Page 69 of Siren’s Secret

When a shiver ran over her, Jarred pulled her closer. “You should have taken a jacket this morning,” he said. “Do you want mine?”

“No, I’m fine. I was just thinking about ice-skating,” Wave replied with a smile. “Besides, I like the cold weather.”

“Mmh,” Jarred hummed. “The first and only time I’ve been certain you’ve ever lied to me was when you said you’d find some tropical island. What were you really thinking about?”

“Arctic pole and penguins.”

Jarred laughed. “Wow, yeah.” He kissed her hair. “I’m glad you stayed.”

“Me too,” she whispered, basking in the feeling that his bond radiated inside of her.

Once Jarred dropped her off at the front desk, he leaned in to kiss her one more time. “I’ll be at the Winnies’ party. Call me when you’re ready to go home,” he said.

Wave nodded and kissed him back. “Have fun, pet.” She meant it and a small smile played on her lips when Jarred blew her a kiss from the library door before slipping out. Everything had been so intense lately that he needed to relax as much as she did, and Jarred actually liked parties.

Mrs. Riverson was nowhere to be seen, but there was a stack of books behind the counter, so Wave got to work categorizing them. She was so engrossed in her task that it took a tap on her shoulder to gain her attention.

Wave looked up and gasped. “Mrs. Riverson!”

The usually calm and collected librarian had tears in her eyes, which looked puffy, like she had been crying quite a lot. Her bluish skin looked gray and her cheeks were gaunter, like she had lost some weight quickly.

“Oh, Wayla.” The woman grasped her hands, squeezing tightly. “I didn’t know!”

“Wh-what?”

“Gileas never told me he had a child. You must be-believe me,” she hiccupped. Wave froze at the name of her father. Mrs. Riverson looked at her pleadingly and forged ahead. “He never said a word. I would have never…”

Wave quickly looked around and tugged Mrs. Riverson to the back room, unease rolling in her stomach. She pushed the woman on the chair and handed her a paper towel that she used to wipe her face. They stared at each other in silence for a while until Wave forced the question out.

“You and my father…” She cleared her throat, looked to the side, cleared her throat again. “What?”

Mrs. Riverson took a deep breath, wiped at her eyes again, then faced Wave’s stare. “I met Gileas Stormwell almost two hundred years ago, when he came to the Tracthesian Academy as a guest lecturer. I had just been accepted as a librarian and he came to do research at the library. We—I fell for him at first sight.” The woman wrung her hands. “I never knew he had a family. You must believe me, Wayla.”

“That’s what…” Wave took a moment to breathe in deep and rein in her temper and really looked at the woman. She was beyond distraught. “My parents were never married or bonded,” she finally said.

“Really?” Mrs. Riverson blinked and some of her distress faded.

Wave shook her head. “In love, sure. But their relationship… complicated doesn’t even start to describe it. You aren’t a bond breaker.”

Maybe Wave wouldn’t have understood before, but now, with her own Claimed and mate, if someone knowingly tried to push between them… she would drown continents in revenge. Her mother certainly would have, but she had never bonded with Father. Father had wanted to, Mother had refused. No matter how much she loved him, she never trusted him enough to form a bond.

Tension drained from Mrs. Riverson all at once and she slumped down. “Thank the realms.” She sighed before guiltily glancing at Wave. She kept her tone calm and expression as neutral as she could.

“Don’t worry about it. I mean, I think we might need to talk, but I get that you didn’t know or try to break them apart.” Her hand rose to her neck and Mrs. Riverson’s eyes followed, rounding out comically.

“You are bonded!” She looked ready to jump up and hug Wave again.

“Claimed, actually,” Wave murmured, unable to help the smile rising to her lips.

“Who? Or do you wish to keep it a secret? I completely understand if—”

“By Jarred,” Wave cut the woman’s babbling off. She had no inclination to keep her claim on the jaguar a secret. He was hers.

“Oh, congratulations!”

“Thank you.” Wave decided to put on her big girl pants and face the music. “Would you… tell me about him—my father. About the two of you?”

“Of course!” Mrs. Riverson got up and put on a pot of coffee, then fished chocolate milk out of the fridge for Wave.