Page 107 of Monster's Pretty Bride

Naranus isn’t graceful. He’s a warrior, not a dancer. But he follows me, his grip strong, his movements surprisingly fluid.

The villagers whoop and cheer, clapping to the beat.

I laugh, spinning, twisting, until my pulse pounds from something other than battle. His hands grip my waist, pulling me against him as the world spins.

“You planned this,” he accuses, low in my ear.

I smirk. “Maybe.”

We dance until the stars turn. Until the night air is thick with laughter, warmth, belonging. Until there is nothing left but the sound of our hearts beating in time.

He takes my hand, leading me away from the crowd, away from the noise.

Away, until it’s just us.

The bonfire’s glow fades, replaced by the soft silver light of the moon.

I lift my head, breathless, giddy. He watches me, silent, steady, eternal.

“You’re mine now,” he murmurs, fingers brushing my cheek.

I press into his touch. “I always was.”

His lips capture mine, deep and lingering. A promise, sealed in moonlight.

I am home.

48

ERYSS

The night is thick with the aroma of wildflowers and burning embers, the village still alive with laughter and music in the distance. But here, in the sacred quiet beyond the celebration, beneath the watchful eye of the moon, there is only us.

Only him.

Naranus stands before me, his golden eyes glowing, smoldering. His body, a perfect mixture of power and warmth, strength and tenderness is poised, waiting. He has fought battles, conquered enemies, and yet, in this moment, I see something raw and unguarded in his expression.

Love.

I am undone by it.

A breeze teases through my hair, brushing against my exposed skin, but it is nothing compared to the heat rolling from his body as he steps closer.

"I never imagined this," he murmurs, his deep voice curling around my heart, tightening like an unbreakable bond.

I swallow hard. "What?"

His hand lifts, tracing a slow, reverent path along my jaw. "A future." He presses his forehead to mine, his breath hot against my lips. “A life where I was not alone.”

Emotion swells inside me, thick and overwhelming. I reach up, threading my fingers into his dark hair, my voice barely above a whisper. "You're not alone anymore."

He exhales sharply, as if those words are the only battle cry he has ever truly needed. And then, he kisses me.

A kiss that consumes.

A kiss that seals.

His lips capture mine, moving deep and slow, reverent yet hungry. The bond between us thrums to life, an undeniable pull of fate, of destiny.

---