Going Home

Going Home
Maddie

Home. I always thought of it as the house and land right in front of me, where my parents, my sisters, and my brother are close by. We shared many holidays together here. The Winter Solstice celebrations were my favorite, all of us sitting around singing songs while my father played his handmade guitar—well, until he had to sell it two years ago, but even the singing alone was magical.

But now I have to consider a new type of home, one with Zach. It might be the castle, or maybe it will be our own farm, or that cottage in the woods I keep dreaming about.

When I left for the castle before, I was certain it was temporary, that I wouldn’t be chosen as the breeder and that I’d come back to this place, my home, again soon. Now, things are different. I suppose all women go through this when they discover their mates. Home is with one’s mate.

My home is with Zach.

Tears fall down my mother’s cheeks, but I sense there is some happiness behind them, unlike the last time I left.

“I’m not sure when the wedding will be,” I tell her, pulling back from her tight hug. “But you’ll be the first to know.”

“I’d better.” She’s laughing, but I know she’s serious.

Katy stands next to her in her new pink dress, beaming. “When will we go to the castle?” she asks.

I bend down to give her a hug. “Just as soon as I can send for you, I promise.”

Cindy toddles around the living room, so I need to go catch up with her if I’m going to get my goodbye hug. She’s been sick for so long that it delayed her walking skills a bit, so Josh is following her with his steading arms.

They both get strong hugs from me.

“Take care of yourself,” Josh tells me.

“Same to you.”

I open the heavy wooden door for the last time as a resident of this place. With a smile to my mother, I step outside.

Zach is speaking with my father next to the carriage we’ll be taking. It’s one of the fancier ones from the castle like I’d ridden in before, only this time, the only occupants besides the driver outside will be me and Zach.

My father finishes their conversation before I approach, then pulls me in for a hug. “Take care, pumpkin,” he says. “We’ll see you soon.”

“I’ll see you soon, Dad.”

Zach takes my hand and helps me up the portable steps before climbing in himself and sitting next to me on the plush seat, which is far more elaborate than the bench I sat on before. As the driver folds up the steps outside and closes the door, Zach shows me how to recline my side of the seat.

“So, we can sleep in here like this?” I ask. I’m reminded of the cramped bench seat I slept on when they sent me home.

“If you’d like,” he replies. “Or you can just get comfortable with either of these.” He demonstrates a few settings. “See? You can just put your legs up if you want, or you can lay back completely.”

“I think I prefer it with just my legs up for now.”

He fixes it and adjusts his seat the same way. Soon the carriage sets off, both of us comfortable with our feet up, next to each other, his hand firmly wrapped around mine. He has opened all the curtains, which gives me a fantastic view of my farm as we drive away. My whole family is outside on the porch now, waving. I wave back, even though I’m not sure they can see me inside the carriage.

“Take good care of yourself, pumpkin,” my father says in the mind-link. “You’ve got a good man there.”

“I know,” I reply. “I’ll write soon, Dad.”

Zach squeezes my hand. I turn away from the window to meet his gaze, and his sapphire eyes shimmer in the morning light.

“I’ve been ordered to treat you like the princess you are,” he says, “under threat of death.”

My eyes go wide. “My father mind-linked you too? He threatened you... the prince?”

He chuckles, lifting my hand to kiss my knuckles. “I’d have it no other way.”

I crinkle my brow. “Princess? Did he really say that?”

“He did, and I fully agree,” he replies.

Here comes that blush again. I really wish I could control it. But I say nothing more and turn to the window. He squeezes my hand again, and warm sense of comfort rushes through me. It makes me realize that I don’t need to be embarrassed around him at all.

He’s my mate, after all.



Before I realize how much time has passed, the carriage pulls into town, the same one we’d stopped at when I was being escorted to the castle. Zach is so easy to talk to. We talked about my farm, my family, and also the castle and his family, as well as things we’d both dreamed of doing, little things that don’t matter much except that we’ve never shared them with anyone else.

Honestly, I don’t want this trip to end. I can see the worry etched on his face when he talks about his father and everything going on in the kingdom. He’s not looking forward to the confrontation.

But for now, we have time to get to know each other, and I’m going to enjoy it. I think he is having fun as well.

I feel the heat rising in my cheeks—again—when I notice how many people are gathered around the carriage when we step off. I’ve never had a crowd pay this much attention to me before. Of course, they’re interested in the prince, not me, and he handles it with such grace, greeting people kindly and stopping to talk to them.

Every woman in the crowd has stars in their eyes. I don’t blame them. I can’t get enough of him either—those sapphire eyes, those strong muscles and such handsome, well-defined features, not to mention that deep, strong, yet somehow warm voice that could melt away steel.

The rich social atmosphere continues at dinner, where the inn’s owner dotes on us and Zach covers the cost for everyone in the room. I’m beginning to realize that my life is going to be very different. We will always be an important part of the community.

And I... like that idea very much.

We visit with people until about midnight, when Zach excuses us from the room. “I’m afraid we need rest before continuing our travels. Thank you for your hospitality.”

It’s not until we’re walking up the stairs that I realize it...

We’re going to be sharing a room.

My hands start trembling when we step inside. It’s clean and simply furnished, like the room I had here last time. But this one is much larger, with two very large beds.

Zach turns to me. “I refuse to pressure you into anything, Maddie,” he tells me softly. “If it’s your choice to wait for our wedding night, I’ll honor that. We can sleep in separate beds.”

A flash of emotion reverberates through me. I don’t identify it immediately. I want to say it’s relief, that I’m glad he suggested separate beds, but there’s a twinge of regret in there, and maybe even hurt, that I can’t deny.

He brushes his fingers against my cheek. “Believe me, I want to be with you, Maddie. I just want it to be perfect for you.”

My pulse ticks up a notch at his words.

“Let’s get settled in,” he suggests. “The innkeeper told me they’d prepared a bath. Would you like to go first?” He gestures toward a door to the left, which must be the bathroom.

“Yes, thank you.”

I carry my bag in, the one my mother made me, though Zach and all those people who brought things to the farm gave me two suitcases full of new clothes. I’m not sure where they got it all, but everything is in my size.

My small bag has one change of clothes and my toiletries, plus my nightgown. I set up my brush and toothbrush on the sink before turning to the bath, where a clawfoot tub is filled with warm water infused with rose-scented oils.

I start to unfasten my dress, which unbuttons down the front, but I stop before I undo more than a couple of them.

It’s quiet in the stillness of the night, so quiet, I hear Zach’s footsteps as he moves across the room.

My mate is right in the next room, and I’m about to get naked.

And something about that... heats me to my core.

I bite my lip, turning toward the door. The thrum of the mate bond reverberates in me. I’ve held Zach’s hand all day, daydreaming of our kisses, especially the one by the well on the farm. I wanted so much more then. He wanted more. We could have easily slipped off into the back of the orchard and strengthened our bond.

The feeling of warmth and wetness between my legs, something that has become so familiar since I first set eyes on Zach, becomes almost too much to bear.

Wedding nights... yes, the tradition is to wait. But few true mates follow that. The pull is too strong. The Goddess has already blessed our union. She chose us for each other, after all.

We already belong together, belong to each other.

I don’t want to wait anymore.

“Zach, could you come in here, please?” My voice cracks, my request coming out just a bit too high pitched.

The doorknob turns.