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Zoe reached out, placing her hand on my arm. “Lucian,” she said softly. “I know what I want, and I want you. We both deserve this happiness. Don’t start questioning it now.”
I met her gaze, seeing nothing but devotion and truth in her eyes, then I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her.
We stood there in silence for a moment. It was a surreal experience, being able to hold her like this, knowing that she was now my mate for life.
Zoe looked up at me, her eyes shining with love and adoration. “So, how about we start working on my secret recipe?”
I smiled down at her, nodding. “Of course.”
She grinned, pulling away from me and heading toward the kitchen. As she cooked and experimented, I thought about what I could do to make our bond even stronger. I knew that she deserved a more formal declaration of our bonding, something more romantic and traditionally human.
Finally, an idea came to mind, a plan I would have to keep secret for now. It’d be something that would truly show her how much she meant to me.
But now would be too soon. She had the contest in a few days, and I still hadn’t done away with the threat of the imp.
I just had to wait for the right time.
Chapter 19
Zoe
“I can’t believe we’reactually here,” I breathed, gazing out over the crowded festival grounds. Lucian and I had arrived at the contest site early, and were now taking a moment to scope out the competition.
The judges were world-renowned chefs, each drawing a crowd of their own as they mingled among the contestants and spectators. There was excitement and anticipation in the air, and I felt a rush of adrenaline as I took it all in.
“Look at this crowd,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief.
“It’s a pretty big deal,” Lucian replied, smiling down at me. “You deserve to be here, Zoe. You’re a talented chef.”
I blushed, looking up at him. “Thanks.”
“Hey,” he said softly, taking my hand. “You’re going to be great. Just do your best and don’t worry about the results.”
I nodded, taking a deep breath. “Okay.”
Lucian pulled me close and kissed me tenderly. The feel of his lips on mine was enough to send shivers down my spine, and I felt a spark of arousal deep within me. The mark on my neck tingled, and I knew that my connection with him was even deeper than ever before.
“I love you,” he breathed the words for the first time, his eyes meeting mine.
I gazed up at him, my heart hammering in my chest as I whispered, “I love you too.”
Lucian grinned, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “Ready to win this thing?”
I smiled, nodding. “Definitely.”
The announcer’s voice crackled over the speaker system, announcing that it was time for the contestants to go to their stations. A surge of energy shot through me as I realized this was it.
“You’ve got this,” Lucian encouraged, squeezing my hand.
“Thanks,” I murmured, my heart racing with anticipation.
Like before, there was a designated cooking area, only this time the stations had been set up so onlookers could watch every contestant work. Lucian gave me a reassuring smile, then headed off to the stands to watch the show.
As I took my place at my station, the crowd quieted down as a speaker started crackling.
Soon the announcer called out the rules and regulations, and then, with a dramatic flourish, announced that the contest had officially begun. The crowd cheered, and the atmosphere became even more charged with energy as everyone waited to see what the contestants would create.
As I gathered my ingredients and began prepping them, I couldn’t shake the sense of dread that was washing over me. What if Jacob showed up again? I glanced around the contestant area, seeing no familiar faces.
