Page 66 of Unmarked Magic

She whined, feeling it too. An ache inside me, a claiming. I felt the mate bond snap into place, and we shattered together, holding close and clinging tight.

“Reid.” Her whisper shuddered through her lips in a full body tremble, not willing to let me go.

We rode out the waves of pleasure tumbling over us, with muffled cries and firm hands. I’d felt nothing like it in my life. The mate bond, my fucking gods. I wanted to drown in it, wanted to tattoo the feeling on my skin. I’d thought playing the drums was euphoric, but this… Fuck, I could barely hear my own thoughts above the beat crashing hard in my chest. It was unreal.

Drawing stray hair from her eyes, I held her close. “I know, baby.” Our chests rose and fell together. I refused to let myself feel anything else but her in that moment, and let myself succumb to the mate bond, something I thought I would never let myself do. Because I’d never thought it could feel like this, and I was unprepared for it.

I stared down at Scar, the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in my life. I could no longer deny it.

Splayed out beneath me, awe soaked her irises. She didn’t let me go as her palm slid up my face. “All this time, it was you.”

I kissed her forehead. “I know, it’s unbelievable.”

It felt so right. Like nothing could break us.

I was sure at that moment that my heart opened wider than it had ever done before. Invited love for the first time. Because I’d never felt this way about someone before. Never cared enough to let myself feel this deep. I kissed her until I was out of breath. Until my limbs became weak. Touching, caressing. Holding. There was no doubt in my mind that somehow, fate had finally got it right.

Scarlet

Opening the small rectanglar window, I drew in a slow breath as the salt laced scent of Cutters Cove sank through its opening and into my apothecary. I loved the smell of the sea. It carried something ancient with it. Brine, damp timber and weathered stone. It wrapped itself around every corner of the little shop until it felt as though the ocean itself had wandered inside.

For a moment, I stilled, elbows resting on the windowsill as I stared out onto the street. Everything looked exactly the same. The cobblestones. The sleepy shops. The same boats pulling at their moorings. Except I wasn’t the same person who had walked into the forest yesterday. I felt different. Complete.

Outside, Cutters Cove had slipped into its familiar afternoon lull. That quiet stretch of the day where the cold crept in long before dusk stakes its claim. When Cutters Cove took a collective breath and everyone counted down the hours before closing.

The apothecary had become my sanctuary. I was happiest here. It didn’t ask questions. It didn’t judge the parts of myself I kept hidden. It simply existed, letting me create, heal, and breathe. I let my earth magic hum through the botanicals as I pottered away most days. I loved creating new tonics and trialing new herb combinations. It was my muse.

“Meow.”

I veered my gaze to the corner of the room, where the scruffy gray stray sat beside my bookcase on a rug, having let himself in the cat door. When I first took over the apothecary, I’d wanted to keep it locked permanently. Then Smoke, a name I’d fondly given him, had decided my shop was part of his daily routine, appearing often enough that I’d eventually decided against it.

“When did you sneak in?” I said to him, and he mewed again, blinking at me. His head whipped to the door, seconds before the rattle of the doorknob sounded.

A low chime rang out. Then, walking into the apothecary back first, was Colt, carrying an armload of botanicals on a tray.

I scurried toward him, holding open the door as he entered. “Here, let me help.” I placed my hands underneath to assist, and, gently, we lowered the tray onto the bench.

Colt swiped his hands on his jeans. “Thanks. Like I said, there’s not a lot left from that side of the greenhouse, but it’s better than nothing.”

“You’re right, thank you. Did you get the electrics fixed?”

He nodded. “I’m just lucky it was only the dark room affected.” Leaning against the bench, he folded his arms. “Where did you and Reid get to the other night? You disappeared.”

No shit.

“Yeah.” Heat crept up my cheeks, and I knew Colt wouldn’t miss it. “We got lost in the forest. Ended up in a hut for the night.”

His brows climbed, but he remained silent. Leaning against the bench, his hands gripped the edge, interest tilting his head to the side. I knew that look. The one that would somehow make me say everything he needed to know without him even asking.

“It was cold, one bed. Not a lot of sleep,” I offered.

Gods, why was I volunteering information?

I didn’t miss the smile he tried to hide.

“Turns out we’re fated mates.”

“You don’t say…” he mused, not nearly as surprised as I imagined he would be.