TAE POV:

I lean down to press my lips to the tears that roll down (Y/N) cheeks, lips coming away with the salty proof of her emotions and then gently cup her cheeks bringing my lips down to hers, swallowing the needy tearful whimper that slips out, parting her mouth pliantly under me. Lips kiss swollen and bitten that are soft and warm as I meet them, giving up control as I brush my tongue against the seam of them and slide in, tongue roving through her mouth with a slow, simmering urgency that doesn't catch haste or fire- a steady burning sizzling sensation, as her tongue flicks against mine, shuddering when my tongue roves in deep slow strokes, claiming every inch of her mouth, exploring and slowly coaxing her tongue to intertwine with mine.

She sags into the mattress, arms winding around my neck to thread her fingers through my hair, a mixture of softness and hardness as she lightly scratches at my scalp before tugging, trying to draw me further onto her, sighing with a mixture of relief and contentment even as her body shifts restlessly under mine, legs falling open to wrap around my waist, to lock there-  a pressure at the base of my back as she guides me down, trying to bring me closer and tearfully hiccupping when our lips part, mouth trying to capture mine, eyes red and clear crystalline tears spilling over.

Her cheeks are flushed with her internal temperature rising, steadily climbing with each mating mark on her and she tugs when I lean back, moving further away, her hands falling away to sag against the sheets, trembling as they try to hold onto something for purchase.

She looks stunning. Utterly breath-taking, her hair splayed like a halo around her face, sprawled across the pillow, eyes dazed and wide as she looks at me, red pools of want that peer at me, entice me and swollen lips that are parted as she takes heavy breaths, the rise and fall of her chest as she tries to calm down, to relax, body taut and on full display for me, for our mates.

"You look delicious jagi. I can't help it. You taste so so sweet." I murmur, diving back in to capture her lips, to let a fraction of my desire seep out as my mouth takes control, dragging the plump flesh of her bottom lip between mine to suck, teeth scraping against them, dragging my mouth away to press soft kisses to the curve of her jaw, to draw my lips down onto the skin of her throat, nosing against her pulse point, where once it would've been the immediate indicator of her reactions, but her body gives away plenty. My mouth brushes against where her throat bobs, swallowing heavily under me.

She makes a soft keening sound when I lean back, eyes glassy and flaring with urgency, with panic at the loss of my body hovering over hers.

Immediately my hands cup her cheeks, fingers stroking over the soft flushed skin of her cheeks.

"I'm not going anywhere baby mate. I've got you." I murmur, giving her reassurance and watching as the fear flickers out of her eyes, head turning to press a kiss to each palm, a tender brush of her lips to the sensitive skin of my hand as she looks at me trustingly.

"Tae I need you." she whispers, voice wobbling and shaky, trembling with emotion.

"Stop teasing her Tae-ah, poor thing is so overwhelmed and you've not even mated her yet." Hobi hyung's voice comes, a mixture of rough sensual desire and mixed with it exasperated fondness and slight concern as he brushes the sweat beading at her temples, as he gives a lingering kiss to her forehead and murmurs soft words to her, eyes flickering as they look accusatorily towards me.

I huff a small laugh, nodding, gaze drawn to the others sprawled on the bed, in various states of being dishevelled and lost in the throes of passion and desire, eyes bleeding crimson desire, flickering to the sight- unable to tear their eyes away, unable to let their eyes drift away from the sight of our sweet sinful mate sobbing and crying out for her mate as she reaches and receives pleasure.

I feel my instincts surge as I take in the sight of her, at the way her legs seem to lose the strength to remain locked around my back, falling onto the mattress, splayed- revealing the gorgeous sight of her bruised inner thighs that shine with proof of the pleasure she chases after, that she's yet to get.

"Stop teasing Tae..." she gasps out when my hands slowly and leisurely drift over her body, mapping it with my hands, slowly exploring every inch of her and committing each gasp, each tremble to memory, imprinting onto my mind what part of her is extremely sensitive, what places does she lean into when my hands turn feathery touches into firm grips and awed thorough exploration, feeling the softness of her under me.

"I'm not teasing. What do you mean jagi?" I croon, eyes enamoured with the sight of the colour splattered across her body, a canvas of desire and want and sin, purples and reds decorating where we've left behind pieces of our love, unable to hold back from the urge to mark. She's a canvas I want to take my time leisurely adding layers of my love, of my consuming need and longing for. Someone I want to layer and paint in all the colours of our love, to clothe and adorn with all the hues of gold, of red- to immerse and steep her with the shades of our mating bond, with our love, to see the piece of art she was displayed in all fine ethereal glory.

She was the finest art. And I couldn't wait to colour her with proof of how much I cherished her, how much I adored every inch of her. To leave the strokes of my own claim on her.

My fingers brush over the mating mark on her stomach, rubbing at the puncture marks and feeling my instincts growl with satisfaction at the gasp it elicits, body shifting as she tries to escape the firm rub of the pad of my thumb, a teary shuddering gasp when the pressure remains there for a few moments before my hands rove up, fingers brushing over her left shoulder and rubbing firm circles into Jimin's mating mark, my right hand brushing over the swell of her breast, over where Jin hyung has left his.

She becomes a puddle of limbs as I massage my fingers into the marks, eyes fluttering at the pleasure the touch brings. Mating marks remain extremely sensitive for some time after mating, and I know that the right touch can bring my own feelings coursing through the mark, can act as an aphrodisiac, sending pleasure to bubble and course through her veins.

Her breathing gets heavier when my hand finally trails to her neck and collarbone, fingers unrelentless as they exert slight pressure on them, careful to not push her into a heightened state of need but enough that it has her shuddering and trembling as she reaches the peak of her pleasure all of a sudden, a sudden plunge into the waves of ecstasy that had been drawn out, pulled away at the final moments. The push and pull game that had begun over an hour ago finally reached its crest as she trembled with the aftereffects, trembled under me and her eyes fluttered shut, tears clinging to her lashes, hands gripping tightly at the sheets on one side and Hobi hyung's hand in the other, back arching off the bed in a beautiful sensual curve.

My hands go around her, encasing her back with my hands as I lower her down, as she slowly comes down, gasping and pleading- her teeth releasing their hold on her lip, fangs having pierced them, two spots of blood beading.

I hold her as she slowly sags against the bed, slowly opening her eyes to reveal irises consumed with desire and longing and so much love, looking at me as if she is peering into the depths of my soul and stripping away every barrier, every layer to reveal me at my core, at my barest and most vulnerable.

Only to her. Only to them.

"You did so well for me baby mate. I'm awful for teasing you for so long aren't I?" I whisper to her, leaning close, tongue darting out to lick the beads of blood off her lip, the slightest taste of her has me aching, growing impatient to mate her, the sudden rush of urgency pooling heavily in me.

"So mean..." she utters, voice shaking and thick with emotions.

I can't help the fond enamoured smile that spreads across my lips.

The whole hour flashing through my eyes as I peer at her. At how well she took my teasing, how she writhed and shook as my fingers trailed upwards and to the centre of her thighs, how she trembled and cried out when my mouth detached from her centre, to pull away at the final moment. From the way she'd been so content and dazed as she was tugged onto Jimin's lap- accepting each mouthful and chewing slowly, to the way the air had thickened and transformed from the contentment of feeding each other, of seeing her eat to whisking her away when she'd stretched on his lap, revealing the smooth skin of her thighs and stomach, falling onto the bed with a huff of laughter as I crawled over her. The huff of laughter that had soon turned into whimpers and moans.

But when she stretches her shaking arms upwards to rest on my shoulders, to tug herself up, she rests her head against my chest, tucking herself in close. I sigh at the closeness it brings, of the feel of her warm bare skin against mine.

"If you keep teasing...then I'll tell Koo to steal me away." she murmurs, lips moving slightly against my skin, the softness of her words contrasted with the teasing petulant huffy complaint, a weak giggle slipping out when I immediately draw her to lie down, body caging hers and effectively pinning her into the sheets.

"You're not going anywhere. Not with how long I chased after you, how much I like the sight of you under me." I grouse, huffing but unable to stop the easy smile when she laughs- a breathy sound.

"Koo...I want you." she says turning to stretch towards my other youngest, who stops pressing butterfly kisses to Yoongi hyung's shoulders to grin with challenge and determination flickering in his eyes, edging closer.

I shake my head, dropping my weight over her as an effective weight to keep her pinned under me, to keep her trapped.

"No running now baby mate." I say, words brushing across the shell of her ear, lips kissing the tip tenderly before I lift myself off her.

My hands go to grip her thighs, her laugh cutting off with a sweet whine when my thumbs brush over the bruises, and the moan that pushes itself out of her lips when I drive myself in to the hilt has the bond flaring. Has me driven to thrust deeper in her, each thrust and roll of my hips slow and purposeful and hard, to draw out each moment of pleasure.

I take my time with her, moving in her, lips falling to every inch of skin I can reach to kiss her, to murmur that I love her over and over onto her body, letting the words sink into her skin, to go to rest and permanently reside in her heart and soul.

My body becomes a cage over hers as I take my slow sweet time, making sure to cherish and treasure and reverently explore every part of her, to imprint the shape of me, the feel of me onto her, to map her body with my own. My soul burns with the need for more, with the need to drive her to higher soaring heights with each punctuated sound and word and gasp, her hands clutching at my arms, digging in for purchase as I move in her, each harsh breath and shuddered cry of pleasure swallowed up by the room, consumed by the endless fire that burns in each of us for her.

"I love you so, so much. I love every bit of you with every bit of me. I love you now and forever." I speak into her skin, with a final thrust coming to stop inside her, watching as her eyes flutter and a cry is torn out, my name on her lips and she stiffens and arches, pushing me closer and deeper, breathing heavily as she grips me, holds onto me tight.

I slowly slip out of her, brushing gentle kisses to her skin, wiping away the tears that had spilled over and bringing her right leg up, drawing it up and parting it as I slowly nibble at the sensitive inner skin, leaving a mark of my own before my fangs sink into the soft tender flesh of her thigh, puncturing it right where I left a mark, sighing with relief and pleasure at the sweet heady scent that fills my nose as her blood fills my mouth, taking steady gulps, already addicted to the taste of her, feeling her warm blood slip down my throat, fill me as I mark her.

She is temptation embodied and my mind whirls with a fog of pleasure as I feed, my other hand pinning her hips to the bed, to stop her writhing as she tries to escape, pleas on her lips.

My fangs retract and I lick over the marks, sealing it with the venom, admiring the way her thigh is decorated so prettily with our love and want for her and as my finger brushes over it she suddenly stills, body going loose and pliant.

I lower her leg carefully, eyes falling to her to see her eyes shut, the rise and fall of her chest still heavy, her grip on me loosening and falling away.

She sink into the mattress, body exhausted and pliant.

There's a breathless shocked sound. 

"Did you just push her through that much pleasure that she blacked out?" Jin hyung asks incredulously, sounding disbelieving and huffing.

And Hobi hyung beside her shakes his head at me.

"Poor mate was being riled up for over an hour, not to mention his hands all over her marks. Sweet baby was too overwhelmed." Hyung says, tenderly brushing kisses to her cheeks, his hands brushing over her body as he murmurs healing charms, dragging his lips away with a wince.

"Joon, those plants will come in handy now. I don't want her waking up with pain." He says, turning to face Joon hyung who had a lapful of Jiminie- who glares at me with no real heat as hyung nods, slipping out of bed to get them.

"You menace! This is you treating her with fragile care?" Yoongi hyung says, a laugh slipping out at the wide-eyed look I give in return.

"No hyung let me hold her." I whine when Jin hyung comes around, settling immediately in the space behind her to draw her still figure into my arms.

I brush her hair off her shoulder to press a kiss there.

My arms involuntarily tightening around her as the mark starts to settle- unable to let go.

"Needy thing." Jin hyung teases before guiding my mouth to his, lips soft and curved up against mine.

"Let's see how long you can remain in exile for." He whispers as he parts, eyes flickering with gold, amusement laced into his voice.

My eyes widen and hands press flat against her stomach, panicked at the thought alone.

"No escaping your doings baby." He teases, gently manoeuvring our youngest mate so he can clean her, his hands careful and tender before Joon hyung comes forward with a bowl of the essence he's extracted from the plants.

He shoots me a reproachful look that mingles with fond exasperation.

"The wait was that long huh?" he muses aloud as he gently dabs the essence with a small towel to her marked skin, to the healing marks scattered across her body.

His hands brush over her skin, slow and careful.

His smile deepens as he looks at her resting face, smoothened out and relaxed. Content. 

"She's getting warmer, her body and instincts will push her for that final mark soon. And then...then she'll be ours in the deepest and most intimate way." He murmurs.

When he's done, he puts the bowl aside, gratefully passing it over to Kookie, to gently draw her legs onto his lap, massaging at her calves, careful to help loosen her muscles and not to stir her.

"I'm so in love." He says as he massages.

Voicing the sentiments of every single one of us.

And as I look at her, I have no doubt that despite being completely lost in her, she'll forever reel me in further, drown me in her.

And I can't think of anything better.

KOOK POV:

Waiting for her doesn't stoke an urgent consuming inferno in me as it seemed to have in the hyungs, rather it's as if the constantly flickering and simmering flames get another gust of strength and fuel to become strong crackling flames that steadily remain constant, an eternal fire that cannot be extinguished.

The lazy pliant haze of desire that had seeped out of everyone, making a thick cloud of simmering energy steadily climbed with each mating, was pushed to limits that it constantly exceeded. And as I watched the others mate her, watched the hyungs dote and fuss just as equally as they wrung every last drop of pleasure from her body had the flames burning hotter. With the need to lay my claim too, to draw her close and express with every inch of my skin just how devoted I was with her, how the mere sight of her had the air punched out of my lungs.

Breathing was a habit I'd slowly learned to let go of a habit that had only ever reminded me of how much pain I had been in as a human, reminded me of the past me, the weak me that the hyungs had built back up with precious careful hands.

But when it came to her, the breath slipped out of me, I found myself needing air, needed air to allow my constricted lungs to expand and relax, needed air because the sight of her, the feel of her, the scent of her had the air knocked from my lungs, caught in my throat and spilling out in a gasp.

And it was something I felt I couldn't get enough of.

The dizzying enthralling scent of her as she walked past, or curled up onto my lap or sat beside me in lesson. The way her eyes, her beautiful expressive eyes, shone with each emotion, so deep and mesmerising and captivating. The way it was too soon for her to stop breathing habitually, and every sigh, gasp and sound she made came punctuated with a small huff of breath, the sweet light exhales as she slept, the shuddery pleading gasps as the hyungs mated her and the fond amused and sometimes exasperated huffs as she found herself distracted from all ends- a personal goal all of us seemed to have reached unanimously.

I was so irrevocably in love with every bit of her, of her personality, of who she was as a person, her mannerisms and habits, the sight of her. It was enough to consume me.

And so when her eyes fluttered open, finding herself surrounded on all ends by mates curved protectively close to shield her, guard her- instincts demanding the need to protect and keep safe our mate who wasn't fully claimed- I find that even if my heart no longer beat, it still clenched with painful giddy elation when her eyes drifted over all of them and came to rest on me.

That her eyes were clear and coherent and free from the haze, that her instinctual needs had somewhere during her unconsciousness drifted away and she peered at me not as our mate only, but (Y/N) the mate who'd not hesitated as she protected my larger frame with her own in that café months ago, when she'd stood up for me and not known just who it was she was protecting, or what we meant to each other.

The same (Y/N) who like the bold strokes of paint claimed a space on the canvas, the incomplete painting that was my life, that was my soul. The same (Y/N) who became that breath of fresh air, became the oxygen my lungs didn't need but craved. The one who erased my hurts completely and made me begin again.

I saw the person who'd come so far, who'd opened her heart to us, lay herself bare in the most explicit form of trust when she accepted us as mates and the same one who'd along the way taught us all again that life became so much more vivid, precious if we lived just as intensely as she did- living as if time was limited, as if one day it would run out.

"Hey Koo..." she mumbles, slightly drowsy but sweet and gentle as she reaches out for me, arms extending out to make grabby hands, lips curled in a loose languid smile.

I find my soul turning into a soft puddle, turning all gooey and mushy as she makes a happy sound when I carefully lean over and pry away the clingy sleeping hyungs to scoop her up and draw her onto my lap instead, her body leaning into mine as I prop myself up against the headboard.

"How are you feeling baby?" I ask as my hand rubs up and down the delicate curve of her back, sighing when she gently pecks my shoulder, melting into the touch.

"Feel like a puddle. Feel all floaty." She murmurs, punctuating her sentences with soft kisses to my shoulders.

Her arms wrap around my biceps, fanning over the skin, heat pooling through to my skin where her touches bring pleasant jolts on me.

"You're not in pain are you? Hurting or stiff?" I ask, drawing her face towards me, peering at her.

She gives an experimental wriggle, the loose fabric of Yoongi hyung's t-shirt slipping to reveal the puncture marks at her shoulder but also the large bruise where Jimin hyung's teeth had clamped down, bitten at her skin.

"No pain, well...no bad pain. Though my back feels a little stiff, my hips too..." she whispers, confessing it shyly with warm cheeks and ducking her head down, eyes sliding away from sight as if she feels shamed to look at me.

"Don't hide. Your body has been through a lot, it's fine to feel stiffness. Though let me help with that." I say, ducking my head down to peer at her, too kiss her flushed cheeks.

She nods and I lift her from my lap to gently urge her down to lie flat on the bed, stomach-down. My eyes linger on the bare skin of her back, over the slope and dip of her back, the flare of her hips. I press a kiss to the dip of her back as I slide off the bed, reaching over the lotions and oils Jinyoung hyung had claimed would work miracles.

And carefully pour a small amount into my palm, rubbing my hands together in habitual motion to warm my skin before I begin rubbing the oil into her skin, gently kneading the stiffness out of her lower back, thumbs rubbing slow circles into her skin, a slight pressure as I ease the knots out.

She groans into the pillow she'd wrapped her arms around, face falling into it, the sound muffled and yet sends a spark of desire shooting through me- a mixed response because of the sensual insinuation but also with the satisfaction of bringing her relief, of taking care of her.

"Feel better?" I ask, kissing the curve of her shoulder, lips lingering.

She nods, voice muffled.

"So good Koo..." she whispers, head rising, twisting to peer at me and bring her lips to meet mine in a sweet slow kiss, sighing as she leans into me, tongue flicking over my lips in silent permission and slowly sliding in when my mouth opens immediately, welcoming and inviting- willing and ready for the burning sparks when her tongue brushes against mine.

She whines when I lean back, pouting and I kiss her quickly before I can stop myself, smiling as I draw her head back to rest on the pillow.

"Let me take care of you." I say softly, hands continuing to massage at her back, fingers sweeping up over to massage her hips, squeezing at her supple curves and kneading the soft firm flesh.

Her back arches, hips rising to move further into my touch.

"Don't stop." She breathes, a small gasp slipping out when my hands trail lower to knead at the tops of her thighs. The breathy whimper that escapes has arousal seeping into the bond, heady intoxicating desire zinging through my body and is potent enough to have our slumbering mates stirring, small sounds of confusion and alarm at the (Y/N)-shaped gap between them before their alertness sharpens and they turn, all of the entangled limbs separating to peer at her and me, eyes burning with pride and desire- sleepiness fading to give way to focused red eyes.

The touches stop massaging to bring ease, now that she's a sated pile of limbs loosely splayed on the mattress and become inviting and teasing, beginning to rile her up as my fingers knead at her skin, her thighs unconsciously parting to give more access.

I brush over the marks over her inner thighs, sliding down lower on the bed to press kisses there, hands unable to stop their fascinated roving over her.

And as my hands explore her skin, trace and run over every dip and curve of her, I realise in that moment that I'd love to paint her, my muse, paint all sorts of, sensual close-ups, to just the curve of her lips when she smiles, or the way her eyes sparkle when she's overjoyed. I press kisses down the curve of her spine, unable to stop leaving small proofs of my love on her. I learn that as my hands begin to coax out sounds as they turn her over to slowly rile up, brushing over the heaving swells of her breasts, fingers rubbing and pinching and lips soothing away the sting.

My hands trail down her waist, marvelling at the way her stomach goes taut and unconsciously tightens when my hands rove over her, as if anticipating something, as if the pleasure has her locking up. And when my fingers slide into her, to draw out pleasure without preamble she lets out a choked gasp, hand grabbing my wrist where it sits at the apex of her thighs, eyes burning with surprise and undiluted pleasure.

"No teasing? No playing?" Yoongi hyung muses, sounding pleased and proud.

I throw a look at Tae hyung, who sports a mixture of an abashed look and pleased glimmer in his eyes.

"She deserves to feel pleasure every moment of the day, in every way and of every sort. Why would I ever deny her that?" I say, pressing a kiss to her stomach even as my fingers draw out whines and whimpers, allowing those sounds to seep into the room, to fill the air and cause it to thicken. Her every sound is sweet, a tone, a melody of sounds that has me addicted to the sound, ears craving more and when she falls over the edge, her breathing is heavy and at the same time wavering and light, as if her lungs struggle to pull air into them, as if all the air whooshes out as she trembles, my fingers coming away coated with her essence.

And later when I enter her, when our bodies move together as one- it's with none of the frantic need to lay claims on each other, to be consumed in that burning desire and want and longing for each other. But each thrust, each roll and movement has not only our bodies moving closer and bound together intimately but our souls shifting towards each other, moving to nestle within each other, to leave a part of our soul, a part of the very thing that makes us exist and function safely placed in the other. Each sound and gasp and call of each other's name is because it feels like we become one and yet the craving for her, the need to feel her, have her close will never end.

When my arms draw around her it's not to have her unravelling under my touch just as I am under hers, under the way her hands slide up my chest and she looks at me with burning tenderness, soft and whole as she looks at me, sees me for me, but to have her close, to bring her into an embrace, to feel her near me, against me, two of us lost in the same sensation.

When my lips brush over hers, over her skin, it's because I want the feel of her, the taste of her to remain permanently there, to feel the softness that unravelled me, the soft sweetness that clothed the hard steel that was her bold beautiful soul, a survivor, a warrior. My warrior, my survivor, my knight in shining armour.

And when my lips part its because heavy shuddering gasps escape me, because I find my senses overwhelmed with her scent and need air to rush in to my body, but it only brings more trails of her heady scent to me, driving me further and further into that abyss, into that consuming chasm that is just her, where I fall gratefully and willingly to be swallowed up by the essence of her.

I barely feel our mates moving close, feel them through the bond as it reaches that point of where it's tugged taut between the eight of us, close to snapping, close to being pushed over the abyss.

And when we both reach our highs together, both our breaths mingle, our gasps merging and being swallowed by each other, our lips come together- seeking out each other, to be connected in every way, hands lacing together as I move, drawing out our pleasure to its peak, to a newer height.

And when I move away, it's to kiss her heaving rising and falling torso, kissing to her taut stomach, hands rubbing soothingly at where her legs tremble and shake, kiss to the dip of her waist and rove down to where her hips flare. And just above, just near the curve, I sink my fangs into the softness of her hip, where blood trickles out and into my mouth, sweet thickness of her blood that sweeps in and claims my mouth. I swallow small mouthfuls, head spinning with how it sends desire jolting sharply through my body, a sense of wholeness, of completion.

And rather than shiver and twist away, to tremble and be overwhelmed as she had been for the others, there's a sense of satisfaction and happiness, her hand brushing through my head, guiding me down onto her hip, inviting me to feed.

There's something different in the way she allows me to take more, guides me to, invites me to.

And when I draw my lips away there's tears glittering in her eyes, a feeling of contentment as she looks at me, her energy suddenly at it's peak, flowing with healthy happiness.

"I love you Koo." She says simply, the tears finally spilling over.

I brush her tears away, lips a hairbreadth away as I whisper back.

"I love you too baby mate." And with that confession I feel the tether between us simultaneously snap and merge to form stronger ties between the eight of us, an intricate knot that binds us all together.

And when I look at her, I find relief and joy and elation over the fact that I'd spent decades to get to this point.

That I was bound by blood, bound by soul to all my mates.

That finally we were complete.

And with her in my arms, tugged close to rest my head on her shoulder- tucking her body in close, I had no intention whatsoever of letting go.

And as everyone's eyes brim with pride, with happy tears, with joy and giddiness- a peace settles over us, a deeply-rooted calm that comes with being a complete coven.

And at that moment the window which had been shut, slides open bringing a waft of deliciously cool and refreshing air to brush against our skin, against (Y/N)'s heated skin, to filter through the air and lighten the thick heady wave of pheromones.

And maybe it seems like the house does have favourites, that it is most attuned to (Y/N).

Because she lifts her head to prop her chin onto my shoulder, arms curling around my back as she hugs me back, drawing me closer.

"So who do I leave my mating mark on first?" she asks, pealing laughter ringing out when it sends the air to swell to an almost suffocating level, where as someone who doesn't need to breathe I find myself taking deep grounding scents of her, nosing against her shoulder to block it out.

And she laughs, eyes creased and flushed full cheeks bunched up, swollen lips parted in giddiness when it brings all of them to burst into argument, claiming they're the first mate who deserves the first mark, the sweetest honour.

The nesting room door seems to open almost subtly, a silent swing of the door that has a clear invitation as it reveals the empty hallway.

"Hold on tight." I whisper to her as they bicker, too engrossed in their debating to pick up on the words and she clutches tighter at me, squealing when I shift off the bed and make a rushed dash out of the door to escape with her, the door's slam the only thing that stirs them out of it.

And their yelled protests and furious attempts to yank open the sealed door has the two of laughing as we leave the two behind, escaping to disappear into a bathroom together.

"Do you reckon the house will keep them out of the bathroom?" she asks peering up at me.

I ponder over it.

"Cos it's you yes. Why?" I ask, head tilting to examine her.

She smiles.

"I can't think of a better way to end my mating with a nice relaxing bath with my darling Koo." She says, pinching my cheek and stealing a kiss.

And frankly neither can I.

A bath where I have our baby mate all to myself.

Sounds like heaven.

Though heaven ends up sounding like huffy whiny protests from outside the bathroom door before the sounds melt away, shut out by the house.

And when I see her, I see a heavenly sight. Hair soaked and drenched and body relaxed as she leans into me, rests against me, soapy suds clinging to her body. Body bare and decorated with seven mating marks and an array of purples and reds.

"Let's stay like this forever. That or until the house gives up." she says, fingers tracing over my skin, drawing up handfuls of bubbles to smear over my chest, to the tip of my nose and fascinatedly covering me up with it.

My arms that had been loosely looped around her waist tighten and draw her further into me.

Forever.

Sounds perfect.

(THERE WE GO!! WE FINALLY GOT THERE! THE FINAL MATING CHAPTER! BUT HOLD YOUR HORSES PEOPLE, THE SHOW IS NOT OVER YET! THOUGH I AM SUPER DUPER SAD THAT THIS FIC HAS COME TO ITS OFFICIAL END WITH THE MATING- WHICH WAS WHAT THE ENTIRE ANGSTY ROLLERCOASTER JOURNEY WAS FOR- THERE'S MORE TO COME!! JUST LIKE WITH MY READERS FROM CURSED FATE, THIS BOOK WILL HAVE A SERIES OF BONUS CHAPTERS COS I AM JUST NOT READY TO GIVE UP THIS WORLD! AND I HAVE SOME IDEAS AND SCENARIOS I WANT TO EXPLORE WITH THEM!! SO IF YOU DO HAVE ANY IDEAS OR SCENARIOS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE- LET ME KNOW AND AS ALWAYS I'LL TRY BRING AS MANY IN AS I CAN! AND LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS TOO!! TAE WAS BEING SUPER FUSSY AND DEMANDING TO BE WRITTEN IN WELL! AND KOO? WELL HE JUST WANTED TO CHERISH HIS MATE- SO BOTH MADE IT, OTHERWISE WE'D HAVE HAD ANOTHER CHAPTER!! I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED THE CHAPTER, THAT THIS JOURNEY WAS WORTH IT! TAKE CARE AND STAY SAFE LOVES!)

Don't be too bitter that the world spits you out, don't be too sweet that the world consumes you. Balance is important in life. You should be soft but also be hard- don't let the world ever take advantage of your kind soul, and don't let it go on without knowing just how much your presence is a blessing! Never forget each life is a blessing, each person is a miracle.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3