Chapter 768

And then I lift my finger, and hold it close to Luca's mark for comparison, and see that Jackson's...right. That it's quite subtle, but the mini mark is...different. It...shines, almost? Just barely perceptible, an incredibly faint line of silver tracing through it? And Luca's mark has none of that.

"Oh, that's really incredible," I murmur. Then I burst into a smile, looking at the mini mark. "See? I knew the mini mark was real."

Jackson just laughs and shakes his head, putting his hands on my hips and stepping close, dropping a kiss to my hair. "Not my mark yet, tiny. But..." he hesitates and then drops the point. I lift my eyes and meet his in the mirror, knowing what he's thinking, because I'm thinking the same.noveldrama

That he needs to give me his mark. That the Goddess ordered it, and we both know it now. But also that...I am not ready. Not right now - not so close to my last marking which was, at best, traumatic. And even though I know Jackson would give it to me now if I asked for it...

"I just need a little time?" I whisper.

He nods to me, just once, quite simple. Letting me know that he understands and that the moment I'm ready, he's here. And not because the Goddess demanded it - because it's time.

For us, it's time.

I sigh, leaning back against him, and Jackson wraps his arms fully around me.

"Did my scent change?" I murmur.

He sniffs my hair experimentally, almost performative, because it's not like he hasn't been smelling me all night.

"A little," he murmurs, "though not badly. Honestly, you did smell different when I saw you in the hall - I think your scent...did change. And then when he rejected you it started to revert back- I read that that's what happens with scents of rejected mates. But it's almost back to normal now."

I frown at him in the mirror. "Where on earth did you read that?"

He frowns back at me. "The internet, Ariel. Obviously."

I burst out laughing and turn towards him, wrapping my hands around his back and grinning up into his face. Jackson smiles down at me like he can't help it, like looking at my face is the great joy of his life.

I sigh and gaze up at him. "You really think we're going to be okay?"

"I mean," Jacks murmurs, stroking

his heavy palm over my hair. "I'm not giving you free reign over my heart to go out wantonly taking lovers and getting marks, Ariel." I smirk at the idea, jokingly turning my head to the side and considering it, making him laugh. "But do I think we're going to be okay? Yes. Of course Pdo."

"How did I get so lucky?" I rest my chin on his chest, gazing up at him with all of my love shining in my eyes.

"Nah, that's my line," Jacks

murmurs. And then he dips his head, and presses his first gentle kiss to my lips, quite simple and full of love. I stand on my toes and kiss him back grateful for him, for his kind heart, his enduring nature, not entirely sure if I deserve him.

But even if I don't, I'm going to take this gift the universe has given and run with it. Because I know what I've got and I'm never, ever giving it up.

Jackson breaks the kiss for both of us, tucking away any physical desires that that's stirring in him for my sake, knowing that I'm not ready for that just yet. But that at some point I will be.

"So." He clears his throat, looking away for a second as he works to control himself. I grin up at him,

watching his face. "Wanna get some breakfast in the hall with everyone else?"

"Yeah," I say, still smiling softly as he turns his eyes back to me. "Yeah, that sounds great."

Then I shriek with laughter as Jacks grabs me and tosses me over his shoulder, carrying me back into the room. "All right! Then let's get going, tiny! I'm starving!"

"What?" I gasp, and then my eyes

flare wide when I realize that the only thing I've seen Jackson eat was a couple of bites of cake last night from my fork when I offered them to him. Jackson - when's the last time you ate!?"

"Four days ago!"

"Jacks!" I gasp, my eyes wide. But then, before I can truly begin to smack at him, Jackson tosses me onto

the bed and strides for the dresser where we keep our clothes.

"Let's go!" He barks out, cheerful, tossing one of my uniforms at me. "I want some eggs! And toast! Jam - sausage - biscuits! I'm going to put bacon inside the pancakes and -"

The list goes on as the two of us get changed.

And as long as Jackson rambles on about all the breakfast food he's going to devour, I don't stop smiling once.