What else would I have asked for? There was nothing in this universe I wanted or treasured more than Monqilcolnen. He was everything to me, and I wouldn’t let him go. Not ever.
Monqilcolnen turned my face toward him and caught my mouth in a gentle kiss that made my tail strangle his and my wings fight against their confinement. I wanted to press myself against him and scent mark my mate.
That thought sent warm pulses down my spine. Monqilcolnen was my mate. It was miraculous we had ended up together.
When he pulled back, I said, “You need to eat.”
He offered me his throat.
There was much fighting and moving around the dispenser, which was thankfully still working. The second the dispensers quit, we would be down to field rations, which were tasteless nutrition bars and hydration cubes.
Once the table was laden with food, we sat down and began to eat our fill. All the while, I held Monqilcolnen’s tail with my own, letting him know I was there. I would always be there.
The hour was indeterminate. I had fallen asleep with my mate on top of me. Wyn was breathing deeply, and he was not the only one. Seth and Kalvoxrencol were on the floor infront of the couch where Wyn and I lay. Seth was facing the makeshift nest where his kit slept, and Kalvoxrencol was curled around Seth, hand stretching toward their child. Serlotminden and Bartholomew were off to the side, asleep. Bartholomew was completely beneath the blanket, his feet poking out the other end.
Even my other cousins had remained on the line, not ending the session. Hallonnixmin was curled around his mate, who snored loudly and slept sprawled. Vince was half-draped over Dontilvynsan. Zoltilvoxfyn and Caleb were all tangled up in each other.
Each of them, all of them, had remained with me, refusing to leave me alone. They were my family. It still hurt so badly my parents were no longer flying beside me, guiding me, shielding me, but I wasn’t alone.
My fingers burrowed into Wyn’s pink hair, and I groaned at the softness. No, I wasn’t alone. I was with my family and my mate. It was still going to hurt that my parents were gone. I would miss them—I would always miss them—but there was no shame in moving on, which was what I needed to do. It was important to live, and that was what I was going to do.
Wyn rubbed his face on me, exhaling as he awoke. “Are you alright?”
I lifted his chin to claim his mouth, and Wyn groaned at my touch. I was more than alright. I was with my mate. He was right here beside me, and I was never going to spend a day without him again.
“I wish to go to our room,” I whispered.
He smiled, his head ducking, but he slid off me and pulled me up. We maneuvered around Kalvoxrencol and his little family to reach the bedroom.
I pressed my mate to the bed, covering his lithe frame with my bulkier one. Wyn was utterly pliant beneath me. Cincin growledin annoyance from us rocking the bed. I patted her head, and she hopped off to curl up on her plush bed in the corner. Ignoring her retreat, I placed a soft kiss on Wyn’s lips. “I love you.”
“I love you as well, my Star.”
Something swelled in my gut at the endearment. For so long, I had waited for the “not yet” to become “now,” and it had. While I had known that Wyn was special, that I wanted him to be mine, I could have never guessed what I would feel as I stared down at my lovely mate.
“You were well worth the wait,” I commented.
Wyn chuckled. “So were you.”
It did not take me long to divest my mate of his clothes and ready myself for him. As he sank into me, claiming me, I knew I was home and safe. “Now” would never become “not yet” ever again.
Chapter 61
Returning to the stars.
I glanced at Monqilcolnen for what had to be the thousandth time. He had been quiet, which wasn’t unusual, but this felt more pensive. His grief was a cloud that never quite dissipated. I wouldn’t rush him to be well, though. He was hurting, and I hated it. He was my mate—the thought was enough to make me smile—and it was my duty to keep him well.
Sliding behind him, I curled my arms around his waist, and Monqilcolnen leaned back into my embrace. I pressed my face between his curled wings and gripped the front of his uniform in tight fists. It was Jemtonkilsol and Dilvonsil’s celebration—their return to the stars whence we came. Already, they were wrapped in the light of the Crystal, but it was time for us to honor them.
“I will be right beside you,” I whispered.
Technically, I hadn’t been announced as his mate, because of the timing, but everyone who was attending knew who I was to Monqilcolnen. When I’d suggested I stay among the crowd, rather than by his side, he hadn’t handled it well, snarling and yanking me close before bursting into tears. The serene mask he used to wear had been shattered by grief, and I doubted he would ever be able to reclaim it, at least to the same extent.
“Please,” he replied, his voice broken and weak. “Don’t leave me. I need you right beside me.”
“And I shall be.” I turned him toward me and palmed his cheek. Grief was evident in his tired eyes and in the slump of his broad shoulders, but he was whole, breathing, and here. I went up on my toes and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “Please allow me to braid your hair.”
Monqilcolnen never braided his long hair, but I wanted to do something for him this morning, since he hadn’t allowed me to help him shower or dress. He nodded, and I had him sit on the bed. I came to his side and gently sectioned his hair. I only braided a small section of hair on either side of his head, highlighting his noble ears and the long earrings he’d placed in his lobes.
