Chapter Twelve.

Sage had just arrived at her hotel room, the small space feeling both foreign and temporary. She sighed, unzipping her duffel bag and pulling out a few clothes, setting them on the bed. The room smelled faintly of bleach and stale air conditioning, a far cry from home—but then again, home wasn't much of a comfort these days either. She was halfway through unpacking when her phone buzzed.

She clutched it, her hands shaking. The call had cut off too soon, right as Harlow had started to say something important. Her stomach twisted in knots, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. She couldn't stay here. She needed to see Harlow—now.

Grabbing her keys, she rushed out of the hotel, barely aware of the cold morning air. Her car was parked right outside, and as soon as she slid into the driver's seat, she peeled out of the lot, her heart hammering with every passing mile. What if something had happened in the spirit realm? What if Harlow had made a decision that would take her away forever?

By the time she reached Harlow's house, her breath was shallow, her nerves frayed. Just as she was about to jump out of the car, she spotted Harlow stepping outside, heading toward her mother's car. The angel girl was rummaging through the backseat, probably looking for her charger.

"Harlow!" Sage called out, her voice cracking slightly.

Harlow's head snapped up. The second their eyes met, time seemed to freeze. Then, as if pulled by an invisible force, they both sprinted toward each other. Sage barely registered the way her heart clenched before Harlow crashed into her, arms wrapping tightly around her neck. Their lips met in a breathless, desperate kiss, the kind that made the world blur around them. Sage cupped Harlow's face, grounding herself in her warmth, in her presence, in the very fact that she was here.

When they finally pulled away, foreheads pressed together, Sage whispered, "What happened? What were you trying to tell me?"

Harlow exhaled shakily, glancing toward the woods that bordered her house. "Walk with me?"

Without hesitation, Sage intertwined their fingers and followed her down the worn path, their steps crunching softly against fallen leaves. The cool air wrapped around them, but Sage hardly noticed. All she could focus on was Harlow, who looked both nervous and determined.

"I had to make a choice," Harlow finally admitted, her voice laced with emotion. "While I was in the spirit realm, they offered me the chance to stay… to rule the angel covenant."

Sage sucked in a sharp breath. "Rule it?"

Harlow nodded. "I would have been powerful. A leader. Respected. But…" She squeezed Sage's hand, her eyes shining. "The other option was staying here. With you. But if I chose you, I had to forfeit my angel life. My powers. Everything."

Sage halted in her tracks, tugging Harlow to face her. "And you… chose me?"

Tears welled in Harlow's eyes as she nodded. "Yes. Without hesitation."

Sage's vision blurred as her throat tightened. "But… why? What's so special about me that you'd give up something that huge?"

Harlow's hands slid up to cup Sage's face, her thumbs brushing away stray tears. "Because with you, I feel protected. I feel loved. And… I love you, Sage. I love you in a way that makes everything else feel small. Even my powers. Even the covenant."

A choked sob escaped Sage before she could stop it. They collapsed into each other, holding on as if the world might pull them apart. Sage buried her face in Harlow's shoulder, inhaling her scent, grounding herself in the reality that Harlow had chosen her. That she wasn't going anywhere.

After a long, trembling silence, Sage finally whispered, "I need to tell you something too."

Harlow pulled back slightly, concern etched in her delicate features.

Sage exhaled shakily. "My mom kicked me out."

Harlow's face darkened with anger and sadness all at once. "Sage…"

"I'm okay," Sage assured her, brushing a thumb over Harlow's cheek. "I got a hotel room. And I was thinking… Maybe you could stay with me? Just for a little while?"

Harlow's eyes widened, then softened into something tender. "I'd love that. I've missed you so much."

A small, relieved smile tugged at Sage's lips. "Then let's get you packed."

Back at the house, they slipped into Harlow's bedroom, where the angel girl began rummaging through her closet, pulling out clothes and tossing them onto the bed. Sage leaned against the doorway, watching her with amused fondness until her gaze landed on something tucked in the back of the closet—a delicate, lacy piece of lingerie.

She smirked, plucking it from its hanger. "Well, well, well… what do we have here?"

Harlow turned, her face instantly burning red. "Sage—"

"You've been holding out on me, angel," Sage teased, twirling the lace between her fingers. "And here I thought you were all innocent."

Harlow groaned, covering her face. "I bought that before we were even together! I—I don't even know why I still have it."

Sage chuckled, stepping closer and pressing a kiss to Harlow's heated cheek. "Oh, I can think of a few reasons."

Harlow let out a helpless laugh, shoving her playfully. "Just help me pack, you menace."

Sage grinned, feeling lighter than she had in days. Harlow had chosen her. And as they prepared to leave together, she knew one thing for sure—this was just the beginning.