Chapter 199: Loving Brothers
Natalie~
The door clicked shut behind Zane, and for a long moment, I just stood there. His words still lingered in the air, warm and soft as the scent of his cologne that clung to my skin. My fingers trembled as they clutched the midnight-blue gown, the fabric catching the low light and glittering like the night sky.
"Zane..." I whispered to the empty room, my chest swelling with emotions I couldn’t begin to name. Love, awe, fear, gratitude.
And then...
A sudden gust of wind rustled through the curtains, though the windows were shut. The temperature shifted—warmer, cooler, then warmer again—and the lights dimmed subtly like the room was breathing.
Before I could blink, they were there.
Jacob appeared first, materializing like smoke and starlight near the foot of the bed. Then came Fox, stretching lazily in a flicker of flame near the fireplace. Bubble shimmered into view by the window, followed by Eagle, who stepped out of what looked like a ripple in the very air. And last, Tiger... materializing like a tree growing from the earth itself, calm, grounded, silent.
"Guys," I whispered, a breathless smile tugging at my lips.
"Natalie," Jacob said, stepping toward me with concern written all over his face. "Are you alright? Is everything okay between you and the king?"
"Did the King dare breathe wrong around you?" Fox asked dramatically, tossing his flaming red hair back like a diva. "Because I have ten different ways to fry him—starting with his royal socks."
"No, no," I rushed to say, shaking my head as I hugged the gown tighter. "He didn’t hurt me. We talked—finally. Really talked. He apologized."