Page 135 of Conflicted

Quill’s expression darkened. “Don’t you start. I’ve had enough of this from the others this week.”

“We’re right to be concerned,” Jeremiah drawled as he descended the staircase, greeting Micah with a nod. When he got close enough to scent us, he paused, his eyes widening. “Wait, are you bonded?”

I nodded, unable to stop my grin. “Why don’t you gather the others? We’ve got quite the story to tell you.”

By the time I was done, I’d been punched by Jeremiah, burned by Darius, and kicked by Dahlia. Quill had just munched on his cereal, as though he didn’t have the energy to do more than glare at me. Turned out they were more than a little pissed to hear that I’d gone through all of this without calling them.

“I just don’t get it.” Dahlia was pacing, her jewellery clacking together as she vibrated with fury. “After everything we’ve been through together, why thefuckwouldn’t you call us to back you up?”

Micah, although not loving the fact that they were violent towards me, privately agreed with them. He alsohad zero issues throwing me under the bus. “He didn’t think you’d be willing to put yourselves at risk.”

Darius shot another flame at me, but this time, it bounced off the shield Micah had put up.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? We’vealwayshad each other’s back. You should’ve told us, plain and simple,” Darius said.

“It’s not that,” I said weakly. Well, it wasn’tjustthat. “I didn’t want any of you put at risk. We’ve all been through enough shit over the millennia. I figured it was time I dealt with some alone.”

“That’s bollocks,” Jeremiah growled. “We’re a family. It’s what we do.”

My throat thickened, and I had to stare down at my hands while I collected myself. “Thank you.”

Dahlia stopped pacing as everyone fell silent. I glanced up to find them all gaping at me, even Quill, milk dripping from the spoon he held in mid-air.

“What?”

“You said thank you,” Jeremiah murmured in shock. “You’ve never said thank you before.”

I shifted in my seat as Micah laughed, cupping the back of my neck teasingly. “I must be rubbing off on you.”

“Ooh, if you’re going to rub off on each other, can I watch?”

Both Micah and I turned deadly glares on Jeremiah. “Fuck off and find your own mate,” I said.

Jeremiah visibly shuddered. “No thanks, that’s a hard pass from me. I’ll stick to meaningless hookups. Less chance of heartbreak that way.”

Micah and I exchanged a secret grin.Famous last words.

After promising the demons I woulddefinitelycallthem next time I found myself in the shit, Micah and I packed up my meagre possessions. None of my friends cared that I was moving out. It wasn’t like I was going far. Only two streets away.

Besides, I’d see them next week for Ez’s birthday party. The property was impossible to find unless one of the Seraphim lifted the wards for you once or, as we’d discovered with me, if one of the unit happened to be your fated mate. We’d arranged for them to come early so that Micah could lift the wards, and then they’d be free to visit as often as they liked.

Well, most of them. I suspected Quill would refuse to leave the house. Again. I had no idea what we were going to do about that, but hopefully it wouldn’t be long before a solution presented itself.

“Are you sad to be leaving them?”

We were in Micah’s bedroom, loading my clothes into the drawers he’d cleared out for me. “No, not really. It’s just…it’s a change. You know?”

Micah smiled in understanding. “I totally get that. But you’re really going to be happy here? With me?”

“Come here, little angel.” I pulled him into my arms and held him tight. “Feel me in the bond. Feel how much I want to be here.”

“I do feel it,” he said, his voice muffled by my shoulder. “But I kind of need to hear it too.”

Putting my fingers under his chin, I lifted his face until he was looking at me. “I love you, little angel. I’ve chosen you, and what’s more, I willalwayschoose you.”

Micah melted, his smile as bright as the goodness within. “I love you too, Nox.”

We kissed, and I realised I didn’t resent all the time I’dspent in Hell, longing for Micah without knowing it. I’d do it all over again if it meant we ended up right here, in each other’s arms, where we were meant to be.

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