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“I do have one more announcement.” Taurek pauses dramatically. “This year in addition to all our aspirants who completed the challenge, we’d like to honor two who met and decided to mate. Please join me in celebrating Rylan and Iara.”
The room bursts into applause. Taurek calls for us to come to the front of the room. I try to resist, but my mother insists. My father gives me his ‘just go with it’ look. The next thing I know, my fated mate and I are hand in hand in front of the room.
I look out over the many happy faces. Some of them I met briefly over the competition. Most of them I barely knew. But they all seem to understand the bond that has been formed.Whatever happens next, Iara and I will only grow closer and mean more to each other.
Waiters circulate among the crowd. Their trays have glasses of borslot. Iara and I each take a glass. The crowd raises theirs to us.
“To life.”
Taurek’s leading the crowd, and they copy him.
“To life.”
“To love.”
“To love.”
“To Rylan and Iara. Forever.”
Iara wraps her arm around mine and raises her drink to her lips.
“Forever.”
“Do you promise?” she asks.
“Yes.”
28
IARA
The events and feelings I have encountered on this journey were more than unexpected. But tonight seems absolutely surreal. I came into this competition to prove myself, not looking for anything more than that. And now, I’m spending my last evening here, celebrating being engaged to my soul mate with strangers, friends, and family.
I hook my arm through Rylan’s and tug him down to my level.
“What would you do if I said let’s ditch this joint and enjoy our room for one last night?”
I see his eyes widen at my suggestion. I run my hand down his exposed spine gently watching his whole body tighten under my touch.
The festivities have been fun, but now that things have finally settled and this is the last night we have before making official arrangements, I want to take advantage of our celebratory mood.
“All these people will be at our ceremony. I think we can have this night to ourselves.”
“I think you’re more than right,” he whispers excitedly back.
I see him shoot a glance over at his parents and then back at me, “Let’s go.” He grabs my hand as we hurry toward our private room with a door and actual bed and walls. It feels like such a resort after our extended camping trip
We get to the room, and I jump onto the bed and lay there as if making a snow angel in the comforter.
“I don’t think we’ve done it on an actual bed yet, have we?” I ask seductively, kicking off my boots.
Rylan is watching me with hungry eyes as he hastily starts removing all of his clothing. “Nope. Sure haven’t.”
"Well, if you help me out of these clothes, I'm betting we can change that."
Rylan gives me a smirk as he stands there in his underwear. "Yes, ma'am." He approaches me on the bed, and I hold out my bare foot against his chest to stop him.
"Hold it."
