I had the cabin where she prepared for our bonding ceremony cleaned up and renovated so we have somewhere to stay when we visit The Aurora. We still have the manor house, but this place will be only for the two of us.

We land gently in the snow, and her eyes widen in delight.

“What did you do?” she asks as I take her hand and lead her inside.

She looks around the space, and I have to admit, I’m pretty impressed with myself. It’s small, just one room with a kitchen and bathroom, but three whole sides are floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a view of snow-capped mountains and the wide Aurora sky. Tonight the lights ripple with their full brightness, dancing overhead.

Most of the room is taken up by a massive bed covered in crisp white sheets and a mountain of furs. My plan for the next several days is for us to never leave it unless absolutely necessary.

Lor expels a soft breath and walks over to the window, laying her hand against it. I watch her stare up at the sky, the lights gilding her nose and mouth in a rainbow of color. I hang my coat on a hook and lean against the wall with my hands in my pockets, just enjoying the sight of her. My mate. My heart. The woman I went to hell and back for.

“What are you doing over there?” she asks, looking over at me with an eyebrow raised.

Walking over, I circle my arms around her waist, resting my chin on her shoulder as we stare out the window. Staring at the vast mountains and the endless stretch of snow, it’s easy to feel like a tiny speck in an infinite cosmos, but with Lor, I never feel that way.

After a moment, she turns around and kisses me. “So, is our plan to never leave that bed?” she asks, and I grin.

“Well, we do have to get started on making that heir.”

She laughs, and then we kiss again. My hands slide into her hair, and I devour her mouth, our tongues slicking together. The kiss is slow and decadent, a luxury to be cherished now that we finally have the time.

Slowly, I undo the button on her black wool coat, and it falls to the floor with a thump. Her hands slide under my shirt, her fingers tracing over the lines of my chest and stomach. She tugs at the hem and pulls it over my head before she stands back to admire me, her gaze traveling over me in a way that makes my dick stir.

She bites her lip and then carefully undresses, peeling off her clinging black sweater and leather pants, leaving her in a pair of lacy red underwear that makes my heart stop for five entire seconds.