One year later.
Zaira's POV
The huge victorious fire lit up the dark cold night and flickered blazing red as the wind rustled through the jungle leaves and assured a cool breeze.
Chilling, I wrapped my bare arms around myself as I watched my friends dance and enjoy themselves around the fire. Shortly before that, I was also among the dancing crowd, but when my back became sore and I had to sit down.
Reha standing next to Georgie and laughing at something with her, Xenos standing conspicuously close to Arya. Then there were Beau, Arrow, Joy and Devon who were all enjoying the drinks and maybe had a glass or two too many. And finally all the healer werewolves laughing and dancing around the fire. They were all there to party with us through the night.
Everything except Nick. He hadn't survived the war. A demon had killed him when he was attacked in front of the tent. And I couldn't even thank him for protecting me.
Although Aramis had assured me that I was not to blame for his death, I couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling. He had given his life so I could run away, how could I not feel guilty?
I would never feel any different, I knew that. And that was okay. Wars left their mark and nothing could be done about it. However, what I could do was try that a battle like this never happened again and someone had to give a life for me.
Of course, Aramis was also present. He was reluctant to leave me alone, and now he was even more overprotected than usual. Although I always teased him about it, I loved it. How he protected and cared for me, never in my life had I felt more loved than with him.
"Come here." Aramis had sat next to me on the log and was pulling me onto his lap. As soon as he wrapped his arms around me, I warmed up and snuggled up to him. "Are you alright, Vinea ? "
"I couldn't be any better," I replies, turning to face him so he could see my smile, then planting a quick kiss on his lips.
He growled and hunger flared in his green wolf eyes. "And how is she?" he asked as his hand spread over my round stomach.
"But you do know that it could also be a boy, right?" I laughed and put my hand over his. "She," my eyes twitched up at him briefly, "or he, is apparently going to be a really small fighter . The kicks are getting stronger and harder every day."
"Once you're out, wolfie, I'll show you how to fight properly," Aramis said lovingly as he bent his head down to my stomach.
"Even if it's an omega?" I asked, running my hands through his dark curls.
"More than ever, then," he announced, straightening up, teeth flashing at his grin. Then he snapped at my bottom lip with a snarl. "Got you."
The kiss went to my heart and set our mate band on fire.
"I love you," I whispered softly so only Arami's wolf ears could hear.
His hand gripped my neck. "Let's go home."
Home meant our small but beautiful house in the middle of the jungle, where we lived as a couple. Reah and Xeno's territories were not far away and within easy reach in wolf form, which might not have mattered to Aramis, but even more so to my omega wolf.
She needed a pack to care for, and being close to my friends who had already become a second family gave her a stability that couldn't just come from Aramis.
"You want to go home now? Why is that?"
"I still have a lot planned." He whispered and his eyes sparkled with a hunger that was so great that he promised a lot of pleasure.
"Okay, then let's go," I agreed, because who was I kidding? I longed for the same as he did.
When we lay in bed exhausted and deeply satisfied in the early hours of the morning, I snuggled up to him - which wasn't exactly easy with a huge belly like mine - and stroked his bare chest.
"You know what?" I asked into the silence, continuing to draw patterns on his torso.
"Hmm?" Aramis growled, eyes closed, one arm crooked under his head and the other wrapped around my waist.
"I would do it all over again. The whole hell with Alpha Blacke - I would relive it if only I got you at the end. You are worth it all."
Aramis trembled beneath me, his claws springing out. My breath caught when I saw the look he was giving me.
Then he grabbed my chin and planted a rough kiss on my mouth. "I love you, Zaira. Today, tomorrow and forever."
END