“I can’t believe I’m having to give up coffee again,” I whine, and Bash grunts his agreement as we get up. My morning grumpiness is lessened as he comes over and takes my hand, kissing the ring on my finger.

  I drag him to the trees for a make-out session, though I can’t convince him to take it further with his friends waiting. Once we’re ready, we gather the others.

  Ego is stretched over the backseat of the SUV, snoring softly, while Sakane is curled up in the floorboard beneath her. His eyes are wide open, and he wiggles into a sitting position as Bash hands him a water bottle.

  “Did you get any sleep last night?” Bash asks.

  Sakane tilts his head back and forth as he drinks, then gives a half-hearted shrug. “A little. It was kind of hard with the saws going off beside my ear.”

  Ego lifts her hand and waves her middle finger without opening an eye.

  “You could’ve slept outside,” Bash says.

  Sakane licks his lips as his eyes dart aside. “I was more comfortable in here.”

  Bash nods his understanding and doesn’t press the issue. Sakane has never been out of the city, but whereas Ego is confident in herself regardless of her surroundings, Sakane seems less secure. Being under a roof probably helped him ignore the enormity of the vast space surrounding us.

  Dust forms a small cloud as Cato jumps from the rock he was sitting on, and he swipes his hands over his pants as he joins us. He lifts the back hatch and grabs some breakfast, and the rest of us follow suit. We eat and prepare for the drive quickly, and the sun hasn’t even fully risen as we take off again.

  Cato spots another vehicle at midday. We’re on high alert as it passes, but the rusted pickup truck doesn’t appear to want a confrontation, either, and moves along without incident. A few hours later, another drives in the distance on a side road, but they don’t come any closer.

  Luck is on our side, though I don’t dare to speak those words out loud and convince the universe to change its mind.

  As evening approaches, the sights become more familiar, and my nerves chew on my insides as we pull off the road and head toward the forest in the distance.

  “Holy shit,” Sakane breathes, his face against the window once more. “I’ve never seen so many trees.”

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” I ask, glancing into the mirror at everyone staring at the green expanse. “They’re even more amazing once we get inside.”

  “That’s where the village is?” Bash asks.

  I nod. “Deep in the forest, and almost impossible to find, even if you know what you’re looking for.”

  “This is incredible,” Bash whispers, and I reach for his hand. His fingers lace through mine as he stares through the windshield, craning his head to see the tops of the trees as we approach the pathway.

  A rush of a potent emotion hits me in the gut as we cross into those familiar shadows. It’s something I haven’t felt in so long, I take a moment to put my finger on it.

  Homesickness.

  This is my home, and with Bash by my side, that truth is absolute.

  I’ve missed its comfort and find myself smiling as we weave through the thick trunks. I bite my lip, suppressing a grin as we turn through the hidden path through the bushes, and laugh at the surprised exclamations of the group as we push through to the other side.

  As the buildings come into view, I slow to a crawl.

  “Let me get out first,” I say, glancing in the mirror to find them all nodding.

  Ego is curious, Sakane looks like he might be sick, and Cato is trying to hide his discomfort, but for once, I don’t point it out. He sucks in a sharp breath, and I refocus ahead of us at the welcoming committee standing there, shoulder to shoulder. I snort at the show of power as I pull into the clearing and step out of the driver’s seat.

  Ronan is at the center, sword readied, with Elas and Lillith flanking him. Matuk stands beside Aryn with his hands on his hips, and, to my shock, Daiwyn stands with them as well. They relax when they spot me, and I’m surprised to realize I’m smiling as I approach.

  Ronan’s arm drops, his hand tight around his hilt as he assesses me, then his eyes move to the SUV.

  “Well?” he finally demands.

  I toss my head back in a laugh. “Good to see you, too, you grumpy fuck.”

  Elas’s lips twitch in a barely suppressed smile, but Lillith drops her guard completely and comes over to pat me on the shoulder.

  “I’ve brought others,” I say after a pause.

  “Your… mate?” Ronan asks carefully, and his head tilts as he inspects me in that feline way he has about him.

  I smile broader as I nod. “Yes, Bash is with me.”

  Aryn perks up, craning his neck to peek into the van, and he flashes a fanged grin as he waves. I glance behind me to see Bash waving back, but beyond the front seat is covered in darkness.

  “There are others, too,” I say. “Friends of his. Humans.”

  “Oh?” Ronan tilts his head again as he narrows his eyes toward the SUV. “And you trust these humans?”

  “They saved my life,” I say as he focuses on me with piqued interest. “It’s been a very long few weeks, and there is a lot to catch everyone up on. I’m going to bring them out of the vehicle now, okay?”

  Ronan and Elas exchange a glance, then nod as they turn back to me. The curious fuckers follow right on my heels as I return to the SUV, stopping first to open the passenger door for Bash.

  His eyes stay on mine as I offer my hand, and he weaves our fingers together as he steps out. He swallows nervously as he glances between the others.

  “Stop with the posturing,” I complain as I tug Bash to my side. “You fuckers forget how big you are sometimes, I swear.”

  “Oh, I never forget,” Elas booms in that deep voice, flipping his braids over his shoulder with a smirk. “This is your mate?”

  “My husband,” I correct.

  Collective gazes drop to the ring on my hand.

  Elas is confused, and Bash inspects him with narrowing eyes. That beautiful mind is already spinning and connecting the dots of our complicated history.

  “The fates decided we would be mates,” Bash says after a pause, his voice steadier than I expected, “but being husbands is our choice.”

  Bash focuses on my eyepatch for a moment before he looks back at Elas, and the Nu’vak’s face softens in understanding.

  “You probably want to punch me, yeah?” Elas asks.

  “Yeah,” Bash agrees, setting his jaw as he stares up at Elas’s eyes, a full foot above his.

  Elas breathes a laugh and drags his hand over his chin, then nods to himself. Ronan stares at him with his mouth agape as Elas lowers himself to the ground. His face is still at Bash’s shoulders, even kneeling.

  He nods at Bash’s hand. “One free swing, human.”

  I scoff and roll my eye. Bash is a gentle soul and a horrible fighter, and violence is never his solution to anything. He releases my hand and takes a step closer, never breaking eye contact with Elas.

  No one is more surprised than I am when his fist meets Elas’s jaw.

  “Oh, motherfucker, that hurt!” Bash shouts as he shakes out his hand.

  I rush forward to throw him behind me, but Elas only belts out one of his deep belly laughs. He didn’t even flinch through that punch, but Bash is cradling his hand like it’s shattered. I take his wrist and inspect his knuckles, and he obediently flexes his fingers.

  Lillith grips Elas’s shoulder and grins toward Bash. “Should’ve asked for a champion. I’ve been looking for an excuse to throw hands with this giant fucker.”

  “You just punched me yesterday,” Elas complains as he stands.

  Lillith chuckles, smiling fondly at the memory. “Yeah, I did.”

  I glance between everyone, searching for any signs of hostility. “Are we good here?”

  Elas dips his chin in a nod, and before Bash can say anything else, a blur of blond hair comes rushing over. Elas’s attention is stolen completely as August gently touches his jaw, rubbing over the spot that one hundred percent was not affected by Bash’s weak punch.

  Once he’s convinced his mate is unharmed, August turns to us with a broad smile.

  Bash stares at him, zeroed in on the color of his eyes as his nostrils flare in annoyance. A pit of discomfort forms in my stomach as I tug on Bash’s wrist, but he doesn’t tear his eyes from the hazel ones staring back at him.

  August reaches over and grips my upper arm, looking me up and down and assessing my condition, and I cringe as I take a half step back.

  He means well, always, but is fucking clueless about jealousy. There have been many times he’s casually touched me in front of Elas. He’d grip my arm or hold me still to examine an injury, and I found endless entertainment in the snarls Elas would throw my way afterwards.

  Now, though, being with my mate and knowing he’s feeling that same jealous anger?

  A heavy dose of guilt knots my stomach at the realization. It makes me wonder what else I’ve been too arrogant to notice over the years.

  “August,” I say, squeezing Bash’s wrist again, “this—”

  “You must be Bash,” August interrupts, his smile spreading further, and Bash grunts as August pulls him into a hug. “We’re so happy to have you here. When Xeni left, we weren’t sure…”

  August trails off and releases Bash, whose eyes are even wider now than before. August glances between us, his gaze dipping down to my grip on Bash’s wrist, then his eyes move back up to our faces.

  “I… shouldn’t assume anything,” August says carefully.

  Bash huffs a quiet laugh, flipping his hand to take mine. “Assume all you want. We’re here. Together.”

  His pointed glare goes right over August’s head, and I breathe a sigh of relief as Elas steps forward and puts his arm over his mate’s shoulders.

  Bash glances up at Elas before sheepishly pursing his lips. “I, uh, probably shouldn’t have hit you…”

  “Are you kidding?” Ronan chimes in, flipping his hair as he cuts a fierce side-eye toward Elas. “Give up a free swing at that punchable face? Please. I’d be suspicious if you hadn’t hit him.”

  “Let me get everyone out here,” I say, glancing back at the SUV where Sakane’s wide eyes are visible in the dim lighting. “We can make introductions.”

  Bash and I step away from the group, and he leans close as we walk.

  “I really wanted to hate him,” he hisses in my ear, “but he’s too fucking nice.”

  I chuckle and nod as I open the SUV door, flooding the cabin with light as all three wait expectantly.

  Cato smirks at Bash’s hand. “Do we even want to know?”

  Bash glares and ignores his best friend, and Ego is the first to step out into the clearing. Cato follows, comically taller than her, and Sakane brings up the rear, using Cato’s bulk to hide.

  By this point, the rest of the village has deemed it safe, and everyone has come out to be nosy. Cameron is in the thick of things, and Sprocket is already talking a mile a minute to Bash, while shooting curious glances at Ego by his side.

  Samuel waves from across the way, and I return the gesture as Daiwyn slinks away from the group to return to the safety of her mate.

  She looks better than the last time I saw her. More alert, and brave enough to stand with the others in the face of potential danger.

  Nyx and Reyes wait near the woods, and while Reyes is on guard, Nyx is relaxed as he watches everyone. In the weeks I’ve been gone, his cheeks look fuller, and there’s a peacefulness in his demeanor that he struggled to find before now.

  I take a deep breath, soaking in the sweet smells of the forest as I watch my worlds intertwine. It’s not a collision like I thought it might be, but a peaceful merging of the lives I’ve lived.

  Past, present, and future, existing in a harmony I never thought possible.

  Bash looks over his shoulder and smiles, and I realize I’m standing alone—removed from the group as I so often find myself. He reaches for me, and I fight the burn of tears as it hits me.

  I’m no longer the outsider.

  No longer in the cold, staring through this window of warmth that always felt so unattainable.

  He offers me an opening.

  An invitation to belong.

  I take his hand and step forward, shedding the mask that's hidden me for a lifetime. It falls into the ashes of my past, forgotten, and I move on, focused solely on him. I take my place at his side, and as I look around the faces of this newfound family, I know I am home.

  Xeni

  Light filters through the window as I raise my arms in a stretch, forcing myself awake with a long groan that echoes softly in the quiet room. I reach beside me, fingers searching the cool sheets, but I already know Bash is up and about.

  For the first few days we woke up in the village, he’d stay here until I was awake, then would dote on me until I dragged my ass out of bed. He’s always been an early riser while I am not, so I finally told him it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if he starts the day without me.

  I take a quick shower and wash away the remnants of sleep, then get dressed in an oversized sweatshirt from Bash’s drawer. A smile crosses my lips as I step out into the trees, the fresh air crisp as I hug my torso against the morning chill.

  Bash’s voice reaches me over the others, carried on the breeze, and I follow it to the large brick building in the center of the village. It was once just used for storage, but the open space provides the perfect place for research. Sunlight fills the room through the tall windows in golden streams.

  A few tables and chairs have been moved to a corner devoted to their studies, with papers and notes scattered across the surfaces. I step inside the doorframe to find him and Sprocket almost head-to-head, bent over a table and talking animatedly as they review the research spread around them.

  “Have they had any luck yet?” a voice behind me asks.

  I glance over my shoulder at where Reyes stands, staring into the building too.

  My gaze moves back inside, and I’m surprised to find Nyx curled up in an armchair, curiously watching them work. Bash catches him peeking and waves him over, and Nyx smiles softly as he joins him. His brows furrow in concentration as he nods yes or shakes his head no, and a tinkling laugh leaves him as Sprocket says something that makes them all smile.

  “I’m not sure,” I say with a sense of contentment buzzing warm in my gut.

  In the weeks since we’ve been back, barely a moment has gone to waste. Bash jumped straight into his research, and there was something comfortingly familiar about watching him, Sprocket, and Aryn collaborate again. They always made a good team. Now they work for what’s right, and their hearts are fully engaged.

  Reyes steps forward to stand beside me. “Nyx told me about Bash’s theory, and how he thinks it all comes down to intention.”

  “Yeah, he’s been stuck on that for a while. He believes the connection to the rifts exists only when the subjects allow it.”

  “It would make sense,” Reyes muses, gesturing toward the three of them. “If the prophecy went down the way it’s been told, and it’s up to the mates to make a difference in this world, it would have to be their choice. I don’t think the Fates would’ve allowed it to be forced, given they were the ones who closed them.”

  “Yeah, I’m with you on that, although I won’t pretend to understand how the Fates think.”

  Reyes grunts a quiet agreement. “We’d have to travel to one of the rifts to test the theory, and honestly… I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

  “I don’t blame you,” I say, smiling to myself as Bash asks another question and Nyx nods enthusiastically. “Though if his hypothesis is correct, it wouldn’t have to be Nyx. It could be any of us.”

  He hums thoughtfully, but before he says anything else, movement in my periphery catches my attention.

  Cameron swaggers over with his usual troublemaker grin in place. “Hey, you two.”

  “Why do I feel like you’re up to something?” I ask.

  He scoffs. “I am simply minding my own business.”

  I roll my eyes. “You’re the last person here to mind your business. Ever.”

  “That is an insult,” he argues, “and although it is painfully accurate, I’m still choosing to be offended by it. And here I came, a noble knight riding in on his steed, selflessly bearing this incredible, world-changing good news just for you ungrateful peasants.”

  “Peasants?” I ask, hiking a brow.

  “Oh, right,” he drawls. “I forgot you’re literal royalty. My apologies, Your Highness. Shall I bow? Kneel? Kiss the ring?”

  “You could fetch me a snack?”

  I haven’t had breakfast yet, after all, but Cameron only snorts.

  It was worth a shot.

  Reyes shakes his head, far better at ignoring Cameron’s theatrics than I am. “What good news?”

  “Has August agreed never to cook dinner?” I ask, because that would benefit the entire village.

  Cameron snort-laughs and shudders, undoubtedly remembering the soup August attempted last night. “Guess again.”

  “Okay… have Sprocket and Ego gotten more solar panels running?”

  “Ugh, no. Damn. That’s actually a better surprise than what I have, but no. Not yet.”

  The two of them have been hard at work adding some modern conveniences to this place and have been joined at the hip. Ego had a breakdown a couple of weeks into our time here when she realized she no longer had access to hair dye, but Sprocket recruited Nyx to help her find some plants with strong colors. While it’s not as bright as it used to be, she’s pulling off the tamer blue with just as much… well, ego.

  “I give up,” I say, distracted by the approaching footsteps.

  Bash walks over and wraps his arms around my waist. “Hey princess,” he murmurs as he drops a kiss on my lips. “So nice of you to grace us with your presence before lunch.”

  I wave my arm along my frame, gesturing at all of me. “This requires a lot of beauty sleep,” I argue, and Bash chuckles as he squeezes me in another hug. “We’re waiting impatiently for Cameron to tell us his surprise.”