Dear Enemy, You're My Mate

Chapter 87 **

Maya

My determination is still bubbling within me when the tree of life's roots breaks the earth. Green vines and flowers cover the plant, which opens to reveal a sleeping, human-sized Finn.

I rush forward and fall to my knees. My heart is pounding in my throat as I eye the bruises covering Finn's russet skin. Thorns have pierced him, and some are left like bullets in a gunshot wounded body.

"Oh-my-god," I brush his white, silky hair away from his eyes and study his dark eyelashes spread over his cheeks. He is still breathing, which takes some of my anxiety away. I hug his chest, whispering into his ear. "Thank the gods that you're okay... I don't know what I would do if you were dead..."

Finn stirs, and his lips part to allow him to speak weakly. "The training almost killed me—the elders weren't happy with me and made me go through one hell of a trial to gain their abilities. Fuck—I'm sore all over my body."

I smile. "Better wounded than dead."

Without thinking, I bend forward to lie flat on his chest before squeezing him. Finn winces, and I laugh.

"Sorry... Did it hurt?"

"Yes," Finn admits but then wraps his arms around my neck to pull me into him. "But I don't care—every minute in that other dimension felt like a long-lost year without you. I missed you so much!"

Finn's scent swirls around me, and I inhale sharply, loving the smell of his skin. A whiff of him could be sold as a bottled fragrance at a story and be called "summer and bonfire," and I bet it would sell out.

I dig my cheek into him. "I missed you too."

Finn purrs, then looks at me with his glowing, baby blue eyes. "Did the tree of life train you?"

"No, I'm afraid not," I don't want to stop breathing him in. Finn is my home and safety—my big, muscular teddy bear with a heart of gold. "But they showed me a glimpse of the future if Arvin wins—everything was set on fire, and your world seemed to be crying. We can't let him win, or no one will survive."

Finn kisses my head. "Of course not."

Images of the fallen soldiers, blood, and death force me to close my eyes. I can almost imagine the tree of life, Carla, staring at me and saying, "Save my people, Maya. Try your hardest, or Finn will die."

I sob. "I might have made a mistake..."

Finn runs his thumb underneath my eye, stealing a tear. "Nonsense."

"Yes, I swear," tears prickle behind my eyelids. "The tree of life wanted my wolf and thought we might have a chance of winning if I gave you my powers, but," I bite my lower lip. "I couldn't give her up, Finn! My inner wolf is a part of me and-..."

Finn hushes me. "It's okay. I understand."

"No, don't say I did the right thing when my decision could kill us all!"

Finn chuckles, then hold me tighter in the most tender way. "Hey, have some faith in me too," Finn whispers lovingly with a half-smile covering his face. "I exceeded the tree of life's expectations—I will be useful in the next upcoming battle. Believe in me."

I swallow thickly. "I'm scared of what the future may bring."

Finn sighs, not at me but the situation. "Me too, little wolf, me too."

With a snotty nose, I lie on Finn, letting him brush his fingers through my hair. It's soothing, and eventually, I relax.

"I love when you do that," I close my eyes, feeling my heartbeat slow down. Finn is stroking my back. "And I'm sorry—I should be calm before the war and collect myself, but I don't wanna carry the burden of watching people die because of my selfishness."

"It's not your responsibility to save everyone, but I understand what you mean," his chest is warm, and his heart is strong. "It's hard knowing if your decision was right, but I have faith—I believe we can kick Arvin out through the portal he came from."

"That's another thing: when you close the portal, it means goodbye forever."

I expect Finn to tell me that I will meet someone new. Instead, his thick biceps bulge as he dips his nose into my hair.

"You never know," Finn murmurs. "I think your moon goddess was wrong about us—we should have been mates."

My heart leaps. "That's the sweetest thing you've ever told me."

Finn laughs. "I'm tired of fighting how I feel—I love you, Maya. I always have, ever since you tried to gobble up my food like the little wildling you are."

I gasp. "Hey, take that back!"

Finn snorts in amusement, kissing my forehead. He then leans back, meeting my eyes. "Never—if you want me, the teasing is part of the deal, little wolf."

"Want you?" My eyes widen. "You mean...?"

Finn smiles. "If you still want me, then I'm yours—my heart belongs to you already, anyway. No one has affected my heart like you, Maya. You're the one I truly love."

A rock lifts from my chest, but at the same time, I'm afraid for a whole other reason now. Finn—of course I want him, yet I know we won't have a happy ending. Not when we live in different worlds.

"Yes, I want you but no matter what happens, I will still lose you—I can't win! You will stay in this world, and I will head home. Thinking about it makes me miserable!"

Finn doesn't look worried. "We will figure something out—don't worry about it now—we have a war to win."

I snuggle closer, wishing I could die in Finn's safe arms. "Right."