Chapter 173: Chapter 173
Kyra’s POV
The familiar touch of his fingers. His tongue against my skin. The intensity of his brown eyes. The gentle rumble of his voice. Everything about Nathan makes me feel both vulnerable and powerful. He ignites excitement, stirs nervousness, causes pain, and creates joy within me. Without him, I feel incomplete.
I rolled to the right side of the bed, my gaze landing on the bare muscled back of the man sleeping beside me. Morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across his skin.
His touch lingered on my body, reminding me of our night together. Each kiss, each whisper, each moment replayed in my mind. How he confessed his deep love for me. How he proposed marriage. How his lips claimed mine with such hunger.
I bit my lip and cautiously lifted my hand. My fingertips brushed his shoulder, feeling the hardened muscle beneath warm skin. I wanted to touch him forever.
"Ready for round two?" Nathan’s sleep-roughened voice made me jump.
He turned onto his back, brown eyes finding mine. My heart raced as our gazes locked.
Was it real? Did he actually propose last night? Did he truly forgive me? Did he genuinely want us to start over—him, me, Snow, and our unborn child?
"What’s going on in that beautiful mind?" Nathan asked.
My mouth opened but words failed me. The events of last night still felt dreamlike, too perfect to be true.
"You’re so quiet," he murmured. "Having second thoughts?"
"No!" I blurted out. "Just making sure I’m not dreaming."
Happiness swelled in my chest, making my heart pound almost painfully.
His lips curved into that familiar smirk I’d fallen for years ago.
"You’ve loved me all this time. How blind was I not to see it?"
I narrowed my eyes. "Now you’re just showing off."
Nathan laughed, reaching out to brush hair from my face. "Can you blame me? I wake up to find a gorgeous woman watching me sleep, completely in love with me."
"Maybe a little modest, aren’t we?" Sylvia teased inside my mind.
Heat rushed to my cheeks as I studied his handsome face. Time had only enhanced his features, adding maturity to his jawline and depth to his eyes. He was handsome before, but now... breathtaking.
He shifted to face me completely. "Where should we get married? What kind of wedding do you want?"
I tucked my hands under my pillow and smiled. "Something grand. I want a veil so long it trails from the entrance when I walk down the aisle."
"A woman who knows what she wants," Nathan chuckled, his expression soft with amusement.
These quiet moments together felt precious. This intimate time we’d missed for so long.
He reached for my hand, intertwining our fingers. The perfect fit of our hands together fascinated me. Everything about us seemed to complement each other perfectly.
"Your wolf is purring," he observed with a smile.
"Sylvia’s happy," I admitted. "She’s been waiting for this too."
I caught him staring at our joined hands, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. His eyes, now focused on me, shone with contentment.
"A grand wedding it is," he said. "With a cathedral-length veil. What about guests? Planning to invite those girls who bullied you back in school?"
I laughed and playfully kicked his leg under the sheets. The warmth of our naked bodies pressed together felt natural, comfortable.
"Those girls didn’t notice me when I was just the nerdy bookworm. They only started their campaign against me when you and I became friends."
He smirked. "They were jealous. All of them wanted me."
"Conceited much?" Sylvia snorted.
I rolled my eyes. "You were the cause of my high school misery, you know. But also the source of my greatest happiness."
His expression softened, growing serious. "You’re my happiness too, Kyra. When you disappeared, I lost my smile. Everything fell apart. I promised myself that if I ever found you again, I’d do whatever it took to keep you safe and show you how deeply I love you."
"Mate," Alaric’s voice rumbled through our bond, his presence strong and protective.
"You’ve done that," I whispered, emotion thick in my throat. "Thank you for letting me know I’m loved."
Nathan’s thumb traced circles on my palm. "You won’t regret giving us another chance. I’ll marry you anywhere you want. I’ll love you in every way possible. You’ve trusted me with your heart again, and I swear I’ll protect it this time. Not just as your friend or husband, but as your lover, your mate, your other half."
The morning sun cast a golden halo around his tousled hair. In this moment, with our bodies tangled together and promises hanging in the air, I felt truly complete.
"I know you will," I whispered, moving closer until my lips brushed his. "We’re bound together, Nathan. This time, nothing will tear us apart."
"Not even the Moon Goddess herself," he murmured against my mouth before claiming my lips once more.
