Chapter 148
Lirael
The raw honesty broke something loose in my chest, and I found myself turning in his arms, my hands coming up to frame his face. In the moonlight, his amber eyes seemed to glow, and I could see every emotion he usually kept locked away.
"I'm not your salvation," I whispered. "I'm just me. Broken and angry and trying to figure out how to live in a world that wants to either cage me or kill me."
"Then be broken with me," he said. "Be angry with me. Just... don't leave me, Lira. I can survive anything except losing you."
I stared up at him, and realized with sudden, terrifying clarity that I didn't want to leave. Not tonight, maybe not ever.
"I'm not leaving," I heard myself say. "Not tonight. Not... I don't know about tomorrow, but tonight, I'm staying."
The smile that broke across Sebastian's face was incandescent. "Say it again," he demanded. "Tell me you're staying."
"I'm staying," I repeated, and then his mouth was on mine.
This kiss was different from all the others—not a battle for dominance, not a claiming. This was gratitude and wonder and desperate relief all tangled together. I melted into him, my arms winding around his neck as he deepened the kiss.
When we finally broke apart, Sebastian pressed his forehead to mine and laughed—a sound of pure, unrestrained happiness.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear those words," he murmured.
"Don't push your luck," I warned, but I was smiling. "I said I'm staying tonight. Let's start there."
"Fair enough," he agreed, though his grin suggested otherwise. "But just so we're clear—you're sitting in my lap for the entire drive back. Non-negotiable."
The drive back was exactly as Sebastian had promised—me perched on his lap in the back of his armored car, his arms wrapped around my waist while he rested his chin on my shoulder.
"This is ridiculous," I muttered. "I'm not a child, Sebastian."
"But why would you sit in your own seat," he murmured against my ear, "when you could be right here, exactly where you belong? Besides, you said you're staying with me tonight. This is me making sure you don't change your mind."
"I'm not going to change my mind in the next fifteen minutes—"
"You might," he interrupted. "You're unpredictable, my little moon. So forgive me if I want to keep you close enough that I can feel your heartbeat."
I felt heat rise in my cheeks. "You're impossible."
"I'm in love," he corrected, as if it was the most obvious truth in the world.
Before I could respond, I noticed we weren't heading toward the main house. Instead, the car pulled up to a smaller structure nestled among ancient oaks.
"Where are we?" I asked.
Sebastian's arms loosened enough that I could turn to look at him. "I need you to move in with me," he said quietly. "The safe house isn't secure enough, not with my father still out there. I need you here, where I can protect you."
"Sebastian, I can't just—Elwin needs me—"
"I'll have the best guards watching over him," he interrupted. "Marcus will personally oversee his security. But you, Lira... with the full moon coming in five days, I need you close. I need to know that if I start to lose control, you'll be there to bring me back."
I opened my mouth to argue, but then I saw the fear flickering in his eyes, the way his jaw clenched as if bracing for rejection. This wasn't just about possession—he was genuinely afraid.
"Only you can stabilize my wolf," he continued, his voice raw. "Your scent, your presence—it's the only thing that keeps the entropy at bay. Can you really tell me you'd rather stay in that safe house, knowing I might lose myself without you?"
The manipulation was obvious, but beneath it, I could hear the genuine plea. And after everything he'd done for me, for my people...
"Fine," I said, watching his eyes light up. "But I need to talk to Elwin first. Give me ten minutes."
Sebastian's smile was brilliant as he leaned in to press a quick, fierce kiss to my lips. "Ten minutes. But not a second more, or I'm coming in after you."
I found Elwin waiting in the living room, his expression knowing.
"You've decided," he said flatly.
I nodded, sinking onto the couch beside him. "He needs me, Elwin. And honestly... the estate is safer."
"This isn't about safety," Elwin interrupted. "You're in love with him."
The words hung in the air, stark and undeniable. I opened my mouth to protest, but the lie died on my tongue. Because he was right.
"If he hurts you—" Elwin started.
"He won't," I said firmly, surprising myself with how much I believed it. "I trust him, Elwin. I know that sounds insane, but I do."
Elwin studied me for a long moment, then sighed. "Just promise me you'll be careful."
"I promise," I said, squeezing his hand.
---
The car door felt cool against my back as I stepped out of the house, my heels clicking against the pavement, and I'd barely taken three steps before I saw him—Sebastian, leaning against the vehicle with his arms crossed, amber eyes fixed on the door with an intensity that made my breath catch.
He was looking at his pocket watch, thumb tracing the edge with barely contained impatience, and the moment he heard my footsteps, his head snapped up and those eyes flashed gold in a way that sent both alarm and anticipation racing through me.
Before I could process the danger in that look, he was moving—three long strides—and then I was pressed against the car door, his hands caging me in as his body blocked out everything else.
"Sebastian!" I gasped, my hands flying to his chest.
His breathing was harsh, ragged. "Twelve minutes and thirty-eight seconds," he said, voice rough with barely restrained need. "Do you have any idea what those twelve minutes felt like? Watching that door, wondering if you'd changed your mind, if you'd found a way to slip out and run from me again?"