Epilogue

One Year Later…

F enix had warned his mate to be careful what he wished for, but in reality, Owen had adjusted to life in the Nightstar Palace with ease. As it turned out, he thrived on routine, and he had a lot less anxiety when provided with clear and concise rules.

To be sure, he didn't always agree with those rules. Like when Fenix had insisted that he needed a bodyguard at university. Owen was nothing if not reasonable, though. Once it had been explained that someone might use him to get to Iliana or another member of the royal family, he had readily and happily agreed to a babysitter.

Fenix didn't feel great about misleading his mate, but knowing he would be safe, even when they couldn't be together, eased a lot of that guilt. It also didn't hurt that Owen and Cass had become thick as thieves in short order.

Despite being only two years older than his mate, Cass Markov was one of the best guards he'd seen come out of the program in years. Similar and height and build to Owen, he appeared unassuming and nonthreatening, which led to a lot of people underestimating the young werewolf.

Big mistake.

As a bonus for taking on the role of Owen's protector, Fenix had even offered to pay the tuition toward any degree of his choosing. Cass had been adamant that he planned to pursue a career as a MOA guard, but it never hurt to have options.

The other new additions to the palace, unfortunately, hadn't been welcomed with quite such open arms.

Fenix had been given his pick of Guardians to add to the roster, and he felt confident in his choices. The problem was they had come into an established Guard that had been together for decades. No one had anything against the pair. They just didn't know them, and nothing but time could change that.

At least Seneca had been pleased about having another female on the team, especially one she had seniority over.

"How is the project going, talei ?"

Owen snuggled deeper against his side and shrugged. "Okay, I think. We should get it finished by the deadline."

"Are you still having problems with that one guy?"

Stroking his fingers through the thick fur on Fenix's neck, Owen chuckled. "No. I don't know what Cass said to him, but he's been pulling his weight." A quiet sigh billowed from his lips. "I still hate group projects."

"I think most people would agree."

These conversations had become almost a ritual for them, and every day, Fenix looked forward to this time, to reconnecting with his mate.

Every evening, once the sun had set, they would venture out into the palace gardens beneath the moonlight and find a nice spot of soft grass to curl up on. During the warmer months, Fenix didn't bother to shift, but with the arrival of autumn, it was the perfect way to keep his mate warm. Plus, idly stroking his fur while they talked really seemed to help Owen decompress after a trying day.

They would lie there for hours, discussing everything and nothing. Sometimes, they simply held each other in silence while they counted the stars. Before Owen had come into his life, he'd had no idea that something so simple could bring him so much joy.

"I booked our tickets to Arizona today."

Fenix chuffed his understanding and nuzzled Owen's cheek with his nose. He looked forward to visiting his mate's family during the winter break.

Back in the beginning, he had harbored a good amount of resentment toward Owen's parents. He hadn't been able to understand how they had allowed him to suffer for so long without doing anything about it. Then he'd actually met them, and he'd realized nothing could have been further from the truth.

The Zhases were kind, caring people who had done the best they could with the limited knowledge and resources available to them. It was also easier to be forgiving when everything had worked out in the end.

In the year since Owen had come to Ireland, he had grown into a strong, capable man with an adventurous spirit that sometimes made Fenix a little nervous. At the same time, he knew what it was to struggle, making him empathetic to the pain of others, which created its own set of unique challenges.

Like how he took on everyone else's woes and worried himself to exhaustion over them.

Of course, Fenix hated to see his mate hurting, but he also didn't try to curb those instincts. His big, beautiful heart was something to be treasured, not tamed. As long as he didn't give so much that he had nothing left for himself, Fenix was content to lend strength where he could, but otherwise, let Owen be himself.

"Are you warm enough, talei ?"

Owen practically purred as he turned to press his face against the side of Fenix's neck. "Yeah, this is nice. Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?"

"I don't know." Owen chuckled. "It just felt appropriate. You take such good care of me."

"We take care of each other."

He nodded against Fenix's neck. "Because we're a team."

"Partners."

"Me and you against the world."

"Riding off into the sunset together."

Owen's laughter had to be his favorite sound in the whole world. Just his presence brought peace, like a balm to his ragged soul, which was why he would fight heaven, hell, and the space between to give him the most extraordinary life he could.

He relied on his team to do their duties well, but he had never needed anyone before, not the way he needed Owen. The realization had been terrifying at first, but he had come to understand that it didn't make him weak.

Love wasn't a liability or a burden. It didn't make his life harder.

In fact, loving Owen had been the easiest decision he'd ever made, and he thanked the fates every day that he had been given that chance.

"Are you ready to go inside?"

"A few more minutes?"

"A few more minutes," he agreed.

Because whether there in the garden beneath the stars, or under the canopy of their bed, by his mate's side was the only place he wanted to be.