Page 75 of Witch Untold
“Shit, Cora, shit,” Leif said.
She’s happy,Rune said.Can’t you feel it?
Our connection was suddenly a vibrant, living thing, binding us, drawing us together, and their love was a supernova crashing into me.
For a moment there was nothing but the sound of my sobs and then the guys surrounded me—Rune sat in front of me, head pressed to my abdomen, and the guys’ arms wrapped around me.
We stayed like that for long seconds until my sobs subsided, leaving me light, as if a weight had been hauled off me.
I sniffed and wiped at my face with my sleeves. “Well, that was embarrassing.”
Tor kissed my temple. “No, Cora. That was the most beautiful thank you.”
My lip trembled as fear lanced through me, fear at the possibility of losing them, of losing this. Fear for what tomorrow may bring.
“No.” Leif pinched my chin and turned my head to face him. “Don’t. We’re together and nothing will change that. Ever.”
The voice of doubt wanted to speak up, to remind me that they still had to procreate, that I couldneverhave their children, that this would be over in a century. It wanted to pull me back, to put the walls back up, but I shut it down, pushing it into the furthest recesses of my mind. I wouldn’t let it ruin this for me. I needed this, wanted it. Heck, I deserved it, and nothing was going to take it away from me.
* * *
“Wow!”Bramble did a circuit of my bedroom. “Nice.”
“Yeah, the guys really went all out.”
“And that bed…” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Easily big enough for four.”
I bit back a smile. “Yes, Bramble, Iwillbe co-sleeping with my mates.”
She plucked at the purple drapes. “I’m glad to see you’ve accepted the dynamic. I was worried after what happened with Charlotte…” She trailed off and rolled her lips into her mouth. “Fuck. Every time I think about her, say her fecking name, I get so pissed.”
“Let’s sit.” I parked my ass in one of the seats by the window, a cushy single-seater perfect for reading, if I read.
Bramble parked her butt in the other seat. “I know we need to talk. I fucked up. I ran. I promised to be there for you, and I left.”
“You did what you needed to do. I get it. You needed time to process what happened.”
“She said she loved me and then sheusedme.” Bramble shook her head, looking out the window. “I was so fucking mad. She betrayed me. But I’ve realized that the issue wasn’t that she didn’t love me, it was that she loved Arne, Sten, and Tokemore. She chose them over me and the coven.” Bramble met my gaze. “She made achoice,and it was the wrong choice.”
Yeah, because if she’d trusted in her mates, then maybe things would have been different. “Sten may have found his mate in Tor’s aunt, but he still loves Charlotte. I saw it in his eyes. I’m sure Toke feels the same, and Arne…I can’t imagine he’d have felt any less. Maybe if she hadn’t done what she did they’d have been able to find a way to stay together.”
Bramble’s mouth turned down. “She should have waited. Just fucking trusted in what they had.”
“Yeah. I won’t make the same mistake, no matter how hard it might be. I believe in what the guys and I have.”
“Good,” Bramble said. “And if you have doubts, you come to me. I’m here now. Not going anywhere.” She looked suddenly nervous. “That is, if you still wanna be friends?”
I shrugged and sat back in my seat. “Nah, I’ll pass.”
Her eyes widened and then she guffawed. “Bitch.”
I grinned and sat forward, forearms braced on my thighs. “Serious talk, though. If we’re friends, then we have each other’s backs. Which means no secrets and no running off.”
She nodded solemnly. “I feel like we need to pinky swear on that.”
I held up my pinky. “Agreed.”
She hooked her pinky with mine. “Friends.”
