Page 63 of Samuel
We’d been so caught up in the chaos of fighting the rogues, of trying to survive, that we hadn’t really talked about the future.
Now, with everything behind us, the question lingered between us.
“What’s next for us?” I asked, breaking the silence.
Samuel looked down for a moment, as if considering his words carefully.
“I’ve always been a nomad,” he began. “Never really stayed in one place too long. But now… after meeting you, I think it’d be nice to put down roots for once.”
He hesitated, then added, “Zane’s always said there’s a place for me in Sky Stead. And of course, that includes you.”
I bit my lip, nerves flaring up at the thought of joining his pack.
“Do you really think they’d welcome a former hunter like me?” I asked, my voice soft, uncertain.
Without a word, Samuel reached up and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
His touch was so tender, so full of reassurance, that it made my chest tighten.
He leaned in and kissed me, slow and sweet, his lips warm and familiar against mine.
When he pulled back, he looked me straight in the eye.
“It won’t be a problem,” he promised. “You’ve retired from the monster hunting business, after all.”
I laughed softly, though it was tinged with a bit of self-doubt.
“I don’t know what I’ll do,” I admitted. “Hunting was all I knew. That used to scare me.”
Samuel tilted his head, his gaze searching mine.
“But not anymore?” he asked quietly.
I smiled, the answer coming more easily than I expected.
“No, not anymore. I have time to figure out what I want to be, what I want to do next. But I do know one thing,” I told him.
He raised an eyebrow, waiting. “What’s that?”
“I can’t wait to find out what’s in store for us,” I said, feeling the truth of it settle deep in my bones.
Then, with a deep breath, I added, “I… I think I love you, Samuel.”
His eyes widened slightly, and then a teasing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“You think?” he teased gently, his voice full of warmth.
I laughed again, my heart feeling lighter than it had in days. “Okay, IknowI love you.”
Samuel kissed me again, this time with more certainty, more passion. When he pulled back, his forehead rested against mine.
“I love you too, Blake.”
And in that moment, everything felt right.
THE END
