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“I love you,” he said. “If you'll have me as your mate, Breela?—”

“Tell me the truth. What does that mean?” I pouted. “It can't mean helper. Who'd call someone they love a thing like that?”

“Darling. It means darling in my language.”

Aw. “You're so sweet. You were calling me that almost from the start.”

“From the start in my heart.”

“I love you.”

“Stay with me forever?”

“I thought you'd never ask.”

His lips found mine, sealing every promise and every unspoken confession with a kiss that left no doubt.

This was real.

This was forever.

Chapter 33

Ruugar

Midday sun bathed the trail in soft gold as we set off toward Lonesome Creek. Clawed hooves clopped against packed dirt, and the scent of pine and earth filled the air. Beth rode beside me on her sorhox, her face glowing in the light, and it took every bit of my restraint not to reach for her right then and there. I’d haul her onto my lap and kiss her until she moaned and clung to me like she had last night.

“You two are precious,” Mary said from behind us. “Like a pair of lovesick fools. It reminds me of you and me, Joel, way back when.”

“I still love you, sweets,” he said, kissing his palm and then blowing across it. I had no idea what the gesture meant, but Mary snatched nothing out of the air and pressed her hand against her chest.

And we were the sick of love fools?

Carol sighed dreamily. “It’s amazing. Look at them, their eyes only for each other.”

Beth rolled her eyes, but the blush on her cheeks gave her away. “Don’t you all have better things to do than gossip?” She sent them warm smiles.

“Oh no,Ben,” Pete said, his voice full of laughter. “This was the best entertainment we’ve had all trip.”

The teasing was relentless, but it didn’t matter. If they saw what was in my heart, saw how much Beth meant to me, I felt no shame. Let them talk. Let them see. All that mattered was that she never doubted my feelings.

The trail wound through familiar hills, but everything felt different now. The air was lighter, the horror of Bradley’s actions gone. Beth’s fingers kept stretching out, and I met them every time. Our fingers brushed, and an ache settled deep in my chest, something almost too big to contain.

Her gaze found mine, and the warmth there… She didn’t need to speak. Her expression told me everything I needed to hear.

She loved me.

I couldn't stop grinning.

By the time we stopped for lunch, our friends had settled into easy chatter. We spread blankets over the grass and rummaged through food packs we'd made up before we left.

After we ate, Beth touched my hand. “Want to take another walk with me?”

I followed her away from the group, past a cluster of trees where a small pond glimmered through the branches.

She turned to face me, her hands gripping my forearms. “Promise me something, Ruugar.”

“Anything.”