lily

I step into my room, the door clicking softly behind me, but it doesn’t drown out the whirlwind of thoughts racing through my mind. I could stay with him. I could have him here, now, after everything, after a year of living with the hope of one day seeing him again. But even as the possibility flickers in front of me, I know I need space. I need time to think. To breathe.

This feels like a dream. A beautiful, impossible dream. Callan. Callan. The man who’s somehow made his way from his world to mine, to be with me. To find me. I still can’t wrap my mind around it. How can this be real? How can we be real?

My thoughts spiral into a mixture of fear and wonder. Two worlds, so far apart, clashing together in a way that feels both exhilarating and terrifying. How can this work? How can I even begin to make it work when nothing about this situation makes sense?

How can he fit into my life? And how can I fit into his? We come from two worlds so different that I don’t even know if I can bridge the gap between them. Everything that’s been impossible before suddenly feels too close, too real, and I don’t know if I’m ready for it.

I sigh and sit down on the edge of my bed, resting my head in my hands. I thought I’d figured things out. I thought I’d convinced myself that maybe I was okay with how things had been. But now… now it’s all crashing down in front of me. Everything’s changing. Everything’s uncertain.

And then, I see it—through the window.

Callan.

Callan was still there, standing in the cold just outside my gate. His tall figure was rigid, his hands shoved into his pockets as if he were trying to keep himself warm. He wasn’t moving, wasn’t leaving.

A pang shot through my chest, sharp and unrelenting.

Why? Why was he still out there?

My breath hitched as the answer settled over me like a heavy blanket.

Because he didn’t want to leave me.

Tears pricked at my eyes as I stepped back from the window. Suddenly, the fear, the doubts, the questions—they didn’t matter. None of it mattered.

If he was willing to stand there, freezing and waiting, how could I ever let him go?

I stand without thinking, rushing to the window, and my heart aches. He’s been standing out there for so long—too long—and I can’t help but feel responsible. I can’t let him be out there, not in the cold, not when all I want to do is pull him inside. To keep him safe. To keep him close.

But even more than that, I realize something else.

I can’t live in a world where he’s not part of it. I don’t care about the differences between our worlds anymore. I don’t care about the uncertainty or the fear. What matters is that he’s here. He’s here for me.

And if he’s willing to fight for us, then I will too. No matter what.

Without thinking, I move quickly, slipping on my shoes and hurrying down the stairs. I reach the front door and open it without hesitation, the cool night air rushing in to greet me.

“Callan…” My voice trembles, but I don’t care. I don’t care about anything except the man standing in front of me. “You should go back to your hotel. You don’t need to be out here.”

He looks at me, his gaze intense, and for a moment, neither of us speaks. The silence is thick between us, but in it, I feel everything we’ve left unsaid, everything we’ve been avoiding.

He takes a step toward me, and I know—I know—he’s not going to leave. Not this time. Not again.

“I’m not leaving, Lily,” he says, his voice low, but unwavering. “I’ve waited too long for this. For you.”

His words hit me like a tidal wave, crashing through all my doubts and fears. And then, without another word, he pulls me into him, his lips finding mine in a kiss so deep, so raw, that I feel the rest of the world disappear.

His kiss is everything I’ve been holding back. The longing, the fear, the hope—it all pours into that single, heart-stopping moment.

And when we finally break apart, gasping for air, I know. I know that no matter how impossible this seems, no matter how hard it’s going to be, I’m willing to fight for us. For him. For everything.

“We’re going to make it work,” I whisper against his lips, my heart pounding in my chest.

He smiles, a soft, warm smile that melts away the last of my hesitation. “Together, Lily,” he whispers. “Always.”

And for the first time, I believe it. I believe in us.

**********************************

Epilogue

Two year later

The morning air on the island feels different today—lighter somehow, as if even the winds know something monumental is happening. I stand at the cliffside, watching the sun rise over the endless ocean, my heart both heavy and free.

Free, because I’m finally where I’m meant to be.

Heavy, because of everything we’ve been through to get here.

The past years had been a whirlwind—Callan finding me in my world, us piecing together the fragments of our love despite everything trying to pull us apart. And when the chaos finally came, it had been as brutal and unforgiving as we’d feared.

We’d survived the attacks, the demands of both our families to part ways, and the doubts that lingered like shadows in the night.

But today isn’t about survival. It’s about choosing to live. Together.

I hear his footsteps before I see him, that familiar sound that’s become my anchor. Turning, I find Callan walking toward me, the sunlight casting a golden halo around him. He’s dressed in his ceremonial attire, but there’s nothing stiff or formal about him. He looks like he always does—strong, sure, and undeniably mine.

“You’re up early,” he says, his voice soft as he reaches me.

I smile, brushing the windblown hair from my face. “Couldn’t sleep.”

He studies me, his gaze searching, always so attuned to my unspoken thoughts. “Are you nervous?”

I shake my head, stepping closer to him. “No. Just… thinking.”

His brow furrows slightly, concern flickering in his eyes. “About?”

I reach out, taking his hand in mine. “About how much we’ve been through to get here. About how easy it would’ve been to give up.”

Callan’s grip tightens around my hand, his expression turning serious. “But we didn’t.”

“No,” I agree, my voice firm. “We didn’t.”

He exhales a quiet laugh, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “Do you regret it?”

I don’t answer right away. Instead, I step closer, placing my free hand on his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath my palm.

“I regret every second I wasn’t with you,” I say finally, my voice trembling. “But no, Callan. I don’t regret us. I never could.”

The intensity in his gaze is enough to steal my breath. “Lily,” he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion.

Before he can say more, I rise on my toes, pressing my lips to his. The kiss is soft, slow, and full of everything I can’t put into words. When we pull apart, his forehead rests against mine, and for a moment, it feels like we’re the only two people in the world.

“You’re my home,” I whisper. “You always have been.”

**********************************

Later that day, the ceremony begins.

The people of Callan’s kingdom gather in the grand hall, their faces lit with joy and pride. I walk beside him, my dress flowing around me, a symbol of my place here—not just as his partner, but as someone who belongs.

Callan’s mother, with her warm smile and kind eyes, stands near the front. His sister, Lena, gives me a small, reluctant nod of approval, a silent acknowledgment that I’ve earned my place.

As the vows are spoken, the weight of the moment settles over me. It’s not just a promise to Callan—it’s a promise to myself. To us. To this life we’ve chosen, no matter how difficult it might be.

When Callan speaks his vows, his voice steady and unwavering, tears fill my eyes. And when it’s my turn, I don’t hesitate.

“I choose you,” I say, my voice strong. “In every world, in every lifetime. I’ll always choose you.”

The room erupts in applause as Callan pulls me into his arms, his lips finding mine in a kiss that seals our future.

***********************************

That night, as we stand together beneath the stars, the weight of the day finally lifts.

“I’m still scared, you know,” I admit quietly, leaning into him.

His arms tighten around me. “So am I.”

“But we’ll figure it out,” I say, tilting my head to look at him.

His lips curve into a small, soft smile. “We always do.”

And as I look out at the ocean, its waves crashing against the shore in a rhythm as old as time, I know we will.

Together, we’ll face whatever comes next.

Together, we’ll build a life worth fighting for.

And together, we’ll never look back.