He lifted a hand to grip my chin, staring down at me with so much adoration that heat puddled in my core. “But then I saw the way you fought to protect this rebellion—and all of us—with a fierceness that spoke to your strength of heart and spirit. It’snever easy to take lives, and if you have a kind heart, it will never feel good. No matter the circumstances. I watched the way you tried your best to hold it all together, and then I heard the way you let yourself fall apart this morning in private, not wanting to burden anyone else, I’m sure.”
My lips parted at the realization he’d heard my sobs.
“And I finally realized that I’ve fallen more in love with each version of you I’ve been lucky enough to see, Kieran. So no, the blood on your hands doesn’t bother me, because it’s a testament to your strength and softness all at once. The two sides of your heart make you the woman I love.”
“Gabe,” I breathed out as tears sprang to my eyes. I tried to lift my hands to brush them away as the tears fell, but he batted them away. Instead, he leaned in to kiss each wet cheek before pulling back, the intensity of his affection for me shining through his beautiful eyes.
“Don’t hide this side of yourself from me, Kieran,” he demanded softly, before lifting a finger to wipe them. “If you remember, I also swore to worship your scars. I didn’t just mean the physical ones.”
All I could do was nod, the memory of the vow he gave me that night striking me hard and true. The tears continued to fall as I really soaked in his words and the truth of how he saw me.
My voice cracked as I attempted to answer, “Gabe, I—I…”
Pulling me tightly to him and tucking my head under his, he cut me off. “Don’t say anything. I just wanted you to know how I felt. If last night did anything, it really put into perspective the fact that we may not have forever together like we hoped. I couldn’t keep all that in, knowing it might go to the grave with me.”
I peeked up at him, absolutely in wonder of the man before me. Lifting onto my toes, I pressed my lips to his, not giving a damn about my salty tears that mixed into the kiss. I wasn’t sureI had the words to say back to him, so I attempted to put all my feelings into this moment.
It was just us, standing beneath the moonlight and relishing in each other’s presence and touch. Our lips moved as one, and it would have been impossible to find where one of us started and the other ended with how in sync we were. His tongue caressed mine, and I matched the action, melting further against his chest as his hands ran down my back to rest above the swell of my ass.
Fingertips dug into my skin, and I could feel the restraint slowly slipping away from him in the possessive way he held onto me. It drove me into a frenzy, wanting to feel every bit of him.
Someone cleared their throat as they passed by, abruptly snapping us out of the moment. We pulled apart, just staring at each other as our breathing came out in rapid pants. He glanced at the back of the man who passed us before looking back at me. Silence followed for a few seconds before he cracked a smile that had a giggle bubbling out of me. Soon enough, we were belly laughing and holding hands as we continued our walk home.
As we walked through the door, my heart felt full and thankful for the direction my life had taken, and for all those who had come into it lately.
“That’s not fair!” Bastian yelled, filling the home with playful energy as we entered the living room.
“You just said you didn’t want to give up your room,” Ronan rumbled in return.
“I’d happily give it up, if it meant spending a night with Kieran,” he defended, throwing his hands in the air as we turned the corner to find the scene before us. “You didn’t state the full terms of the agreement!”
Steele sat at his spot at the dining room table, drinking a beer in silence as he watched the two of them go back and forth.
Suddenly, a streak of black and green came barreling toward me. My eyes widened and my lips split into a full grin as I squealed, “Niz! You’re awake!”
Gabe passed by me as I cuddled the little wyvern to my chest, scratching beneath his chin that he stretched up for me. “Who is the cutest little wyvern in the world?” I found myself cooing at him. There was just something about this adorable little form that had me melting into a puddle every time. Then it hit me that he was actually an exceptionally large and intimidating man, and I faltered.
He flew up onto my shoulder before headbutting my cheek affectionately. I snickered, knowing he was trying to get a snout kiss. He had to have observed that I wasn’t very physically affectionate with any of the guys in front of the others yet, but he’d always had a surplus of my attention in this form. Talk about using everything you had to your advantage.
“Are you going to stay in this form?” I asked, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye. He enthusiastically nodded before Ronan elaborated.
“Apparently, it’s easier and faster for him to heal in this form. It takes less energy to fuel a smaller body, and as a wyvern, their healing properties are advanced.”
I nodded before dropping a quick kiss to his snout that had him producing a sound from his throat that Iswearwas nearly a purr. I decided at that moment that I couldn’t help myself—the snout kisses were going to continue even if he was a shape-shifting wyvern who was secretly a massive, incredibly sexy man.
“So, care to enlighten me as to what was being discussed when I walked in and why it has something to do with my bed?”
“There’s now one extra person in the home to accommodate but not another bedroom to go around,” Steele muttered before taking a swig of his beer. His eyebrows rose as he breathed out,“I reminded them that there’s a whole couch down here, but apparently that isn’t good enough.”
Gabe joined him at the table with his own beer and a new one for Steele. “I mean, I understand the need for us all to have our own spaces to decompress in occasionally.”
“Niz graciously offered to stay in your room,” Ronan announced dryly, “before turning into this form.”
I shrugged, scratching under Niz’s chin. “I don’t mind. It’s not like he takes up a lot of room.”
Bastian jumped out of his chair, hands flying through the air as he huffed. Honestly, the indignation was a little cute. “But that’s not fair! Weallwant time for cuddles.”
I see.I resisted the very real urge to pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh, understanding the debacle now. Since Niz was also now known to be a warm-blooded man, time needed to be appropriately split with me in private, according to the others.
