Her expression softens. Not pity, but recognition—like she knows exactly what my heart is struggling with. “Because I thought you needed something today. Something that wasyours,and not pieces of your past.” She steps forward and wraps me in a long hug. “Merry Christmas, Tobias.”
With that, she turns to leave.
Rowen curls an arm around my back. He reaches out, brushing my cheek. “These are happy tears, right?”
I manage a shaky laugh. “Yeah. I just… fuck, Ro. I can’t believe this.”
He pulls me closer, pressing a gentle kiss to the side of my head. I breathe him in, the warmth of him anchoring me in a way nothing else has.
The finality of it—the darkroom, the unspoken invitation to stay, the weight of being wanted here—breaks something open in me. I want this. All of it.
I tilt my head, almost daring myself to press my lips to his. My fingers brush his chest, feeling the steady beat beneath. Rowen’s hand slides down my arm, thumb brushing against my knuckles. His eyes are soft and patient when they find mine, and I notice the way his breath catches when I wet my lips.
Rowen leans forward ever so slightly, and my fingers tighten around his shirt, my heart hammering. The world narrows to the warmth of his body, the scent of him, the pulse I can feel against my palm.
I can’t stop myself any longer. I tilt my head toward him. Our lips meet in a soft and tentative kiss that isso, soperfect. Everything fades. Now it’s only this: Rowen and me. Here. Now.
A soft sound escapes me—half laugh, half breath—and I go up on my toes, trying to get closer. Rowen responds instantly, deepening the kiss, his tongue brushing mine. Everything turns warm and hungry in an instant. The shift is unmistakable.
Curiosity becoming want.
Want becoming need.
He grips my waist and lifts me like I weigh nothing. I wrap my legs around him as he sets me on the counter. My fingers slide into his hair, tugging just enough to earn a low, aching sound from his chest. His hand skims my lower back, pulling me flush, and a pulse of heat rolls through me. His scent is sharp and warm and so perfectlyhim.It hits me hard.
Then the metal door rotates, making us jump.
We break apart like the room just caught fire, scrambling into something that resembles human composure. I wipe my mouth as my heart tries to sprint out of my chest. If whoever just came in looks even remotely close to our pants, we’re dead.
Neal steps in, holding a couple of boxes. He startles when he sees us. “Oh, uh, hello.” He sniffs the air, then he grins instantly, setting the boxes down. “Right. I’ll just, uh. Get out of your way then. Carry on.” He nearly trips on his way out.
I hide my face in my hands. “Oh, my gods.”
Rowen laughs. “Come on. You had to know they all knew how we felt.”
“I know, but… seriously!”
His voice lowers as he gently tugs my hands away. He slings them around his neck and presses our foreheads together, holding me. “They’re happy for us, Toby. It’s okay.”
It sounds like he’s already talked to them about this—aboutus. And I can’t wrap my head around that. How can they be happy when I’m an outsider? A half-blood.A liability.
And yet… I’m literally standing in a room that feels like a promise.
Danger or not, cursed mark or not... theywantme here. Rowen wants me here.
I kiss him again with everything I have. No more hiding. No more holding back or trying to convince myself this isn’t going to work.
I’m leaning in. Hard—toward him, toward this, toward the life I’m finally ready to want.
20
ROWEN
Having Tobias in my arms, his lips against mine, is better than I could have imagined. My wolf prances inside, his head high.Mate.
I hold Tobias’ face as we kiss, feeling the gentle scrape of his stubble against my thumb. His quiet moan—the way he tugs at me like he’s dreamed of this as much as I have—it’s everything.
The scent of his arousal is unmistakable, and it fuels my own. I slide a hand under his shirt as I kiss down his throat. Tobias instantly leans his head to one side, arms tight around me, heels digging into my thighs. I pause over his collarbone, a sharp, sudden ache forming behind my gums. I hadn’t thought about how my wolf would react to us fooling around.
