Page 67 of Rising Reign

But it was so much worse than that. Because if they were after Wren specifically, and in a way that would harness her soul and powers, it meant only one thing. I met Wren’s gaze. “They know you’re an empath.”

40

WREN

The only people who remained in the medical room were our pack. Our bond. Clara was clucking over our healer, ensuring Hera took a nap before tackling the spell that would free Franco from whatever had a hold of him. In the meantime, Clara’s guards and our human contingent were keeping watch. And given how powerful this dark magic was, I didn’t think it was a bad idea.

I handed Ender the restorative tonic Hera always recommended, and he drank it down without argument. I watched as his throat worked, tracking the movement of the drink into his body. My gaze stayed riveted on his chest—the planes of muscle dotted with ink and now the single star that marked this experience.

“At least you got a badass scar for your troubles,” Puck said as he sat on one of the stools. While his tone was light, I’d seen the worry in his gaze—in the gaze of all my guys.

As they argued about who had the best scars, my eyes lifted, finding Ender’s amber orbs locked on me. Pressure built behind my eyes. “You stepped in front of a blade for me.”

Ender didn’t look away. “Yes.”

There was only one thing I wanted to know. One thing I needed to know more than my next breath. “Why?”

Ender still didn’t look away. Gold sparks flitted through his amber irises as he stared back at me. “You know why.”

My breath caught in my throat. “Tell me anyway.”

The room went silent around us—the guys realizing this was our tipping point. The one where Ender could come to terms with everything we all shared or run from it like he’d done for so long.

Those sparks intensified as he reached out. His hand slid along my jaw and into my hair. “Because I love you. Because you’re mine, and I’m yours. Even when I didn’t want it to be so. Because your soul is forever tethered to mine, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

There was nothing then. No sound, sight, or scent. Nothing but Ender. He was everywhere and in everything. And suddenly, I was drowning in him.

The grip of Ender’s hand on my hair sent sparks cascading through my scalp, into my neck, and down my spine. The scent of leather and spice swirled around me and embedded in my skin, making me tingle with what we could be. And as I looked into those amber depths, I saw nothing but truth. Nothing but love.

“Ender,” I croaked.

His free hand lifted and traced my bottom lip. “I love how strong you are. How you never back down, never give up. I love how kind you are, always seeing who needs something and coming alongside them in the perfect way. I love how fiery you are. How you never let a single soul get away with what they shouldn’t. Even me.”

Ender’s hand dropped, his arm encircling me and lifting me onto the gurney so I straddled him. “The fact that I hurt you will haunt me for the rest of my days. But I will do everything I can to make amends. To make sure that you know how much I love you. I’ll worship you with all I have and all that I am.”

I framed his face with my hands, bending and letting my lips hover above his. “It’s forgiven. I see you. For who you really are. You use your brutality in an effort to protect the ones you love. I’m never going to begrudge you that.”

Ender shook his head. “You’ve made me see the world in more than black and white, more than shades of gray, more than color itself. You’ve made me see what lies beneath. And I won’t ever stop looking for it now.”

“Fucking finally,” Puck muttered.

Kingston slapped him upside the head. “You’re ruining the moment.”

“But it doesn’t mean he isn’t happy as hell for you. We all are,” Brix amended.

“Let’s leave them be,” Locke said softly, but I could see the love shining in his eyes.

“Don’t,” Ender rasped, his eyes searching mine before moving to his brothers. “Stay.”

“End…” Kingston began.

“It should be all of us as we’ve always been meant to be,” I rasped.

Kingston moved to the side of the gurney, his fingers threading through my hair. “Nothing would give me more pleasure than watching our bond fully become one. Than seeing my brother take you. And you, him.”

Wetness rushed between my thighs at just the images King’s words filled my mind with. My mouth met Ender’s, even as Kingston’s hand stayed tangled in my hair. I swallowed every word Ender had given me and burned them into my bones.

Ender pulled back but still held me to him. “I want to be yours. I want you to be mine.”