Chapter 46
Savla
By the time we reached the gathering hall, Hanna’s hand was already in mine. I didn’t remember taking it and I didn’t remember deciding to hold it. I just… needed it.
Her fingers were warm, small against my palm, her thumb brushing the base of mine in slow, unconscious sweeps. The bond pulsed with every touch, quiet and steady, like it approved.
Everyone else noticed immediately. Because of course they did.
Zara elbowed Tasia so hard the witch nearly toppled. “Look! Look at them! So domestic.”
I was going to murder my best friend. And I’d be sure to make it slow and thorough.
Enka let out the world’s most dramatic gasp. “Oh Gods, they’re holding hands like they just merged their bank accounts.”
I stiffened, uncomfortable with the sudden acute attention, but Hanna snorted, squeezing my hand so I wouldn’t pull away.
Krusk grunted, “Leave them. It’s good for him to socialize once a year.”
I groaned, rolling my eyes, squeezing Hanna’s hand back so she knew I was okay.
“I socialize,” I argued.
Enka patted my shoulder. “Sure, big guy. You totally do.”
Ribbon hopped ahead of us and immediately plopped his enormous body onto the center of the huge dining table—the place Darak had laid out the plans for the houses that we would be constructing in Kragor Lake.
The clan was expanding and with more younglings already on the way, we were going to need the space to raise them. I couldn’t wait to move to the mountains.
The city wasn’t where I’d wanted to be. I was grateful I’d been here so I could meet my mate, but now I wanted to take her and build her something that we could make into ours. Into home.
Dristan sighed. “Savla, your toad’s claiming the property.”
“He’s securing it,” I said, rubbing his massive flank. “For us.”
Hanna’s fingers tightened around mine. That simple twitch in our bond nearly knocked me flat. My female was happy. And I’d done that.
I turned away from everyone, swiping my free fingers across my eyes while squeezing hers. She didn’t make a scene. She knew me too well for that. She simply lifted my hand to press a kiss to it before dropping another on top of Ribbon’s head.
He croaked, soaking up the attention as Darak glared at him from across the room.
Darak was in charge of the meeting, and since we were all seated around the table, the plans for our homes spread in front of us, I watched as he hovered, his frown apparent on his face.
“Hanna. Savla. Review your requirements. We’re doing this properly the first time,” he insisted.
I squinted at him. “You slept, right?”
He scowled. “I’ll sleep when your future living room is structurally stable,” he huffed.
Enka leaned toward me. “He’s like this because he couldn’t keep his eyes off the engineer when she came out to meet us. He wasn’t in the meeting, since it was just Dristan and her, but he stared at her from outside of the office like he wanted to eat her. Don’t worry about it,” he told us.
Darak narrowed his eyes at him. “Why are you here? You’re finished with your planning,” he gruffed.
Enka grumbled from next to me while Hanna giggled, and the sound hit me straight in the chest. She patted my brother on his shoulder, attempting to console him.
The lights sheened over her hair and her scent filled my body with love, pride and joy. Something I’d never thought I could ever feel. For one quiet second, I felt the world tilt just a little—like it wanted to settle around her.
Darak tapped his fingers on the blueprint in front of us.
“This is your lot. Make decisions. Real decisions,” he demanded.
Krusk muttered, “He’s bossier than the chief.”
Dristan nodded thoughtfully.
“He should take over,” he said. “Now that we know he can speak, that is.”
“Shut up,” Darak barked. “Savla. Hanna. Look at the plans.”
I leaned in beside her and our shoulders brushed. The bond gave a warm, full pulse. Every muscle in my body loosened as we stared down at the plans for our home.
The blueprint showed a large house—sturdy, clean lines, shaded by birch trees, facing the lake. Darak had even drawn Ribbon as a frog-shaped blob labeled future menace.
Hanna beamed. “Oh… this is beautiful,” she gushed.
Her awe lit something inside me I didn’t have a word for. I pointed to the lake-facing wall.
“We should put the biggest windows here,” I said to her.
“For the sunrise?” she asked softly.
“So you can see it every morning,” I explained
She looked at me like I’d handed her the whole damn world.
Then she said, “So we can.”
My throat tightened. And the clan?
Lost. Their. Minds. Not that they had much to lose in the first place.
Zara shrieked, “Oh my dear Goddess Mother, my little Savla’s all grown up and being sweet,” she hugged me around my neck and I rolled my eyes at how dramatic she was.
Enka fanned himself dramatically. “Someone get me a fainting couch!”
Krusk grunted his approval.
“She softens him. It’s good,” he said, settling back in his seat with his arm around his mate and contentment pouring from every inch of him.
Emma just shook her head at him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Tasia and Zara whispered loudly about ‘soundproofing for enthusiasm’ while Hanna hid her face. I wrapped an arm around her waist automatically.
“All of you should leave,” I told them.
“No,” they hollered in unison, even though they were all finished with their own planning.
Darak ignored everyone, moving to my side and jabbed at the plans.
“Did you want the bedroom here or here?” he demanded.
I pointed at the quiet back corner of the house.
“There. This would have the best view and the most privacy,” I said, not even having to think about it.
While I’d been in deep denial about being Hanna’s mate, I’d been planning our home together in my head since Dristan had brought up the idea. She’d have her space for her spells, directly connected to my wood-work shop.
We’d be together even when we worked. I wanted us to spend as much time together as we could when I wasn’t with the clan and when she wasn’t with her coven.
Hanna nodded instantly. “Yes.”
The entire clan gasped like we’d announced a pregnancy.
Enka shouted, “They agreed without discussing it, did you see that?”
Tasia clapped. “Soulmates.”
Zara screamed. “Get a room!”
Hanna rolled her eyes and I felt my face heat. Darak scribbled aggressively.
“Noted,” he grunted. “You two are nauseating.” He took a few more seconds before tapping on the blueprints again. “Workshop location?” he asked.
I pointed at once, and my Zoga pointed at the same time. It was the same spot. Our fingers touched. Zara fainted dramatically into a potted bush while Pen hummed thoughtfully.
“I’m pretty sure they share a brain cell,” she announced and I rolled my eyes.
Krusk added, “Seems like Hanna has it today.”
I glared at him, but he just grinned back at me, sending a wink. I was used to teasing from my older brother. I wasn’t used to teasing from the entire assembly. But I didn’t find it quite as annoying as I usually would.
If I had to explain why, I’d assume it was because I was finally happy. Feeling my face heat again, I looked away, but kept my fingers linked with Hanna’s. I sent a scowl in the direction of the crowd that had gathered—even though they should probably be heading back to their apartments by now.
“I’m right here.”
Enka shrugged. “We know.”