Page 66 of Protected By Artemis

His stomach tightened as he looked at her. “What is it?”

She took a deep breath, her fingers trembling in his grasp. “The reason I’ve stayed a virgin for so long…” Her voice faltered, and Cade’s heart clenched, sensing the pain she was about to reveal. “It’s because The Fates told me that my children would be mortal. I couldn’t…I can’t bear the thought of watching my children die while I remain in this world, unchanged.”

The words hit him hard. He could see her anguish and the fear she’d carried for so long. Gently, he reached up and cupped her cheek, forcing her to look at him. “Artemis,” he said softly, his thumb brushing away a tear. “I can’t even imagine how that must feel. But you don’t have to face that alone. We would face it together every step of the way. I’ll be there with you, no matter what happens.”

“But Cade…would that really be enough?” Her voice cracked, raw with vulnerability. “To bring children into this world knowing I’d have to watch them grow old and die? I don’t know if I could survive that.”

“It would be enough,” he said, his voice firm, resolute. “Because we’d make every moment count. I can’t promise it won’t hurt, but I can promise that I’ll love them, and you, with everything I have. No matter how hard it gets, it would be worth it. I want that life with you, Artemis. I want everything, even the pain.”

Her head dropped for a moment as if weighed down by centuries of fear, but he wasn’t going to let her carry it alone anymore. “You don’t have to carry this burden alone,” he whispered. “Let me in.”

She shook her head as if wrestling with herself before finally looking up at him. “I’ve never allowed myself to believe I could have that kind of happiness,” she whispered. “I’ve always kept this wall up, telling myself it was better this way.

“How can we be mates when I’m immortal, and you’re not?” the sadness crept into her eyes again as she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “I know you would never choose to become immortal and live in Olympus.”

His heart tightened at her words, a wave of fear washing over him. The thought of her rejecting their bond now, after everything, made his wolf howl in desperation. “Artemis…” he began.

“I can’t be immortal if we’re going to be together,” she said, her gaze locking onto his. Her eyes were fierce and determined, like she had just made up her mind about something monumental. He felt a lump form in his throat as she continued. “I’m going to give up being a goddess.”

His heart stopped. He stared at her in shock, not quite processing what she’d just said. “What? Artemis, you can’t?—”

But she wasn’t finished. “That’s the only way I can be with you,” she proclaimed, her voice steady. “And the only way we can have children. Mortal children. It’s perfect.”

Her eyes were bright with that same determined, wild look she got when she was focused on a hunt, her hunter’s face, and he knew at that moment that nothing he said could change her mind. It terrified him.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice barely steady. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because I want to be with you, Cade,” she said softly but with absolute certainty. “I want to have kids with you. I want a life with you. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”

He stared at her, his emotions swirling in a storm of love, fear, and hope. He couldn’t imagine her giving up herimmortality, her place as a goddess, just to be with him. But he also knew, deep down, that this was what she wanted, what she had decided. And when she made up her mind, there was no turning back.

He cupped her face in his hands, his thumb brushing her cheek as he searched her eyes. “You’d give up everything for us?” he rasped.

She nodded, her eyes filled with resolve. “Yes. For us. For our future.”

His heart swelled with awe and fear, but he knew he couldn’t argue with her. He pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes as he tried to hold back the flood of emotions. “I love you, Artemis,” he whispered, his voice thick with gratitude and love.

“I love you too,” she whispered back, and for the first time in a long time, Cade felt like everything would be okay.

Epilogue

Artemis

One year later…

“For the last time—leave. Me. Alone.”

“My lady, please,” Hannah pleaded. “The Alpha said you’re not to lift a finger.”

“But this event is for me,” she reasoned.

“Exactly. Now, please, come down from there. We’ll have one of the boys do that instead. I’ll direct them myself.”

Artemis let out an exasperated sigh as she stared down at Hannah from atop the ladder. With a grumble, she let the garland fall to the ground as she accepted the hand the older woman offered.

“Thank you,” Hannah sighed. “Now, I’ll climb up the ladder, and you stay there and tell me what to do.” With a warm smile,glanced down meaningfully at Artemis’s growing bump. “We can’t let anything happen to the heirs, now can we?”

Artemis supposed she was right. After all, she was no longer an invincible immortal. “Fine, but make sure that the garland is straight. I don’t want it crooked.”

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