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Not mates—at least not accepted mates.
Not boyfriend and girlfriend—as hilarious as that sounds.
But partners—two people who kind of, sort of worked well together. Whenever we could stop fighting, which, I’ll admit, was rare. But it had…shifted lately. Our fights were more like a dangerous game where each word lobbied at the other was a test in merit and strength. And how fun it was to play with Lachlan, especially since the highlander was constantly shocked by my ability to not only keep up with him but match him word for word.
The only time we stopped battling was when his mouth was on mine, stealing the fire from my tongue. When his body was against mine? When he was inside me? God, he turned me into exactly what the mating bond wanted me to be—his. Wholly, unequivocally his. But, he was mine too—at least between the sheets. He might turn me into a limp, panting mess with the way he squeezed pleasure out of my body, but I always returned the favor. That might be one of the reasons he’d been less…prickly toward me lately. My ability to surprise him, to ignite him like he did me. No doubt he never guessed a mere human could do such a thing.
“Another round?” Olivia asked, her words spearing through my thoughts.
I waved her off, heading toward where Avianna and Lyric sat at a small table across the room. Several books were strung between them, and the two looked deep in research mode. Couldn’t help but warm a little at the fact that they’d hauled their research in here, simply to be close to Olivia and me while we trained. I thought I’d been lucky when I’d found true companionship in Lyric all those years ago, but now? With Olivia and Avi, and hell, even the Order…I’d found something I never thought possible.
A family.
A unique and sometimes terrifying family, but a real one. One that had been built on love and loyalty instead of hate and fear.
And, sure, I was still definitely grappling with my new surroundings and the darkness I kept buried regarding what my own family had done to me…
But I was just on the verge of being happy.
“Anything new?” I asked Lyric as I plopped down in the open seat next to her. Olivia followed suit, taking the one next to Avi.
Lyric shook her head, gently closing the book. “I thought Avi and I were close to finding someone from the past who successfully denied the mating bond, but in the end…”
Her voice trailed off, and I tried my best not to wince. “They always accept it.”
She nodded, and Avi flashed me a pitying look laced with just a hint of panic.
“I’m fine,” I said, wanting to stop their concerned looks. “Honestly, things are better now…”
“Now that Lachlan has blown your mind?” Olivia finished for me, and we all laughed. “What?” she asked, flashing us teasing looks. “I’m allowed to live vicariously.”
“You could live for yourself too,” Avi chided.
“Oh, yes, sure,” Olivia said, rolling her eyes. “I can simply go out and have loads of hot sex whenever I feel like it.”
I flashed her a confused look.
“The last thing I need is a mate,” she said, giving me an apologetic look. “But with my position as a female in the Royal Guard—not to mention my family’s status—males have been trying to pin down my bloodline for centuries. Not as bad as Avi, but nearly. So, random sex is off the table for me.”
“Because you’re afraid that would lead to a mating bond?” I asked. “I thought a mark showed up at first touch.”
“Not always,” Lyric answered, her eyes lighting up the way they did when she had intel to share. “During Avi’s and my research, we found that mating marks can show up in all sorts of ways. Sometimes they don’t show up until a relationship is consummated—”
“When two people fuck,” Olivia cut her off, and we all laughed again.
“Yes,” Lyric continued. “Sometimes, it’s the mere brush of a hand across the skin. Or after years of dancing around buried emotions.”
I shivered, my fingers going to the back of my neck without me telling them to. The brand on my neck seemed to pulse, and I knew if I dug deep enough, I’d be able to sense Lachlan wherever he may be now.
“And in some cases, it can even be an accidental touch that does it,” Avi added. “Bump into a stranger on the street, and boom.” She snapped her gloved fingers. “Mated.”
I furrowed my brow. “Sounds like fate has a fucked up sense of humor.”
Lyric shrugged. “No one really knows why fate chooses mates. I’m of the firm belief that it does so with the best matches in mind.”
I glared at her, but she glared right back.
“Alek and I shouldn’t have worked,” she said. “I was a human with no knowledge of this world, and yet…we fit. I challenged his dominant, primal side, and he strengthened the softer parts in me. And now?” She let out a long, happy sigh, and I smiled at her.
