Page 48 of Destined Bear
But I am determined. “I do have to explain it to you. You’re my mate, and I love you. It has always been you, Viv. Even the pack knew that when Brynn was coming around.”
She cocks her head skeptically. “What does that mean?”
“It means that even before it didn’t work out, they knew it wasn’t going to work out. You and I were always destined to be together. Everyone knew it. But I still had to think of what was best for the pack.”
She studies me intently, and I wonder what she’s thinking. But I don’t have to wonder. We’re so closely connected that I can feel her emotions swelling through her skin and seeping through my fingertips. I absorb her, feel her uncertainty, and inhale deeply.
I’m certain she can sense my emotions through our bond, but I still need to tell her with words. “We were never going to be apart. You have always had my heart.”
Love pools in her eyes, and she stares up at me. “I can’t believe how close I came to losing you.”
“Thankfully, we never have to think about that again, do we?”
Our lips meet, and she sinks into my arms, the past behind us.
She sighs against my lips before stepping back. “I really do want to check on Mom.”
“Come on.” Keeping my arms securely around her waist, I guide her back toward the house, her body fitting securely against me.
Our footsteps echo hollowly through the halls as we make our way toward the guest suite. “What are we going to do with Millie?”
I stop. “We don’t have to discuss that right now.”
She sighs. “I know, but we will have to discuss it, eventually. We might as well talk about it now. Will Roman want her back?”
“That is the most likely scenario, yes.”
She inhales sharply. “You heard what he said about traitors and what they do to them.”
I brush my fingers across her cheeks. “If she was conspiring with Seline or whoever else, that would make her a traitor. And if that’s how things are dealt with in Stonecrest, there’s not too much I can do about it.”
“I don’t want to be responsible for someone’s death.”
I stifle a sigh and close my palms around her face. “She can’t get away with conspiracy. And what if she really was harming your mother?”
“I just need to know for certain what she did. If she harmed my mother and tried to weaken our pack, her punishment will need to be harsh. But I don’t want to hand her off to Roman until we know for sure.” She shakes her head grimly. “And what do we do about the rest of our pack members who were conspiring with Stonecrest?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know if there were any, honestly. Heath heard a lot of complaining, but no one seemed to be working with Stonecrest to overthrow me.”
She exhales in a whoosh of breath. “I suppose that’s one good thing.”
I chuckle and brush my lips against hers.
The door to Circe’s bedroom flies open. We part, gaping in horror as the healers fly out in a wave.
“What happened?” Our voices ring through the silent house like a shot in the dark.
“Miss Vivienne! Alpha!” Isodore, the tallest healer in the group, rushes forward, a huge smile on her face. “Come quickly! Miss Circe has finally woken up!”
Circe stares at me uncomprehendingly, her green eyes darting between her daughter and me for a long moment as if she’s trying to understand who we are.
“Circe, do you know where you are?” I take her hand in mine as Vivienne kneels by her bed, head bowed over her mother’s other clasped hand.
My head swivels toward the healers at the foot of the bed. “Has she said anything yet?”
“She asked for Miss Vivienne.”
Vivienne’s head jerks up at the mention of her name. “She did?”
