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She took time off of work, feigning sickness and fever, but as the days passed, she began wondering how bad of a mistake she had made. There were no strong arms to comfort her and wipe her tears away.
The mornings were empty, and the nights were lonely. It had been nearly a week, and she hadn’t heard a thing from Magnus, not that she expected to. She had been clear on what she wanted, and that was time and space.
He was respecting that, but at the time, her fear had spoken for her. She didn’t realize how hard it would be to be away from him. She missed him terribly.
As the hours passed, she began to seriously question her decision. While looking at it from his perspective, all he did was protect her. He put a team of shifters around her apartment and her job, just like he said he would.
He fought tooth and nail, literally, to prevent any harm from befalling her, sustaining his own injuries in the process. God, what an ungrateful brat she had been after the fact. But, in her defense, she was so scared.
What would it cost her to make amends? Would he take her back? Would he still want her after she walked away? She had to try.
She knew if the decision was made to be with him, then she had to accept the fact that it could be a dangerous life. But if he could protect her from Carvin, then he could protect her from any and all threats. She could live with that.
She leapt off the couch, showered quickly, and decided to go to him. Once she was in her car, she looked up and saw the full moon. Her heart pounded, and all she could think was that he had gone to the masquerade without her.
If he did, I’d deserve it, she thought. In an attempt to rectify things, Alexis stopped at the store on the way to Magnus’s cottage. She purchased the most outrageously large bouquet of flowers she could and an obnoxiously big box of chocolates, reminiscent of his first attempt at winning her over.
Her heart pounded on the drive to his place. She was terribly eager to get there. With her favorite music blaring, she drove slightly over the speed limit.
The turns and twists of the back roads that led to his house were dark, lit only by her high beams and the light of the moon. It was eerily similar to the night that she met him. She hoped the similarities were a good sign.
Alexis’s heart sank as she pulled into the driveway and saw all the lights were off. Maybe he really did go to the masquerade without her. She rolled her window down and pulled all the way up to the front porch, staring at the spot where she had stood as she watched the battle.
The memories assaulted her for a moment, but now, as she thought of them, she thought of Magnus protecting her, and the fear was replaced with an affection for the man who wanted so badly to keep her safe.
But he wasn’t here. Just as she was about to leave, the smell of a campfire wafted in through the open car window. Could he be out back? She grabbed her bouquet and the chocolates and got out of the car.
Just as she rounded the house, she saw Magnus sitting beside a small fire he had built, tossing wood into the orange flames. His head whipped around at the movement, and when he saw Alexis standing there, he froze.
As he pulled himself to his impressive height, she took a tentative step toward him.
“I was wrong, Magnus. I’m sorry,” she said, holding out the flowers, which she could barely do with one hand. Her injured wrist was wrapped in a bandage, and offered absolutely no help.
He held up a long finger, silencing her, and made his way into the house. With a frown on her face, she watched his retreating back but made no move to follow him. He returned a moment later, something small clutched in his large hand.
When he was in front of her, he dropped to one knee. Her gasp turned into a toothy smile when she realized exactly what he was doing.
“Alexis Nixon, I love you more than anything, and this last week without you has been absolute torture. I will give you everything, and I promise I’ll keep you safe from every shifter that wants to kill you.” Her resounding laughter made him smile. “If you’ll marry me.”
The flowers and the chocolates dropped unceremoniously to the ground as she held out her uninjured arm. He held the diamond ring at the tip of her finger while he waited for her answer.
“Yes! Yes! I’ll marry you.”
The ring slipped onto her finger, and she barely had time to admire it before he was back on his feet, crushing his mouth against hers. She wrapped her good arm around him, kissing him back with fervor.
“I missed you,” she murmured. “I’m so sorry. I was so scared, and I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“I know, it’s okay. But don’t leave me again.”
With promises to stay by his side for eternity, Alexis took a seat between Magnus’s legs, and the two watched the fire burn lower and lower.
TWENTY-SIX
ALEXIS
The fire crackled and popped, sending sparks dancing into the blackness of the night. The full moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale light over the campsite. Alexis and Magnus sat close to the flames, their faces illuminated by the dancing orange light.
On Alexis's hand was the gorgeous ring that signified her bond with Magnus. He had chosen it just for her. It made it that much more special to her. The stone glinted in the firelight, sending rainbow hues dancing across Alexis's face. She couldn't stop admiring it, repeatedly holding it up to the light and watching it gleam.
