Page 163 of Until the Stars Fall

“Should we get dressed first?” I asked, giggling.

He looked down at me like I’d suggested something absolutely absurd. “What’s the fun in that?”

“I don’t know, Wolfie. Some things require clothing. Like having breakfast with your family in a few hours.”

Sighing loudly, he shrugged. “Perhaps. But this doesn’t.” Before I could say anything, he was stretching his arm out to the side, reaching for something. When he turned back to me, his lips wore an elated, peaceful smile as he held up the ring—my ring.

“I never asked you properly before, and for that I apologize.”

I giggled quietly, quirking a brow at him. “And this right here—naked in your bed—is what you consider proper?”

He ignored me and pulled in a long breath. “Lieke, will you accept this flawed heart of mine—my temper, my impatience, my odd timing of serious questions—and be my wife?”

Joyful tears stuck in my throat, holding my voice hostage so that all I could do was nod. Connor slipped the sapphire ring back onto my finger.

Placing my hand over his heart and reaching my lips up to his, I whispered my answer.

“Until the stars fall, Connor, I live for you and you alone.”

EPILOGUE

Connor

Lieke fidgeted beside me as the carriage pulled up to the front of King Vael’s castle in Arenysen. I had to fight back a chuckle. With how nervous she was, one would have thought it was our wedding day and not my brother’s.

“Settle, Sapphire,” I whispered, squeezing her hand once.

Dropping the curtain back into place, she turned from the window and eyed me sheepishly.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me today,” she admitted.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and tucked her close to me. Planting a kiss into her hair, I sighed and hunted for the right words to put her at ease. But what could I say when I didn’t know what was bothering her?

“Do I really need to wear the crown? It feels wrong when we’re not married yet,” she said, and I glanced down at the gold tiara in her hand. Its large sapphires, accented by diamonds, were almost as dazzling as my mate’s eyes.

“It’s not wrong when it’s tradition,” I explained. “My mother actually wore this crown when my Uncle Cian married Ellae. Granted, that was a slightly less formal affair than today’s.”

“Impending war does tend to put a damper on things, doesn’t it?”

“A bit,” I said, regretting that I’d taken the conversation down such a depressing path.

The carriage door swung open, and I leaned over to kiss Lieke’s temple before inching away from her and lightly settling the tiara into her golden waves. I waited, watching as my bride took the footman’s hand and stepped out into the late afternoon sunshine. Joining her, I offered my arm, and together we strode into the castle’s grand foyer.

The bright, cheerful voice of Calla Vael greeted us at once, as she and my brother strode toward us. Calla immediately stole Lieke away, and Brennan elbowed me.

“Hello, brother,” he said, flashing me a crooked grin.

I flicked a glance toward Calla and Lieke, who now walked ahead of us, arm in arm. “Your bride looks happy. So do you actually.”

Brennan lifted a shoulder. “She may not be my mate, but I feel blessed all the same. Not sure what I did to deserve such a female—or what she did wrong to get stuck with me.”

“You have more to offer than you think,” I said, and he laughed.

“No need to flatter me just because it’s my wedding day.” He paused to look behind us toward the door. “Where’s your right-hand man? I didn’t expect you to travel without your bodyguard.”

“He had to stay behind. We’re still looking for that spy that got away.”

Brennan’s brow tightened with worry. “There haven’t been any more attacks, have there?”

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