The question hung between them like a bridge he could either cross or burn. Raikar had never admitted this truth to anyone—not even Veynor during their deepest conversations about duty versus desire.
"I've always wanted a love like my great-grandparents had." The words tumbled out. "They were fated mates, and though I never knew them personally, the stories my father told, the clan legends, the pictures I have—they showed a love so real and pure and strong that I refused to settle for less. My father and grandfather entered arranged matings. Sure, they had love, and I cherished my mother deeply. But they never had that soul-deep connection. It was respectable. Appropriate. Safe."
Jade's expression softened, her sharp edges melting as she studied him with new understanding. "So I'm really your fated mate."
"Without question. I knew the moment I saw you and confirmed it when we shook hands yesterday."
"That strange awareness I've been feeling, that pull toward you?—"
"The mate bond."
She set the poetry book carefully on his nightstand. "I'm still not sure what I'm going to do. I'm still upset about the marking, even though I understand it was accidental. I know you would never force that on me."
"Never. I was hoping that once we grew closer, you'd choose me and the bond fully. We'd complete it together, as equals."
"Well, no use thinking about that now. That's not how it happened."
Guilt crashed through him, and through the partial bond, he felt her absorb the emotion as if it were her own.
"I can feel your guilt so strongly. Ever since you left for your meeting, I know you feel terrible about what happened."
"I regret the premature marking—not the bond itself, not what we shared, but stealing your choice in how it began." He dragged a hand through his dark hair. "But we have a bigger problem now."
"How can there be a bigger problem than accidentally binding me to you?"
"My meeting wasn't exactly a meeting. It was a mating announcement." The words tasted bitter. "I should've told you sooner, but it was delicate. You'd just arrived yesterday, and I wasn't trying to force the bond on you. But the council chose a mate for me—someone who wasn't you. They didn't know I'd hired Gerri to find you. After a decade of waiting, their patience ran out."
Jade shot to her feet. "Wait, what? You hired Gerri to find me?"
"Yes. She owns the Paranormal Dating Agency. She's a matchmaker with a one hundred percent success rate."
"So this whole thing was orchestrated?" Her voice climbed with betrayal. "I was never brought here because you needed strong warriors for missions?"
"That was just a story to ease you into coming. Gerri knew you'd refuse if she told you outright you were being brought as my fated mate."
Jade's face turned crimson with fury as she processed the deception. Without warning, she bolted for the door.
This is it. She's leaving for certain.
Raikar's panther roared as he launched after her, taking the stairs three at a time. She'd nearly reached the front door when he caught her uninjured arm—not hard, just enough to stop her flight.
"Jade, listen to me. No one intended to hurt you?—"
"That's exactly what happened!" She wrenched against his grip. "You both played me, and now I'm here, partially bound to you. What am I supposed to do now?"
"Trust me."
"Hard to trust someone who couldn't tell me the truth from the start."
"I wanted to desperately, but I thought you'd leave immediately. I'd never get a chance to know you, connect with you."
She pulled free and stumbled to the couch before his fireplace, collapsing as tears began streaming down her face. The sight of his fierce mate crying because of his cowardice nearly shattered him.
"Don't cry, Jade." He knelt before her, his hands hovering helplessly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you yesterday. I'm sorry I was too much of a coward to be honest and risk you walking away. But would you have given me a chance if I'd told you that you were my fated mate during our first meeting?"
"No," she whispered. "Probably not."
"I understand if you want to leave and never speak to me again."
