Chosen One Gone Wrong (Villains & Monsters #1)

Epilogue

The morning sunlight streaming in through the curtains gently woke her up from her sleep.

Daija yawned quietly and pulled the blanket back over her naked body. When she opened her eyes, she looked around Simon's bedroom and smiled when she saw the array of clothes and garments all around the floor.

She and the team partied until almost three in the morning, then they all went home, some drunk, some just high off victory. Then she and Simon had an interesting after-party.

At first, she was nervous to take her clothes off and reveal her newest scar to him, the part of her that she hated the most. 

She could still barely look at it without feeling upset, and each time she saw it, she always imagined Simon having a bad reaction to it. But, he was gentle, like always, telling her that she was the most beautiful and brave woman there was. She'll forever love him for how patient and accepting he is.

She rolled over and saw that he was still sleeping. Or so, she thought, until she caught the tiny movement of his eyes moving.

"You're awake," she laughed quietly, and he smiled brightly, pulling her closer and kissing her forehead. "Hey there, sleeping beauty."

"You still sound sleepy."

"Yeah, I just woke up," he said as he reached over and grabbed his phone to check the time. "It's a little after one in the afternoon. Thank god Austin's dealing with a hangover, otherwise I'd have to face him for being late."

"You two will bicker about this at least twice a week for the rest of your lives."

"Mhm," he lovingly stroked her messy hair. "And you'll be around to see all of those silly arguments."

Her heart warmed at that, and she reached for his other hand and clasped it with hers, lacing their fingers together and enjoying the feeling of him being there. "I can't wait."

She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat and the fire pulsing through his blood. He continued playing with her hair, and they both enjoyed the silence of the early afternoon. She felt good today. There wasn't such a heavy weight on her chest and so much on her mind.

"What did you have planned today?" he asked after a while.

Daija thought for a moment, then pulled the blanket over them so they were both comfortable. She then said, "Actually, I was thinking about slowing down today."

Now that the adrenaline faded, she had a lot to process, and a lazy day sounded good. Maybe later she'd see what Violet was doing and see if she wanted to hang out. She was enjoying life with her best friend now that she knew the entire truth.

When she looked up at him, she saw the biggest smile on his face. "I'm both very shocked and relieved to hear that. I was just starting to think of ways to keep you in this bed just so you could relax."

She gave him a mischievous smile, "I can think of a few ways."

"Oh?" he chuckled. "Can you, now?"

He leaned in and kissed her, and her smile only grew. "I love you," she told him.

"I love you more," he said once he pulled away from her. "I know this entire journey was horrific, but I'm thankful it brought us together, my pretty hero. I promise, it only gets better from here."

She rested against him again, and her smile didn't fade. The journey was terrifying. The fear, the betrayal, the pain when she learned the truth about her family and all of the danger that came with every mission. But there were also her powers she wouldn't trade, the friends she made and the endless support she's received.

Not to mention the beautiful feeling of falling deeply, but safely in love with her troublemaker.

As she continued laying with him, she stared at the gorgeous sunlight that filled the room. Her wild story started with her talking to a hero in her classroom, and ended with her becoming the villain, slowly redefining what it means to be both.

How to be a Chosen One, she thought to herself, biting back a laugh as she felt her ice surge through her veins. Number one: Don't.