Ren looked up at the amazing man at his side, a man who wouldn’t allow anyone to deny their love and vows for each other, not even an emperor. He wouldn’t control his expression or voice as he answered huskily, “Always.”

“A wounded bear with a thorn in its side would have been better company. We didn’t even dare talk to him the first month. I have literally never seen a human being carry around a dark thundercloud until that point.”