The promise settled between us, weighted with both challenge and possibility. Aeson rumbled his approval within me, his earlier exuberance settling into steady contentment. ’Good mate,’ he observed with satisfaction. ‘Strong mate. Our mate.’
I leaned down, drawn to her as inevitably as tide to shore. Her eyes fluttered closed as our lips met, the contact igniting sparks that raced through my veins like lightning. The bond between us flared brighter, stronger, feeding on our physical connection until it felt like standing at the centre of a star. My hands remained gentle against her face, but the kiss itself deepened, carrying hunger and promise and relief.
Emma's arms wound around my neck, fingers threading through my hair as she pressed closer. The simple trust in that gesture – in allo
