Trusting Florian, I slowly approached him. The kids who were crying stopped and gazed up at me with wide, curious eyes.
The child clutching Florian sniffled and asked, "What's that?"
"Notwhat, but who," Florian corrected him gently. "That's my fated mate, Devereaux."
I stood frozen to the spot, the shock of Florian's words settling over me like gold dust. He said he loved me but he had never referred to me as his fated mate before. Warm affection flooded my body. Was that how he truly felt?
"I know he looks different than most people," Florian went on as the children listened, enraptured, "but he's a very kind man. You'll all be nice to him, right?"
"Yeah!" came the chorus reply.
A strange sensation tugged behind my eyes, like something was trying to break free. I raised my claws to wipe at my eyes, then paused when an unknown object poked my hand.
"Whoa, Devereaux!" Pascal said. "Are you... crying?"
"I do not know," I replied. "I have never cried before."
Florian stood up from the flock of children and came up to me. He reached for my face, which I lowered so he could reach it. He brushed his thumb across the corner of my eye, then drew his hand back. There was something in his palm.
A small sapphire.
"Devereaux," Florian said with a soft laugh. "I think you cry sapphire tears."
I looked at the little blue gemstone with confusion.
"Is that a bad thing?" I asked.
Florian pressed a kiss to my stone lips, making happiness explode in my chest. "Not at all. It's just one more thing that makes you special."
21
Florian
The sun hunghigh in the sky, and despite everything that happened during the dawn, it felt like a brand-new day.
With Headmaster gone, I decided to stay at the orphanage. Pascal was going to remain here too for the time being. After all, we were the only ones left to look after the children, and without Headmaster breathing down our necks, I had a good feeling about our future here. The exorbitant amount of money we reclaimed from Pascal's sale was enough to keep everyone healthy and fed for years to come.
Although it made me wonder—who were the orc sympathizers Headmaster mentioned? And why had they paid such a ridiculous sum for Pascal? Heck, what even was an orc?
I didn't have much time to fret over that, though. Nurturing the children kept me busy. But I wasn't alone. Devereaux was a constant presence by my side. I felt whole when we were together. Who knew the piece missing from my soul was a gargoyle man with sapphire eyes?
We sat together outside in the orphanage yard. The two of us side-by-side on the bench must've been quite a sight. A small, frail omega human next to a six-foot-tall stone gargoyle alpha with massive wings and a tail. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I knew that Devereaux was my fated mate—my one true love.
"What do you think about planting some flowers here?" I asked, gesturing to the dirt plot bordering the fence.
"That is a lovely idea," Devereaux said.
"I'm thinking... blue?"
He smiled. I'd never tire of the mysterious way his carved mouth moved like a living being's. "Because of my eyes?"
"Maybe," I teased.
Devereaux kissed the top of my head. "I would like that."
"Hey, you two!"
Pascal's chipper voice made us turn around. He waved, which made the horde of children copy him and wave too. It looked like every single child in the orphanage was following him like a mother hen. What were they were up to?
