Page 291 of Sorrow & Strangers

Annabeth frowns, but then she tilts her head. Her eyes glow slightly, and a tear slides down her cheek. “It’s true,” she says, as if the knowledge of Rafe has unlocked something deep within her.

“You love her,” Annabeth says. It’s not a question, and my stomach twists.

“I do,” Rafe says, still not looking at me. “You never did anything wrong. You were more than I deserved at the time.”

Annabeth turns her pink eyes to me. “I’m so sor⁠—”

“You love him,” she says, cutting off my apology.

“I do,” I say, and my heart feels like it expands with the confession.

“The blame is mine. I pursued her,” Rafe says, stepping in front of me again.

“The fault is ours,” I say, shifting to stand beside him.

Rafe growls at me in warning. “She wanted nothing to do with me when we realized she lived with you, but I persisted.”

“Rafe,” I growl back. “That is not the case.”

“Yes, it is,” Rafe insists.

I turn to face him. “No, it isn’t. I have been completely head over heels in love with you since All Souls.”

“Mira.”

“Rafe.”

“Oh goodness. You two . . .” Annabeth says with a sigh. “I don’t hate ‌either of you. Mira, you should find somewhere else to live, and then we’re all even.”

Rafe slides his hand into mine and squeezes. I look between the two of them, my entire being in chaos.

“I will go get packed up. Annabeth, I am so sorry. I should have told you. I just didn’t know how,” I say.

It is to be expected that she no longer wants to room with me. I am just feeling the enormity of the situation. It’s all too fucking much. Hearing Rafe say I am his mate, the overwhelming emotions of hearing him say he loves me, and saying it back. I pull my hand from Rafe’s and turn away from them, but he grabs my wrist, his claws out. I look down at his grip on my arm, realizing that his tension is only increasing, but I’m not exactly sure why.

Annabeth quietly leaves, and when she is gone, Rafe’s breathing becomes ragged. His claws dig deeper into my flesh, and I feel warm, sticky blood against my skin.

“Is it true?” I ask into the silent forest.

Rafe pants, but nods. He still is not looking at me. I can feel the demon bucking against Rafe’s control, and I know he needs to be pulled from this spiral. Gently, I pry his fingers open until I’m free.

“Close your eyes and count to ten,” I instruct, keeping my voice calm.

Rafe turns to look at me, his eyes roiling like storm clouds again. He lowers his chin, his chest heaving with deep, ragged breaths, and I swear I can see his already muscled body bulk up even more. His base instincts are barely being contained, and the pieces finally start to fall into place.

“Close your eyes,” I say again. “I’m going to run.” His eyes darken, and his lip lifts in a silent snarl. “And you’re going to chase me.”

He was afraid when Annabeth was here, and he managed to hold it all in while I, his mate, was in danger, but now, his adrenaline is fueling him. He lets out a low warning growl. His eyes are pitch black, the demon staring at me with a voracious hunger that floods my core with heat.

“You’re struggling with the demon, Rafe. You need to embrace it. So you’re going to hunt me.”

His fangs lengthen with his excitement. He wants this. He needs it. His body is so on edge, malevolence coursing through him.

“Close your eyes,” I say again, backing up a step. His fists clench at even that small retreat. “And count to ten.”

Rafe growls, but he forces his eyes closed and silently starts to count. In a flash, I am gone, my own heavy dose of adrenaline coursing through me as I run through the trees. He barely makes it to ten before I hear his snarl as he gives chase. I run faster, wanting nothing more than for him to catch me, punish me, but I know the more challenging I make the chase, the better it will be for both of us.

I look over my shoulder, and I pay for my lack of focus when a branch slashes my cheek, making me bleed, but I know it’s just going to make my scent more potent and drive him even crazier. I pass my hand against some tree trunks, smearing some of the blood that coats my palm from when he cut into my wrists.