Chapter 106

Killian:

I kept my arm wrapped around Eleanor as her words played in my head as she slept in my arms.

The fact that we were having a girl was something that brought more joy to me than I could have pictured, and the fact that she would be raising my princess along my side, as the mother that I would have always wanted for my children was something that made my heart skip a beat. 

“You are my redemption, my healing, my angel, and the light in the dark world that I live in, malyshka.” I whispered to her, careful not to wake her up. I knew that our story was hard, and I knew that the pain that the two of us have gone through was one that no one should have lived with. But it had to go the way that it did for us to be able to grow.

I knew that I wouldn’t have met her if not the way that I did, and I know that I wouldn’t have loved her as deeply as I did if not for everything that the two of us went through together.

The memory of her hiding when I first met her played in my head, and I couldn’t help but smile at it. 

“Who would have known that the two of us would be coming this far, huh, baby?” I asked, my voice softening as I ran my finger over her shoulder, gently massaging it. She curled up in my arms, and I couldn’t help the small smile that formed on my lips when she sighed in contentment as she slept. “I know that I wouldn’t have guessed that I would have found my other half the way that I did, but I don’t regret a thing of it.”

The fact that she was not only my mate, but supposedly my enemy, being her father’s daughter made her that. I knew that I wouldn’t have spared her a second glance if not for the way that I met her. And I knew that I was more than a little thankful for her and for the love that she gave me despite everything that she went through, she chose to trust me, and that meant more to me than my words could describe.

“I give you my word, malyshka, that not only would I honor you, our mating, and love; but I will also be sure to be the remedy that you always wanted to find, I will be the reason that you not only smile and trust, but the reason that you know that you are loved, appreciated, respected, and valued. I want you to be my forever queen, and I your king, baby girl.” I whispered to her before kissing her temple. “As for our princess, I am going to be sure to not only love and keep her safe, I am going to be sure that she is loved by everyone around her, that she is respected by everyone that approaches her, and that she is treated as the queen that I am going to make her out to be. She is going to have her mother’s kind demeanor and her father’s strong heart. She is going to be our fruit of love, and I am going to be sure that everyone values it.” 

“But first, I am going to do something that you asked me about when we first met.” I said, whispering my last words. “Just as you made my birthday hers, I will make the day that she died, the date of her life again. She is going to live through her garden, and I am going to be sure that everyone knows it. However, first, I want her to be the first to witness the surprise that I have for you…” 

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“Killian, I am going to fall.” Eleanor said, and I chucked, shaking my head at my beauty. I kissed her shoulder, and she sighed, putting a hand on her stomach.

“You know for fact that I would be holding you more securely than I would be holding a baby.” I said, and she laughed. I removed my hands from her face, allowing her to see the table that I had set in my sister’s garden.

It has been a good while since the two of us came down here. With everything that went on, I knew that we both didn’t have the time for it. But just as she asked, curious to know why I kept it locked, I am going to open it, allowing everyone to come and see what the family’s hero left behind for us.

My sister’s memory was not going to go in vain, and I am going to be sure to honor her. And that was going to start with her memorial, which my children, grandchildren, and all the pack members would be enjoying, loving, and respecting. 

“What is this?” Eleanor asked, shaking her head in question. I smiled and wrapped my arms around her from behind, kissing her cheek as I did. She purred in response, and I ran my hand over her stomach where I knew that our little angel was growing.

“You once asked me why I didn’t open the door of the garden. I told you my reason and you never pushed me to do it, clearly making sure that you not only respected my choice, but that you respected my pain.” I said, letting her go before pushing her toward the table. She frowned in confusion as I opened the silver lid of the plate that was in the center of the table, and I got down on one knee, looking at her as she turned to face me as she held the envelope that was in the center of it.

Two words were written on it, and the smile that was on my beauty’s face as her eyes teared up made the whole thing all the more special.

-Marry me?

“You made my birthday special to me, making sure that you told me that you wanted me to come back to life, to allow my sister to live through me.”

“Killian…”

“She died after the two of us were here, protecting me, and I am going to honor her memory by making the day of her death, the day that she not only lives through me, but that she lives through the two of us. She is to be the witness of our love, as she was the witness of it sprouting when we first came down here to see her roses.” I said, pulling the box out of my pocket before opening it. The diamond ring rested in the center and I looked my mate in the eye, studying her expression as I fought to find the right words to describe how I felt. “You entered a dark world, one that no man dared to face, rather than running away, you rested and settled in my heart in a way that I never thought possible. You loved me the way that I was, and respected me for what I was, who I was, and who you saw. You saw the good in me when I knew that I had none, and you became the light of my day.”

“I fell in love with you, more and more with each passing day, and I find myself growing more addicted to you, your smile, and your presence.” I said, taking a deep breath as Eleanor’s smile grew. Her cheeks reddened, and both our hearts raced. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my carrying my name, living the rest of our lives together in what they call a legal marriage by being my wife, Eleanor Bernardi?”