"Still figuring out the mate… err wolf part," I admit, pushing hair from his forehead. "She's... present. More settled after last night, but definitely still there."
He nods. "You'll learn to work together rather than fighting for control."
"She likes you," I say, the words emerging before I fully form the thought. "The wolf, I mean. She's very... possessive."
His smile turns predatory. "As is mine." His hand moves to the mark on my neck, fingers brushing it lightly. Even that gentle touch sends a shiver through me.
I consider asking about what comes next, about this world, about so many things. But the warmth of the furs and Fen's body, the pleasant ache in my muscles, and the contentment flowing through the bond make it all seem distant and unimportant.
"We could just stay here," I murmur against his chest. "Just for today."
His arms tighten around me, lips pressing against my hair. "The world and its problems will still be there tomorrow."
"Is that a yes?"
I feel his chuckle rumble through his chest. "Yes, Astrid. That is a yes."
Something about those simple words settles deep inside me. Today is ours. Tomorrow might bring new challenges, enemies to face, a world to navigate with my new form and this bond between us. But for now, there's only this—warmth, connection, and the unfamiliar but welcome sensation of being exactly where I'm supposed to be.
I've never been one for fairy tales or happy endings. Never believed in fated connections or soul mates. But as Fen's breathing deepens and I follow him toward sleep, the wolf inside me curled contentedly around this new certainty, I think perhaps I'm beginning to understand.
This feeling. This belonging. It’s love. I know it is.
And it fits.
Episode 12
CHAPTER 41
Time To Meet The Grandparents
* * *
Fen Thorsson
I wake to the warmth of Astrid's body pressed against mine, her back to my chest. Her sweet scent surrounds me. I breathe it in, letting it fill my lungs, committing it to memory.
My wolf prowls beneath my skin, satisfied yet restless. Mine. Ours. Finally.
When I trace a finger down the curve of her spine, she sighs in her sleep, shifting closer. Trust. After everything she's endured, she trusts me enough to sleep deeply, vulnerable. The warrior in me recognizes the gift that is. The wolf treasures it.
It's still difficult to believe that after centuries of searching, of feeling incomplete, she's here—my mate, claimed and bonded, curled against me as though she's always belonged there.
She has.
Approaching hoofbeats in the distance makes me tense. I pull Astrid closer and press my lips to her hair.
"What is it?" she murmurs, instantly alert despite having been asleep just moments ago.
"Someone's coming," I say, already sliding from beneath the furs. Time's up. Part of me knew they'd send someone eventually. I’m surprised they waited as long as they did. "On horseback."
Astrid sits up, the furs falling away to reveal the glorious expanse of her skin, marked in places by my mouth and hands. I can't help the surge of possessive pride.
"Are you expecting someone?" she asks.
"Likely someone from Odingard. From the palace." I move to the window, peering through the frost-rimmed glass. "Can you hear them? Focus. Your wolf should be able to."
Astrid is beside me in an instant, her naked body pressing against mine as she looks out. “I do, now that you pointed it out.”
