The words fluttered through my mind, the whispers of my ancestors telling me how I'd been right, essentially. I knew it all along, I knew better than to give up on him and give up on what fate had chosen for us. Thus, knowing I had made the right choice made me more than happy, made it to where I felt...almost normal again. Burrowing myself into his chest, feeling the warmth of his fur against me, listening to his heartbeat thrumming against my ears.

But when I muttered those words, and had to pull back to repeat them outside of my native tongue. I mentally shook my head at myself, knowing that I had to watch myself, because he wasn't spoken in my tongue, so I couldn't keep doing that. His words stunned me, the admission outright was so astonishing, I was frozen. I'd never imagined hearing the words from him. I had dreamed, long ago, that maybe I'd hear that from him but I had never actually thought it'd come true, not lately at least. But when he kept speaking, I kept my maw shut, knowing that I'd have to speak here soon, and I'd prefer to soak in all he had to say before responding myself.

He spoke deeply, and the words flowed straight to my heart, causing my breath to catch in my throat. I couldn't believe the words I heard that were coming from his mouth. Mates? I hadn't dreamt of that yet. But the knowledge settled warmly in my chest. The warmth blooming though my veins. Him asking that, asking to spend forever. That was deeper than I had believed. I revealed in the knowledge that my parents would be more than willing to bless this union, and that settled peacefully in my chest. "I love you too Navarre." I spoke quietly. Drawing in a deep breath before speaking again. "I would gladly go through this life by your side, thick and thin. I don't care where we are, what we have, as long as we have each other." The words flowed freely off my tongue. A smile falling from my lips before speaking once more. "I would be honored to be your mate. I'd love nothing less." I found myself pressing back to his chest, burrowing my nose in the thick fur of his chest, breathing deeply as I pressed my head to him.

Home. So far away, yet, it'd never felt so close at hand than it did now.