Page 105 of Big Knot Energy (Shadowverse)

“It’s so beautiful out here,” I said quietly as though I might ruin the moment if I spoke any louder.

“Wait until you see my favorite spot,” he said, nudging his heels into his horse’s ribs and taking off at a faster clip.

“Wait! How do I make mine go fas—” I didn’t get the question out of my mouth before Pearl took off after Princess Fancy Pants and I clung to her like a spider monkey.

Luckily, Amir had taken some time to teach me how to hang on with my thighs, so I wasn’t holding onto the saddle horn for dear life the entire time.

But the speed still scared the crap out of me as my hair blewbehind me and I had to duck to avoid hitting a few low hanging branches.

A scream tore from my lips, but I couldn’t stop smiling and giggling. It was terrifying but so freaking thrilling at the same time.

Amir slowed until our horses were running side by side. “You doing okay?”

“This is amazing!” I said through laughter.

Tears were streaming down my face, and I wasn’t sure whether it was from the wind in my eyes, the adrenaline rush, or just sheer joy.

His megawatt smile beamed at me, sending butterflies fluttering through my stomach and making my heart thump like crazy.

Though the increased heartrate could have also been from the fact I was on a huge beast and running through a forest like some kind of fairy tale princess.

When Amir reached over and grabbed the reign from my hands, he helped steer Pearl down a small embankment. I was terrified I was going to go flying over the horse’s head or tumble over the side, but Amir was there. He wouldn’t let anything happen to me.

And the fact I felt that with such certainty sent a fresh wave of love and trust rushing through my system until it felt as though the whole world was cast in rainbows and shades of rose.

Eventually, Amir slowed our horses as we entered a clearing complete with a babbling creek.

“Oh my gosh,” I breathed out as my eyes went wide.

I was seriously inserted smack dab in the middle of a fairy tale, and my beautiful prince was watching me with the most heartwarming smile.

He stopped both horses and climbed off the top of Princess Fancy Pants before offering his hand and grabbing me by the hips to lower me to the ground after I threw one of my legs over the side of the saddle.

“What do you think?” he asked, his warm voice quiet as he guided me to the side of the creek.

The water was crystal clear, and every once in a while, I’d see a tiny fish or turtle swim past.

“It’s perfect. This whole day has been perfect.”

For a few hours, we got to pretend we lived a normal life, that I didn’t have a former alpha out there intent on making my life a nightmare, that there weren’t guards waiting for us to return so they could escort us back to the pack house.

Amir disappeared from my periphery, but I couldn’t stop gawking at the spring, the trees that swayed in the wind across the way, then tilting my head back to watch as a hawk circled overhead, its shadow following its path on the ground.

“I love it here,” I said, turning to find Amir on one knee, a black, velvet box in his outstretched hand. “What are you doing?”

“I know this isn’t the norm, and I know you don’t want a bonding ceremony. But I want you to be mine in every possible way. The alphas were able to mark you, to leave physical evidence of their connection to you, and I want nothing more than to be represented, as well.”

“What…” Words refused to leave my mouth.

“Will you marry me, Issa?”

“I…we could just get matching tattoos.”Really, Issa? That’s the first thing out of your mouth?

His smile faltered and uncertainty flashed through his eyes and over his face.

“Oh. Yeah…um…”

“Wait. That’s not what I meant to say. It…I…I’m ruining this. I’m ruining the moment.” Tears welled for a whole new reason. “Of course, I’ll marry you,” I said as his face blurred through the moisture welling in my eyes before rolling over my lashes and down my cheeks.

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