“You’re really not scared,” I whisper, more to myself than her.
Her lips curve into a small, trembling smile. “Should I be?”
I shake my head slightly, unable to speak past the lump forming in my throat. She’s gorgeous, her cheeks flushing as her freckles darken. Those pouty lips dangle open as her breathing becomes more rapid.
When she leans in, it’s slow. It’s as if it’s our first time all over again. In some ways it is, because I’m not pretending to be something I’m not, and she’s finally seeing me for who I really am.
When our lips meet, time slows down, crawling along as we move them tenderly against each other. Everything in my mind goes silent. No more racing thoughts, fears of what she’ll think, or even the gnawing worry of my future. There is only her and I as we explore each other again. I cradle the back of her neck, my thumb pressing along her jaw as I deepen our kiss.
This moment feels divinely inevitable. Nothing we are doing is about chasing a feeling; instead, it’s as though we are accepting what we’ve always known, even if it was only in our consciousness. Her soft whimpers fill the air around us, joining with the crackle of the fire and the wind blowing outside.
The temperature in the living room rises as our bodies move against each other, our hot cocoas long forgotten on the coffeetable. Dinner is no longer a thought in our minds. Only exploring each other and spending time loving each other.
My hand skims down her side as I hook my hand under her thigh, lifting her up as I stand up. There’s somewhere I want to do this, and it isn’t on my couch with limited space. No, I want to take my time and there’s only one place that can happen.
I toe open my bedroom door when we walk down the hallway. It swings open to reveal a deep evergreen set of walls with wood accents lining the entire space. But the only thing that matters right now is the four poster extra large king size bed in the middle of the room. Where I have every intention of spreading Holly out as I show her what the bond will do for us both.
When she drops down onto my bed with a small bounce, giggles pour out of her as she stretches her hands back up towards me.
I shake my head slightly. “I have something to show you.”
“Something beyond antlers I’m not sure how you sleep in this bed with?” She says as she tilts her head to the side, examining the head of the bed. The very normal-looking bed.
“You’d be surprised at the wonders magic can do for you.” I reach over my head, hooking my thumb into the collar of my shirt as I pull it over my head.
“Gods, I’ve seen that in so many movies, but I never imagined it would be something I’d witness in real life.” She bites her lower lip between her teeth as she presses her thighs together. So she likes when I strip for her—noted.
Magic hums beneath my skin, restless and alive. It’s not until she sees the northern lights glowing lightly beneath my skin that she let’s out a soft gasp, her eyes rounding in fascination. She sits up, tracing her finger along my abdomen. Where her finger strokes, the light moves. I don’t need to call forward for it to respond to her, my mate.
Her own skin begins to mirror mine, the bond moving through her to meet me. The tip of her finger glows and she let’s out a gasp.
“It’s you. Your magic is moving into me. I can feel it reaching into me.”
My hand glides under her chin, tilting her head until she’s looking into my eyes. “That is us. It’s our bond, showing that we were destined to meet and fall in love with each other. Our beautiful Aurielle chose you to be my mate, my everything. Just as I am to you.”
Her mouth drops open. “So when you yelled at that teenager about almost hurting your mate, you weren’t saying it like Australians talk about their friends.”
A laugh bursts out of me. “Absolutely no! He should be glad the only thing I did was yell at him.”
“What does being a mate mean?” She shifts until she’s on her knees in front of me. Her finger trails along my bare chest, watching the light move with it.
I suck in a breath, holding still because I’m not sure how much longer I can stand here with her in my bed. But I do what I can to hold still and answer.
“It means I will always choose you, protect you, love you. No other woman will ever come between us, just as no man will either. We will always be here for each other as we love, share, and carve out our own life together.”
“That’s a beautiful proclamation of love if I’ve ever heard of one. So what do we have to do to make it…official?”
A slow, tender smile spreads across my face. Her breath catches as the golden threads materialize between us, twining from my chest to hers until they pulse in sync with our heartbeats. The glow grows stronger—it’s almost alive and aware as it balances between us. Aurielle’s magic is stirring as her curiosity peaks; she’s waiting.
I brush my thumb along her jaw, guiding her gaze back to me as my thumb continues a soft brushing against her cheek. “The bond’s awakening,” I whisper. “But it won’t be complete until we speak the vow. Do you trust me? Will you take this leap with me and see what life has in store for us?”
She nods, her voice soft but steady. “Tell me what to say.”
I kneel on the bed in front of her, my forehead pressing to hers. The hum of magic vibrates between us as if Aurielle is in the room with us. Together our voices blend into one—hers bright and cheerful, mine deep and reverant.
Aurielle, keeper of the light, witness us. I see them—as they are, as they’ll become. And I choose them still.Let your light bind our souls so that no distance, shadow,or darkness can dim what we’ve found.
The moment the last word leaves our lips, everything stills. The air thickens with warmth before erupting in a blinding white light. A weight lands on my left shoulder, slight enough to be a delicate woman’s hand. She’s here with us.
