Chapter 40: Loving Each Other

-Rhys-

I woke up with Nova sleeping against me, my arm around her and holding her close, even in my sleep. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched her beside me. I could see my mark so clearly on her shoulder, and it filled me with pride to see it. She was mine now. The others might not like it, even tell me I was a fool for doing it when we didn’t know if we could trust her, but I knew. I could trust her. I could feel what she was feeling now, and I sensed no schemes or evil feelings from her side. Only the depth of her feelings for me. She truly loved me. There was no doubt about that, and I loved her. Now and forever.

“You’re so beautiful,” I whispered and leaned down to kiss her.

It made her wake up, and she blinked her eyes open and smiled.

“Hey,” she whispered.

“Morning.”

“I can’t believe it wasn’t a dream,” she said.

“Did you wish it was?”

She quickly shook her head.

“No, I was scared it was all just a dream, but you’re here.”

“And you are too,” I said.

Her smile grew and she scooted closer to me.

“I love being here with you,” she said.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, I never want to leave.”

I chuckled a little.

“We have to,” I said. “We need to go eat and then work with the others. You are a part of this now.”

She sighed and looked up at me.

“Do I have to be?”

I shook my head a little and then turned us, so I was hovering over her.

“You want to be with me, right?”

She nodded.

“Then you have to,” I told her.

She sighed.

“I always thought I had to be the perfect rogue,” she said. “Even though my brothers never allowed me to prove I could be. I think they knew I never would be.”

“You are perfect, Nova. We all have our flaws, but with your flaws, you are perfect in my eyes. Not as a rogue, but as my mate,” I told her.

I could see the tears in her eyes, but she quickly blinked, forcing them away.

“I am so sorry, Rhys,” she whispered. “For everything.”

“We are moving forward,” I told her.

“Are we?”

I nodded.

“From today, we are,” I told her. “Can you move forward with me?”

“Everyone hates me,” she whispered.

“Do you think they were a fan of Serena, to begin with? Do you think I was?” I asked her.

She shrugged.

“No, none of us liked her, even when she changed sides,” I told her. “But then she proved herself to us, and now she is one of us.”

“But I betrayed you …”

“But you tried to make up for it too. You came back,” I said. “And now I marked you.”

“Why did you?” she asked.

“Because I realized as we worked, I never want to be apart from you again,” I told her. “I need you in my life, despite it all.”

“You really mean that?”

I nodded.

“I mean it, little mate, you are mine,” I said.

I leaned closer and kissed her slowly, adoring her with my lips, and she moaned so sweetly that I really just wanted to stay in bed with her, but we couldn’t. We had work to do.

“I love you,” I whispered as I pulled back.

“Can you say it again?”

I chuckled a little.

“I love you.”

“One more,” she teased me.

“Nova!”

“What?”

“How many times do you want me to say it?” I asked.

“A hundred … thousand,” she said.

I shook my head and kissed her again.

“I love you, little mate,” I told her. “Now and forever.”

“That’s a long time.”

“You don’t think I can love you for that long?”

She smiled and ran her hand through my short hair.

“No, I think you can. I am just not sure if you want to. I am quite messed up,” she said.

“I wouldn’t have marked you if I didn’t.”

“No, I guess you wouldn’t,” she said and looked at me, taking me in, and I knew she was just enjoying this moment we had together. I was too.

“I know you’re scared right now,” I said. “But I will be there with you. Always.”

“I am betraying my own family.”

“The family who was ready to use you as a shield,” I said.

She nodded slowly, but I knew it wasn’t easy for her. It wouldn’t have been easy on anyone.

“They still raised me and took care of me.”

“I know …”

“I just … I wish it was simpler.”

“Me too,” I said.

“Maybe then we wouldn’t have been mates though. I mean if I wasn’t who I am,” she said.

I smiled a little.

“No, you were always meant to be mine,” I said. “Nothing can change that.”

“You sound so sure.”

“I am.”

“Do you think you can forgive me in the future?” she asked.

“Little mate, I already have.”

“What?”

“We are moving forward, right?”

She nodded.

“We can’t move forward if we cling to past mistakes,” I said. “Clean slate?”

“Clean slate,” she said.

“Good, then let’s get dressed and get something to eat,” I said and was about to pull away when Nova pulled me down for another powerful kiss, and I felt her open her side of the bond completely, letting me feel everything she felt.

Oh shit. I didn’t know she loved me that much. It almost overwhelmed me the feelings she had for me, but also made me so happy. There really was no doubt in my mind. Nova was mine, and nothing was going to take her from me.