All Chapters of Reborn as the Unwanted Mate: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

INDY I woke to warmth.It wrapped around me from every side. For a moment, I did not remember where I was.Then I inhaled and smelled his scent. He still smelled the same.Even after traveling for an entire week through snow and wilderness, even after not eating properly for two days, he still smelled like himself. I opened my eyes slowly.His arm was draped securely around my waist. My back was pressed against his chest. His chin rested lightly near the crown of my head, his breath warm against my hair. One of his legs was hooked over mine, probably to keep me even warmer. I lay there for several seconds longer than I should have, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing and the quiet crackle of the dying embers of the fire.I cannot believe he still smells like this.My hand moved before I could stop it.I had the sudden urge to flick his forehead for having the audacity to look this peaceful after wrecking my heart so thoroughly.However, instead of flicking him, I turne

INDY Despite what I had said, Irene did not allow him to leave.“The future king should not be found frozen in the snow outside my cottage,” she declared firmly, her hands planted on her hips. “There is still snow falling, and the roads are unstable. He will stay until the weather clears properly.”Rome did not argue.He only glanced at me, measuring my reaction, as if my words still mattered more than his own pride.And that was how we found ourselves eating dinner together that evening.Otis and Mila did not leave, of course. News traveled faster than the wind in our little cluster of cottages, and the presence of the crown prince beneath Irene’s roof had turned the place into the center of quiet excitement. A few of the elders had already come earlier with excuses about lending herbs or checking the firewood, only to peek discreetly at him before shuffling out again.Now the cottage glowed warmly under lamplight. The storm outside had softened into a steady drift of snow, tapping

INDY It was morning when I knew.I did not need the news this time. The light alone told me everything.I stood by the window as I had done for days, my fingers resting lightly on the frame. When I pulled the curtain aside, the world that greeted me was unrecognizable.The snow was gone.The pathways between cottages were visible again, muddy and damp, but no longer swallowed in white. The trees, though still swaying, were no longer weighed down by frost.Sunlight spilled across the valley in wide golden streaks.Behind me, fabric rustled.I did not have to turn around to know what he was doing.Rome was already packing.I watched his reflection faintly in the glass. He moved slowly, carefully folding the scarf I had knitted him, placing it nearly inside. His coat was laid across the futon. His boots were positioned near the door.I crossed my arms in front of my chest.“Are you okay now?” I asked without turning around.“I am,” he replied. “I ate here better than I did in the mansio

INDY By late afternoon, the elders had decided that we were no longer welcome at the celebration—at least, not in an unkind way. Mila pressed wrapped bread and roasted meat into my hands with a knowing smile. Otis muttered something about young people needing air. Irene only looked at me for a long moment, her gaze steady and searching, before she handed me a flask of tea.“Go,” she said simply. “Before everyone starts staring again.”With that, we decided to climb the nearby mountain. Neither of us spoke at first.When we finally reached a clearing halfway up the mountain ridge, the wind greeted us. It was light, carrying the scent of the budding leaves. We spread a woven blanket over the grass. The elders had packed more food than necessary, as though anticipating that conversation required sustenance.I sat down first and pulled my knees slightly toward my chest. Rome remained standing for a moment, looking out over the valley. Then he crouched and reached into the inner pocke

INDY It was already the fifth week, and they were all waiting for Rome’s return. Or perhaps it was only me, and I was simply projecting my restlessness onto the entire village.I stood near the window, pretending to adjust the curtain for better light, though I had already done so three times in the last hour. The path from the ridge curved gently before reaching the clearing near our cottage. It was the route he often took when he arrived. He liked to come here first before greeting the rest of the village, reporting to me before anyone else.The sun was already high in the sky. It was Sunday. He should have been here by now. I leaned forward slightly, narrowing my eyes at every distant movement that could have been a wolf.“Relax,” Mila chuckled from behind me, her voice warm as she lifted her cup of coffee. “You will create a hole in that window if you keep staring at it.”“I am not staring,” I muttered automatically, even as I adjusted my position again.She hummed knowingly.“