Chapter 28

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

A WEEK LATER

My bags were packed, and it was time to return to Colorado. I missed the mountains and my home. Scotland would always hold a place in my heart, but I was weary and wanted to be bored for a while.

No hunting.

No travels.

No adventures.

I stood on the worn wooden porch, watching the imposing silhouette of Edinburgh Castle that loomed in the distance. The ancient stones held centuries of history and secrets within their walls. As I lost myself in the grandeur of the castle, Justice’s familiar scent enveloped me. He appeared by my side, his arm encircling my waist and pulling me close to his broad chest.

“Are you going to miss this place?” he asked.

I nodded, but my heart was already longing for home. “I will, but I’m ready to go back. I want to be ordinary for a while.”

A smile tugged at his lips as he turned me to face him. His dark eyes held love and amusement. “You’ll never be ordinary,” he insisted, brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re special, and you have my heart.”

My heart swelled with warmth at his words, reminding me again why I loved this man with every fiber of my being.

Damon sauntered out onto the porch, his easy grin belying the seriousness of the conversation we were about to have. “Am I interrupting something?” he asked, his deep voice tinged with amusement.

I laughed, knowing full well he had orchestrated this “chance” encounter. “You love these little interruptions, don’t you?”

“Guilty as charged.” He shrugged. “But in this case, it’s good news. I just got off the phone with Zara, and she’s one happy camper. After we sent Maci and her posse a one-way ticket to hell, her sister isn’t a lifeless statue anymore. None of the people trapped in that cursed forest are.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of those innocent lives freed from their nightmare. “That’s fantastic.”

Damon’s expression grew serious again. “And there’s more. Garrick reached out to Sean, and his kingdom is no longer crawling with the undead. His men are back to their normal selves.”

A wave of relief crashed over me like a cool ocean spray. Everything that Maci had destroyed was finally being healed and restored.

Then, Damon’s voice broke through my thoughts, and his words caught me off guard. Tears glistened in his eyes as he spoke. “I also have the best news of all,” he stated. “Dad’s no longer in a coma. He’s meeting us at the airport. He wants to know all the details of what happened.”

Justice groaned. “Great, just what I need. A big, happy reunion.”

I tried to inject some humor into the tense moment. “Hey, you said it yourself. I’m not boring.”

Damon gave him a sharp glare. “Who said you were boring?”

“I did,” I admitted with a wry smile. “Or at least, I wish I could be boring sometimes. Have a normal life for once.”

“You mean give up hunting?” Damon asked.

I sighed. “I don’t know, Damon. But I could use a vacation.” I drew my finger along Justice’s chest. “Maybe I need some downtime.”

Justice’s hand clasped mine, and he tenderly kissed my finger. My heart skipped a beat, wondering what he had in store.

“Maybe have a wedding?” His eyes sparkled as he reached into his back pocket and produced a small black box. He knelt on one knee. “Sawyer Grant, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

My breath caught in my throat as tears pooled in my eyes. I glanced at Damon, my best friend and confidant, who stood nearby with a smile. He chuckled and shook his head. “Yeah, he already asked me if he could have your hand. What can I say? Jaws has grown on me.”

I couldn’t hold back my emotions any longer. Tears streamed down my cheeks. At that moment, all my doubts and fears melted away. My heart swelled with love for this man who had captured it long ago. And as I looked into his loving eyes, I knew without a doubt I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

My fingers trembled as Justice delicately slid the ring onto my hand, and I cried harder.

His warm embrace enveloped me, offering comfort and support. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I’m just so happy,” I managed to choke out between sobs.

As if on cue, the door swung open, and my team emerged from the room, a wave of familiar faces rushing toward me. Garrick’s broad smile lit up his face as he bounded toward us, followed closely by Maggie, Grady, Brody, Scott, Lisa, and Zara. Their joyful expressions mirrored my own as they surrounded us in a tight-knit circle of love and celebration. It was a moment I would never forget, filled with overwhelming emotions and an unbreakable bond between friends.

Garrick’s eyes twinkled. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek. “Congratulations, beautiful,” he whispered.

I furrowed my brow in confusion. “I thought you were still in the Unseelie realm.”

Damon couldn’t contain his mischievous grin. “Didn’t you ever wonder how Garrick told Sean about his men? It’s not like Sean has a crystal ball.”

My gaze darted between their smiling faces. “So, everyone knew about Justice’s proposal?”

Damon turned to me with a smirk. “Oh, please. You think we’d let some punk waltz in and sweep you off your feet? Justice practically had to grovel. We ran him through every test in the book before he even thought about popping the question.” He playfully nudged my side. “Even Dad knows.”

“Wait, what? And he said yes?” I was surprised at the idea of my father agreeing to anything without a fight.

“Oh, absolutely.” Damon chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Tim probably had to smack him around a few times to make it stick. Guy’s got a skull thicker than a brick wall. But hey, guess he finally saw the light.”

Tim Shoneberg was the head of the hunter’s guild and had been taking care of Dad ever since he fell into a coma.

“I imagine that was no easy task,” I remarked with a smile.

Justice chimed in with a sheepish grin. “It took some convincing, but he finally agreed this morning.”

As Sean opened the ornate screen door, a gentle breeze carried the scent of freshly cut grass and blooming flowers. “Please come in,” he beckoned with a warm smile. “We have a surprise for the lovely couple.”

I followed him inside, my heart racing with anticipation.

As we entered the grand manor, I couldn’t help but pause in awe. The opulent decor and intricate details took my breath away. Then, I noticed something even more surprising. My father stood in the foyer, surrounded by all our closest friends and family.

As I gazed at him, memories flooded me. Him teaching me how to shoot a bow and arrow, showing me how to wield a sword, guiding me through the woods on hunting trips. He had been there during the darkest moments after losing Mom.

I approached him, noticing the warm glint in his deep brown eyes and the faint smile lines etched around them. His formerly jet-black hair was now peppered with silver strands, but he still carried himself with the same bold confidence. He had flown all the way to Scotland simply to see me, and his gruff voice brought back a flood of memories. “Sawyer,” he greeted, holding out his arms.

I rushed into his embrace as tears of joy and nostalgia streamed down my face. All my forgotten memories came rushing back in an instant, both the good and the bad.

My father’s grip tightened around my shoulders as he whispered in my ear, “You would have to get engaged to the enemy.”

I stepped back, breaking from his embrace. “Dad,” I muttered with mingled frustration and love.

“I only want you to be happy,” he replied. “I’ve told your fiancé that if he ever hurts you, I’ll personally pin his hide to my wall.”

Tim chuckled as he came up behind us. “Yeah, he’s a stubborn cuss, but don’t worry. I knocked some sense into him.” He stretched out his arms and gave a small, proud smile. “Hell, I’m happy for you, kid.”

I turned slowly toward Justice, my heart racing with disbelief. “Did you plan all this?” I whispered.

His eyes met mine, filled with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. He lifted my chin gently with his hand. “I would do anything to make you happy,” he murmured. “You’re more than my love. You’re my life.”

My heart swelled at his words, knowing the depth of emotion behind them.

“You saved me more than once,” he continued, his voice steady and sincere. “No one has ever done that before. You’re mine,” he declared, his grip on my chin tightening ever so slightly. “And you will always be.”

At that moment, I knew our love was unbreakable. Nothing could ever come between us.