Page 34 of Caught by the Highland Beast (A Highlander’s Oath #5)
Three Years Later
The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden hue over the rolling hills of the Highlands. The scent of wildflowers and fresh grass filled the air as a gentle breeze drifted through the glen where the Crawford castle stood proudly in the distance. The afternoon was peaceful, quiet except for the occasional birdsong and the soft laughter of two children running through the meadow, their giggles floating on the wind.
Finn watched them from where he stood on the hill, his arms crossed over his broad chest, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips. His son, Eamon, was chasing after a butterfly, his little legs pumping as fast as they could manage, his dark curls bouncing with each step.
Meanwhile, their daughter, Moira, who had just turned three, sat in the grass with a look of determination, carefully inspecting a collection of wildflowers she had gathered in her tiny hands.
“Careful, Moira,” Finn called down to her, his voice filled with warmth and amusement. “Daenae pull the roots out, or ye will have naught to show your maither.”
The little girl looked up at him, her brow furrowed in concentration as if she were taking his advice very seriously. She nodded, her expression much too serious for a toddler, and returned to her task.
“Papa, look!” Eamon’s voice rang out, full of excitement as he came barreling up the hill, holding his hands out toward Finn. “I caught it! I caught the butterfly!”
Finn crouched down to meet his son, the grin on his face widening. Eamon opened his hands just enough for Finn to peek inside, and sure enough, a delicate butterfly rested in his tiny palms, its wings fluttering gently. Finn raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“Well, would ye look at that,” he said, his voice low with admiration. “Ye are fast, lad. Just like your maither.”
Eamon beamed with pride at the compliment, his chest puffing out as he looked down at the butterfly. “Do ye think Mama will like it?”
Finn chuckled softly. “Aye, laddie. She’ll love it. But be gentle when ye show her, aye?”
The boy nodded eagerly, careful not to crush the fragile creature in his excitement. Finn straightened up and looked across the meadow, his gaze searching for the familiar figure of his wife. She wasn’t far, sitting by a small stream that ran through the glen, watching the children with a soft smile on her face. Her dark hair, longer now than when they had first met, caught the sunlight, and her green eyes, still as sharp and vibrant as ever, followed their children’s movements with tender amusement.
Thalia had always been strong — fierce, even — but motherhood had brought out a side of her that Finn cherished more than he could ever have imagined. She was gentle with their children, patient in a way that never ceased to amaze him, but there was no mistaking the fire in her that still burned bright, the same fire that had drawn him to her from the start.
“Finn, my love!” Her voice carried across the meadow, bright and filled with joy.
“Aye?” he hollered back up at her.
“Are you going to just stand there watching all day, or are you going to come help me catch these wildlings?”
Finn grinned, his heart swelling with the love he felt for her, a love that had only grown deeper with each passing year. He started down the hill toward her, taking his time, savoring the moment. These quiet afternoons, when they could simply be together as a family, were what he had dreamed of on the day they married. There had been battles, both external and internal, to get here, but now that they had settled into their life together, he couldn’t imagine anything better.
She had unlocked something inside of his soul, his very being, that he never thought even existed before. His life truly started the day she stumbled into his life. The thought of that first day they met made his lips curl devilishly. As he reached her, Thalia leaned back on her hands, tilting her face up to look at him with a mischievous smile. “Enjoying the view, are you?”
Finn laughed, dropping down beside her with an exaggerated groan, as if the walk had tired him out. “Aye, but not the one ye are thinking of, lass,” he teased, earning himself a playful swat on the arm. He caught her hand before she could pull away and kissed the back of it, his gaze softening as he looked at her.
She arched a brow. “Oh? And what view is that, then?”
Finn gestured toward their children, who were now running in circles together, laughing and playing as if they hadn’t a care in the world. “That one,” he said quietly. “Our bairns, our life… ye. It’s all I ever wanted, Thalia. I dinnae think I ever thanked ye properly for it.”
Thalia’s smile softened, and she leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder as they watched their children. “You have thanked me every day, Finn,” she murmured. “And you have given me more than I ever thought I could have. I never imagined my life would turn out like this.”
Finn tilted his head to look down at her, a question in his eyes. “And what did ye imagine, then?”
Thalia chuckled softly, her voice full of affection. “Oh, I imagined myself tied to someone in an unloving marriage or being an old spinster living alone with my sisters somewhere in the middle of nowhere.”
She paused, her gaze distant for a moment before she turned her eyes back to him, full of warmth. “But you gave me a family of my own, Finn. And I’ve never been happier.”
Finn’s throat tightened at her words, and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. “And I’ll keep giving ye that, every day, for the rest of our lives.”
Thalia smiled up at him, and for a moment, they simply sat there, content in each other’s presence, watching their children play in the sunlight.
“Papa! Mama!” Eamon’s voice broke through the moment as he came rushing toward them again, this time with Moira toddling along behind him, her chubby hands still full of wildflowers. “Look! I still have the butterfly!”
Thalia’s eyes lit up with delight as she sat up, holding her hands out to her son. “Oh, Eamon! That’s lovely!” She carefully cupped her hands around his, peeking inside to see the butterfly resting there. “You have been so gentle and kind with it. I’m very proud of you, my love.”
Eamon beamed, looking up at his father for approval, and Finn nodded with a grin. “Well done, lad. Now, let’s see if we cannae let it go, aye? So it can fly home.”
Eamon hesitated for a moment but then nodded, understanding. He opened his hands slowly, and the butterfly fluttered its wings, lifting off and soaring into the sky. Moira, who had been watching closely, clapped her hands in excitement.
“Fly!” she squealed, pointing at the butterfly with wide eyes.
Thalia laughed, reaching out to tuck a stray curl behind her daughter’s ear. “Oh yes, Moira, it’s flying. Maybe you will catch one too, someday.”
Finn watched them, his heart swelling with pride and love. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. Thalia had given him two beautiful children, a family that he had once thought he would never have. He had everything he could ever want.
As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the glen, Finn stood up and held out his hands to his children. “Come on, ye two. Time to head home before yer mother decides to make us all sleep out here.”
Thalia shot him a playful glare but didn’t argue, gathering up Moira and lifting her onto her hip. Eamon took Finn’s hand, his small fingers gripping tightly as they made their way back toward the castle.
The walk was slow, leisurely, with the children chattering about their adventures in the meadow, and Finn couldn’t help but smile at the easy rhythm of their life. It hadn’t always been like this — there had been struggles, moments when he thought they might not make it — but they had come through it stronger, bound together by love and loyalty.
When they reached the castle, the hearth was already lit, casting a warm glow through the windows. Thalia set Moira down and went to check on dinner while Finn led Eamon to the basin to wash his hands.
Once the children were cleaned up and seated at the table, Finn settled in beside Thalia, their hands brushing under the table. It was a small gesture, but one that spoke volumes. They didn’t need grand declarations or elaborate shows of affection anymore — just being together, here with their children, was enough.
As they ate, Eamon and Moira chattered about their day, their little voices filling the room with warmth. Thalia laughed often, her eyes twinkling as she listened to their tales, and Finn found himself watching her more than he ate, marveling at how effortlessly she had become the heart of their home.
After dinner, they all gathered by the fire, with Eamon on Finn’s lap and Moira nestled against Thalia’s side, her tiny fingers playing with the hem of her mother’s dress. The fire crackled softly, and the room was filled with a comfortable, peaceful silence.
Finn looked around at his family, his heart full to bursting. This was what he had always wanted, what he had fought for, and now that he had it, he would never let it go.
Thalia caught his gaze and smiled softly, as if reading his thoughts. She reached over to take his hand, squeezing it gently.
“I love what we’ve made together,” she sighed softly, her words barely reaching his ears as she nestled her head against his shoulder, a contended sigh escaping her.
“And I cherish every moment of creating it with ye, my love,” he whispered back, pressing a tender kiss to the top of her head, his lips lingering there as if to seal the moment in her mind forever. “I love ye, Thalia.”
“Mmm…” she hummed happily, “I love you too.”
The End