He released me a few moments later, breathless, and placed a hand on my cheek to look into my eyes. "Jess, don't you know that I love you? It's not just about the town and the pack. Now that I've finally found you, I don't know what I'd ever do if I lost you." Then he gave me one last sweet kiss.
"Dakota..." I said, my voice merely a whisper, thick with emotion. "You're not going to lose me. But you can't always be there to protect me." I bit my lower lip, searching for the right words. "Sometimes I'm going to have to do things that will be dangerous. At those times, you just have to respect me as a fellow warrior and let me go."
Dakota let out a deep breath, shaking his head as tears filled his eyes. "Jess, I'll never let you go. Not unless you say the word."
