“I can’t believe all the details you put into this, and somehow, it’s all mine.” She peered over her shoulder and shrugged. “It doesn’t feel real. I keep waiting for the dream to end and to wake up once again in my cell.”
Zirene growled and stepped toward her. “This place is real, and so am I, Selena.” Grabbing her hand, he placed it over his heart. “Feel that? That is my heartbeat.”
“Yeah, but—”
“No, Selena,” he breathed. “This isn’t a trick or a dream you will soon wake from.” He combed her silver strands as she stared up at him with her eyes full of doubt. “I made my mistakes and am trying to make it up to you, but I am not trying to trick you. Not again. This moon is yours to build whatever you want. If you want to make it an art capital or private resort destination where guests are invite-only, so be it. I have faith in you and your abilities.” He sighed. “I want the best for you… and this villa was my way of showing you how much you deserve to live.”
She licked her lips. “It’s beautiful.”
“And so are you,” Zirene replied gently. “Selena, you have sacrificed so much in your life, allow luxuries to spoil yourself.”
“I will on one condition.”
“Anything.”
“Can we keep doing this?” she asked, gripping his mane. “I like this… it feels like old times, only now I can see who you are.”
“It will be my pleasure.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight Selena
How did I deserve this?
Just over a month ago, I was an experiment, waiting for the next sleep cycle so I could get lost in the dreamscape with my amethyst-eyed mystery male. Somehow that dream became a reality. The dreamscape world I knew so well was real—along with my male I grew to care for.
Now, I was the owner of a magnificent villa built with an immeasurable amount of detail and thoughtfulness, and it was unbelievable; it was mine.
All the random questions he’d asked over the years made sense. He was trying to understand what I liked, not for conversation but to use in his design.
The sanctuary? That in itself was a masterpiece.
I could see myself relaxing in the pool or in one of the lounge chairs as I read while listening to Odelm play his gorgeous music. If I got hungry or needed a drink, the open layout allowed me to continue watching the cubs from the dining hall as they played in the sanctuary.
He impressed me with the location of the infirmary on the opposite side of the sanctuary from the music and dining halls, nestled between the entrances to the children’s and guests’ wings. Attached to the infirmary was my own hatchery, which was connected to the children’s domed terrarium, filled with their own forest to play in.
There was a small second floor with eight suite rooms for guests who stayed for extended periods. Zirene mentioned the Fab Five had used them from time to time when they were working on the villa’s security. Kaede was the only one who was currently using one of the rooms since he was my personal guard.
Even though I was still mortified by what I did to him, I was glad to have him near. Kaede had proven himself to me. He may be an ishing frax, but he was faithful and he cared—he just had a strange way of showing it.
Zirene was the same way. When you were a prince of a powerful empire, used to being in charge while getting everything you want, how did you have a personal relationship with someone? He was trying. I could tell.
The moon was his gift to his Seedbearer—but this villa? It showed how much he cared. Sure, the elaborate luxuries were a bit too much, but considering I was mated to a prince who was used to such extremes, it made sense. I was an extension of him—literally, with our Nova and Shadow connection—so it would be expected I would have the same living conditions as him.
Would I allow him to try to buy my love? No, I wasn’t a fool.
But if he continued to act the way he did so far today and treated me as if I was an equal like old times, I couldn’t see why we couldn’t try to work things out between us. He would have to understand I would not cast aside my nestmates just because the Fates decided we were destined.
Just because I was his Nova didn’t mean I would allow him to push anyone from my clan around. They were a part of me as much as he was, and I chose them. The Stars may have guided me to the Circuli crew, but it was me who made them a part of my clan—my life—and I would not let anyone take that away from me.
Not Zirene and his subtle possessiveness—or Kaede and his jealous remarks.
I would have to watch how he interacted with them because I would not tolerate bullying. Sure, more mates meant more personalities to mesh together, and I was sure jealousy and arguments would happen. Zirene’s reasoning for my mates to have their own wing made sense, now that I thought about it.
Once the princes arrived and I claimed them as my own, it would be something we would discuss. I knew the Circuli thrived on togetherness and being near their nestqueen, so I didn’t believe they would want individual nights alone, at least not consecutively.
After showing me where each of the eight archways led, Zirene introduced me to the staff, and we checked on the cubs, who were passed out in their own domed terrarium. Not wanting to wake them, I suggested we retreat back to the sanctuary for a beverage, knowing we hadn’t explored the whole villa yet, including the outside.
“Is there something you want to do?
