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Was there a part that bored or that you didn't really like in the book?

Even a character, a scene, or anything. You could say no if nothing bothered you.

Which was the part you liked most in the book?

Even a character, a scene, or anything that you enjoyed.

Would you prefer your next book to be about : *

• A young woman found mysteriously at the dungeon of a castle.
• A young woman who runs away from her cruel father.

I want the next romance I read to have : *

• The two protagonists go on an adventure
• The two protagonists attend a ball together in disguise
• The two protagonists travel to a different country

Anything else you'd like to share?

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Two months later, Castle Lennox

Davina squeezed Edin’s hands, her grip firm and warm. “Ye ready, lass?”

Edin took in a slow breath, willing herself to nod, but fear and hesitation curled in her chest like a serpent.

There was no turning back now. The hall was filled, the torches casting a golden glow against the stone walls, the scent of fresh heather mingling with the faint aroma of burning wax. The murmur of guests settled into an expectant hush. This was it.

“Ye’ll dae just fine,” Davina assured her, her tone gentle yet insistent. “Now go on, before he thinks ye’ve changed yer mind.”

Edin huffed out a breath that was almost a laugh. “I think I’d like tae see him sweat a bit longer.”

Davina chuckled, but then she stepped back, her presence slipping away like a final tether to hesitation. And then Edin was alone. Not truly literally. Not with the scrutiny of every eye upon her, nor with the shadow of her own doubts still lingering.

She took a single step forward. Then another.

The aisle stretched ahead of her, feeling impossibly long. Each step sounded too loud, echoing in her ears. It felt so far.

She had never imagined herself there — not like that. Love was not something she had been raised to expect, nor marriage something she had thought she would ever have. A life within the Triad had always meant solitude, independence.

Yet now, here she was, walking towards a man who had shattered all of that, who had forced her to see beyond the walls she had built.

A man who had fought for her.

Her gaze flickered over the sea of faces; some familiar, some not. And she could not help but think of Finley’s family. How they had resisted at first, how they had questioned and doubted. But he had stood before them, unwavering, unyielding, as he always was. And in the end, they had accepted it. Perhaps not with open arms, but they had understood.

Still, she wondered. Would she always be the outsider? Would she belong? The whispers of doubt clawed at her, but then—

She saw him.

Finley stood at the altar, waiting. And when her eyes met his, the world stilled. He was smiling, that lopsided grin that always made her heart do foolish things. It was not just a smile — it was a promise, a vow even before the words were spoken. He was looking at her as though she was the only thing in the world that mattered, as though she had never given him a reason to doubt, never made him wait, never questioned her own worth.

A warmth unfurled in her chest, spreading like the first touch of dawn. The hesitation faded, replaced by something steadier, something stronger. Aye, she had been afraid. But there was no fear now. There was only him.

The rest of the walk passed in an instant. One moment she was afraid she’d never reach him; the next, she was standing before him, his hands taking hers, warm and sure. And she knew, without a doubt, that there was nowhere else she would rather be.

The vows came next, yet the words held a significance far greater than them.

“I vow tae stand by ye, tae fight fer ye, tae love ye as long as breath remains in me,” Finley said, his voice rough with emotion. “From this day forth, I am yers, Edin. Always.”

Her throat tightened. There was no script, no perfect words she had prepared. Only this, only the truth in her heart. “I never thought I’d find a place where I belonged, but ye’ve given me that. Ye’ve given me a home, Finley. And I vow tae stand by ye, tae love ye, and tae choose ye every day fer as long as I live.”

A hush settled over the hall that spoke of something sacred, unbreakable.

And then, before the priest could even finish declaring them wed, Finley’s hands cradled her face, and he kissed her.

The world erupted into cheers. A roar of approval, of laughter, of celebration. The kiss was soft at first, reverent, but then he pulled her closer, deepening it just enough to remind her of the passion that had always burned between them.

When they parted, his forehead rested against hers for a lingering moment, his breath warm against her skin.

“Ye’re mine now, wife,” he murmured, his voice full of wonder and something deeper. “Truly mine.”

A smile tugged at her lips. “And ye’re mine, husband.”

They barely had time to process the words before they were surrounded. Hands clapped Finley’s back, arms wrapped around Edin in embraces both warm and overwhelming. Laughter rang through the hall as congratulations poured over them like a rushing tide.

“A fine match, lad!” someone called.

“A beautiful bride!”

“Ye best be treating her well, Finley, or ye’ll have us all tae answer tae!”

Finley only laughed, his arm steady around her waist, anchoring her to him. She let herself lean into him, the warmth of his presence chasing away the last lingering shadows of doubt.

For the first time in her life, Edin was not alone.

She had a family now. She had a home.

And she had him.

***

“I’ve somethin’ fer ye,” Finley said, turning to face her.

The room was quiet save for the soft crackling of the fire in the hearth. The celebration carried on downstairs, music and laughter echoing faintly through the stone walls, but here, in the chambers they would now share as husband and wife, the world had shrunk to just the two of them.

Edin stood by the bed, still breathless from the whirlwind of the day. The vows, the kiss, the way Finley had looked at her as though she was the only woman in the world. Her heart had been full; fuller than she ever thought it could be.

Edin quirked a brow. “A surprise?” She smirked, crossing her arms.

She wondered what awaited her beyond this moment. Surely, there were no more surprises left — Finley had already given her more than she could have ever asked for. And yet, something about the way he moved, the quiet sense of purpose in his steps, made her think otherwise. Perhaps marriage had already begun to shift things between them, deepening their bond in ways she had yet to understand. The thought sent warmth blooming across her cheeks, and she bit her lip to suppress a smile.

Her gaze followed Finley as he strode toward a small chest by the bedside. He knelt, lifting the lid, his fingers rummaging through its contents with careful deliberation. Edin’s curiosity sharpened as she watched him, her head tilting slightly.

At last, he found what he was looking for. Straightening, he turned to face her, a brown leather folder in his grasp. There was something almost solemn about the way he held it, as if it carried a great weight. Instead of speaking right away, he took a slow step forward and extended it toward her, his gaze steady and unreadable.

Edin let out a scoff, eyeing the folder with suspicion. “If this is some sort o’ contract or more dull paperwork, husband, I just might start wonderin’ if I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

Finley chuckled, shaking his head. “I promise it’s nae dull. Open it.”

Her fingers hesitated over the worn leather before she took it from him, eyeing it warily. “This is the first gift ye give me as yer wife, and it’s — documents?”

“Just open it, lass.” His voice was softer now, a thread of something deeper woven into it.

The moment she unfolded the first parchment, her chest tightened. Her name was written in elegant script, but beneath it—

MacAlister.

Her chest constricted. She blinked, staring at the name as though it might change if she looked at it long enough. Her hands tightened around the papers as she flipped through them, scanning the words that seemed to blur together. A record of birth. A letter of transfer. A signature, not her own.

“What…” The word barely left her lips. She swallowed hard, her throat dry as sand. “Where—where did ye get this?”

Finley stepped closer, his hand hovering at her arm but not touching, as though sensing she needed space. “From the Triad. It came straight from them.”

She inhaled sharply. “So they kent?” Her voice wavered, disbelief laced with quiet hurt. “They kent all this time an’ said naething?”

He nodded, his expression carefully measured. “Aye. They kent.”

Edin let out a breath that felt like a slow collapse. She looked back at the papers, her mind spinning. The MacAlisters, a noble family. The family who had given her away.

Her heart pounded against her ribs. She had never allowed herself to dwell on it before — on the absence of a past, on the unanswered questions she had locked away. She had been raised by the Triad, had fought for her place, had earned the respect that was not freely given. And yet, here, in her hands, was the proof that she had once belonged somewhere else. That she had been cast aside, handed off like a transaction.

She barely noticed Finley moving until his hands settled gently on her shoulders. “Lass,” he said softly, “ye need tae breathe.”

She exhaled, shuddering slightly as she let the papers drop onto the bed. Her fingers curled at her sides. “Why?” she asked, her voice quieter now, almost lost in the space between them. “Why would they give me up?”

Finley let a beat pass before answering. “It was common practice, Edin. Nobles often sent their daughters tae be raised by the Triad — tae be trained, protected. Ye kent this is what happened tae me grandmaither.”

She turned her gaze to him sharply. “I kent… yes.”

He nodded. “Aye. She was given up young, just like ye. But it was nae because she was unwanted. It was because the Triad could offer somethin’ her family couldnae. Strength. Safety.”

Edin swallowed hard, her emotions a tangled knot in her chest. “And yet, they never came fer me.”

The truth sat heavy between them. Finley didn’t argue, didn’t offer hollow reassurances. Instead, he took her hands in his, calloused and warm against her skin. “I cannae tell ye what was in their hearts when they made that choice, but I can tell ye this: who ye are, everythin’ ye’ve become, ye did that. Ye survived, thrived. An’ whatever ye choose tae dae with this—” he gestured at the folder, “—we dae it taegether.”

Her breath caught at that, at the simple certainty in his voice. She looked at him then, truly looked, and saw not just her husband, but her partner. Her family.

She let out a breath that felt like letting go, if only a little. And then, in a voice that was steadier now, she said, “I dinnae ken if I want tae kent them.”

Finley squeezed her hands gently. “Ye dinnae have tae. Ye have me.”

A slow warmth unfurled in her chest. She had spent so long wondering where she belonged, searching for something unseen. But as Finley pulled her close, his arms solid and sure around her, she realized she had found it.

Here. With him. Exactly where she belonged.

The End.

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