Page 67 of Match My Fall
Ourfamily.
Ipulled out my phone and calledCassandra. “IhavePaige.She’sfine.I’mbringing her home.”
CHAPTER20
CASSANDRA
I’mbringing her home.
Valen’swords echoed in my head asIpaced before the front window, waiting for him to return withPaige.Althoughexhausted by scrying and the pregnancy,Iwas too anxious to sit.Wheneverthe sound of a car approached,Iglanced out the window, my heart beating faster.
Finally, what felt like a hundred-year long sleeping spell later, a car approached.ItwasValen.Myhand fluttered to my heart.Bythe timeIopened the front door, he’d parked.Bothhe andPaigeclimbed out of the car.Asshe bounded up the walkway,Iran toward her.
“Paige!”Ispread my arms wide and hugged her tightly.Thescent of her apple shampoo filled my nostrils.Shewas back.Sheclung to me, trembling.Tearsspilled from my eyes.Apart of me fearedI’dnever see her again.
Whenwe broke apart,Iasked her, “Areyou okay?”
“Yes.”Sheblinked through her tears.
“You’rehome now, sweetheart.”Myvoice cracked with emotion asIpressed a loving kiss to her forehead.
“Iwas scared,”Paigewhispered, her voice filled with vulnerability. “Daddysaid bad things about you andValen, butIknow they aren’t true.Hesaid he was taking me someplace safe.”
Rageroared through my veins.IfThornewas before me right now,I’dclaw his eyes out.Paigewas smart, though, and she didn’t believe his lies.Iexhaled slowly, trying to stay calm.Hewas impotent to hurt anyone right now.Pandoraand the others had restrained him.Theyhad taken him to a prison at theNetworkwhere he’d be unable to use magic and guarded by a gargoyle while awaiting the next steps.
“You’resafe,Paige,”Iassured her. “You’rehome.”
“Yes.”Paigewiped her eyes. “Valenfound me.”Sheturned to him and smiled. “Hebrought me home.”
Thesmile he gave her in return melted my heart.
“Ifyou ever need anything,I’mhere for you,Paige,” he promised.
Mylower lip trembled.Thiswas whatIalways thought a relationship between a father and child would be; not the distorted versionThornefollowed.Valenwould be an amazing dad.
“Yourmother is the one who figured it out,” he added. “She’sincredibly smart and resourceful.”
Paigenodded and hugged me once more. “Thanks,Mommy.”
Valen’sblue eyes locked on me.Somany emotions collided in my brain thatIdidn’t even have words to identify them.Hintsof strong feelings flickered across his features, and even his blue eyes glistened.
Throughmy chaotic emotions,Ifinally mustered two words. “Thankyou.”Thosewere minuscule to convey my immense relief.
“I’ddo anything for you both,” he declared.Thenhe glanced down. “Andour baby.”
Inthat moment,Iknew.WhatI’dguessed before now rang clear in my mind.Ourconnection went beyond attraction.Yes,I’dfallen in love with a gorgeous shifter, but whatIfelt was more than that.Therewas no doubt that he wasthe one.
Iswallowed the lump in my throat and nodded in my gratitude.Sure, our relationship might not be easy.Awitch and a wolf shifter from two different worlds starting a family together would take plenty of learning and adjustment.ButIwas more positive this time around.Valenwasn’tThorne; he’d never hurt me and abandon our family the wayThornedid.AndIwas older, hopefully wiser, this time around.
Wehad this.
“Let’sgo inside and have some hot cocoa,”Isuggested.
Aswe walked in,Istole a glance atValen’sprofile.Hecaught my stare and grinned.I’dforever be grateful for the timeItumbled in front of him down the mountain.Itled to a second chance at love and a growing family.
CHAPTER21
CASSANDRA
