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“I’m sorry that happened to you.” I want to say more, but I know he’d take it the wrong way and think I was pitying him, which I’m not, so I keep those thoughts to myself. Instead, I reach out and gently touch his arm, pulling his attention over to me. “For what it’s worth, I would have done the same. I don’t think it was a stupid decision.”
He stares at me for a moment, judging if I’m being truthful or not. Nodding his head, he accepts my comment, and I let out a quiet breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding.
“I get to ask you a question now.” His grin is feline, and I feel my gut clench, especially when he raises an inquisitive brow, and I know I’m not going to like this question. “What’s going on between you and Alpha Syn? You and Green are mates, right?”
My instant reaction is to clam up and tell him it’s none of his business, but he was open with me, so I owe him this. Plus, it makes me look guilty as hell if I refuse to answer, and I have nothing to hide. Sighing, I rub my hands over my face. “I wish I knew. Syn is… complicated.” That’s massively oversimplifying it, and the look he gives me tells me he’s not buying it. Making a noise of frustration, I wring my hands. It’s so confusing, and I feel conflicted. “I am mated to Alpha Green, but the goddess told me at my moon ceremony that I had more than one mate waiting for me. Sometimes I think I can feel myself being pulled to them, but I’m still searching.” Shrugging, I keep looking forward and burying the ache I feel. Now that I know what it’s like to be with one of my mates, it’s pulled my focus to the hole in my chest that only a mate can fill. Without them, I’m always going to feel that empty space, like a part of my soul is elsewhere.
I avoid his gaze in case I don’t like what I see in his expression, or that he’ll see through the mask I’m wearing and read my longing. Huffing out a frustrated breath, I swing my hands at my sides as we walk for something to do with them.
“Syn and I are drawn to each other, but I’m not sure in what way.” The admission lifts something from my shoulders, and I recognise this has been on my mind far more than I knew. “I know he’s important though,” I continue, certainty ringing in my voice. “I can feel it.”
Without realising I’m doing it, I place one of my hands on my chest, moving it in slow circles as I soothe the ache just below my collarbone. I often feel my instincts pulling from here, and although the physical action isn’t going to help ease the twinge, it makes me feel better.
Feeling his heavy gaze on me, I turn and look up at him. Those dark eyes watch me with an intensity that some would shy back from. Not me though. I don’t fear Scott. Maybe I’m crazy, since everyone has always told me how unstable lone wolves are, but I know he won’t hurt me. He intrigues me in a way I’ve not experienced before.
“Do you think you could be mates?”
His question is innocent enough, but it feels loaded, and it takes me a moment to decide how to answer it. The thought that Syn and I could be mates both terrifies and thrills me. I’m not even sure it’s possible because of his history. He doesn’t feel like a mate, at least, in my limited experience, this feels completely different than it did with Joel.
“I don’t know,” I reply honestly. “Wouldn’t I know by looking at him? I did with Joel—Alpha Green. I know Syn previously had a mate, but I don’t know much about it. Can a person be mated twice?”
Scott shrugs. “I’m the wrong person to ask. I gave up my chance at happiness, remember?”
I come to a stop and stare at him as his comment sinks in. Is that really what he thinks? That he’ll never find happiness because he gave up his chance at finding his true mate? Our mates complete us, but I had a happy life before I met Joel. He’s given up, content to ride around in misery.
This both saddens and angers me, although I can’t really put my finger on why. However, before I can say anything, a flash of movement ahead catches my attention.
“Laelia!” my father calls out, the joy in his voice bringing a tear to my eye.
I promised myself that I’d keep it together with Scott being here, but as soon as I see my father, that flies out the window. Face splitting into a smile, I hurry towards him, momentarily forgetting that Scott is watching, and throw myself into his arms. As soon as his body engulfs me, I feel like I’m home, immediately comforted.
I can’t soak it in for long, though, because he steps back, placing his hands on my shoulders as he examines me from head to toe. “How are you? Are you harmed? How are your bites?”
Without giving me a chance to reply, he grabs my arm and extends it to examine the shiny pink marks on my skin from the creatures in the lake. They are slow to heal, but they are all closed wounds now thanks to the ointment the healers gave me.
Suddenly remembering our audience, I gently shake off his hold. “Dad, I’m fine.” Chuckling at his overprotective behaviour, I try to hide my blush, but I’m secretly pleased to have some sense of normalcy after the last few crazy days. I step to the side and gesture towards Scott. “I have someone to introduce you to.”
My father finally looks up from me, his gaze falling on the male behind me. Dad turns back to me, and his expression is neutral, but I can see the burning questions in his eyes. I know his instincts are screaming at him to protect me from this strange male, so I reach out and gently touch his wrist.
“He has no one, Dad. He also helped save my life, so be nice.” I speak low enough that Scott shouldn’t be able to hear. My father does, though, and his expression shifts.
“I’m always nice,” he mutters before standing upright and turning to the new male.
Here we go, I think to myself. If my father can get over his automatic instincts to protect me from everyone and everything, then I’m thinking this should go well. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself as I send up a prayer to the goddess.
Smiling at my new friend, I gesture between the two males. “Scott, this is my father, Beck.” Glancing up at my dad, I see him watching Scott closely, but from the tilt of his head, I know he’s listening. “Dad, I invited Scott to spend the day with us.”
“Laelia assured me that it would be okay,” Scott adds, sensing the tension. In the short time we’ve known each other, I’ve never seen him look so uncomfortable. He’s perfectly happy to face a squid-human hybrid and a minotaur, but meeting my father seems to terrify him.
My father looks him up and down, sensing Scott’s discomfort, and his eyes narrow slightly as he sizes him up. Then, completely catching me off guard, he steps forward and offers Scott his hand, pulling him in for a one-armed hug.
Scott’s eyes are wide as he’s pulled forward, but he doesn’t fight it. Slowly realising what’s happening, he pats my father on the back, stepping back as soon as he’s released. There’s a small, genuine smile on his lips, though, that tells me he’s not all that displeased by the change of situation.
“Anyone who helps my daughter through this is considered family,” my father continues, clapping the other male on the shoulder. “Thank you.”
I can see how much my father’s words mean to Scott as he clears his throat and nods his head once, glancing over at me like he’s looking for confirmation that what just happened was real.
“Beck is right,” my alpha calls, and I turn to see him exiting the hotel and making his way over, Selina close behind him. He smiles at Scott, holding out his hand for him to shake. “We’re grateful for everything you’ve done for our Laelia. I know it can’t have been an easy decision, and the council won’t make it easy for you now that you’ve publicly sided with her.”
