Page 150 of An Oath at Midnight

My mate laughed at something Rose said while she danced with her sisters. Then they were all laughing, happy, carefree for the first time in a fucking long time. Daisy joined them, twirling around and throwing her arms around her girls, now that Magnolia had learned to control her powers.

It had taken some practice, but her control over it became easier and easier with each passing day. Now she could lock them away until she needed them. She’d also ushered several souls to Limbo for Death. She was handling it a lot better than me. I hated that there was somewhere she could go that I couldn’t follow.

She’d also been talking to a counselor, someone that Rose knew. It was helping and I was fucking proud of her.

“When’s the bedding?” Talon said beside me.

I shook my head at my brother. “We’re not doing that. We’re not at the village. They do things differently here. Besides, we are already mated.”

“You marked her already?” Rook asked, dark eyes sliding to Mags.

After a crow mated, he had his female display his mark on her skin, to show every male with eyes in their heads that she was taken and to touch her was to sign their own death warrant. “I marked her the first time we mated.”

“Uma will be disappointed,” Payne said.

“Some of the warriors at the village might think she’s still fair game,” Talon said and shook his head. “You start slitting throats, we lose good warriors. Best she wear something that shows it off next time you bring her home.”

“Fine,” I said, and possessiveness filled me because deep down I needed them to see it as well.

Magnolia ran to me then, and I pulled her into my arms, sliding my fingers into her thick hair. “You’re fucking beautiful.”

She grinned up at me. “Dance with me?”

“I only slow dance,” I said.

“Sounds good to me.”

She took my hand, dragging me out to where the rest of her family was. War, Draven, and Ronan had all claimed their mates as well. Daisy and Art, and Else and Connor were all dancing.

I pulled Mags close. “Happy?”

“Are you really in any doubt?”

“No.” I tilted her back and kissed her candy-apple lips. I wanted to kiss her all the time. I had to restrain myself often, or I’d be permanently attached to her gorgeous fucking mouth.

Payne lifted Maeve in his arms, and they came out to dance as well, swaying beside us.

“I wish my parents were here. I wish they got to meet you, that they saw how fucking happy you make me.”

“I think they know,” she said.

I smiled down at her, holding her tight to me. “So you think you can handle an eternity with me?”

“I think I’ll manage,” she said and smiled back. “I can handle anything when I’m with you.”

I felt the same way.

I kissed her again then, because I couldn’t stop myself, and I didn’t have to, not anymore.

Then we danced. We danced the rest of the night.

* * *

Jasmine

Ren was looking at me again. I felt his amber eyes burning across my skin.

I glanced up and he looked away. Coward.