The realisation nearly knocked the breath out of me because this was a huge deal.
Ezah was the first male I had ever trusted in my entire life. I felt safe with him, always protected. Like when I was next to him, I didn’t have to worry about anything. I had never had that before, and the emotion it brought on was heavy. I looked down at my hands and focused on my breathing because my chest was suddenly tight. A hand touched my shoulder, and I almost fell sideways as a wave of relief flooded my mind and body. The steadily growing pain in my chest vanished.
“You’re okay,” Surkah said, her voice light. “Just breathe.”
“Sister?”
It was Ezah’s voice speaking.
“She’s fine, zeeza,” Surkah replied. “Things are just a little overwhelming for her, but she is okay now.”
When Surkah removed her hand, my chair was turned all the way around, and when I opened my eyes, Ezah was kneeling before me. Without thought, I leaned forward and pressed my forehead to his, then wound my hands around his neck. I closed my eyes and exhaled.
“Tola,” Ezah murmured as his hands touched my back. “What’s wrong?”
“I trust you.” I opened my eyes. “I’ve never trusted a man, a male, before in my life, but I trust you, and it’s kind of freaking me out.”
“Don’t do the freak,” he soothed. “It is okay to trust me.”
His wording made me smile. He was so cute.
“I know it is.”
Ezah kissed me then in front of his entire family. I should have been embarrassed, but Ezah’s lips on mine felt so right that I couldn’t allow myself to feel such a thing.
“Don’t you dare cover my eyes, Mikoh. This is their moment and I want to witness it.”
“You’ve a big mouth, my intended. Do you know that?”
My kiss with Ezah was broken when he chuckled against my lips. I smiled too.
“You’re mine, Levi,” he said. “Mine.”
Hope filled me from head to toe.
“Do you promise?”
“I promise, tola.”
“What does that mean? Tola?”
“The closest translation I can think of is ‘gem from the stars’, which is exactly what you are to me.”
My heart clenched. “You’re my tola too.”
Ezah laughed softly. “You cannot call a male tola, only a female.”
“Then what can I call you?”
“You could call me nalex.” Ezah’s chest puffed out. “It means ‘one to be feared’. That is a good endearment for a strong warrior like me.”
One to be feared? Ezah didn’t instil fear in me. He instilled hope, longing, lust, desire, and I was beginning to realise that my like for him was growing into something more too. I feared him when I first met him. I feared my attraction to him, but those feelings weren’t present anymore. I think he knew that too.
“My nalex.”
“Yours.” Ezah growled. “Will you be my intended, Levi?”
I knew that the room was silent because every set of eyes was on us, and each set of ears were tuned into what we were saying, but I was so captivated with Ezah that I couldn’t find the strength to pay them any mind. My entire being was hanging on Ezah’s question.
“Are you sure?” I asked him, my hands trembling. “I don’t want you to regret asking me.”
“The only thing I regret is not asking you sooner.” He leaned in. “Please, say you’ll be mine.”
“I’m scared, Ezah.”
“I am scared too,” he said to me. “I have been here once before, and my happiness was torn from me.”
“Don’t look to the past no matter how hard it is.” I leaned against him. “I have to tell myself that many times a day when I want to cower and submit to every male I see when I am scared, but it helps.”
Ezah nodded as he scanned his eyes over my face.
“I never thought I would feel like this again.” He swallowed. “You make me very happy, tola.”
“And you me.” My lower lip wobbled. “You’ve been a white light in my otherwise dark world.”
“Answer me,” he growled softly. “Will you be my intended?”
“Yes,” I answered before he had even finished speaking. “I will. You’re the only male I have ever wanted in my whole life. I want you to be mine, and I want to be yours too. I’ve just been too scared to let myself believe it. I want you, Ezah.”
“It is done.” Ezah rose to his feet and pulled me along with him. “Our intention is solidified. I am yours, and you’re mine. We will be a mated couple of the people.”
I jumped when sudden roars filled the room, but I didn’t look away from Ezah because he tipped his head back and joined the males and roared too. My heart pounded against my chest because I knew this was some sort of victory roar the males were giving Ezah. It felt sacred.
“My tola.”
Ezah lowered his head all the way down to press the tip of his nose to mine, then he ran it up the bridge of my nose and stopped between my eyes. He replaced his nose with his lips and gave me a soft, lingering kiss. I couldn’t help the little whimper that left my mouth. This was a mate kiss, a sacred kiss Maji shared with members of the people who they truly cherished.