind and her heart, but she had never felt more herself with anyone so much as him. She held his gaze, dark eyes bright with tears of happiness to hear him speak his heart. It wasn't so much the words that touched her, as it was the feelings behind them.

"I knew nearly from the moment we met that I loved you, that there was something about you that called to me. Even though we fought at first, it was only because I was so afraid of losing you, so afraid you would not love me in return. I no longer fear that; I trust you and love you with all my heart and soul. You are the blood of my blood and the heart of my heart. I give all of myself to you freely and willingly so that we will always be together in life and in love. And if we are so blessed as to have a family, I pledge to raise our children in that same circle of love that we share. I will care for you and love you all the days of my life, so long as I shall live, and when my life is over, I will wait for you in the afterlife to love you again when my life is over."