Rapunzel

6

Noah had no idea what it meant when his mate had said the witch thought her to be the Great Fae. All he knew was that she was so much more strikingly beautiful now than before. He should have felt fear at the power that had been hiding inside her, but he was just proud.

She had fallen asleep immediately after calming down, so he carried her up to her chambers. He had placed her on the bed, her shimmering gold wings were wrapped around her still, encasing her body and hiding her from sight. Now, he sat beside her and stroked her hair as she slept.

He couldn't wait for her to open her eyes. To see those emeralds that always hold so much love for him. It rivaled his own feelings for her. He would gladly lay down his life for the woman in front of him, and he will do anything to prove to her family that he does not want to hurt her. She groaned slightly, rolling onto her side, facing him.

"Zel, my love, wake up. Come back to me."

Her eyes flitted behind the lids, and he watched as they slowly opened, focusing on him. A blank look sat on her face, and then she smiled. She sat up, stretching her arms over her head. Her wings uncurled from her body and exposed the glowing white dress that had materialized with the wings. It accentuated her curves, but also was a very modest dress, the skirt going to her ankles and full length sleeves.

"When did we go back to my chambers?" she asked groggily, yawning as she leaned against his shoulder.

"You fell asleep from all the crying, so I brought you here to be comfortable. Your parents asked me to bring you back once you awaken. They want to explain to you what the Great Fae is. I'm curious about it as well."

She nodded, sliding off his lap and going to a mirror. A gasp tumbled from her lips as she took in the golden wings, white glowing dress, and the fact that her hair had grown so much. It lay in blonde waves down to the middle of her back, soft as silk. She ran it through her hands, a smile rising on her lips.

"I've never had hair this long before. The witch made sure it never grew past my shoulders."

Noah got to his feet and stepped up behind her, his hands rubbing her upper arms. "What she did to you was horrible and I can't imagine what it was to actually go through that. I know it will never leave your memory, but hopefully our future can outweigh your past. Don't you ever worry about trying to make me happy. As long as I have you, I'll be the happiest man alive."

She spun and wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging tightly to him. He wrapped one arms about her waist, the other hand coming up to gently hold her head to his chest. The contact made his beast sigh in content. He felt the goosebumps raise on her skin as he brushed his lips against the top of her head.

"I won't ever leave you, Noah. You're the first person who has ever showed me love outside of the mandatory love that comes with being family," she mumbled, tightening her grip on him.

His chest rumbled in approval and she pulled her head back to look up at him, a smile on her face, and love filling her eyes. He bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead, the hand that he'd had on her head now cupped her face gently. She leaned against it, eyes slightly shutting as she found comfort in his touch.

"If you ever try to leave, I will chase you down and show you how much I love you," he said, causing her to laugh. "Now, let's go before I get in trouble for keeping you all to myself."

She sighed, stepping away from him. As she started for the door, he lurched forward and grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers. Her smile grew and she squeezed his hand before making her way through the halls. He allowed her to pull him along by their conjoined hands.