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Natalie
Once we arrived, I stepped away from Rumir. “Hey, keep your hands to yourself.”
“It’s safer to be close together when two people are teleporting.” Rumir stepped around me. “That’s all. Safety first.”
But the smile that curved his mouth as he walked away told me his intentions were far from innocent.
I was going to call him on it, but as I turned to follow him, my eyes fell on the most stunning view I'd ever seen. We were on top of a mountain overlooking the forest, and beyond that, the golden, white, and glass City of Souls glistened in the distance.
The sun's rays on the buildings made them appear to be glowing, and I sighed heavily. At every turn, I was struck by the beauty of this realm. My irritation at Rumir was gone in an instant, and when I looked up at him, he was grinning at me.
For some time, we stood there in silence, just admiring the beauty before us.
“I used to come here as a child whenever I wanted to be alone,” he said after a few minutes. “I’ve never brought anyone else here.” He chuckled, although it was sad. "I tended to come here more often whenever my father visited the city. I have no idea how he ended up with my mom, and she never told me. But I’ve never seen a more unlikely couple."
He stepped forward and sat down. I joined him.
"I didn’t see much of my father when I was growing up. He only showed up now and then, and he spent most of that time lecturing me. The first time I shifted into my dragon, I knew he was happy that I hadn’t changed into a wolf or a dragon/wolf combination, which was possible since my mother can shift into a wolf form. But he still walked away, muttering under his breath that I was too small.” Rumir shook his head. “Was I too small then? Sure. But I’m not anymore. Now I'm larger than most pureblood dragons. It's the only thing he's ever commended me on—not appearing weak. Yet every chance he gets, he lets me know that weak is exactly what he thinks I am."
My blood boiled as I listened to Rumir talk about his father. I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like, being so heavily criticized all his life.
“You know, I look like him.” Rumir glanced at me, gauging my reaction. "I look exactly like him, except that he has long hair and a scar across his face. As a god, I could change my appearance if I wanted, but I don't. I won't let him push me into hiding any more than he already has. I keep my appearance the way it is now to remind myself that I can choose to be anything I want, that I’m not anything like him. But sometimes, it’s hard to look at myself. And then something will happen, and my anger and mistrust of everyone poisons my thoughts.” He curled his fist, and I covered his hand with mine. "I don’t want to be like him, but sometimes, I know I am.”
"I don't know your father, Rumir, but trust me, you’re not anything like him. You are you. Children are not their parents. We can choose whatever qualities of theirs we want to adopt.”
He didn’t look convinced, but I kept going. “Sure, you’re a little rough around the edges. But that’s not because you're like your father—it’s due to the life you've lived. Our experiences shape us into the people we are. So while you can be well—an ass—you’re an ass who fights. You’re not afraid to stand up for what is right. That’s not a bad quality.” I took a breath and wet my lips with my tongue. "I never knew my father.”
I looked down at my lap. This was something I rarely spoke about to anyone. I hadn’t even mentioned the way I felt about my parents to Xavier, the person I was closest to on Earth. “He was a Werewolf Guard, and he died on a mission before I was born.”
“I’m sorry,” Rumir whispered, and I smiled sorrowfully at his genuine sympathy.
“From what I was told, my mom—she was pregnant with me at the time—she went into labor the moment she felt her mate bond to my father sever.” I blinked rapidly, holding back the tears. “You know how wolf births happen during a full moon? There’s a reason for that. The birthing process is easier when we can't shift. Well, my mother gave birth to me a week before the full moon."
I sucked in a breath as my eyes grew blurry with tears. “S-she suffered, Rumir. She suffered so much. And then she died, too."
Rumir gathered me into his arms as I wept. “The loss of a mate, giving birth before a full moon She went through it all.” I fisted Rumir’s shirt, my body trembling. Even after so long, talking about this made my chest feel like it was being ripped into.
“It’s the reason I am the way I am," I continued through my sobs. “I will never lose anyone I care about if I can do something to stop it. I’d give my life for my family, the way my mother gave her life for me. Because, in the end, she had to choose. And she chose me.”
I pulled away and wiped at my face. "There was a time I'd blamed my father for leaving, for dying. And there's a part of me that's always been fearful of the mate bond, of the pain that can come with it. But I also desperately wanted to have the kind of relationship my father and mother had."
I held my head back as the clouds parted over our heads, allowing the sun to shine down on us. But I couldn’t feel its warmth, just cold sadness.
"I've seen pictures and videos, read letters, and heard stories of how much they loved each other. So I've been torn between wanting to find that kind of love they shared and fearing that I’ll find it, only to lose it again."
I cleared my throat, grounding myself, and wiped my face. "I eventually forgave my father. He'd always been a warrior, and he’d died one. He protected those who couldn't protect themselves. And so I adopted those traits, thinking of them as my inheritance. My mother had been a strong person who made the ultimate sacrifice so another life, my life, could go on. Because she loved me. I decided to adopt that trait, too. To her, family had meant everything."
I leaned forward and took Rumir’s hand. “Your father is a bully, but you're a fighter. There is a difference. And sure, maybe he doesn’t have many good qualities. But doesn’t your mother have some? I've heard that she does what she wants, she fights when others tell her not to, and she lets no one control her.”
Rumir’s lips curved with a smile.
"I saw your mother in you the other night,” I said. “I saw the way you faced the florkin alone. You didn’t cower in a corner; you did what you had to do. Take a look at yourself, Rumir. You've survived the hardships you've faced, and you won. You've taken on your mother's greatest qualities, and I know she sees it, sees your strength. You are her only son. How could she not see you?”
Rumir leaned forward and kissed me. It was abrupt, and I was caught by surprise for a second, but I soon gave in as our bond snapped to life. His lips were gentle on mine, yet they communicated his need. I felt so small, so protected so cherished in his arms. When he broke our kiss, he pulled me close and hugged me.
That was our first kiss and it had been beautiful.
It had been a good idea to tell him about my parents. Maybe they were even in this realm. If they were, I’d find them. They had been good people. They deserved to be here.
