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“I know we’ve not always seen eye to eye,” she said, holding his gaze steady. “But I agree. You’ve given too much already. You deserve a little happiness with your mate.”
“You deserve to be happy, too,” he replied softly. “You both do.”
“We’ll have it,” she assured him. “Don’t worry.”
Leaf’s brow arched. “You’ve seen it?”
“No. But I feel it. And as Prime, I can continue the work I’ve already started. Everyone supports me, so that’s good enough for me. Once the final three of the Twelve find their Well-blessed mates, something tells me we’ll have our solution to defeating your twin, Nova.”
“I hope so,” she replied. Her somber expression brightened. “We should have a dinner to celebrate. Don’t you think? Your daughter is home. You’re going to make a magnificent leader. We survived! Wait. Too soon?”
She cast her gaze around warily.
Clarke let go of Leaf’s hands. Probably because of the way Rush glared at the joining but also because she seemed at peace with her decision. Perhaps the Well already knew this when it afforded her Aleksandra’s tithe of power. Perhaps it also knew something they didn’t, and Clarke needed that boost for a reason.
Clarke smiled at Nova. Genuine warmth bounced between the two women. “I think a dinner is a perfect idea. Laurel said something about cocktails just now, but to be honest, adding food to the mix is better for everyone. The sooner we give Willow a positive, routine environment, the better.”
As they passed the Six’s empty house, Clarke stopped again. She tugged Rush to her side and pondered the darkness. “Something about what they did doesn’t add up.”
“What do you mean?” Rush’s deep rumble contained a hint of threat as he faced the decrepit house.
“It’s just, they went to such pains to keep Willow alive long enough for them to claim her as their queen.”
Rush growled, disapproval rumbling off his tongue.
“Pipe down,” Clarke sighed at him. “They’re gone now. You can feel it. Even that house seems like… well, just a house now. And… I don’t know. What if we move in there instead of the Prime’s old house? Maybe Haze and Peaches can take Aleksandra’s, then the Twelve will have their child-free house back.”
“You want to move in there?” Rush’s brows lifted.
“With a new paint job, it won’t be so bad. Besides,” she said. “If I’m in that house, I think I’ll be able to connect with their vibes, you know? I want to know why they left a young woman they insisted was their true queen—one they said was so rare. Think of it this way, would you have left me if I lost my connection to the Well?”
“Fuck no.”
“See?” Her pondering gaze returned to the dark house. “I don’t think they meant to leave Willow after she lost her mana. There’s more to the story. We owe it to Willow to find out what it is.”
Leaf clapped the dismayed shifter on the back. “Good luck, Prime’s mate.”
“Fuck off,” he grumbled.
Leaf laughed heartily and tugged his mate home. His laughter became a roar after he heard Clarke behind them say to Rush, “I like this new Leaf. He’s funny.”
The mood was somber when Leaf and Nova walked into the house. A few Guardians had gathered in the lounge room for some elixir or ale. Laurel had a cup shaped like an inverted triangle on a stick. He’d come to learn this was her cocktail glass. Leaf tried to sneak past with Nova, but Laurel noticed and invited them in. He winced and kept walking Nova toward the staircase.
“Hey,” she snapped at him. “Hoja de Los Guardianes.Maybe I want to join them.”
“Not unless you want me to fuck you in front of everyone,” he whispered hoarsely in her ear. At her responding hitched breath, arousal squeezed his cock. “I need to feel you, Estrella.”
He needed her smell, her arms around him, and to be buried balls deep inside her. He wanted all of it, and she came first. This battle had been harder on her than she wanted to admit. He wanted to give her time alone to recoup. Nothing was as important to him than her wellbeing. Not some stupid drinks with umbrellas in them, and not even spending time with this family.
“We can come back later,” he promised quietly. “After I make you come at least once.”
She all but purred as she slid her hands around his neck. “Will you do that thing with the water?”
“I can hear you!” Thorne’s voice boomed from the living room.
“Yeah, lovebirds. Get a room!” Indigo chuckled.
Nova giggled and ran up the stairs. Leaf chased her, caught her, and trapped her in his room. His clothes were off in seconds. Hers were next. Then he claimed her with hard, vicious thrusts until he lost sight of his original goal to make her feel good first. She had a way of consuming his logic with all that shining beauty. After he finished, he apologized for his frenzy by doing all the things she wanted—with water, with heat, with his tongue, and then again with his cock. Afterward, while they lay panting and recovering in bed, contentment spilled through every limb in his body.
