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“What are you thinking about, pup?”My spine warms as his voice enters me. I can hear the deepness of his true voice and it fucking breaks my heart that no one but me can hear such a beautiful voice.
I shake my head into Wren’s neck and he chuckles lightly, the vibration in his chest making me smile even though I feel impending doom about our entire situation. Rune presses in closer from behind, his lips brushing against my ear, but his voice stays in my mind.
“Don’t worry about North. We’ll figure this out, I promise.”
My stomach turns. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
He leans back, turning me to look at him as he sets his crimson eyes on me. His dark hair is sexy as fuck in the morning as it falls over his forehead.
“Who says I can’t keep my promises?”
“I do. You can’t keep promises if you don’t have control of the situation. This is all really out of our hands.” I hold his gaze and he frowns, brushing my hair back and pressing his lips to my forehead. Wren’s hands trail up and down my arm soothingly before he presses a kiss to the back of my head and wraps his arms around me tighter.
“You’re so stubborn, pup. Fine, how about this then—we will call them wishes. They’re my promises to you, but you can call them wishes if it makes you feel better.”He pulls his head down so our foreheads meet and our eyes dance together in the dim light.“And mywishis that we will make it out of this. I’ll keep you safe and you’re going to ruin Violet.”
My heart fills with so much warmth and tears are begging to fall.
“My wish is… to be with you forever.”
“Forever is a long time, pup.”
I stare into his soul with a hunger unlike any I’ve ever felt. “Can we kiss forever?”
His lips crash into mine and we hold one another’s faces like we’ll lose each other if we don't. His voice swirls in my mind.
“There’s no better wish than that.”
* * *
Moro takes us all out to the Pine Hollow Grove.
It’s the first time I’ve seen it filled with Hollows like it should have been the first time. There are so many of them, their winter coats thick and each one with their own characteristics. They seem so happy, and when Moro walks in they all swarm him eagerly.
I’m looking for one in particular.
My soul leaves my body when I spot the white fur with gold tips, deep eyes set on me as she runs right for me.
“Margo!” I cry as she crashes into me. She’s licking my face and whimpering happy cries as she greets me. Tears are already streaming down my cheeks but she quickly laps them up.
The males laugh behind me and Marley rushes up to meet my Hollow.
“Whoa, she’s beautiful!” The Moss Sparrow’s eyes widen with awe. “I’ve never seen one this majestic. She’s like light itself.” He buries his face into her fur and she hums low in greeting.
“Yeah, she’s pretty great, isn’t she?” I watch with so much pride at my sweet Margo. Finally… we’re together properly, with so many other Hollows in the grove all wagging their tails and waiting their turn for love.
Wren pats her on the head and moves to help Moro with the feeding buckets he brought along. Rune and Kastian join me and pet Margo. The fear in Rune’s eyes from his first encounter with the Hollows is long gone. Kastian laughs as my Hollow barks at him to throw her a stick.
“Let’s start by breaking out the Hollows,” I blurt out. Not entirely sure what first step we should be taking toward regaining the Rhythm, but this is important to me.
Moro and Wren smile wide, their breaths curling in the air as Marley jumps up and down with his fist in the air.
“Yeah! In Murph’s honor!” the boy shouts into the sky as if Wren’s lost friend can hear him.
Wren smiles and his eyes follow the boy’s enthusiasm into the sky above as he murmurs, “For Murph.”
I echo him. “For Murph.” Tears brim in my eyes but I keep them there. I’ll bring him back—I’ll bring everyone back, and then there won’t be any reason for us to shed tears anymore. I’ll fix this…
“For Murph.” Kastian’s ocean eyes flicker respectfully to the Cypress and they share a hopeful smile.
