“You'll never have to find out,” Damien’s tongue licked up the tears from one cheek as I kissed away the ones on the other.
I would do anything for this woman, and I would take her again and again for the rest of our lives once this war was over.
She was going to have the peace she deserved. Damien and I locked gazes, and we both nodded.
A while ago, I never thought that I would be on the same page as this man, but with our little arctic fox tucked between us, I considered him the brother-mate he claimed we were.
THIRTY-THREE
Thorn
Wrenstrodebesidemein the thigh-length halter dress that I made her, her bare feet making soft patters against the ice, looking like an ice goddess with her white hair pinned in the updo on her head.
She was greeted as a princess when we walked into the palace, and the startled look on her face was adorable. Everything about her was adorable. I couldn't believe that we had gotten this far.
I used to cherish every single day that I would sneak out of the fae realm and into that cursed village to meet with her in the woods. I had thought about kissing her a million times but always lacked the courage to do so.
She paused as she glanced over at me, and I chuckled.
“What?” Her sweet voice soothed the anxiety inside of me.
“Nothing. I just really love you.” I grinned.
A blinding smile stretched on her lips as she laced her fingers through mine and squeezed. “And I really love you. I always have.”
My heart squeezed in my chest, feeling the love from our bond. I still had difficulty believing that my best friend and I were mates.
We made our way into the throne room to meet Birch, who sat next to his queen, Adele.
Adele’s eyes lit up as she saw Wren, and she leaned over to kiss Birch on the cheek before getting up and moving down the stairs to stand with Wren.
They had become quick friends with our short visits. Technically they were sisters now, since they were mated to brothers.
Forrest rushed out of nowhere and ran over to Wren, reaching his little arms up.
Wren picked him up with a breathtaking smile and spun around with him, her dress flaring out as happiness shot through the bond.
It was enough to make me stumble.
“She’ll make a great mom one day,” Birch said, standing next to me.
I flinched before letting out a chuckle. I hadn't even noticed him get off his throne and come down the stairs. “Yeah, she will.”
From the way her cheeks streaked with pink, I figured she’d heard us.
“Guess your solemn looks as a kid didn’t mean that you were an orchid, just that you were missing your mate.” Birch let out a sigh as I glanced back at him. “It’s really good to know that you can smile.”
“I smile.”
“Only around her.”
My smile grew wider, and I chuckled. “Probably true.”
“Did you get the crystal?”
“Yes. It definitely works as we were told it did, and our only hope is that the relic responds the way we think it will. If it doesn't…” My jaw tightened as I stared at my mate, who was playing with Forrest and talking with my brother’s mate like she was family—and she was family.
Worst comes to worst, I’ll drag her and the rest of her mates back to the fae realm to live.
