"No. Well, yes, I was. But it wasn't because I wanted it."
She rolled her eyes. He was the fool if he thought she would believe that.
"It's true." He grabbed her arm, forcing her to look him in the eye. "I wanted to find a way to separate you from the bracelet, but not so I could keep it."
"Then why?"
"Because I couldn't bear the thought of the consequences if someone got close enough. If the bracelet was taken, you'd die. I couldn't let that happen."
His words lashed her heart, but Persephone steeled herself against the anguish in his voice. She couldn't trust him. No matter what he said. He made his choice when he'd betrayed her. He'd do it again if he got the chance.
"I swear, Seph. I wanted the bracelet in the beginning, to secure it so no one would have it, but that changed. When I thought I'd lost you," he swallowed hard, "when you were knocked out that day on the road, I realized nothing mattered more than you. The more time I spent with you, I realized I had to choose. I couldn't toe the line between sides any longer. I chose you. I chose you, and I'll do whatever I need to do to help, to protect you and the talisman. You’re its guardian. But I’m yours."
It’d be so easy to forgive him, to throw all caution aside and accept him. But too much was at stake. It wasn't just her anymore. She had to protect Zora. "You might be telling the truth, and I appreciate what you’re saying, but I can't do this." She tried to turn away, but he wouldn't let her.
He held her firmly, pulling her against him slowly.
She shivered at his touch. Nothing felt as good as being in his arms.
"I know you might not believe me. That's okay. After everything, I understand. Please, just don't cut me out of your life. I'll prove to you what I'm saying is true. You'll never have cause to doubt me. Just don't shut me out."
She jerked away from his grasp, turning her back on her. She breathed deeply, willing the tears to stay locked away. This was so much harder than she'd ever thought it'd be.
She loved him.
To hear him beg, to grovel, undid her.
She’d twice fallen in love with the same man who'd not only left her, but also betrayed her. Her heart yearned for him, wanting to forgive all, but what did that make her? How could she take that leap again?
"Seph—"
"Don't." If begged again, she'd crumble. She'd crumble and never forgive herself.
"Tell me what's wrong."
Something within her snapped. She whirled around, her deep red hair arcing like an avenging angel. "What's wrong? How could you even ask me that?" She poked his chest. Hard. "You left me, Zander. You left. After everything we'd promised to each other, after everything we had together, you just walked away. You never came back. Do you know how I felt?"
He shook his head, staying quiet.
The flood gates opened.
"I thought you were dead! You were just gone.” She snapped high in the air. “No note, no nothing. I heard the news from your parents. I heard you'd moved and didn't plan on coming back. Can you imagine what that did to me? Do you even care?"
He pulled at his hair. "Of course I care! I'm not proud of it. I'm sick inside for what I did. I have no excuse. I felt trapped, smothered. Not by you, but by our destiny. Did you never feel that way? Did you never feel that it was too huge, too overpowering? I did. You were the best thing in my life. I loved you so much it hurt. But I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. All I knew was that I needed to get away from the enormity of it all. I was just a kid, but I was already mated. I cracked."
She wanted to hate him, but couldn’t. She understood too well. At the time, she'd felt the same, but she'd pushed those feelings aside. They'd found each other young, much younger than most people found their mates. But they couldn't change that. She’d dealt with it, but hadn't realized Zander felt the same struggle.
For once in the ten years since he’d left, the bitterness from their past seeped away. The purge drained her, sapping her of aggression. "This is too much. I can't do this with you. You need to go."
His eyes flashed. "I'm not leaving."
She laughed through the pain stabbing her. "Why? Because of this?" She yanked the neutralized talisman off her wrist, relishing his pained gasp.
Fists clenched at his sides. "Put it back on. Now."
"The counter spell has been activated. My life is no longer tied to the bracelet, and I won't die if I don't wear it. Now's the perfect opportunity, Zander. Here." She shoved it into his hand. "It's what you wanted all along. It's what you came here for. Take it. Take it and leave."
He fingered the metal, flipping it over in his hands as he inspected it.
No way would he'd walk out with the bracelet, but he didn't know that. Celeste would stop him the second he made for the elevator.
Handing him the talisman carried some risk, but she had to know what he’d do, what his choice would be.
"It's beautiful." He took her hand in his, sliding the bracelet back on her wrist. "But it doesn't belong to me."
Shock surged through her. "What are you doing? I said take it. I gave it to you."
"I don't want it. I've told you that. It doesn't belong to me, and I'm not the caretaker. You are. Until we find the True One, you'll guard it."
Her heart thumped hard. "Why are you doing this?"
He cradled her face, his thumb sweeping over her jaw. "Isn't it obvious? I love you, Seph. I've always loved you. I was a fool for leaving and an even bigger idiot by somehow convincing myself over the years that what we had wasn't real. But I'm not a fool any longer. I know what’s important. I know what I want."
She stilled, scared to move, scared to believe. "And what do you want?"
He smiled, slow, achingly tender as he pulled her into him. "You. Just you. I want to marry you. I want to love you. I want to have a life with you. I know I was stupid. I probably will be again. But I'll always love you. I know you don't trust me. But please," he said hoarsely, "give me a chance. Let me be with you. Let me stay by your side so I have a chance at winning you. I swear I will go the rest of my life trying to win you back. I'll swear with magic that I'll never take the bracelet, I'll never try. I’ll swear anything you want. Just please."
Love surged within her, propelling her forward. Her lips crushed his, and his arms circled her in welcomed shock. Bodies fused as they let the storm wage between them, all hurts from the past healing, all hopes for the future forming.
With harsh breaths, he ripped his lips from hers, searching her eyes. "Is that a yes? Will you give me another chance?"
The uncertainty in his voice warmed her. He'd turned down the bracelet. He could have taken it, could have walked away from everything, but he'd given it back and promised to swear an unbreakable oath.
They’d both made mistakes. But turning away from him now, would be the biggest one of all.
She laughed through tears as grief purged from her heart.
Using both thumbs, he brushed the moisture away.
"I love you, you idiot." The same joy that lit his face seared her heart. "I've loved you forever, even when I hated you."
He kissed her again, pulling her tight against him. His heart raced against her chest to the same furious beat of hers. "I want to be with you too. I want to have a life with you." He took her hands in, placing them over his heart. "Marry me, Persephone. I don't want to live another day without you."
She nodded, laughing when he stole another kiss.
"You won't change your mind, will you?"
"Not a chance." But a moment of concern hit her. "Wait."
He stilled. "What is it?"
"It's Zora. I'm going to adopt her. I'm raising her, Zander. She doesn't have anyone."
He cupped her cheeks. "Can we raise her together? And perhaps a few others of our own?"
One of her hands covered his. "You mean that? You wouldn't mind?"
"Mind?" He laughed. "I'd love it. I want a family with you. With Zora, we'll just get to experience the teenage years bef
ore the toddler years. So, will you? Will you marry me?"
She laughed, throwing her arms around him. "Yes. Oh, yes."
The pieces of her heart mended together. She'd loved Zander her whole life. She'd lost him, but he'd come back to her, and now they had their whole lives ahead of them. “There’s something else you should know.”
He eased her away with a smile. “Another surprise?”
She flushed. “Zora’s the True One.”
His mouth hung open as he glanced between the girl and Seph. “So, that’s how you were able to stand after the fight? You channeled the True One’s power?”
“Yes. It’s the only reason we made it out of Voltaire’s fortress.”
“He won’t stop coming after the talisman, after Zora. You know that, right?”
Persephone glanced to the young girl as she whispered something to Celeste. Persephone’s heart ached, knowing exactly what Zora would endure because of her destiny. “I know. But we’ll be ready. We can protect her.”
He nodded firmly, pulling her back into his arms. “We’ll always protect her.”
She sighed into his hold. The peace she’d gone without so long filled her. She’d once cursed fate for tying her life to his, but now she thanked her.
She was truly mated.
Epilogue
Persephone snorted when Zora's magic pulsed, gathering power from the talisman before hitting Zander square in the chest.
He bent over, huffing from the force.
"Are you all right?" Zora raced to him. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I pushed that hard."
He snapped up, wrapping his arms around the girl. "Now what are you doing to do?"
Zora bit her lip, and Persephone relished the focus on their daughter's face.
They’d officially adopted Zora a year ago, and the transformation she'd undergone in that time warmed Persephone. Gone was the hesitant, wary girl, underfed, and suspicious. Zora had filled out to an appropriate weight, and she'd flourished under their care and love.
She was kind, affectionate, and adapting to her power and responsibilities as the True One with more grace and maturity than Persephone could've hoped for.
Zora slipped out of Zander’s hold, and he grinned. "Good one, squirt."
Zora lifted her brow, perfectly mimicking him. "It isn't hard when I'm sparring against an old man," she teased.
Persephone choked on a laugh, rubbing her swollen belly. "Don't worry, love," she whispered to the child growing within her, "your daddy still has enough life in him to be able to do this with you. Don't listen to your big sister."
Zander grabbed Zora, tickling her mercilessly. "What was that again?"
"Old man!" she choked on her laughter.
Persephone's heart melted. Zander had proven time and again his love for her. He'd been shocked that Zora was the True One, but was grateful and humbled that she would be his daughter.
When Zora had heard about the upcoming wedding, she'd been thrilled, excited about being a bridesmaid, and had bonded with Zander in an instant. After his rescue from Voltaire’s fortress, she admired him. Love wasn’t long in coming.
Persephone couldn't blame her daughter.
She’d been blessed with so much love in her life, she barely recognized the woman she'd been two years before. Constructing the talisman had been a dark time, but after glimpsing what her future would be like, she'd happily go through it again if it meant she'd have Zander and Zora.
"Are you two ready to come in yet?"
They both grinned at her. Zander tickled her once more, producing a squeal from Zora before releasing her. Zora raced up the porch steps, quickly pecking her cheek before running inside.
Winded, Zander walked up the steps slower. "My turn," he said, taking her in his arms and placed a lingering kiss on her lips before settling in for a deeper, passionate kiss.
Persephone's head spun. No matter how many times they kissed, each seemed more powerful, more explosive than the last.
"How are you?" he whispered, rubbing small circles across her belly. "How's little one?"
Her lips curved. She would've never guessed Zander would thrive as a father. "We're both doing well. She's a bit active today."
"She?"
"Just a feeling."
He grinned. "Perfect. Another beautiful woman to love me." She pinched him. "All my girls love me."
She scowled playfully. "Just make sure those girls consist of me, Zora, or any others we make together."
"Of course. No others could compete."
He nuzzled her lips. "Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?"
She snorted. "About every morning, but I don't know how you can still say that when I'm as large as a cow."
He wrapped his arms around her. "You still fit here. And I've never seen a woman so beautiful as you. That's my child. Nothing could be more breathtaking than the life we've created."
She cupped his cheek, her heart overflowing. "I love you so much."
He took her hand, kissing her fingers. "I love you too. Always."
Wrapping their arms around one another, they headed into their home, into their sanctuary, where love ruled and family meant everything.
Persephone glanced outside before shutting the door. The sun parted behind the clouds casting a single bright beam on her face like a caress, and she knew she was blessed.
Fate had never let her down.
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Titles by Janelle Daniels
The Witching Moon (The Witches of Redwood Falls - Book 1)
Scandal of Love (Scandals & Secrets - Book 1)
Masquerade Secrets (Scandals & Secrets - Book 2)
Secrets in Mourning (Scandals & Secrets - Book 3)
A Kiss with Scandal (Scandals & Secrets - Book 4)
Sunkissed
My Only Wish
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The Witching Craft (The Witches of Redwood Falls 2) Page 9