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“Being mated to two men had to have been hard on you,” Rumir said. “And we haven’t made it any easier. I see that now.”
My throat tightened, and I choked up as my emotions got the better of me. When they both rushed to my side, I began laughing through the tears, startling them.
“You’re agreeing with each other,” I said through my sobs.
They looked at each other, surprised. Rumir was the first to look away, frowning, but he soon bent down in front of me.
“I’ve been falling for you ever since I met you at the ball,” he said, reaching out and wiping away my tears. "I can't stand Lucian, but I will tolerate him for you. I'll do anything, Natalie, anything to not see you cry like this. I know I still have to make up for what I did at the festival, but I'll do whatever it takes to prove that just because I’m part dragon, that doesn’t mean we can't be together.”
I was speechless. I hadn’t been expecting everything to suddenly be perfect—I was still very angry at Lucian, and we all had a long road ahead of us—but this was a start.
For the first time since I’d met them, I truly believed we had a chance of making things work.
I didn’t feel bad that I was already on the road to forgiving Lucian or that I’d forgiven Rumir already. Forgiveness was something a lot of people saw as a weakness. But to me, it was the opposite. Holding on to a grudge would keep us tied to anger and resentment like a ship tied to a dock, unable to set sail. Forgiving meant being set free, and I wasn't naïve for believing that.
I cared for both men. They said that they were falling for me, but I'd already fallen. How could I not have? Lucian was the voice of reason, except when dealing with his own issues. And Rumir was the fighter, but he could also be gentle. Each one made up for what the other one lacked, and I was happy to be with them.
Lucian’s hair fell over his shoulders as he bent down in front of me. “I’ll keep saying I’m sorry for as long as it takes. But instead, mind-link with me.” He took my hand. “You’ll see everything. There will be no more secrets, and you'll know I meant it when I said I want you."
I stared into his eyes and squeezed his hand. "I don't have to do that. I just want you both to try. Just try."
He nodded. “Rumir and I have had centuries to hate each other, but now, we’ll have centuries more with you. And if agreeing with him from time to time means making you happy, I can do that. Just don’t give up on us now. Okay?”
“I’m not living with him,” Rumir interjected, and Lucian sighed heavily.
“Of course,” I replied. “I wasn’t suggesting we all move in together now, but . . .”
“But forever is a long time to try and find a balance, and forever is what we have." He kissed the back of my hand, and I sighed and closed my eyes. “We can do this.”
The thought of me putting an end to our relationships was what brought us together. I laughed devilishly on the inside. Maybe I should have scared them like this earlier.
Rumir and Lucian had their differences, and I didn't expect them to suddenly be friends. But as Rumir had said, we had forever to find balance.
Axel and Xavier had disliked each other for years, and in the end, they found balance through their love for Ruby.
“Okay . . .” I inhaled and found my center, calming myself. “We’ll give this another try.”
Rumir stood up quickly. “Don’t ever scare me like that again. You know how much you mean to me. Why would you suddenly think otherwise? Now, about Lucian’s stupidity? I can understand your need to reject him for that.”
Lucian stood up as well but ignored Rumir’s insult as he sat on the chair to my left.
"I was at your house yesterday. Your father was there."
Rumir paled for a moment, then his eyes glowed. “You met my father? What did he say to you?” His voice grew louder with each word.
I quickly got up. "I handled it. Look at me. I handled it.”
"Clearly, something he said got to you. Did he tell you to do this?"
I didn’t answer, and scales began to appear on his skin. “I’m going to kill him. How dare he speak to you!”
Rumir’s hands became so hot, I hissed as I pulled away. Lucian stood up to help, but I held my hand up to stop him from interfering. Rumir wasn't angry at me, and he certainly wouldn't hurt me. So I placed my palm on his chest, and despite it hurting a little, I held him still.
Werewolves had high temperatures, but nothing like this.
“Rumir, I make my own decisions. Okay? I just pissed your dad off by not letting him intimidate me. I told him to stay out of our business. Now please, calm down before you burn my house down."
“Did he touch you?”
“No,” I answered. “He didn’t. And I wouldn’t have allowed it." His temperature dropped a few degrees, and I wiped at the sweat on my upper lip. "So one freezes everything, and the other burns everything. Great. This will be fun."
"Are you being sarcastic?" Lucian asked.
I nodded. "Yes, Lucian, I am. But I can handle it, just as I can handle everything else."
“That’s my girl,” Rumir whispered, and a blush crept up my cheeks.
I looked from one man to the other, amazed that they were both mine, and I was theirs. After speaking to Finola, I'd been ready to do the right thing for all of us.
I’d thought that ending this was for the best, but this—this was just the beginning.
