Page 229 of Inside the Sun

Anyone else would have to blow it open, and that would give my mate enough time to escape.

I turn the final dial and step into the basement of the second house.

Upstairs, I catch the scent of porcini mushroom soup, my favorite.

He always makes it at least once a week, waiting for me to come home.

Smiling, I walk into the kitchen. He’s there, at the stove… my love. My True Mate.

I brought him here after years of pain and struggle.

I saw him when he was at his worst, addicted, married to a man who treated him like a trophy. A toy. A tool.

But he’s mine now. And forever.

He turns to me with a matching smile. He knows it’s me.

The kitchen wall’s covered in monitors. He can see the driveway, the beach, the tunnel entrance.

This house is a fortress. Reinforced, protected from every angle, in case anyone ever tries to find out who lives here.

But maybe… soon… it won’t have to be a secret anymore? At least, I hope so.

My mate greets me, his eyes are sparkling joy. I walk up to him and wrap my arms around him tight.

Our mouths meet in a kiss full of heat. He tastes like mushroom soup.

When we pause for a second, he glances down and says, "What the hell happened to your clothes? Your pants are shredded!"

"I fought another purple alpha today. A special one. Silver."

And I give him a loaded smile.

"Oh, right. Ragnar! I take it everything went well? According to plan?"

"Perfectly. Just like you predicted."

I raise my hands and run my fingers over his beautiful face, slipping them into his long silver hair that flows all the way down to his hips.

I love the color; rare and striking. Like the silver chains people hang on Christmas trees in winter.

He lifts his eyes to meet mine, and all the love and happiness in his soul pours out at me.

"I love you," I say. Every cell in my body tells him the same. Every breath I take is for him.

"And I love you, Luca. Always."

"All the roads led them to happiness… just like you said," I whisper it as I kiss his forehead.

His eyes shine with endless joy, but after my words, they fill with tears… tears of relief.

I loved those eyes from the very first time I saw them. They had me under a spell.

One is golden, like there’s a tiny sun burning inside it.

The other is silver… like themoon.

THE END

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