Slowly.
Sweetly.
Blissfully.
When we were done, I cuddled up against him. His arms were around me, holding me close.
“I think I’m in love with you, Beck,” I whispered, voicing the words that had been running through my mind.
It was too soon.
Everything had happened too fast.
But I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.
“I’m in love with you too, Si. And I always will be. Aeternum.”
Aeternum was the word to ignite a mate bond.
It meant forever, and sealed two souls just as long.
I didn’t have to reply.
I knew I could’ve stayed quiet.
Beck would’ve waited as long as I needed him to, despite our conversation about sealing the bond soon.
But I didn’t want to wait.
I wanted him to know that I cared about him just as much as he cared about me.
“Aeternum,” I murmured back.
For a moment, time stood still.
Tingles ran down my spine and through my body.
I felt as something within me changed, falling into place when our bond sealed our souls as one.
We were far from perfect, but we were together.
We were committed.
And I couldn’t wait to see what our future would hold.
epilogue
BAUTHER
Our three-year-old ran around the house with Tori and Vex while Sienna bit into a croissant. She was leaning up against me, using her rounded belly as a table to hold the sugar cookie she was going to have for dessert.
“I can’t wait to be as far along as you so I have a built-in table,” Love complained, her hand resting on her own small baby bump. “All I have right now is gas.”
“Gas is way better than the tiny punk kicking you in the ribs. I’d take gas over a table any day,” Sienna said.
Both her pregnancies had gone smoothly, which was a damn miracle. I would’ve felt like shit if she’d struggled after I accidentally knocked her up.
“Dad!” our toddler yelled, sprinting toward me. He was a handful—one I was grateful for every fucking day.
