“Chances are he was speaking in my native tongue,” Zan chimes in. “To be touched by an evil as old as that brings a great many complications, and now we know that one of them is that no one can understand him.”
“You would,” I say.
“Yes, yes, I probably would, but there is no way of knowing that for sure.”
I bite my lip and brush a little more of Colton’s hair out of his face. “So, you guys don’t think I’m crazy for thinking that maybethe otherresponded to me because I survived him all those years ago?”
“Not at all.” Vok sends me a soft smile. “It makes quite a bit of sense, actually. All of it does. Kentworth and his interest in your blood. The eyes and how they relate to the two of you and Colt’s curse. Your ability to get through to that thing despite how eager it was to make a snack out of my mate.”
Cora huffs. “He wanted to make a meal out of me, lovey. Not a snack. Evil or not, I know what that look meant.”
Her mate grins. “That you do, but I’m afraid your petite stature would have only been a snack for that gigantic creature. It would have had to devour both you and Lark in order to consider it a meal.”
She reaches over and swats him in the gut when something else occurs to me. “While I’m pretty sure we have a handle on everything that happened today, I’m curious about something else…”
“Why didn’tthe otherkill you over one-hundred-and-thirty-years ago?” Zan asks.
“Yeah… I mean, I always knew in my heart it was because Colton was in there somewhere, and he fought it, but even still, if it had wanted to kill me…”
“He fought it,” Zan says. “From what little we’ve discussed of that night, I can confirm what you already know. Colt fought and won, and I believe that happened, just as I believe you were able to track him down regardless of the events that had just transpired, because even without mating, your bond is incredibly strong. I believe the two of you tapped into the power you now share before you were mated because the drive to protect each other, to be with one another, was so strong, not even the purest form of evil could keep it away.”
Cora sniffles. “Just like the rest of us.”
I’m not entirely sure what she means by that—I haven’t exactly gotten everyone’s love story over the last week—but I understand and kind of agree with what they’re saying. Not even the darkest magic, the most evil curse, could keep Colton and I apart, and that’s what I’ll gladly tell our pups one day.
Given my mate doesn’t go completely apeshit and run off somewhere when he finally comes to.
“Have I helped with your questions, my lovely females?”
Cora nods and I sigh. “You have, Zan, thank you.”
“Anything for any one of you, my delicious little wolf. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go bend my mate over the railing of our balcony and fuck her into the next century, possibly in the ass as well, and then we will retire because we have a very busy day tomorrow.” He laughs like he’s completely unhinged as his sister gags. “If any of you shall need us, do not hesitate to call. Hug my niece and nephew for me. Kiss my wolf right on the mouth when he wakes, and make sure to tell him it’s from me.”
I smile at that. “I will.”
“Sending all of you our love. Will keep you posted. Goodnight.”
We say our goodbyes and hang up, then the three of us all stare at Colt for a few minutes before we look around at each other.
“He’s going to beveryupset when he wakes.” Vok grimaces.
Cora and I nod. “Yeah, but I’ll handle him.”
“Brave female,” she says as she gets to her feet, kisses my temple and heads toward the kitchen. “I’m going to make snacks and some more of that elixir. You and Colt are staying here tonight. Maybe it’ll soften the blow if we can show him everyone is ok and nothing bad happened when he gets up.”
Vok and I shrug in unison, but then this look of horror passes over his face. He carefully moves Colt’s legs from his lap, hops off the couch and bolts after his mate.
“You said you’re makingsnacks,angel? Allow me to assist, please.”
“Oh stop! I’m just gonna throw some popcorn on the stove. I’m not making anything weird. Can’t have a movie night without popcorn, right lovey?”
I giggle to myself as they continue to go back and forth, my gaze fixed on the sleeping male in my lap. “Everything is going to be ok,Mahasani.” I lean down and kiss his forehead. “I promise, everything is going to be ok, and even if it isn’t, we are going to take it all on together. We proved that tonight, proved it over and over even with miles and years between us. We are stronger together and nothing, not even your curse or Kentworth, is going to change that.”
And for the first time in years, I feel a great peace flow through my words.
Chapter18
Hangover from Hell
