Riley
It's been a week since I asked William to change back to a human for me, and since that day, we have spent every night wrapped up in each other's arms. I prefer him human-sized, and he has promised me that our time spent in this hellish fairy realm will soon be over.
I hope he is right...
"Do you think we can return to the human realm soon?" I ask William. He has shrunk back to his human form, and we are cuddling in the bedsheets in our room.
He sighs heavily. "I still need to figure out how to leave the fairy realm... most of my abilities are mastered, but... my mother hasn't taught me how to open a portal yet."
"Because she probably wishes to keep you here..." William's mother wants him to become the new leader of the fairies, while the two of us just wish to leave this realm behind.
"Mhm, I think so too," William's hand strokes over my naked stomach, and then he breathes a laugh. "Don't get mad at me now, but I'm pretty sure you're pregnant."
My cheeks redden, and at first, I get offended because who wishes for their boyfriend to point out you've gotten bigger? But since it's the truth, I can't say anything. Also, I'm hopeful. A child would be a blessing.
"Yeah, well... I'm not protecting myself right now."
William braces himself on his muscular arms and crawls over me. He doesn't rest his weight on me, but his soft lips quickly brush against my stomach. It tickles, not that I mind. I enjoy every affectionate kiss that he places on my skin.
"I can think of nothing more beautiful than you carrying my pup," he murmurs, but then he freezes. A look of realization hits his beautiful face, and then he glances at me from under the fringe of his eyelashes. "We have to leave this realm behind us as quickly as possible. Not only do we have to save the pack and our city, but my mother and the other fairies wouldn't be kind if they knew you were pregnant. They are already keeping their eyes on you like prey."
"Agreed," I whisper and let my hand find his hair. It's long after days spent in the fairy realm, and the color has changed to white. My fingers brush through it, and then I speak in a gentle tone. "We must leave this realm, and then you need to get yourself a haircut."
He chuckles. "You don't like it nice and thick?"
I laugh when he shakes his head like a dog above me. He is so silly, and I swat at his shoulder. "Stop that! I'm getting dandruff all over me!"
"I don't have dandruff!" William argues.
"You're right—you don't. Your hair quality is better than mine, which is frustrating. Why are men born with everything? Thick hair and long eyelashes... I would kill for all of that."
"You're already pretty as you are," he bends down to kiss my lips. Slow and sensually before breaking from me. "We should leave right now. I've been training with my mother for what feels like ages—she will never show me how to open that goddamn portal."
I raise an eyebrow. "But how will we leave this realm?"
"I think we should visit the place in the jungle from where we came from, and then I try my hardest to... you know... take us back to the human realm. I have a good feeling about this plan, actually."
Since anything is better than staying in a stupid realm where everyone regards me as food, I say, "Okay, I will trust you on this."
William smiles at me, and then he pushes himself up on his feet. I watch him as he cracks his shoulders and stretches his arms. He is gorgeous, with white hair flowing down his back and flawless skin draped over his sinewy muscles. I'm breath taken by the view, yet there is another feeling I can't get rid of: fear is gathering in the pit of my belly.
Since asking William to spend time with me as a human, I've been spared from looking at his fairy self. But I guess escaping from this realm requires him to become a fairy.
My nerves are jittery as I witness William sit on the edge of the bed, and soon my vision is enclosed by a wall of his skin. His back seems to go on for miles, and my eyes land on the dimples over his ass, and then I follow his muscles to his impossibly broad shoulders.
Scary.
I can hear my own heartbeat and feel it as the pace shifts from calm to frightened. William meets my gaze over his shoulder, peering down at me sympathetically. From the angle on the bed… he… looks … massive.
With a hesitant smile, he whispers, "Hey."
"Hey..." I whisper back, but when I see his eyebrows rise in silent amusement, I repeat the same word in a louder tone, "HEY!"
William seems to stifle a laugh. There are crinkles on the side of his eyes, and I blush when he reaches out a hand. It's flattened on the bed, palm facing upwards, and I glance back at him.
His hair has changed from black to white, and his skin has an ethereal glow. There are iridescent wings on his back, and everything about him looks too perfect to be considered human.
But his eyes are still the same kind, gorgeous blue. Looking into them calms me, and I lift myself from the bed. I wander over to his hand, seating myself, and try not to shriek when his fingers curl around me.
"I have this feeling my mother will try to prevent us from leaving this realm behind." I notice William is talking without looking at me, probably think it will freak me out. "I'm unsure what her endgame plan is, but I won't let us keep us here, especially not when I'm reasonably sure you're pregnant. This world isn't a good place for our child to grow up."
"Agreed," I mumble and try not to laugh when the tip of his thumb briefly touch my belly. My lips form a smile. "Okay, that tickles too... can you try to keep your fingers to yourself while we try to escape?"
William's lips twitch, and then he lifts himself from the bed. His eyes still won't look at me, but at least I'm brought to his chest. That place feels the safest when he moves around.
"What is our plan when we are back in the human world?" William asks.
"The plan is to lift the enemy alpha and his evil pack members into the air with your psychic abilities and kill them."
William snorts. "That's brutal—are you sure you're not a fairy? You're more bloodthirsty than me."
"Oh, I wish I was a fairy."
"No, trust me, you don't... there is nothing weirder than hearing your stomach rumble just because you're in a room filled with humans."
I grimace. "Fine, you're right—I don't envy you at all."
William chuckles at that and then waltzes over to the window of the room, which freaks me out.
"Wait, what are you doing?!"
"We are escaping from here—you really thought we could just use the door and be on our merry way?" William sounds amused.
"Well, I wasn't expecting us to jump out through a freaking window!" I shift in his hand, pressing myself to his chest. It doesn't matter that his fingers are around me. I'm still terrified!
William peers down at me, mild surprise hitting his features. I realize it must be because I'm plastered to him despite him being in his fairy form. It seems to please him that the idea of him dropping me is something I fear more than him.
Is that all it takes to make him happy? Shit. I'm so stupid for fearing his fairy self. He is my mate—he wouldn't hurt me, and of course, he is happy right now—I'm practically hugging him. And William is a cuddler.
The fingers holding me tighten their grip a little. "I won't drop you. This drop will be fun—I promise!"
"Fun?!" I exclaim. "I doubt that!"
William only laughs. It's a rumbling sound that makes my heart pound faster. The wind is already hitting me in the face. The fairies don't have windows, and William jumps out through the window more quickly than I can blink. A scream begins in my throat, but I don't let it out.
Why? Because the scenery is magical. Greenery spreads as far as the eye can reach, and when William spreads his wings, we are taken away by the wind, soaring high in the blue.
"See, this isn't so bad, is it?" William asks from above, bending his head to meet my eyes. There is a grin on his face. "Isn't it fun?"
My lips curl higher, but my smile falters when I notice the fairies below us shout and point their fingers at us.
"The prince is escaping!"
"Is he supposed to be in the sky?!"
"Someone alarm the fairy queen!"
"WILLIAM, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!"
I stare down at the fairies below us, spreading their wings as if to chase us, and my concern grows. "They really don't want us to leave..."
"That won't matter. Those idiots won't be able to catch up to us, and we aren't sticking around," William breathes a laugh. "Are you ready to finally go home?"
Home.
That word makes my heart swell.
Sure, there is still an evil pack to defeat, but William should easily be able to handle them. And after he has defeated alpha Asher and his beta, Josh, we have another adventure waiting for us.
I place my hand on my stomach, smiling. "Yes, let's go home."