Chapter 126
Lucas’s POV
She forgave me...Harper forgave me...
How the hell was I supposed to get a second of sleep when I felt as though my relationship with Harper had miraculously moved to the next level? How was I supposed to focus on the mission?
She trusted me. She had found it in her heart to forgive me.
I was almost glad that Harper proceeded to take matters into her own hands and kissed me because I was at a complete loss for words.
Part of me wasn’t so sure that such a thing would be possible. And for good reason.
I never dared to hope that forgiveness was ever in it for me. Yet, I would never forget that honest, heartfelt look in her eyes. It had very little to do with the heat that sparked between us at that moment—this was something she’d been thinking about for quite some time.
Regardless, I wasn’t about to question her.
Through a foggy, mindless haze, we made it back to the house. Harper muttered something about needing a quick shower while Mason had tried to catch me up on a few other reports that demanded my attention.
But it was pointless. All that my mind could process was Harper.
When it came time for the two of us to retire to our rooms, Harper bypassed her room entirely and went straight to mine. I couldn’t stop the smile from pulling at the corner of my mouth. She climbed onto her side of the bed she had previously taken up as her own.
I was more than happy to slide in beside her and mindlessly watch her settle in for the night. Gently brushing some of her hair from her face, I silently gazed down at her and marveled at her natural beauty.
How on earth had I gotten so lucky?
“She forgave me,” I whispered to myself.
Every time that thought came to mind, I felt an unspeakable warmth spread through my chest. I carefully slid my arm under her and pulled her close into my side while I curved my larger form around her like a protective shield.
I knew that Harper wasn’t ready to complete the bond, but simply being able to hold her like this was enough to satiate our wolves’ ongoing need to be fully bonded. And I considered myself highly fortunate that I was able to have an opportunity like this either way.
I pressed a light kiss to her head and allowed my eyes to fall shut.
Waking up to find Harper in my arms was as glorious as a morning could get. A large part of me wanted nothing more than to remain here for the rest of the day. Warm and out of harm’s way.
Unfortunately, there was a job that needed to be done. Which meant that our happiness would need to be placed on temporary hold.
I gently nudged her awake, watching her eyes slowly begin to open. “Is it time?” she asked groggily.
“I’m afraid so,” I said softly. “Believe me, I have no desire to leave this bed, knowing that it currently possesses the most beautiful woman I could ever imagine.”
Her cheeks flushed under my heated gaze, making me crave to reach out and snatch her back to my side. Sadly, Harper was already pulling herself out of bed to get ready. My eyes instantly fell to her tantalizing figure.
“Soon. Soon, we will have all the time in the world with her,” Levi stated.
Once we were ready, I curled my hand around hers, and the two of us made it down to the meeting room. Others were beginning to filter through the doorways and gather around the large table in the center.
Harper briefly pulled away to speak with Reed and Bash. I felt gratified to know that we had the full support of the council to carry out this mission. It was by no means a small situation that could easily be swept under the rug or ignored.
I glanced down at the blueprints of the Domain building and studied the marks of their security detail. Thanks to Harper and the team having captured so many useful details on the place, I actually felt like we had a real chance to bring this whole operation to the ground.
I spared a glance around to find that each team had already grouped up and was waiting for further instruction.
“Alright, is everyone here?” I called out.
The muffled chatter grew silent. They all turned their attention to me.
“This meeting is a final run-through before we all head off to the designated location,” I explained. “I cannot stress the importance of everyone knowing what’s expected of them.”
They all grew closer to the table as I began pointing out sections on the blueprints. “Team A, you’ll be with Harper and me. Our point of entrance will be from the roof. Team B, your main objective is to ensure that the area is completely clear so that we can reach our point of access.”
“Once we’re inside the building, Team B will gradually trail behind us. We need this to be evenly spaced out and not rushed. The moment someone on their end begins to suspect something, all hell is going to break loose. Remember, this is not only a rescue mission. While, yes, those that have been taken captive by the Domain are our immediate priority(, )we are also there to apprehend the people who’ve been behind this operation.”
Someone from Team C raised up their hand in question. “What are our orders if we come across either a guard or one of their workers?”
Before I could answer, Harper spoke out in my place. “Take them out.”
Many of the others were stunned to hear something so crass come from Harper. A healer, nonetheless. I turned to glance at my mate to find her cheeks slightly flushed.
She stepped forward to address the group. “Look, I know this might seem horribly brutal coming from someone like me. Yes, it is in my nature to care and aid those who are in need of medical care. However, those who have chosen to align themselves with the Domain are hardly considered people. They would have no stealing your wolf soul and selling it to the highest bidder.”
The whole room was utterly memorized as Harper went on. Not a single person dared to pull their attention away—myself included. She was a complete natural when stepping into a leadership position.
The corners of my mouth curled upward while my chest swelled with pride. Harper turns her head to glance at me and returns my smile before turning back to face the group.
“Anyone who gets in your way, if you’re unable to subdue them, then do what you must in order for this mission to get carried out,” she said firmly. “Undestood?”
“Yes, Ma’am!”
As the sun streaked across the sky and the afternoon melded into the early evening, all the teams gathered outside the estate, awaiting the final order to head off. Having checked off on the necessary weapons and equipment, the only thing left to do was leave for the Domain.
“You’ve been given your orders and you know the objective,” I said sternly. “Remember to stay vigilant and take down whoever gets in your way.”
I stepped back to find Harper close to my side. I wrapped a supportive arm around her and glanced down to find her staring back with confidence, causing a tugging feeling deep within my ribcage.
I could hardly believe how willing she was to follow me into danger. There again, she openly admitted to trusting me. She trusted me despite leading her into danger and bringing her out of it.
And I would never betray that trust.
“I promise you, I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety during this mission. You are my everything, Harper,” I said devotedly.
