Evaline:
All I could do was to stare at him, frozen in my place.
The mont he said those words - his voice steady and eyes unwavering - sothing deep inside shifted. A warmth surged through my chest, spreading outward like sunlight on frozen skin. It wasn’t like the burning mate mark on the neck, not like the physical seal of teeth that wolves used to finalize their bonds. But I could feel it - the bond between us responding... it was coming to life.
It started like a breath, subtle and unsure, then quickly blood into sothing real. Tangible. It was like a pulse tethering us together.
And still, I couldn’t move.
I couldn’t speak.
I just stared at him... my mate... who had accepted not just , but the child growing inside , my ssy past, my bond with Draven, and all those pieces of I had been too afraid to show.
His hands moved gently to my cheeks and he cupped my face, his thumbs brushing away silent tears I hadn’t realized were falling. "Eva..." he whispered while leaning closer. "Aren’t you going to accept back?"
That snapped out of the trance. "Y-Yes!" I gasped, the words tumbling out. I stared into his eyes, my heart beating wildly, as my mouth spoke the words.
"Oscar Thorne, I accept you as my mate... with all my heart."
I barely finished before he pulled into another embrace - so full, so overwhelming, so warm. His lips found mine without hesitation, and I leaned into him, into us.
Our kiss wasn’t fast or frantic. It was slow, intentional, full of unspoken words and second chances. His lips moved gently over mine, as if trying to morize the shape of them, while one of his hands remained on my cheek and the other cradled the back of my head like sothing precious.
I gripped the front of his shirt tightly, holding on like he might disappear again if I let go.
Everything else faded - the beeping machines, the sterile hospital room, the ache in my chest - all gone. There was only us. This mont. This bond.
When we finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead against mine instead of completely pulling away. He kept his eyes still, his breathing as uneven as mine. Then he spoke in a serious and stern voice... too stern actually.
"I’m watching you now. From this mont on, I’ll be paying attention to everything - your sleep, your als, your stress, your rest. Everything."
I blinked. "Wha-?"
"I an it," he added as he pulled back to et my gaze, and I saw just how serious he was. "You don’t get to push your health aside anymore, Eva. Not when you are carrying a life inside you. Not when you are mine."
I stared at him, both touched and mildly alard. "Oscar... you sound like a full-ti babysitter."
"I sound like your mate," he said without flinching. "And you are in trouble, Greystone. Big trouble."
I was about to argue, maybe laugh a little, but just then soone knocked on the door, and I tensed instinctively, only to relax again when Rowan stepped inside.
"Relax, it’s just ," he said to Oscar with a slight smirk, before turning to .
And that’s when I noticed it - how tense Oscar went after hearing the knock. He was on edge.
Confused, I glanced between the two of them. "Is sothing wrong?"
But Rowan was already at my side, ruffling my hair like he always did now - though this ti, there was sothing extra gentle in the gesture. I saw Oscar notice it too, his jaw tightening, but he said nothing.
"You scared the life out of today, kiddo," Rowan said, his voice quieter than usual.
I looked down. "I’m sorry..."
"And thank you... for bringing here," I added softly. "For everything."
He shrugged, brushing it off. "You can always count on . You know that, right?"
"Yeah," I whispered. "I know."
He gave a small smile. "Just... don’t go fainting on again, alright? I’m too young to have heart attacks."
I laughed weakly. "I’ll try not to."
Rowan straightened then and turned to Oscar. "Kieran should be back any minute."
That piece of information made freeze.
"What?"
"You don’t know yet?" Rowan looked mildly amused. "He helped bring you here. He drove us, actually."
Oscar cleared his throat. "Yeah... and I should probably not be here when he gets back." But then he gave that signature smile of his and teased, "Unless you are ready to reveal our bond to him."
The idea was... horrifying.
"I... I don’t think..." I struggled to politely decline. The last thing I wanted was to hurt Oscar, but the very next mont he made it clear that he was well aware of my unspoken thoughts.
"Don’t worry. I’ll wait for you to make the choice whenever you are comfortable."
Stars... why did that make fall harder?
He leaned down and brushed his lips against my forehead. "I’ll co back later," he promised, his voice soft now, protective, affectionate. "Just rest for now. I an it."
And just like that, he left.
When the door shut behind him, Rowan turned to , and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.
"What?" I asked.
He folded his arms across his chest and raised one eyebrow. "So... you guys have made up? After he made you cry and faint?"
I groaned. "Don’t start."
"Oh, I’m not starting," he said with a soft laugh. "I’m just saying... soone looked very comfortable cuddling his mate in a hospital bed."
I covered my face with both hands, blushing like a tomato while his laughter filled the room.
When I peeked at him through my fingers, he was smiling gently again, the teasing gone. "I’m happy for you, Eva. If you think he deserves a second chance, I’ll support that. Just know, if he screws it up again-"
"You’ll be the first to threaten him?" I asked, smiling faintly.
"Always," he promised.
Before I could respond, the door opened again... and in walked Kieran.
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