Chapter 179 Chapter 178

Chapter 179 Chapter 178
Aloria.

I glance at Draven, and the latter looks perfectly composed as he carries my along. Through the bond, however, I can feel the quiet satisfaction radiating off him simply because I'm smiling.
My cheeks warm.

He's happy... because I'm happy. My heart flutters just thinking about it.

Kairos makes sure we don't drift too far, mindful of the fact that I'm not at my full strength. Regardless, we still end up having so much fun. We stumble upon some wild blueberry patches and pick some.

The moment is so lively, I can't stop laughing and soaking in every part of it.

Kairos even hunts a deer with nothing but his hand and a sharpened stick. He says it will be for dinner. Already, I'm looking forward to it.

Then we go in search of medicinal root herbs, and once we've gathered enough, we return to the cottage.

As we walk, I notice something strange that makes me fall so much more them. Neither of them tells me where to stand.
Somehow, without thinking, we've fallen into step together, Draven on one side, Kairos on the other.

It feels... natural.

As though there has always been a place waiting for me between them.

Once we're back at the castle, Kairos skins the deer immediately, pulling out all of its entrails and cutting out the best parts of the animal to prepare our meal. Draven cooks the food while I help with prepping the vegetables. Everything is combined into a big pot, and as the aroma wafts through the entire house, my stomach grumbles, my mouth already salivating.

"Oh... that smells good," I murmur, peeking into the pot.

Draven chuckles, stirring it. He looks at me, a thin sheen of sweat already settling on his forehead, brows furrowed in concentration.

"Dinner will be ready in a moment. You can help prepare the table," he says, and I immediately get to doing that.

By the time I'm through arranging the cutlery and dishes, the food is ready. The meal is served, and we sit together and get to eating.

The first bite of the thick, rich soup has my eyes widening, my gaze moving straight to Draven. "Wow... This is amazing. I've never had anything like this," I mutter, beaming from ear to ear as I stuff my face with another spoonful, eating enthusiastically.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," he says, giving me an easy smile.

"I could eat this all day... It's so good," I mutter, taking another spoonful, feeling the warm, thick soup slide down my throat before taking a slice of the still-warm, fresh bread.

Kairos chuckles at that. "Well, for as long as we're here, you'll be having it frequently, so enjoy it," he says.

We finish our dinner and put the dishes away, clearing the entire place before moving to the rug by the fireplace, sitting together to bask in the warmth and the light.

"Neither of you told me you could cook," I say as I sit next to Draven, a soft smile on my face.

"Of course we can. Our mother taught us how to," he says, and I stiffen, my breath hitching as memories of their mother fill my head, the miscalculation I had made when I was younger that brought about the tragedy that still defines our entire relationship.

It's on the tip of my tongue to apologize, to tell them how truly sorry I am for the way I treated them in the past, but the words don't quite make it past my lips.

Draven looks down at me and sees the way my face has paled at his words. A shadow crosses his eyes, but he blinks, and it disappears.

Tentatively, almost hesitantly, I reach for his hand, clasping it in a feeble attempt at reassurance. I can't tell.

Draven closes the rest of the distance, resting his head against my shoulder, and my heart skips multiple beats before it starts to race, a wave of relief, grief, and gratitude crashing over me.

He hadn't held it over my head. I couldn't be more grateful.

"Well..." I start, my voice strangely hoarse, filled with a ton of emotions. "She taught you well," I whisper, staring into the fire, feeling my heart rate steady.

"We know," they reply.

A soft smile grows on my face.

Of course they do.
.
.
.
We end up spending over a week in the cottage after our initial marking night. During that period, we grow even closer, the bond between us deepening.

By the time it's time for us to return to the city—to our lives—I almost don't want to leave.

Draven watches me be dramatic, a gentle smile on his face.

"Come on... As lovely as this moment is, it's time to head back," he says, while I groan, unwilling to leave just yet.

"You don't think we can stay for a few more days?" I ask, moving closer to them.

"Unfortunately, we can't," Kairos says, his voice a lot deeper, more grounded. "We've been away for too long. So much will have piled up for us to deal with."

Then, with a slight upward twitch of his lips, he adds, "Don't worry, we'll come here more frequently. This won't be our last time here."

"Okay... Now that you've heard that, can we leave now? Trust me, our journey back will be just as exciting as when we arrived here," Draven says, giving me a wink.

I peer at him, my hands on my hips. "I will hold you to that," I say.

He lets out a huff of laughter, his eyes crinkling at the corners. I glare at him, but my lips stretch into a smile.

We step out of the cottage, and they lock the doors.

Then, once we get off the porch, Kairos and Draven shift into their wolf forms, and Kairos nudges me to get on him. I stare at him, dazed for a minute before happily, excitedly climbing onto his back. Then, gripping his fur tightly and pressing myself low, we race through the forest, leaving the cottage behind.