Chapter 29
Katsu
She is a vision.
Cordelia is wearing black jeans with a white knitted jumper and knee-high boots.
Her hair is up and off her face, showing off her cheekbones and those long lashes hiding the most exquisite brown eyes.
But it’s the look she gives me, the scent of her that reels me in, the smile that she can’t hide, all of her that I have missed for every blasted second this town has been fighting to keep us apart.
“It has been too long,” I murmur as I approach, leaning down to kiss her cheek. Azaleas and winter hit me, and I want to lose control, throw it all to the wind and bond her so she can’t ever leave me again.
“It’s not been that long,” she protests as I nuzzle her, leaving my scent on her face.
She lets out a stuttering purr that makes my chest ache.
“A minute is too long,” I say in complete honesty.
She undoes me, and I find myself feeling like I’m going crazy around her, but in the best way.
Stoic Katsu doesn’t work here. She needs my weakness, my humanity.
I don’t know who I want to be, but I want to be warmer for her.
I’d be her haven and the harbour she finds safety in. Whatever she needs.
I cup her upper arms and slide down over the soft material until I can capture her hands.
“You look beautiful.” I mean every word I say, more than I’ve meant anything.
I thought my life was complete with Fox. I was beyond happy. But finding Sebastian and her has turned everything up on its head. I’ve been struck by lightning thrice. These things just don’t happen.
But I’d be a fool to let it go.
“Are you ready?”
“For this date?”
“For this date,” I confirm, lifting her palm to my lips. I kiss her slowly, watching her eyes dilate.
“Where are we going?” she asks curiously.
I smile and turn, tugging her gently as I lead her down to the road, where I have a black SUV waiting for us.
I open the door and help her in before walking around the car and sliding in behind the driver’s seat.
“I wasn’t sure how to show you how much you meant to me.”
“You don’t need to show me; I can feel it.”
“Of course, I do; it would be a crime not to. I have to say Fox tried to break in three times, and Sebastian went head to head with your mother a few times trying to see you.”
She inhales sharply. “I didn’t know that.”
“I stood outside and stared at your house, lost in thoughts of coming to your rescue the minute I thought you needed me.”
“I always need you.”
“Then, next time, I won’t wait a single moment.”
“Good.”
I huff out a laugh. The tension that’s been like a band across my ribs eases.
“What’s funny?” she asks, laying her head on the headrest and staring at me. The lights from an oncoming car illuminate her face.
“This town loves you very much; they will do anything for you.”
“I’m surprised they let you take me out tonight,” she grumbles.
“Oh, I had to submit the date plan to a panel.”
She explodes into startled laughter. “You’re joking? Please tell me you’re joking!”
“I am, but they have been very diligent in whatever it is they are doing. My thoughts are that they are testing us to make sure we are worthy, and if they care that much to protect you so thoroughly, who am I to get mad?”
Her scent grows warm and sweet. “You aren’t real, are you? You’re someone off the page of a romance book, brought to life because I was too damn lonely.”
“I’m real, flaws and all.”
“What flaws?”
I laugh because she sounds so outraged. “Well, I snore when I’m tired, ask Fox, he will tell you. I get grumpy before my first cup of coffee. I am horrible at directions, and I get lost all the time, but I’m too embarrassed to ask for help.”
“Terrible flaws, I’ll have to rethink our relationship at once,” she says and bites her bottom lip. The car feels like the whole world, and it’s just the two of us with nothing else that exists.
“I don’t express myself well; people think I’m cold.”
“You are anything but cold. I see you, Katsu.”
For a moment, I battle with my emotions, trying not to let them overwhelm me. I’ve spent so many years being told I’m cold, emotionless, a robot.
“I love deeply, obsessively. And I will be overprotective and ask you to drink too much water. I’m a workaholic and will need to be reminded to stop. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep more than a few nights away from you.”
“Then, we’ll just have to be together always. I’ll drink lots of water and be safe in your arms. We can work together, matching desks.”
If I wasn’t sold before, her answers have convinced me now. They have just completely stolen my heart. She’s mine. There’s no escape now.
Her scent dances around, light and playful. A happy omega, and that happiness leaks into me, calming me down.
I pull into a darkened driveway, the tyres crunching on gravel. Her words lifting me up, making every doubt and fear I’ve had over the last couple of days crumble to dust and fade away. I feel like I’m not the same person I was when I got into the car.
“Where are we?”
I pull up in front of a lit-up building. She stares at it, her eyes widening. She whips her head towards me, her mouth working as she struggles to say what’s melting her mind.
“This is the Skyperch Nature Resort.”
“I know.”
“I’ve never been here.”
“I am aware of that, too. Your mum told me, and Sofia,” I admit when she looks at me startled.
“But…”
Her but has me tensing, wondering if I’ve chosen the wrong venue.
“This is a…are we staying here?” she squeaks.
“Yes, overnight. And I’ve made a donation in our names. Well, your name.”
She huffs and turns to me, and the smile on her face says I’ve made the right choice. Her eyes shine as she squeals and closes the distance between us, awkwardly hugging me. I’ve made her happy. It feels like the biggest achievement of my life.
I get out and come around the SUV, opening the door. She slides out, waiting while I lock up the car. I hold out my hand, and she puts hers in mine. Something inside me goes still. This is it. This is what I need: her hand in mine forever.
I swallow my overwhelming feelings and guide her up the stairs and into the lobby.
“Good evening, Alpha Blizzard,” a beta says from behind a desk. “Everything is ready for you.”
I turn and find Cordelia has walked away, and she’s staring up at the domed glass roof. ‘The Prayer’ is playing softly in the background. The soft orange light hits her and makes her glow. Her nails are painted scarlet red, and her reflection on the marble floor is almost as perfect as she is.
I see all these details and a thousand more, but she takes my breath away, steals it and grabs hold of my heart. It’s divided into three equal parts, but this omega has the part of me I didn’t know existed.
I am hers.
No matter what.
I’m not sure I can be apart from her for much longer.
“Thank you, Xania.”
The beta slips a key card onto the desk. “If you follow Benjamin, he will show you where your dinner is waiting.”
I wait until Cordelia stops looking at the massive space. It’s got the most luxurious sitting area with black carpet and blue chaises in front of a massive window that overlooks a cliff with incredible views of the ocean.
She wraps her hands around my arm and stays close beside me as we walk through a large, curving corridor. We’re taken up a flight of stairs and into a darkened restaurant, where, sitting at a table by the window, are Fox and Sebastian.
The two of them stand up when they see her.
She makes a sound of pure happiness and lets go of me to rush towards them. It’s the only time I will ever be happy to have her let go of me.
Fox hugs her, then kisses her. Sebastian just pulls her into a hug as soon as she’s free.
“Sit, please,” I say gently. “Tonight is all about you.”
“Us,” she corrects.
I smile at her and pour a glass of white wine. She takes it gratefully and sips, making a sound of pure pleasure.
“This place is amazing,” she says, turning in her seat to take in the massive interior. It might be big, but it’s themed to be dark and cozy, for reasons she will soon find out.
“It is incredible,” Fox murmurs, stroking his thumb over her knuckles. He’s not looking at the restaurant. He’s staring at her. When she notices, she blushes and looks away, but there’s a smile, one that makes the world stop.
The lights fade, leaving us in near darkness. Only the glow of the light on the table keeps us from descending into it.
“What’s happening?”
The window slowly changes opacity, and we see a massive owl sitting on a branch of a tree. Even though I know what to expect, I still think it’s a statue until it moves its head.
“Oh, wow!” Cordelia whispers.
The owl is dark grey and silver-coloured with large black eyes.
“The Sooty Owl is a territorial Australian owl that is monogamous and mates for life. It eats small lizards, mammals, and insects. We found Argent injured. She is here to recover before we take her back to where she was found. There are an estimated ten thousand individuals left in the wild, and they are considered a threatened species.”
Cordelia tears her eyes from the owl to face the person who is standing in the shadows. He’s wearing a black uniform of the Skyperch Nature Resort.
“I’m Wayne Patterson, and I’ll be introducing you to some of our nocturnal residents while you enjoy your stay. Our aim here at Skyperch is education, conservation, and rehabilitation.”
“You’re Asher’s friend, aren’t you?” Cordie suddenly says. “I recognise you. You were at the town meeting about Sully.”
“I was hoping I wasn’t going to have to stage an intervention and rescue the poor bird. The town got pretty fired up for a minute.” Wayne shakes his head. “Don’t tell them I said that.”
She chuckles. “It did. Sully is still leading the town, though.”
“Interesting seagull. I’ll be down in the summer to help Asher start collating marine data.”
“We look forward to having you,” Sebastian says with confidence.