Begin Again (Book One Of The Kingston Series)

Chapter Eighteen: Meeting The One, Twice

Chapter Eighteen: Meeting The One, Twice

"Meeting you was not the first day of the rest of my life.

It was the first day of the best of my life."

Kaden

My strides are long. I'm late. I have a meeting with the local witch. I pull my jacket closer to me. I am so cold. The lack of fur coat makes me always feel like I'm freezing cold. I spy a nearby tavern and I step inside.

"Watch where you're going!" A man spits out roughly. I look over. A head of long blonde hair is visible from my spot just inside the door. She is mumbling apologies. The man doesn't look impressed. I stride toward the two of them.

"The lady apologized did she not?" I tell them smoothly. The man looks at me. Fear dances in his eye for a moment before he turns and leaves. I turn toward the pretty little girl.

"Thank you," She looks up and our eyes lock. Mate.

"Mate?" She asks. Her eyes dancing with joy. She flashes her wolf eyes at me. I breathe in her scent deeply. Smelling wolf and wild berries.

"Mate." I repeat. I grin at her. She mirrors my grin. Then she starts giggling. I reach out. Grasping her face and pulling her close. "You are so beautiful. I must know your name."

"Annabeth." She breathes.

"My name is Kaden." I tell her. We both freeze at the same time. Speaking simultaneously.

"Anna."

"Den."

"You use shortened terms as well?" I ask her. Releasing her face and grasping her hand in mine. I grab her satchel and hook it over my shoulder.

"Of course," She looks at me and smiles. "I need to let people I care about know I love them."

"Marry me." I joke. Interlacing our fingers. "I have a farm. It's very big."

"Show me it!" She laughs. A laugh full of giddiness. "Wait, no. First we must tell my parents! Then I can get my clothes and we can get me settled. Then we can have a date night! And children!"

"Yes! Yes to all of that!" I laugh loudly. Stopping our journey to her home. I lean down and press my lips to hers.

"Will you stay mine forever?" She asks. After we get to my home. She is holding my face in her tiny hands.

"And ever." I promise. Brushing my lips against hers. She sighs.

~~~

3 Weeks Later

I kiss her lips. She opens her eyes tiredly. She pouts at me. Never an early riser.

"Wake up, Anna." I coo grinning. "The servants have made our breakfast. We have a whole day ahead of us."

"Can we just spend the day in bed?" She reaches for my face. Pulling my lips back to her. She pulls away and shoves a pillow over her head at the sound of my stomach grumbling. "Go eat. I just want a bit more time, Den."

"Anna," I warn. She doesn't move a muscle. I laugh. "You asked for it my gorgeous girl!" I grasp her tiny waist and pull her to me. She erupts in giggles and I pull her tight to me. She squirms a bit in my grasp.