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Her three men came into view, and Scarlett froze.

They were breathtakingly gorgeous, and she couldn’t decide whose details to take in first. She finally settled on Mateo who was in a beige suit with brown leather shoes, his hair neatly combed to one side.

Vince gorgeously filled out a sleek grey suit, his broad shoulders hardly restrained beneath the jacket with the softest of smiles on his lips.

Ezra stood between the two of them, in all black—of course—with his shirt unbuttoned enough to reveal the raven spanning across his throat.

Scarlett inhaled deeply and took a step.

Maximilian was her anchor as he made sure she took it slow so she didn’t trip over her own feet trying to get to her mates as fast as possible.

Once in arm’s reach Vince was the one to take her hand from Maximilian, while Mateo took the dagger from her to weave his fingers together with hers.

“I know this is the part where I should ask you to take care of her,” her brother said.

“But you are her mates, and mates only have each other's best interests at heart. Under your wings, she has blossomed into a woman I barely recognise, and I thank you for giving her your patience so she could do so.” Then her brother turned to her and kissed her cheek.

“I know this is your home now, but you can always come back to your family.”

As Maximilian stepped back and gave way to her mates, Ezra cupped her cheek, hungry eyes running over her lace covered curves. “Marvellous,” he purred.

Scarlett looked to Mateo, only to have to pull her gaze away. “You’re not supposed to tear up,” she scolded. “If you cry, I cry.” She focused on Vince, who was the one to always root her in a storm—only to find his eyes just as misty. “Not you too.”

Ezra chuckled. “Eyes on me, my queen and no tears will be shed.” Scarlett obeyed, finding the most breathtaking smile on his lips.

It even made his eyes seem lighter. “Good,” he softly praised.

“Now keep those eyes on me because Mateo is already sobbing like a little girl and he hasn’t even given his speech yet. ”

Chuckles echoed behind them, and Mateo squeezed her hand.

“Sweet love, nothing could’ve ever prepared us for you.

There is not one thought that doesn’t trail back to you, not one longing cell in our bodies that doesn’t want to be close to you.

Your love fills our hearts, your words our minds and each breath we take is so we can spend just one more moment with you. ”

Scarlett’s eyes burned, and she didn’t dare turn her gaze away from Ezra, who pulled a tissue from his pocket and dabbed her tears.

Vince’s turn came next, and Scarlett fought the urge to look at him. “You have shown us unconditional love. Your presence has become a dream that none of us want to ever wake up from.”

“Princess, take a deep breath.” She did, and Ezra breathed with her. “Vince will be the first and unlike your puppy, he has not shed those tears yet.”

Scarlett let go of Mateo and inhaled again, glad they had taken the decision off her shoulders. Vince, gorgeous, handsome Vince, waited for her with a bright smile and though his tears had not shed yet, he was far more emotional than she’d prepared herself for.

“I promise to love, protect, guide and worship you until Isis asks you to return to her,” Vince cut into his palm, and then lifted the blade to the crook of her neck.

When it pierced her skin, she shuddered, trying to fight against the pain.

“I’m yours, Scarlett.” He pressed his cut to hers, slowly brushing his thumb over her throat.

She reached up and cupped his cheek, breathing slowly as his mind swirled with hers. Her eyes losing themselves in the melting chocolate of his.

His words echoing in her mind made her shudder. ‘I have been since the day I laid eyes on you.’

‘I’m yours.’ And even through the mind link her words seemed to quiver. ‘Not one day will go by that I won’t think of you. Not a breath will go by that I won’t worry about you. Not one heartbeat will echo without my love for you pumping through my veins.’

Their lips met, soft and gentle as his grip tightened on her throat. Even his thoughts were calm, soaking up her words and love. ‘You are everything I never dared to ask for.’

‘I never want to spend a day without being yours.’

Before stretching to his full height, he kissed her forehead. “Mateo will be next.”

She let herself drown in his mind for just another moment before she turned to Mateo, who was brushing his eyes dry.

“Oh, Scarlett,” he said, gently cupping her cheek while taking the dagger from Vince. “There won’t be a day which goes by that I don’t seek your love. Not one day I wouldn’t stand by your side as you conquer the world.”

Mateo repeated the steps that Vince took, then laid his bleeding palm across her neck.

She loved how his thumb caressed over the same spot, yet felt vastly different.

With his forehead against hers, their minds merged.

Excitement, thrill, and fear ran rampant, yet he still restrained himself, trying not to overwhelm her.

At first, it was just the two of them, his excitement wrapped around her like a cocoon.

‘My sweet little puppy,’ she hummed, closing her eyes.

‘Eagerly yours.’

‘With a wagging tail and floppy ears.’

There was a chuckle both through their minds and out loud. Vince was listening. ‘I’m sorry.’

Mateo shrugged. ‘It’ll take time to get used to this, but I think Ezra wants to be part of it too.

’ Deep down, Scarlett could feel Ezra’s impatience and frustration at being left out of the events unfolding right before him.

“I love you.” And with a kiss to her forehead Mateo took her hand and gave her to Ezra.

“Princess,” he hummed, but she could hear a shadow of his impatience in his tone. She could still feel everything through her other two mates. “My turn.”

Palm up, he cut rather thin lines into his skin. Scarlett furrowed her brow, until Ezra handed the dagger over, making his intentions clear. “What if I do it wrong?”

“You won’t.” The certainty and trust in his words made her take the knife.

With a hand holding his wrist she slowly traced the rune in his palm.

“Oh, princess, don’t be so shy. Make me bleed.

” When she added more pressure, and the blood started dripping he purred like a proud lion. “Perfect, little princess.”

Once she’d traced all his lines, she passed the weapon to Vince and looked back up at Ezra. “I love you.”

“And yet you can deny me this and I would still fall to my knees to worship you for the rest of our lives.”

“I want this. I want you .”

He pinched her chin between his fingers, forcing her gaze higher and searching for any sign of a lie. “Your wish is my command.”

Then he did as the others, placing his palm over her cut and wrapped his thumb around her throat.

Ezra’s mind wasn’t a smooth transition like the others.

No, a tsunami of emotions flooded into her, nearly drowning her with waves of love and hate as he fought with the dooming fear of never being enough.

There was not one kind thought towards himself, not one ounce of pride for his own accomplishments.

And the moment he felt her crumble, under his mind he regretted bonding with her.

Scarlett wobbled on her feet, struggling to remember to breathe. Something strong held her up and somewhere from far away a voice tried to break through.

‘You love her. Unconditionally you are hers. Focus on her. How her touch always sparks joy in your heart. How her eyes glimmer with pride when she watches you fight. Try to feel the smile she brings to your lips every time she teases you.’

With each of Mateo’s words, the tides turned and she broke through the surface, warmed by the light of his love.

How, even though he didn’t understand it, she was his everything.

His rainbow after a storm, the sun peeking through the dark clouds.

But just as she thought it had calmed and she could breathe, Ezra’s hate swelled again.

He was doing this to her, and he regretted ever agreeing to this.

He wished he had never stepped foot into that mall, never burned her with his presence.

‘Scarlett, love,’ Mateo called from somewhere behind the deafening emotions. ‘It’s a waterfall and you need to step back from it. Don’t focus on its small details, look at the bigger picture.’

She felt her hand being lifted and a moment later, Ezra’s jaw pressed against her palm.

‘Breathe, Scarlett,’ Vince hummed.

Scarlett did, focusing on the sparks Ezra’s touch gave her. She tried to take a step back—metaphorically. Instead of standing within the storm, she wanted to look down upon it. With each breath, she stepped further out of the downpour until the bigger picture came into view.

‘Good,’ Mateo’s voice was so much clearer, and it was as if she could see his mind beside Ezra’s and Vince’s. ‘You’re doing so well.’

She opened her eyes and looked at her final mate. Give him his due, he managed a tough facade but as he swallowed hard, a single tear broke free and ran down his cheek. ‘I thought you said you wouldn’t cry? How am I supposed to do the same?’

‘You love me,’ he hushed, the truth of her feelings towards him like a punch to the gut. ‘You love me like you love them.’

‘I do.’

Crowd be damned, his lips crashed down on hers, his mind threatening to overtake hers again.

She focused on his lips, trying not to absorb every single emotion he fought and listened into her other two bonds.

It was so loud, so full in her mind that she wasn’t sure how she would survive the evening with her family.

‘You are not alone, love,’ Mateo reassured. ‘We are right by your side.’

She stepped back and tried to zero in on her own thoughts. And when she did, the love that wrapped around her broke the dam, letting her tears fall. “Oh no,” she coaxed, but Vince was already swiping them away just as fast as they could fall. “Thank you.”

“You would never forgive us if we let you ruin your makeup,” Mateo chuckled.

Scarlett tipped her head back and looked up into the fairy lights, blinking away the tears. “You’d never hear the end of it.”

Once she’d collected herself, she turned. Ezra wrapped his arm around her shoulder, holding her steady as bright smiles from their family warmed her heart. There were hugs and congratulations from all sides, the rest of the night passing in a blur.