Chapter 47
FORTY-SEVEN
D awn painted the academy grounds in soft gold as the last shadows of the eclipse faded. Vail stood watching cleanup efforts from the library steps, her body aching from magical exhaustion and corruption burns. But it wasn’t physical pain that made her hands tremble slightly.
The image of Kaine charging through those shadow creatures, his massive bear form placing itself between danger and those he protected, kept replaying in her mind. She’d spent so long building walls around her heart, convinced that letting someone in would make her weak. But watching him today—seeing how his strength complemented hers, how their trust in each other had helped save everything they loved...
A delighted squeal drew her attention. Across the courtyard, Romi had launched herself into Xabir’s arms, her feet dangling as she peppered his face with kisses. “My big bad wolf,” she teased, lightning still occasionally crackling in her hair. “Getting all heroic with your strategic genius.”
The alpha wolf’s usual stoic expression softened as he held her close. “Says the witch who literally called down lightning on our enemies.”
“I love it when you talk tactical to me.”
Near the restored ward stone, Clover was fussing over a cut on Rook’s arm while the alpha tiger tried to maintain his dignified image. “I’m fine, sweetheart. Just a scratch.”
“Just a scratch?” She dabbed healing salve on the wound, making him wince. “You literally took on three shadow creatures at once.”
“Four,” he corrected, then immediately regretted it when she glared. “I mean... it was nothing?”
“Nothing?” She poked his chest. “I saw you shift mid-leap to protect those students. It was incredibly brave.” Her voice softened. “And incredibly hot.”
His ears actually turned red as he pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair.
Sabine and Ren moved with their usual fluid grace, checking the restored wards together. But even their practiced efficiency held new tenderness. Every few steps, Ren’s hand would brush Sabine’s lower back or she’d lean briefly into his solid warmth. Ancient dragon and reborn witch, moving in perfect harmony.
“I think,” Madame Zephyrine observed with twinkling eyes, “this calls for celebratory tea. With extra cookies.”
“And wine,” Neve added. “Definitely wine.”
“It’s barely morning,” Burke protested.
“We just fought off shadow creatures and saved the academy from ruin.” Neve’s grin turned mischievous. “I think we can bend the rules about appropriate drinking hours.”
Vail barely heard their banter. Her attention had fixed on Kaine as he emerged from the academy’s main entrance. He’d been helping secure the lower levels, making absolutely certain no corruption remained to threaten their students. His shirt was torn and stone dust still clung to his hair, but she’d never seen anything more beautiful.
All her carefully constructed reasons for keeping emotional distance suddenly seemed ridiculous. Life was too precious, too uncertain, to waste time being afraid of feelings this strong.
She moved before conscious thought, practically running across the courtyard. Kaine turned at her approach, his expression shifting from surprise to something that made her heart race. She launched herself into his arms with enough force to make him step back, but his grip was sure as he caught her.
“Well, well.” His voice rumbled with amusement and deeper emotion. “What happened to maintaining professional distance?”
“Professional distance can go jump in the lake.” She wound her arms around his neck, pressing closer. “I almost lost you today. Almost lost everything. And all I could think was how stupid I’ve been, wasting time being afraid of this. Of us.”
His hands tightened on her waist. “Vail?—“
She kissed him before he could finish, putting every ounce of previously guarded feeling into it. His response was immediate and devastating, lifting her clear off her feet as he deepened the kiss with hungry intensity. Her magic surged in response to his bear’s protective claiming, creating a bubble of warmth around them both.
Someone—probably Romi—whistled. “About time!”
“Get a room, you two!” That was definitely Sabine, her voice rich with laughter.
“Technically,” Neve called out, “she owns the whole academy. So this is her room.”
Vail broke the kiss just enough to rest her forehead against Kaine’s, breathing him in. “I love you,” she whispered. “I should have said it days ago. I love how steady you are, how you support me without trying to control me. How you protect everyone around you while still respecting their strength.”
His golden eyes darkened with emotion as he set her carefully on her feet, keeping her close. “I love you too. Enough to have waited as long as you needed. But I have to admit—“ His smile turned wicked. “I like this development much better.”
“If you’re done being disgustingly adorable,” Romi called out, “Madame Zephyrine mentioned cookies. And wine!”
“It’s not even noon,” Burke protested again.
“After the morning we’ve had?” Clover was still tucked against Rook’s side. “I think we’ve earned it.”
Kaine’s laugh rumbled through his chest where Vail pressed against him. “What do you say, Headmistress? Ready to be disgustingly adorable over breakfast with our family?”
Family . The word settled warmly in her chest as she looked around at their gathered friends. At Romi perched on Xabir’s shoulders, at Sabine and Ren’s quiet intimacy, at Rook pretending he wasn’t completely wrapped around Clover’s finger. At the twin elders already planning celebration menus while Burke tried to maintain some semblance of proper protocol.
“Yes.” She stretched up to kiss Kaine again, just because she could. Because life was too short for holding back from joy like this. “Though fair warning—I plan to be disgustingly adorable for a very long time.”
His answering kiss tasted like promises and future mornings. Like strength shared instead of weakness feared. Like coming home.
“Come on, lovebirds!” Romi’s voice carried across the courtyard. “These cookies won’t eat themselves!”
Hand in hand, they followed their laughing friends toward Madame Zephyrine’s house. But Vail tugged Kaine to a stop just outside the door, needing a moment alone with him. The morning sun caught gold flecks in his eyes as he looked down at her with such tenderness it made her throat tight.
“I need to say something,” she began, lacing their fingers together. “When I saw you charging through those shadow creatures today, putting yourself between danger and everyone else... I realized something. I’ve spent so long thinking that loving someone would make me vulnerable. That it would somehow diminish my strength as headmistress.”
His free hand came up to cup her cheek. “Vail?—“
“Let me finish.” She leaned into his touch, gathering courage. “But watching you today, seeing how your strength supported mine without trying to overshadow it... I realized I’ve had it backward all this time. Love doesn’t make us weaker. It gives us something worth fighting for.”
His smile was soft but his eyes blazed with emotion. “I would have waited as long as you needed. You know that, right?”
“I know.” She stretched up to brush her lips against his. “That’s part of why I love you so much. You never pushed, never demanded. You just... stayed. Steady and strong and patient.” Her voice wavered slightly. “Even when I was too scared to admit how much I needed that. Needed you.”
“Not scared anymore?” His thumb traced her cheekbone with exquisite gentleness.
“Terrified,” she admitted with a shaky laugh. “But the good kind of terrified. The kind that comes with realizing you’ve found something precious and real and absolutely worth the risk.”
He pulled her closer, resting his forehead against hers. His solid warmth chased away the morning chill. “I love you,” he murmured. “All of you. The fierce headmistress, the powerful witch, the woman who puts everyone else first. I love watching you with the students, seeing how your strength guides them. I even love how stubborn you can be.”
“I am not stubborn,” she protested automatically, then laughed at his raised eyebrow. “Okay, maybe a little.”
“Does this mean you’re finally going to be my aunt for real?”
They turned to find Daisy watching them with bright interest, her earlier magical exhaustion apparently forgotten in the face of potential family developments.
“Because that would be really cool,” she continued earnestly. “And maybe you could have babies too? I could teach them magic, just like Sabine’s teaching me. Oh!” Her eyes lit up as she spun to address their gathered friends. “You should all have babies! Then we’d have lots of little witches and shifters to train.”
Romi choked on her cookie while Xabir suddenly developed a very suspicious cough. Rook’s ears turned red again as Clover dissolved into giggles. Ren merely raised an eyebrow while Sabine tried and failed to hide her grin.
“Daisy,” Kaine started, but his niece was on a roll.
“Think about it! Sabine and Ren could have little dragon-tiger-witch babies. And Romi and Xabir could have witch-wolf babies. And Rook and Clover could have witch-tiger babies. It would be amazing!” She turned back to Vail with hopeful eyes. “And you and Uncle Kaine could have witch-bear babies. I’d be the best teacher ever, I promise.”
“Well,” Madame Zephyrine observed dryly while everyone else tried not to laugh, “it seems our young curse expert has her future career planned out.”
“And excellent matchmaking instincts,” Neve added with a wink.