“All,” I murmur, trailing my mouth higher. “Every thought. Every doubt melting away when you chose me. Every ounce of your power rising to meet mine.”
Her hands slide into my hair, tugging me closer, her lips brushing my jaw. “Slade…”
I tilt her chin up with a single finger, the gesture gentle despite the heat simmering under my skin.
“I need you to hear this,” I say, voice rougher than I intend. “I need you to know it.” Her eyes lift to mine—soft, shining, full of the trust she never had at the beginning. “I love you, Piper Bellamy.”
The words settle between us like a vow. Not dramatic. Just certain. Steady. True.
Her breath trembles. “Slade…I—”
“I love you,” I repeat, brushing my thumb over her lower lip. “Not because of the bond. Not because of fate. I love you because you walk into hell itself and dare it to blink. Because you faceeverything afraid and still choose to stand. Because you choose me—every time.”
Her eyes brim with something I want to drown in. She pulls me down into a kiss—not desperate, not rushed. Slow. Intentional. Deep enough that the room spins around us.
Her fingers curl around the lapels of my jacket, pulling me closer until our bodies align perfectly. My hand glides along her thigh, up to the slit in her dress, brushing warm skin as her breath hitches.
I whisper against her mouth, “Five minutes isn’t nearly enough.”
She smiles against my lips, wicked and soft all at once. “Then take your time.”
I do.
I kiss her like the night is ours alone, like the bond glowing under her skin is a living thing calling to every part of me. Her magic hums against mine, brushing, teasing, curling around my senses like warm silk.
My mouth finds her throat again. Her fingers tighten in my hair. The world narrows to us—heat, breath, magic—
“ARE YOU TWO SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?” Rhea’s shrill voice cracks through the air like someone fired a spell into the wall.
Piper jolts. I drop my forehead to her shoulder and inhale very slowly to keep from vaporizing her cousin on instinct.
Rhea stomps down the corridor in heels that absolutely shouldn’t allow her to storm in any capacity. Her gown swishes behind her like a furious comet.
“It is time for the Yule Closing,” she huffs. “The elders are lighting the final candle, Mom is seconds away from telling the entire room how she delivered Piper as a baby, Elle is placing bets on whether Slade can blush, andyou two—” She gestures at us with outrage. “—are making out behind the druidic blessing alcove like hornyteenagers.”
Piper covers her face with both hands. “Rhea—”
“Nope. No arguing.” Rhea points at Piper. “You look perfect. Stop ruining your lipstick.” Then she points at me. “You. Stop being six and a half feet of temptation. Now come on. They’re waiting.”
Piper snorts into her hands. I straighten my jacket, fighting the smirk threatening to break free. “You have impeccable timing.”
Rhea glares. “I take pride in ruining emotional moments.”
“Accomplished,” I say dryly.
She flips her hair. “Thank you.”
Piper threads her fingers through mine, cheeks flushed, eyes bright. When she looks up at me, the bond hums again—warm, settled, certain.
“You said five minutes,” she murmurs teasingly.
“And you,” I murmur back, brushing her knuckles with my thumb, “were worth every bit of getting caught.”
Rhea groans dramatically. “Oh my GOD. Move.”
Piper laughs, tugging me forward, and we walk back into the light and sound of the ballroom—hand in hand, magic settled between us like a promise.
The Yule closing waits. Everything ahead of us waits.
