Chapter 199
Elowen's POV
I didn't care what Sarah was screaming behind me. Honestly, I didn't care about her at all anymore. The woman who'd made my life hell for years was nothing but a distant echo now—meaningless noise in the background of my real life.
All I wanted was to crawl into bed and wake up to discover this entire nightmare had been just that. A nightmare.
"You're really going to leave them out there with her?" Juno's voice dripped with jealousy, sharp enough to cut through my exhausted fog.
I pushed open the door to our room—mine and the twins'—and stepped inside. The familiar scent of pine smoke and cold ore wrapped around me like a blanket. "If Sarah wants to seduce our mates—let her try! I trust them."
And I did. God help me, I actually did. After everything, after Drake and the lies and the manipulation, these two men had proven themselves. They'd chosen me. Marked me. Fought for me.
I was the one who'd fucked up. I was the one who'd made mistakes I'd regret forever.
"Your brother," Juno said softly, and even she couldn't hide the wonder in her voice. "That feels... weird."
"Weird but right," I agreed, sinking onto the edge of the bed. My fingers traced the mark on my neck—Cassian's mark. Then the other side—Casper's. Both were still sensitive, sending little sparks of pleasure-pain through my system.
"I'm not ready," I whispered. "I'm not ready to deal with that gift yet. I have a little family of my own that's under threat, and I need to protect them first."
A knock on the door interrupted my spiraling thoughts.
"Come in," I called, expecting maybe Luna Ella or one of the staff.
Instead, three massive male bodies filled the doorway.
I looked at them and smiled. God, I was lucky. So fucking lucky.
"Sarah's been dealt with," Cassian announced, his ice-blue eyes scanning me for any signs of distress. "She won't bother you again."
Casper moved to my side immediately, his warm presence a contrast to Cassian's cool assessment. His fingers brushed my cheek. "You okay, Little freckle?"
"I'm fine." I caught his hand, pressing a kiss to his palm. "Thank you. All of you."
Ronan lingered by the door, his emerald eyes softening as they landed on me. He looked almost shy, which was strange for someone who radiated such dangerous energy.
"I thought you didn't like hurting women?" I raised an eyebrow at him.
He shrugged, that predatory smile playing at his lips. "That wasn't a girl. Was it?"
Despite everything, I laughed. Actually laughed.
Ronan moved further into the room with the confidence of someone who belonged here, flopping onto the bed like he owned it. "So what are we watching?"
"We?" Cassian's voice held an edge.
"We are not watching anything," Casper said firmly, moving between Ronan and me. "This has been a long morning. We need to make some hard decisions."
"Plus," Casper added, his voice dropping to that husky tone that made my stomach clench, "I was about to fuck my mate until she forgot her own name."
"CASPER!" Heat flooded my face.
But Ronan was already moving, graceful as a cat, landing on his feet with barely a sound. Before I could process what was happening, his arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me into a hug that felt... safe. Protective. Brotherly.
Tears stung my eyes immediately. This was what it felt like. This was what I'd been missing my entire life.
"I've always wanted a sister, you know," he murmured against my hair. "You should know that."
His lips pressed against my forehead, and something in my chest cracked wide open. The gesture was so tender, so genuine, that I couldn't hold back the sob that escaped.
Behind me, I heard Casper groan. "UGH!"
Through the bond, I felt his frustration warring with his desire to make me happy. He wanted to make good on his promise—God, did I want that too—but more than that, he wanted me to be okay.
And that's exactly why I loved him.
"Any plans to pin her down need to be put on hold," Cassian said, but there was laughter in his voice as he sprawled on the bed.
Casper approached us slowly, his hands cupping my face as he gently extricated me from Ronan's embrace. His lips found my hair, pressing kisses to the strands. "Rain check, baby cake," he whispered, and I knew he was thinking about what Raven had called me earlier.
He pulled back with a playful wink. "I'm picking the movie though."
But we both knew—we all knew—that he'd let me choose. They'd both let me choose.
Because that's what love looked like.
Not control. Not manipulation. Not fear.
Just... choice.
And protection.
And home.