Page 13 of Villainous Fate

Also, Alaska is a no. While we didn’t mind the cold as much when we shifted and ran warm even in our human form, the idea of shifting back in that weather and being exposed to the harsh winters solidified our resolve there. Hawaii was out due to the lack of wolves.

We talked about moving down to Texas, New Mexico, or Southern California so we could live somewhere a little warmer. Montana, Wyoming, or Idaho to have some land to ourselves. The Dakotas or the Carolinas for the terrain. We had options; now, we needed allies.

Opening my eyes, I find Deacon staring at me as he draws lazy circles on my arms.

“Remind me again why we’ve never worked out a coffee maker,” I grumble, smiling as I take in the sun dancing across his deep olive skin. Oh, how I dream of that skin. As someone with a pasty white and freckled version, I often wish to achieve the sun-kissed perfection that glistened year-round and only bronzed itself more in the summer months. It made his eyes appear brighter and highlighted how they lit up when he smiled.

“I mean, electricity may have something to do with it,” he chuckles while leaning to kiss my nose lightly. I scrunch away while secretly loving when he does it. “Grab your clothes. We can go get breakfast before our last day,” he finishes, and I see a bit of sadness shadow his smile.

No.

Not today.

I slide my hand up to rest on his cheek, forcing him to look at me while I climb onto my knees to be at his eye level.

“It’s not our last day. We have a million more sunrises and sunsets—thousands more breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. We have a lifetime of date nights, important ones and unimportant ones too, time for arguing and making up, relaxing and working hard, parenting and grandparenting. Our story will not end until the last sound of laughter leaves our lips and the last embrace in your arms is no longer warm on my skin. We will have love, Deacon, and we will have our always,” I say with nothing but confidence fueled by The Fates themselves.

This is our future. I can feel it.

“I mean, if I have to,” he responds, rolling his eyes with a grin, pulling me in for a deeper kiss, and letting his hands wander as I giggle. He rolls me to my back, looming over me with solid arms on either side. His lips pull back from mine, and his smile finally reaches his eyes, lighting them up like fireworks.

“Always, Tails.”

I burn the memory of his expression in this moment to my brain, knowing I will treasure it every second that he’s gone. Eight months is a long time, but with love as strong as ours, what could possibly defeat us?

Chapter 8

Deacon

Idon’twanttoleave. I know I have to. I know it’s necessary, but I don’t want to. Every fiber of my being wishes I could package her up and bring her with me. Not because she isn’t strong enough to stand alone but because I don’t know if I am.

It’s been the two of us for as long as I can remember, and I don’t know if I can breathe without her. It’s all I can think while I watch her put on a brave face for me while sucking down her strawberry shake. We spent the morning having breakfast at our favorite hole-in-the-wall and then went on a run that took us around the outskirts of town.

The chase lacked its usual enthusiasm, both of us warring on the inside. I could see her trying but knew the light-hearted nips were for my benefit.

Even sitting across from her at the diner, sadness shrouds her. It is palpable, and it makes my wolf restless under my skin.

We are hurting her.

On a logical level, I understand why we need to finish this, but my wolf only feels her distress and wants to fix it.

We can’t fix it.

We are the cause.

I reach across the table, grab her hand, and spin the ring she wears on her left finger—the promise ring I gave her at the tree house. It didn’t cost much, but I designed it to encapsulate all we were. Unending and connected through nature and love. She hadn’t taken it off outside of shifting since that night.

I could always look at it and know our future was solid. Know that even if we were mad or stressed, we would get through it. It was my visual proof of our love.

Her hand slides on top of mine, stopping the movement and drawing my eyes to her.

“You have a lot to worry about in the coming months: proving your strength, finding allegiances, and holding up the story that you are loyal to the Marlo pack. The one thing you don’t have to worry about is us. It’s just time. It’s just space. It’s temporary.” She says, trying to reassure the part of me that has always believed that I wasn’t enough.

Enough for her, the pack, my family.

When you grow up in the shadow of love, that darkness can seep inside you, touching all of the places you try to make bright.

Grace is everything bright in me. Without her, there's only darkness.

---