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He was silent for a moment.
A long moment.
He released my hair, sliding his hands down to my ass. “I couldn’t save my family. During the war, I led one of the armies. One of the packs. My family was in my army. My parents, both of my brothers, and my sister. I didn’t bother trying to talk them into sitting out of the fight. They wouldn’t have listened. We were on the front lines the first time the humans turned their bombs on us. All of us were hit, but I survived, just barely. They didn’t. I couldn’t save them.”
Shit. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. I’m just glad you’re here with me now. And I hope you know I’ll protect our family, no matter the cost. I won’t lose the people I love again.”
My throat swelled. “I know.”
“I created the pack after losing them, but it wasn’t intentional. I retreated and built my cabin to grieve on my own, after the war ended. Others who survived followed me. More followed them. We were all in pain, and we couldn’t turn each other away. So the numbers grew, and we were forced to relocate to town. Wildwood wasn’t built on joy—it was built on shared grief.”
“Maybe I belong here after all, then.”
“Of course you do. You’re mine.” He captured my hand off his shoulder and lifted it to his lips, brushing a kiss to my knuckles.
“There’s the possessiveness,” I teased lightly.
“There will always be plenty of it.”
“That, I don’t struggle to believe.”
His lips curved upward again.
“So, how do we seal the bond?” I asked.
His gaze warmed. “It’s as simple as one of us invoking the magic, and the other agreeing to the bond. There’s a Latin word that does it.Aeternum. It means forever.”
“That simple, huh?”
“Mmhm.” He kissed my knuckles again.
“ThenAeternum, Arch. I’m yours, and you’re mine.”
His eyes grew molten. “I’ll spend the rest of our eternity doing everything I can to make you happy.Aeternum, Vee.”
The magic of the bond washed over me.
It wasn’t sharp, or painful.
It was soft.
Intimate.
Strong.
Tears stung my eyes as I felt something stretch between us. Something powerful, and permanent.
Madd kissed me slowly.
His erection was rock-hard inside me, but I wasn’t horny. And after he released my lips, I noticed that he still looked tired.
“You need more sleep,” I said, my fingers brushing lightly through his hair.
“So do you.”
“Take me to bed then, Mate.” I flashed him a smile.
