Reagan and I were sitting beneath the weeping willow in a serene atmosphere as a light breeze travelled through the garden. It was finally time to ask him a question that I dreaded the answer of, but needed nonetheless.

"What is Deina to you, Reagan?" I asked directly, not beating around the bush. I wanted to get this conversation over with.

Reagan's golden eyes connected with mine, his face expressionless. On the inside, he was just as levelled.

Breathing through his nose he said, "Deina has been infatuated with me for a long time."

I nearly rolled my eyes at that. Well, that part was obvious. He hadn't answered my question. But I let him take his time in answering, since I wasn't sure how comfortable he was speaking about this and I didn't want him to shut me out.

"Since I've been walking Espheros for quite a while, I honestly gave up on ever finding a promised. We didn't know until recently that those without a promised amongst our kind were possible to be promised to a shifter."

Nodding, I understood. He had yet to answer my question and albeit I was growing impatient, I did not let it show.

Scratching his head, I felt his discomfort trickle through me.

"I do not and never had feelings for her of any kind. She is more like a sister to me."

I waited a moment for him to continue and when he didn't, I allowed myself to press for more. "Then why did you allow for her to speak to you in such a manner, in the study a few days ago?"

Reagan looked away and into the distance, a sigh traveling through him. "Because Deina nearly died, saving my life. And as a generally selfish person, she didn't do it out of the goodness of her heart. She did it because she loves me."

"And you feel guilty because of that?" I wondered and Reagan nodded slowly.

"I still don't think that excuses her respectless behavior," I muttered, annoyed that I was still annoyed just remembering the incident. Reagan sighed quietly, though not out of the same emotion.

"You're right, leiirin. My rank has always been a struggle for me."

I furrowed my brows.

"When my father was king, things were easier. I was respected but it wasn't like it's been since he died. Friends suddenly become distant. Title takes on weight. And since I've known Deina for so long and she's always been that way, it's not easy enforcing something like that."

Shaking my head, I disagreed. "It's not. If she'd been raised properly, she'd know the second the hierarchy changes to address elders accordingly." I paused. "Doesn't matter if she's been allowed to do it in the past. I won't be so nice if she does it again."

A smile spread on Reagan's face, while a strange emotion went through me at how docile he was about my strong opinion.

"Rank matters and she's not even family. I don't like that she allows herself to speak in such a way and less that you do nothing against it."

Though my voice had adapted an accusing tone, Reagan continued not to take offence. All he displayed was understanding, nodding in agreement. A chuckle went through him before he spoke.

"Well, I guess that's what I have you for, Keni?"

"Oh-ho, don't you Keni me! Stop making me smile when I don't want to."

His chuckle turned into a laugh and I couldn't do anything against joining in.

"I need to get ready for my training with Feiran. I'll see you, okay?"

With a short nod and a soft peck on his lips, I left.

☼

I was exhausted constantly, but it felt good being able to land a few punches when some miracle helped me best my trainer, Feiran. The improvements were small and slow, but I held on to the fact that they were improvements. It gave me a sense of confidence, but I suspected most of my mood and determination came from Reagan. 

His influence wasn't sudden and hadn't taken its effect the second the completed the bond, but it became evident more and more by each day that passed. He too experienced a difference in his mood––a change I wasn't sure he appreciated quite as much as I did. Then again, not all of his emotions were only for my benefit, just like not all mine were bad. 

In general, I was under the impression that both of us were more balanced and understood each other in ways we hadn't before. The thing I appreciated most about it was that there were no longer doubts or insecurities that plagued my thoughts. I knew he was mine, and that I was his. Nothing except us would be able to change that.

And as far as I was concerned, I would give him my life if he needed it. There was nothing that I wouldn't do for Reagan Thrakos. And I was going to war to prove it.

My days were mostly spent in the same way as the previous one. The entire pack met up for a joined and lush breakfast and fanned out once everyone was done to meet with their individual trainers. Training occupied nearly the entire day. Thankfully, training wasn't only physical. Mental training was a large part of it too, and depending on the physical skills, the psychological training took longer. For me, both required the same amount of time since I was no good in either.

Reece, on the other hand, barely needed the physical or the mental part. We'd also agreed to share our gifts with our trainers, since Reece made it clear that we needed to be as prepared as we could be and that meant in any way possible by being transparent.

Now, staring into a star scattered sky in the middle of a field, a calm serene atmosphere surrounded me. Tiny dots of light freckled a black night sky, forming symbols and figures that I couldn't make out no matter how hard I tried. Starart had never really been my forte, though it was interesting how many things people could learn from it. 

A soft breeze brushed against my skin. I appreciated the warm temperatures here, and according to Reece, Polla'Nisia was farther north-west than Everett Valley. In Everett Valley, the weather had slowly been transitioning into autumn. Here, it still felt like late summer. The air was damp from being close to the ocean but so incredibly comfortable thanks to the light winds. My arms were folded behind my head, serving as a cushion, while my hair was sprawled out around my face. Laying in the grass, for the first time in my life, I felt weightless.

Reagan, who lied right next to me, was the reason that I did.

The warmth his hand transferred into me was enough for me to have an empty mind. It was like his heat scared away my cold, dark, negative thoughts and instead made room for a solemn feeling of comfort.

When I turned my head to face Reagan, his eyes were already on me and my cheeks reddened. Thankfully, it was too dark for Reagan to notice. He smiled at me so leisurely, it made my entire body tingle. "You're beautiful when you smile," I commented, not able to keep my thoughts inside of my mind. I wasn't even embarrassed to voice them aloud.

A chuckle ran through him, one that I could have listened to forever.

"Your smile's alright, too," he joked and made me scoff.

Raising my brows, I said, "At least my smile is not the only nice thing about me."

Reagan chuckled again. "Oh, you hurt me, leiirin," he whined with a deep sigh. He motioned to his heart with his free hand. "Right in my nonexistent heart."

I scoffed again. "You have a nonexistent brain, too, by any chance?"

Reagan laughed out loud at that. "If it weren't you saying this, I'd have you punished for it." His tone became serious and he rolled over onto me with one swift movement. His legs were next to my own, his chest hovering only centimeters above mine. Reagan's body heat made me melt into the soil beneath us. "So how would you punish me?" I challenged, painfully aware of how close he was.

My heart beat frantically against my chest, pounding, even. An electrifying need ignited a fire between us and I could barely stand not pulling him down to me, closer. I wanted to challenge him further, see how far he would go.

"Hmmm," he murmured, lowering his face down to mine.

His black eyebrows were arched and thick, just above long, dark lashes. They were beautifully curved and contrasted his golden irises. Reagan's face was sharp and edgy, and looking at him now so closely and intently, I noticed a beauty mark just below his eyebrow and one on his cheekbone. His full lips were turned into a lazy smirk.

A hand touched my waist, so incredibly large against my body. They were rough, and because of that, his touch made goosebumps cover my skin. The sparks his touch trailed up my side made my insides go fuzzy. I tensed, wanting to feel more of him. "Right now, I can't think clearly," he muttered huskily, his loving gaze begging me to drive my hands through his wavy mane of hair. I couldn't help myself. My self-control was for shit.

Pressing my lips onto his, I kissed him with his fire fueling me, igniting in my body, creating flames that tickled through the both of us in a heat that couldn't stop us, no matter how cold the world around us would turn.

I tugged at Reagan's side and pushed him lightly. Understanding, he rolled onto his back, and we switched positions. As soon as I was on top, his hands trailed over my body with a hunger that made me boil with desire.

We loved each other with a frantic need in a verdant field that swayed as the wind breathed life across the world. And as the stars gave us light, being our only witnesses to a promise that tied our souls together, we melted into one.  

----

I feel like I'm really bad at describing these romantic scenes. Guess that's why I've been pushing them out for so long, lol!

What did you guys think? Should there be more of them?

Should they have started sooner?