He fell silent for a moment, his amusement vanishing as his gaze took on a faraway gleam.
“We weren’t exactly friends after that, but we understood each other in a unique way that has carried throughout the years,” he continued. “I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of him biting you, but I’ll admit that I preferred him over anyone and everyone else.”
There were others? I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t find my voice.
And he wasn’t done talking.
“Shade’s always known you were mine. However, he fully mated you anyway. I’m not exactly surprised by that. He’s defiant by nature. But I also know it goes much deeper for h
im than that.” He pressed his forehead to mine, his eyes closing. “It goes much deeper than that for me, too.”
“You warned him I would be beautiful,” I whispered, recalling Shade’s words that day.
“No, I told him you were beautiful. I must have said it a thousand times when I was younger. I told him all about your flowers, your love of life, and how beautiful you were. It’d been a childlike comment at the time, because I meant you were a beautiful person. Now I would call you stunning.”
He lifted his forehead from mine, his eyes opening as he slid his gaze over me.
“Even with the spell, I can still see you, Aflora. And you take my breath away every time, even with the blonde curls and green eyes. You’re still my Flora beneath it all. My bright star. I’ll never see anyone else but you.”
A lump formed in my throat, my mind conflicted on how to respond. It was such a moving story, and yet, so incredibly wrong.
They’d all made so many decisions about my life, removing all my choices.
However, I also understood those decisions.
And if I were to truly evaluate them, to decide for myself, I wasn’t sure how much my choices would have varied from the outcome. Perhaps, initially, I would have fought for a different outcome, but knowing what I did now, I couldn’t see another path for me to have walked down.
It seemed like years ago that I sat in that cafe waiting for Glacier to arrive. I was no longer that delicate flower, pining after a boy who didn’t value my worth.
Now I stood in the arms of a man who had given up so much to protect me.
If this was all a ruse, it was a very convincing lie. Because I could feel his emotions in our bond, his sincerity a warm sensation creeping through my veins and going directly to my heart.
There were no words for me to say.
No accusations or rants.
I could fight him forever, hate him for deciding all this on my behalf, or I could choose to recognize how many of his choices had been stolen from him as well. I could choose to admire how he’s dealt with all the weight on his shoulders. I could choose to forgive him for his actions. I could choose to trust him. I could choose to embrace him.
I curled my fingers around his arms, feeling his heat and masculinity through the soft silk of his jacket. And then I went up onto my toes to press my lips to his, making the choice to kiss him. Making the choice to grant him a piece of my heart. Making the choice to allow this moment between us to grow. Making the choice to accept our intertwined fate.
It wasn’t perfect.
It wasn’t a fairy tale.
It wasn’t even kind.
But it seemed right.
I choose to believe you, I told him with my lips, kissing him gently. I choose to accept us.
He wrapped his arm around my lower back, his opposite hand still against my neck, and he returned my embrace, his tongue sliding into my mouth to find mine.
His essence swirled around me, his power an addictive flavor I wanted to revel in for all of eternity. My soul rejoiced, life thriving inside me as he awakened a dormant part of my spirit.
My long-lost mate.
My Kai.