Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine novel Chapter 409

Chapter 409 Recharge

ABEL

At last, silence had fallen over the house.

+10 Free Coins

It had been quite the ordeal: Rowan’s entire living room was a battlefield, there were two near-mishaps involving curtain rods that nearly ended badly, Snow had cried herself into uncontrollable hiccups, Jared had bitten Cade, and Jordan had somehow managed to escape out the door. By the time 9 PM finally arrived, the house had been cleaned not once, but twice. The kids were bathed, dried off, and tucked into their beds. And there we were—three exhausted adults—collapsed around the dining table, picking at whatever remnants the kids had left behind.

Cade was quietly chewing on a chicken nugget.

Rowan lay face down, utterly drained, on the table.

And I was still trying to steady my breathing, feeling every muscle ache from the chaos of the evening.

Then, suddenly, a sound rang out that felt like a balm to our frayed nerves.

Ding-dong.

All three of us snapped upright instantly.

Cade and I scrambled toward the front door so fast we nearly collided, both desperate to be the first to answer. We didn’t even bother looking through the peephole; we just yanked the door open.

There stood our mates.

Radiant. Glowing. Absolutely stunning.

Their skin was kissed by a slight tan, their hair tousled by the wind, and somehow, they looked younger—refreshed, almost glowing with vitality.

Tessa cocked her head, eyes scanning us with a mix of amusement and concern. “Why do you all look like you just survived a natural disaster?”

We couldn’t even find words to respond; honestly, it might as well have been a disaster.

“We brought food,” she added, holding up the takeout bag with a knowing smile, still eyeing us with gentle pity.

The moment she presented the bag, the three of us lunged forward like starving wolves.

Well, we practically were wolves.

We tore into the containers and devoured the food with a speed that would have impressed anyone. Meanwhile, the women watched silently, their expressions a blend of amusement and judgment.

Eventually, Luna approached me, her fingers gently brushing back a stray lock of hair from my forehead.

“Good job,” she whispered softly, pressing a light kiss to my cheek.

I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes but held them back, nodding instead while shoveling more food into my mouth.

Cade nearly nodded off, his face dipping dangerously close to the soup, but Arden caught him just in time by the ear.

Rowan tried to sit up with some dignity, but the moment he straightened his back, a low groan escaped him, like an old man in pain.

He glanced out the window at the darkening sky.

“It’s late,” he said with a tired sigh. “Just stay here tonight. We have plenty of guest rooms. You can go back tomorrow.”

No one argued. Honestly, I didn’t even have the energy to think about it.

Cade and Arden headed down the hall to check on their son, while Rowan stayed behind to tidy up downstairs.

+10 Free Coins

Luna and I made our way upstairs together. We carefully lifted the portable crib holding Snow and placed it beside the large guest bed. Snow, as if sensing her mother close by, nestled deeper into the soft padding.

In that moment, I realized every exhausting thing I’d done today was worth it. Because it led to this moment. To seeing her this relaxed, this happy, this light. I’d do it all again tomorrow if it meant seeing her like this.

So instead of complaining, I just patted the bed beside me.

She cocked her head, amused. “Well? How was it?”

I smiled and leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. She hesitated for a split second, confused, then giggled softly against me.

“What was that for?”

“Nothing,” I murmured, closing my eyes briefly. Nothing except the way my heart felt ridiculously full.

I lay back, letting the mattress soften beneath me. She snuggled closer, resting her head on my chest.

“It was fun,” I said quietly. “I had fun with the guys.”

“I’m glad you did,” she whispered, and I could hear the smile in her voice.

+10 Free Coins

Opening my eyes, I looked down at her. She was already blinking slowly, fighting sleep. She looked so small next to me, even though I knew she had the strength to take on the world if she needed to. But this quiet, vulnerable version of her was just for me.

“Let’s sleep,” I said softly, running a hand gently down her back.

“Mmmh,” she murmured in agreement.

She shifted even closer, her warm breath brushing my skin. And just like that, everything inside me settled.

This was exactly the recharge I needed.