Page 55 of A Crown of Fates

We strip free from our clothing, and I fall back onto Theo’s bed, a place I’ve never been before but suddenly have no desire to ever leave.

He starts to lower himself, kissing his way down my chest, and as much as I know every part of him will likely make the stars explode behind my eyes, I need him inside me before I shatter.

“I’ve waited too long for this moment,” I say breathily, bringing him closer for another kiss.

Without needing more explanation, he slides his hand between us and his fingers part my center, making me jump from the feather-light touch.

Gods, this is going to be quick.

“You’re utterly divine,” he whispers, his stare staying on mine as he guides himself toward me.

I reach up, cradling his face and holding him close while he pushes forward. My hips come up, meeting him in the middle, and my legs fall open, needing him as close as possible in this moment.

Theo kisses me, a gentle demand. He inches into me, stretching and filling me completely. I suck in a breath, adjusting to him, my moans of pleasure the only sound in the bedroom.

His teeth scrape over my neck, causing me to clench harder. “I could stay here forever,” he whispers in my ear.

I slide my hands over his back, encouraging him to move again. As much as I agree with that statement, I might also combust, and not in a good way, if we stay still.

His chuckle makes my heart swell. “As you wish, mate.”

Our hips move together, slow and purposefully at first. The glow of our bond pulses within my mind as our bodies collide, and I almost expect a blast of magic to ignite between us, but no such luck.

Delicious tension starts to make my toes curl as he moves over me, kissing every inch that his mouth can reach without breaking our closeness. The coiling of my muscles travels slowly up my legs and around to my spine before striking deep in my core.

I meet his thrusts with renewed eagerness that Theo easily matches. He stops kissing me, his full attention on my face, his eyes staring into mine. “I love you.”

Those three words detonate the last of my restraints. My nails dig into his shoulders and my back arches, pushing my chest into his. My heart feels as though it might break through my skin at any moment.

My lungs work overtime to catch their next gasp of air and spots fill my vision as I blink rapidly, desperately needing to see my mate’s face once again.

When he comes back into view, I give him the biggest smile I’m capable of considering my current state and say what my heart was feeling long before I was ready to admit it. “I love you, too.”

He lightly pushes my hair back, and his grin matches my own. “My mate.”

“As it always should’ve been.”

He brushes his lips over the tip of my nose. “As it always will be now.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

THEO

Dawn breaks, the golden light filtering through my heavy drapes, softening the shadows that clung to the room last night. The air is quiet except for Estee’s steady breathing. She’s resting once again, her chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm that soothes the storm inside me.

I lie beside her, not touching her, though the pull of our bond makes it almost impossible to stay still. I don’t want to disturb her. The faint pink on her cheeks is proof that she’s healed, but the image of her pale, broken form in the shadow realm lingers. It’s burned into my memory, as though Orix left his mark on me as well.

She stirs slightly, her body unconsciously shifting closer to mine, and my heart constricts. I focus only on her, my gaze tracing the lines of her face, the softness of her lips, the curve of her cheeks. She looks peaceful, and I wonder how long it’s been since she’s truly felt safe. Even when she arrived in Selaris, there was an edge to her. A hardness that refused to shatter, but one that provided her with a strength that acted as a barrier between her heart and the world. A place that constantly let her down.

I’ve spent years running from my mistakes, from the lives I failed to save, from the promises I never fulfilled. I thought thatby keeping everyone at arm’s length, I could avoid hurting them. But I see now that all I did was damage them in a different way.

My eyes fall closed, and I let out a shaky breath. With Estee’s presence beside me and the bond that now flows freely between us, waiting to be solidified, each is a reminder that I still have time to make things right. She’s given me a chance I might not have deserved before, but I won’t waste this opportunity. Not for me or Estee.

I’ll earn her love, not through words but actions. I’ll rebuild Selaris, not for the crown, but for the people who’ve been waiting far too long for a leader to rise.

As if she senses the shift in my thoughts, Estee stirs again, her eyes fluttering open. Her gaze meets mine, and for a moment, the weight of my guilt lifts. She smiles, a small, sleepy curve of her lips that ignites warmth in my chest.

“Good morning,” she murmurs, her voice soft and laced with exhaustion.

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