♥

Milo is in my arms.

My beautiful mate is in my arms. He's right here.

Tears sting my eyes as I clutch him tighter. He came back. He came for me. Last night was an experience I'll never forget. All of our heightened emotions allowed us to let go and just be Milo and Nate for one night.

It was perfect. He is perfect.

He doesn't know it but he's my ray of sunshine in a world that is forcing us apart.

I glance down at his peaceful sleeping face. My fingers brush through his dark strands, I focus on his lashes that brush his cheek as he breathes slowly. Our naked bodies are pressed against each other.

Once wasn't enough. I lost count how many times I made love to him on my bed. We fell asleep and then woke up to kisses across my chest, we fell asleep again and I felt Milo's hardened cock press against my back. It was a fulfilling night of orgasms and pleasure and more orgasms.

The thought of laying in these sheets makes me feel slightly dirty but I like it. We can be dirty together.

My eyes literally morph into heart shapes when I look at him. I never knew I could love this deeply which scares me because I know in a year's time I'm going to love him even more, and then in ten years time. My love for him will continue to stretch because loving him is physically endless. I'll always find new things to adore. It will always reach new heights.

Milo stirs and begins to wake up. I press a kiss to his forehead and then the tip of his nose. "Good morning," I whisper against his cheekbone. "How are you feeling?"

He groans. "Sore," his sleepy voice makes my heart quake. "So please, no more until I'm recovered."

The corners of my mouth tug. "Noted."

Milo slowly peels those stunning blue eyes open and stares directly at me. His fingers raise to slip down the curve of my cheek, I shudder at the sensation. "I love you," he whispers.

I take his hand and kiss his palm. "I know," I whisper back, warmth spreading through me. Then I realise that's the bond, telling me how much he's telling the truth. I didn't need the bond to confirm but the feeling's like no other. "I love you too, Milo."

He smiles and closes his eyes, the bond doing the same for him. We lay in silence for a moment, enjoying the feel of one another. After our bodies came together in multiple explosions, I can't stand the thought of not touching him skin to skin right now.

"Don't run away from me again," I say, coaxing his eyes open. "Please. I've been a mess without you."

Milo's lips wobble slightly as he nods. "I know. Me too. I'm sorry."

I shake my head. "Don't apologise. What you went through was traumatic but I want to be there for you, always. Please let me be there for you. The thought of you suffering alone makes me feel sick."

"What Everett said stuck in my mind," he says suddenly and I press a kiss to his forehead again, reminding him that I'm here. "It fucked me up and with upsetting you, going to see Apollo, getting drugged by Henry. It just made me go insane."

"What did Everett say?"

A wave of sadness flashes past Milo's eyes. I won't force him to tell me but I want to know so I can decide whether or not to punch his brother the next time I see him. "He said that I use my addiction as an excuse to slack off, for not being strong, for who I am. That eventually I'll fuck things up with you and you won't stick around."

I blink rapidly. "He said what?"

Milo closes his eyes, the memories too painful for him. My heart thrashes in my chest. That motherfucker.

"You know that's not true right?"

"At the time I believed it because I came to you and I hurt you."

I cup the back of his head. "I shouldn't have let you leave, I should have tried to convince you to stay. I failed you, Milo. You were upset and all I could focus on was what happened, I was being selfish."

"The entire thing is a fucking car crash," he whispers.

"What Everett said is complete bullshit," I state boldly. "In these last few months I've known you, I've literally seen the light restore back in your eyes. When I met you, you were not the person you are now. You wanted to change your life around, make a difference. You've made so much progression that you should be proud of, because I'm proud of you. Fuck Everett, fuck him. He doesn't know shit."

Milo extends his tongue to lick his lips. "He said it because Reign was unwell, he wanted someone to blame."

My head shakes furiously. "That doesn't excuse his shitty behaviour at all."

"I don't want to be at the house," he says, a single tear rolling down his cheek. My thumb raises to wipe it away. "It's too painful, I need to get away from it. Everett is everywhere and I can't even stomach the thought of looking at him."

"Move in with me."

Milo's throat tenses. "What?"

I offer him a supportive smile. "Move in with me. Here."

"Really?"

"Yes. I want you to. I don't ever want to be away from you again."

More tears escape his eyes and I kiss them away, letting the saltiness burst across my taste buds. "Oh my God."

"I hope they're happy tears," I whisper.

He chuckles gently and the sound vibrates my heart. "Yeah, ones of surprise too."

"Well that's settled then," I nod. "You're moving in."

Milo nuzzles his head into my neck and wraps his arms around me. Our wolves both release emotions of safety and adoration and we both take a breath of relief. It feels good to be this close to one another again.

"What happened in the last two days?" I ask gently.

He sniffles but remains in my neck. "I convinced myself I wasn't loveable, that I wasn't worth fighting for. I wanted to let you go because I knew I didn't deserve you and you deserve someone better."

The words crush my soul to pieces. I inhale his scent to calm me down. "You are so loveable, Milo. I wish you could see that."

"The bond helps me understand," he admits.

"Good," I whisper. "But I want you to realise it without the help from the bond. I want you to believe me when I tell you these things."

He pulls back slowly. "I'll work on it."

I stroke my fingers down his bare back, tracing shapes. My eyes close and I let relief and a feeling of content wash over me. This is a start–a brand new start for us.

"How did you find me?" He asks after a few moments.

"I went to see Apollo, he said you left with Henry. Then I went to Henry and beat the shit out of him until he told me where you were." I state simply.

Milo blinks at me in shock. "W-What?"

"It took a lot of willpower not to fucking end him right there," I say, fire burning hot in my chest at the memory. "But I knew if I killed him and you weren't where he said you were, I would never be able to find you."

He stares for a few seconds. "You're going to kill him now aren't you?"

The rage in my eyes is obvious. It tells a thousand different stories of how I'd torture him.

"Yes."

"Nate–"

"He tried to kill you and I won't stand for it."

Milo stares back at me and I don't let my guard down. He tried to take what's mine away from me–he will never get away with the pain that he has caused both of us. "He scared me," his voice trembles.

My lip twists downwards as I caress the back of his head in light circles. "I know and he's going to pay."

He stares ahead of him for a moment, eyes vacant. I dip my gaze lower but he still doesn't glance my way. He's in his own head now and I dread to think of the pure terror that he went through. All the trauma he has endured.

And we both know it doesn't just go away. It can take years to help heal.

"After everything you said the other day and everything you've been through, I personally think you should go back to therapy. If not more sessions because I know you haven't fully processed everything yet but I fear it'll catch up to you." I admit. As harsh as it sounds, I don't want him spiralling again.

If he can tackle the problem now, he might be able to deal with his trauma better.

Milo nods slowly. "I went to see Layla, we had a really long conversation. It's what convinced me to come here and to tell you that I love you. She put a lot of sense into me because everything was clouded and I hated it. We've agreed to more sessions, she said she'll assess my progress and decide what's best for me when she's got enough information to base it off of."

"I'm glad," I exhale and drag my fingertips over his shoulder. His skin raises in goosebumps. "You know I'm always here too, if you ever need to talk about anything. I'm always here."

"I know," he says so quietly that I barely catch the words. "I just fear that you'll see inside my head and realise how fucked up I am."

My fingers clasp the back of his neck again and I bring our foreheads together, Milo avoids my eyes which makes my heart drop into my stomach. "There isn't one part of you that is fucked up, baby," I whisper and he drags those saddened eyes to meet mine. "Just because you have an addiction doesn't make you fucked up. Just because you suffer with mental health issues doesn't make you fucked up. I fell in love with you, for you and I wouldn't change a single thing about you. Not one thing."

He begins to choke and he shakes his head. "Don't make me cry."

The sound of his trembling voice has my throat clenching and tears threatening my eyes. "I know you opening up to me isn't going to happen overnight but I'm here, I will always be here. And I'll never judge you. We're in this shit together, right? Just like how I confided in you about my insecurities about becoming Alpha."

"Yeah," he sniffles.

"Which I am," I find my lips curving into a smile. "In the next few weeks, Leon is giving his title to me."

Milo instantly sits up. "Oh my God, what?!"

"I finally agreed," I flash him a grin that I can't hold back. "And it's happening so soon."

His arms are flung around me and I slide onto my back, I laugh in his ear as he breathes heavily. "I can't believe it's already happening," he exhales, clutching onto me with a death grip. "I know I said it before but I am so proud of you. I'm so pleased for you, you'll make an amazing Alpha."

My hand rests on the centre of his back. "I hope so. I want to make a difference. You gave me a lot of strength because you make me stronger," I murmur, Milo raises his head and I press my lips to his in a featherlight kiss. "You make me the man that I am."

When I kiss him again he laughs, vibrations bounce from our lips. "Barely."

"I'm telling the truth." I say sincerely as I brush pieces of hair from his eyes and admire his natural beauty. "You've given me that courage, the push I needed. You're everything I need, you're everything I want and I've got you. Fuck. I love you."

His eyes waiver and I pray he doesn't start to cry again. We've done far too much of that over the last couple days, I'm surprised we're still alive from such severe dehydration. "I love you too," he whispers against me and I roll him onto his back, nuzzling myself between his legs.

"Good, because I am never letting you go." I cage my arms around his head and kiss him possessively.

When he smiles my entire world lights up and I forget for a moment that other people exist.

But maybe this is our world and everyone else just lives in it.

"I think we should go on that date now," Milo says slowly. "I owe you a date. We deserve quality time together, it'll take my mind off everything. I don't want another second away from you."

I hum in agreement and pepper kisses across his face. "Whatever you want, it's yours."

♥ ♥ ♥

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Author's Note

MY BABIESSSSSS AHHHHH. FINALLY.😭🥹

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