Her Mates

36

The warmth of the room wrapped around me like a cocoon, the scent of my mates grounding me in a way that was becoming more familiar by the day. After everything that had happened, the pain, the betrayal, the fear—I had been teetering on the edge of doubt. But tonight, that doubt was gone. Because tonight, I was finally ready to let go.

I sat in the center of the massive bed, surrounded by them. Their gazes held no hesitation, only patience and an unspoken promise. They were here. With me. For me. And I knew, without a shred of doubt, that they always would be.

Dorian sat beside me, his fingers tracing gentle circles along my wrist. His touch was grounding, steady, the quiet strength that had kept me standing when I felt like I was about to fall apart. "Are you sure?" he murmured, voice rich with emotion.

I turned to him, searching his gaze. "Yes. I trust you. I trust all of you."

The weight of those words settled over the room, shifting the atmosphere into something deeper, heavier. Killian, who had been leaning against the headboard, ran a hand through his dark curls, his stormy eyes darkening. "You have no idea what that means to us, princess."

A shiver ran down my spine at the way he said it—like a vow, like a promise never to break me.

Hunter was quieter than usual, his usual playful smirk replaced with something raw. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face, his fingers lingering. "We'll never let you regret this."

Emilia, who had been sitting at the edge of the bed, moved closer, her hazel eyes shimmering with understanding. "And we won't let you fall alone ever again."

My heart clenched at their words. The love I felt for them was overwhelming, crashing over me like a tidal wave. I had fought it for so long, but now, I was drowning in it, and I never wanted to come up for air.

A deep breath, a slow exhale. I reached for them, for all of them, and in that moment, there was nothing else but us. Hands tangled in hair, fingers traced over bare skin, lips found their way to mine, gentle at first, then deepening with a hunger that mirrored my own.

Tonight wasn't just about passion—it was about surrender. About trust. About love.

And as I let myself fall into them, into us, I knew I was exactly where I belonged.

The days following the attack had been a blur of recovery and whispered reassurances. I was healing, but the wounds ran deeper than just the ones on her body.My mates hovered around me, never letting me out of their sight for too long. The realization that I had nearly been taken from them had left a mark on each of them in their own way.

It was late afternoon when I found myself sitting outside on the balcony of the packhouse, wrapped in a warm blanket, my eyes fixed on the treetops. The sun cast a golden glow across the forest, but I couldn't fully appreciate its beauty with the weight on my chest. A soft breeze brushed against my skin, making me shiver slightly.

"You should still be resting," Juri's deep voice pulled me from my thoughts. He stepped onto the balcony, closing the door behind him. His silver eyes held concern, but there was something else—a quiet, unspoken fear.

"I'm tired of resting," I admitted with a sigh, shifting in my seat. "I need to feel normal again."

Juri crouched beside me, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Then tell us what you need, little one. Anything."

I hesitated before answering. "I need to know this won't happen again."

Juri exhaled, a mix of frustration and pain in his expression. "It won't. We won't let it."