My answer came as a warm breath against his hair. “Hm.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Do you... like me?”
I looked Poppy in the eyes. “Well, obviously.”
But his question was a smokescreen. That wasn’t what he wasreallyasking. I understood that as he held my gaze, pale lashes framing his big wet eyes. His question was deeper, seeking an answer straight from the soul.
My heart tripped over itself. The longer I stared at Poppy, the wilder and more crazed I felt. I wanted to gift him his every desire. I wanted him to be happy all the time. I wanted to protect him from the world. I wanted him all to myself.
Iwantedhim.
Poppy must’ve seen something flicker in my eyes, because he’d subtly angled his face towards mine. Slow, timid. Cautious, in case the answer was no.
My pulse leapt to my throat. Every beat of my heart felt thunderous and loud, as if it would break free from my body and echo against the walls. I grew acutely aware of my hands on his body, the warmth that spread across that connection, the potency of that touch.
I leaned in and brushed my lips against his.
The mildest sound of surprise escaped Poppy before he relaxed, then pressed back to meet me. His mouth was as soft and sweet as the rest of him, like falling into a pile of plush toys—but better in every way.
A sudden firm thought floated across my mind:Poppy is more important to me than my hoard.
He’s more important than anything...
That touch of our lips felt like an eternity. When we pulled away, both our cheeks were flushed. I felt the warmth radiating from Poppy’s face, and his eyes sparkled brighter than a starry night.
I raised a shaky hand to cup his cheek, my thumb caressing his all-encompassing softness. He was so unbelievably tender, inside and out. I felt such a depth of emotion for him that my eyes grew hot with tears.
“Poppy,” I murmured. My chest clenched as I said his name. “Fate brought me to you.”
He let out a tiny whimper, gripping my shirt tighter. “Fate?”
I ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sure of it. That’s why I got caught in that storm and crashed here. It led me to you. And now...” I shivered, my dragon soul lurking close to the surface. “Now, I don’t ever want to let you go.”
Poppy flashed a smile that lit up his entire face. “I don’t want you to let me go.”
A laugh tumbled out of me, and I hugged him closer. “Good. Because I won’t. Ever.” I whispered the last word against his cheek before I kissed him there.
“Promise?” Poppy whispered back.
“I promise, my sweet wolf.”
His eyes glistened with happy tears. The joy on his face echoed the feeling inside me. We were two mirrors reflecting each other’s bliss.
My heart pounded as I caressed his cheek with my thumb. “If that’s how we both feel... then we must be fated mates, huh?”
“What does that mean?” Poppy asked, blinking curiously.
At first I was surprised that he didn’t know. But then I realized there was no way Konrad would ever let his clan learn about fated mates, or worse, believe in them. I was glad to be the one to teach Poppy about such a beautiful concept.
“It’s a magical feeling that happens to shifters. It means we’re destined to be together,” I explained, still gently stroking his face. “That no matter what blocks our paths, we’ll always find our way to each other again.” Leaning in, I pressed our foreheads together. “It means that our bond can overcome anything. That our love is invincible.”
Poppy swallowed. His pale cheeks had turned a deep shade of pink. “Our love...?”
I smiled. “Yeah.”
