Page 22 of Deep Love

“I will.” Though I had no idea how to convince the Sun Goddess to give me what was actually a third chance with Delphi. The right words would come to me when I needed them, wouldn’t they?

“Kneel.” Lunai put her hands out as I sank to my knees in front of her. “Let the love in your heart guide you, wolf.”

I expected more ceremony, perhaps some chanting, maybe another magical haze, but none of that happened. I was kneeling in front of Lunai in the woods by the highway with Sylvie standing next to me one moment. In the next moment, I was in an all-white room with windowed walls that gave a view of the most beautiful gardens I had ever seen. Waterfalls cascaded from rocky heights, falling musically into glistening pools. Flowers of every kind and color stretched for as far as I could see out every window. Bright green moss growing on boulders looked so soft. I had an overwhelming urge to find a way out of the room so I could sit on that verdant carpet and soak up the glorious sunshine that bathed everything in golden light.

I’m in Heaven.

I had known that when Delphi talked of Seraphia, she’d been essentially describing Heaven, but I pictured it as a harsher place. One that would kick her out for something she hadn’t done. One that didn’t forgive.

But this place? This place was light and love and a tranquility that could never be found anywhere else.

And I’d never be anywhere else if I didn’t find Delphi and Solari and plead my case.

I scanned the room, but it didn’t have any doors, so I approached one wall of windows. Not surprisingly, they were made of seamless glass with no way of opening them.

“C’mon, Solari,” I said to the empty room. “I know you know I’m here.”

“I do.”

I whirled around from the windows to find the Sun Goddess sitting on a golden throne that was not in the room a moment ago. Did I not hear her enter because of her own powers or because I no longer had my enhanced werewolf senses of hearing or smell?

Which was incredibly weird, by the way. I never realized how much I relied on those more developed senses when in human form.

“And you also know why I’m here.” I folded my arms across my chest, going for a confident, down-to-business attitude. Or at least the façade of that attitude anyway. In reality, my heart beat so hard I worried it would short-circuit from too much activity. “Where is Delphi?”

“Getting fitted for new wings.”

I couldn’t tell if Solari was joking or not. Did goddesses joke? It seemed as if Lunai had a sense of humor so why shouldn’t Solari? Her face didn’t look particularly jovial, however.

“Lunai wouldn’t have sent me here if she didn’t truly believe Delphi and I are mates.” I dared to take a few steps closer to Solari. Should I kneel? Bow? Offer her my firstborn?

Firstborn.

It wasn’t until that moment that I pictured having children with Delphi. I’d put the entire idea of procreation out of my mind after she’d died. I didn’t want to bring a child into a world that didn’t have Delphi in it. Having a child with her now, however, was something I wanted very much.

“Something that could benefit everyone,” I said.

“What?” Solari’s blond brows lowered.

“A child,” I said. “Look, I came here to beg you to let me have Delphi back, to allow us to live the life we were cheated out of years ago. I still want that, but maybe we can all get something out of this deal.”

“Deal? I don’t make deals,” Solari said. “Especially with werewolves.”

“I have a human side too,” I pointed out. “I have a foot—or a paw—in both categories. I have the benefits of both.”

“You also have the flaws of both.”

“That’s true, but that’s what makes us all unique, right? That’s what time on Earth is all about, isn’t it? Making the most of the benefits, and learning from the struggles the flaws create,” I said. “It’s also about relationships. About finding a love that amplifies life. Humans need love. Werewolves need love, and I’m willing to bet angels are the truest form of love.” I spread my arms out to either side of me. “How could they not be in this beautiful place?”

Solari didn’t say anything, but she was so focused on me that I knew she’d heard me.

“What if you sent Delphi back to Earth with me, but you let her keep her wings and her status as an angel? She can have her human form, but act as a liaison between Earth and Seraphia. You originally kicked Delphi out because of some re-routing of souls, right? You discovered the mistake, but a liaison could have probably helped you avoid the mix-up altogether.”

A chair suddenly appeared beside me and Solari motioned for me to sit. I took that as a good sign that she was actually listening to what I had to say—what I was essentially making up on the fucking spot—and wanted to hear more.

I lowered into the chair. “I agreed to be Alpha of my pack. One of the Alpha’s duties is to make sure the pack has a succession of Alphas. The problems with the Ferguson pack right now are a direct result of our previous Alpha not having any heirs. Yes, it’s true that relations can step up, but it’s better to have a planned line of Alphas, ready to assume the role. That way the proper training can occur along the way.”

“So you want to have heirs with Delphi to get your Alpha cycle back on track?” Solari drummed her fingers on the armrest of her throne.

“I do, but if she remains an angel and we mate, our pups will be human, werewolf, and angel with their feet, paws, and wings in all three realms. Imagine the unity we could achieve, the new precedent of integration, the sheer awesomeness of what Delphi and I can create, and that can serve both you and Lunai.”

I’d gotten so excited with this idea that I’d popped out of my seat and paced in front of Solari instead.

“We’d be adding something to the world that has never been there before, something with so many possibilities.” I stopped in front of Solari. “All I need is Delphi, my mate, my angel, my deep love back.”

Solari angled her head at me. “I have seen some wolves that Lunai oversees who have the passion and energy that you have, but none that have so much light.”

Was that a compliment? It felt like a compliment, and compliments could only mean Solari was about to agree to my plans. I’d done it. I’d convinced her. I closed my eyes, relishing my victory.

When I opened them, I was standing in my driveway at my cabin on Rodgers Lake.

And I was alone.