Page 32 of My Pucking Life

Understanding crosses his face, and he nods before pulling her into a tight embrace. When he pulls back, they lock eyes for a moment, and I know they're having their own conversation.

She crinkles her eyes in happiness as she takes in the room. Matilda chooses that moment to steal Leera's attention with a big hug and whispers something in her ear that has even more love filling the room.

When my eyes meet Runa's, I expect her to move towards my mate first, but she doesn't; she comes right to me, embracing me in a fierce hug that I wasn't expecting, and I choke on my own emotions. “Good job, big brother.” She pulls back and meets my eyes. “But if you hurt her, I will gut you.”

She's completely serious, so I raise my hands in defense. “On my existence, I will do my best to only bring her happiness,” I promise my sister while firmly glaring at Eris with a glance at Dolos. Runa notices and shakes her head before moving away to Leera's side.

Once she's there, the girls are whispering and squealing in that way girls do. I wonder for a moment if Leera has rubbed off on Runa that much already, or if she's just learned how to best communicate with Leera. Being a werewolf-born woman, happy squealing isn't usually our thing, but I will gladly listen to them forever. My wolf whines in disagreement as they hit an impressive octave, causing me to chuckle.

“Let's see it then!” Runa announces impatiently.

Leera looks around in confusion for a moment. “See what?”

“Your mark, dear,” Matilda says sweetly.

Blushing happily this time, she looks to me, and I nod, tossing my jacket aside and removing my shirt first, causing a collective gasp around the room at the size of my mark. There'll be no hiding it. The large silver lines seem to almost glow in the lighting of the townhouse.

With everyone's attention drawn to me, Leera removes her jacket and pulls the neck of her shirt over, revealing her intricately woven, delicate match to my mark. Everyone gasps again as they take it in, and I pull her to my side.

Is something wrong with our marks? she asks nervously.

No, Princess,I nuzzle into the top of her head.They're just very large and uniquely colored compared to most mate bond marks we've seen.

Why didn't you tell me that? So I could have been prepared.

You mean so you could have had more time to overthink it?I ask honestly, raising an eyebrow, challenging her to tell me I'm wrong.

As I expected, she scoffs and doesn't have anything else to say.

Andrei moves closer, his mouth agape. “Leera?” he asks to get her attention.

She swings around to him and sees the look on his face. “What is it?”

He registers his worry and schools his features, seeming to consider his words, then turns to me. “Roman, do your marks look familiar?”

My eyebrows draw together in confusion. “Should it?”

“It would seem that the advisor and your father kept you even farther out of the loop than I imagined,” he begins. “Your marks resemble the royal seal that was to be changed following the birth of the princess. As part of a weeklong celebration to express our gratitude to the Moon Goddess for our birth—though everyone only knew of the princess—the King and Queen planned to change all royal seals, banners, symbols…everything to a symbol of a Moon Flower in mid-bloom,” he finishes in awe.

Leera quickly pulls out her phone and types up a quick search for a Moon Flower in mid-bloom. She obviously finds what she's looking for while we all watch intently as her mouth drops open in shock; turning her phone to face me, and on the screen plain-as-day, I see a photo of the blooming stages of a Moon Flower, and right in the middle is a flower that looks too much like our marks to be a coincidence.

“Wh-what does that mean?” she asks, still in shock.

All I can do is smile and shake my head. “I believe it means that, like so much else we have learned about you, you have been blessed by the Moon Goddess, my sweet miracle.” Because what else could it be? What else could I say?

Her soul returning to me.

Her healing powers.

Her whatever-happens-with-feelings-and-souls powers.

Our mate marks.

It's all simultaneously a gift from the Goddess but also a message that makes me grow weary. Leera is—or will be—very important to the Goddess at some point in our existence, and all I can do is trust the Goddess and keep Leera safe from whatever lies ahead.

23

Returning home with Roman feels more and more right every time. Having our family waiting for us when we return. It's everything.

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