my chest. She goes right back to staring at the photograph of Audun with his parents and sister though. Audun makes a low whining sound and slumps his shoulders a bit.
“Just give her some time,” Marieke says. “If I suddenly found out I was immortal, I’d be hysterical. And I’ve known about Guardians all my life.”
Marieke has been quieter than usual since we showed up. I think she’s a little nervous around us so close to Guardians’ Night. Besides, Isla yelled at her the moment they met. I’m sure she’s trying to be submissive so she doesn’t accidentally offend our wife again.
The thought makes me smile. I honestly can’t wait to tell Reule about how Isla immediately became possessive of Audun when she saw Marieke and Naren. It was almost funnier than seeing the aftermath of her temper tantrum in our bedrooms this morning.
I open my mouth to thank Marieke and Runa for being so patient and understanding, but Isla stands up with a shy smile on her face, and all of my words escape me. I watch in amazement as she leans over and presses her lips to Audun’s.
After, I find her standing in front of me, and she stands up on her tiptoes to kiss me too. I’m too stunned to react for a moment. When I finally regain my sense and my heart feels like it’s going to explode from happiness and absolute relief, I pull her close and kiss her like she means everything to me.
Because she does. I think I love her, and I don’t give a shit that I’ve only known her for one day.
I’ve always wanted a wife, ever since I first became a Guardian. Maalik and Reule had already been Guardians for a few years when I first shifted and became one of them. The three of us used to talk for ages about what attributes we should look for in a wife, and all the features we found attractive in women. Audun was so young and innocent when he finally joined our family, and it didn’t seem right to choose a wife when he was still practically a child. He was only sixteen during our first Guardians’ Night with the Beasts’ Moon present.
Things changed after that. Somehow, I was the only one of my brothers who actually wanted a wife. The rest of them decided it was too risky, that it would turn out too badly no matter who we chose. I’ve been angry at them for so long for making that choice. For nearly a century, I’ve been desperately lonely and in want of someone to love, to cherish, to protect, to spoil, and to confide in. I’m not sure my brothers even know how low I’ve gotten, or how I spend my days off drinking myself into a stupor. I used to distract myself by sleeping with any woman who would have me, just so I could pretend for a little while that I wasn’t so damn lonely.
Isla is the best surprise I could have ever imagined. To be honest, I probably would have been happy with any wife. But Isla is more perfect than any woman I could ever have dreamt of. She’s sweet, funny, smart, and so beautiful it makes my chest ache. Every moment in her presence has been fun and exciting, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my existence getting to know her.
“I’m going to spend every day for the rest of forever trying to make you happy, my love.” I don’t care that Isla can’t understand my words. She laughs quietly and smiles up at me like she’s just as overjoyed as I am in this moment.
Audun comes up behind her and hugs her so that she’s pressed between us. Isla looks even more pleased, if possible. It’s not really appropriate to show this much affection in public, but I couldn’t care less right now.
Isla smiles up at both of us and says something in her mother tongue. I grin in response, even though I have no clue what she’s saying. Audun nuzzles the top of her head again and says, “I can’t believe she’s accepted us. Just…every time she learns something new, she accepts us so easily.”
“I told you she’s a strong woman,” I say proudly.
Marieke sighs dreamily from her seat at the table. “It’s like you were meant to be together.” She’s always been a romantic at heart, but even more so since she married her childhood sweetheart. Her