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“Leto!I told you that you can’t eat grilled chicken!”My mom reprimanded.
I looked up from the ruby ring on my ring finger, giddy with happiness as clenching my fork made the ring tighten around my finger.
I watched as Leto, looking downcast, returned to the shorter table beside the cozy dining table that my family and I were dining on.
On the shorter table meant for him and our soul animal owl, Willow was focused on eating her dead mice with her back to us.In front of the disgruntled Leto was a plate with cubed raw beef and some carrots on the side.It was his favorite meal choice, but Leto was in another one of his rebellious phases, where he thought that since he could understand humans and communicate with us, he should also be allowed to eat the same food as us.
Unfortunately, being a soul animal with higher soul wisdom than regular animals and being able to understand and communicate with humans didn’t make his digestive system different from that of other animals.Just like ordinary foxes, he couldn’t eat the same food as us because the seasonings we put in our food were harmful to him.
I was in a good mood so I tried to cheer him up and make up for getting angry with him earlier.“Leto, if you eat your food, I’ll watch the Soul Animal Babysitters Squad with you for two hours.”
Leto looked up at me with big, soulful amber eyes and released a friendly yip.“Really?”
“Yeah.”His soulful amber eyes looking at me like I was the only light in his life made my heart swell and I barely restrained myself from promising more hours.
None of us, including Willow, liked to watch that animation, but Leto loved it to pieces.Unfortunately, he didn’t like to watch TV by himself.Promising to watch his favorite animation with him was the best way to get into his good graces.
“Yip!”He squealed with excitement and then unsheathed his retractable claws and started picking up his cubed beef with his claw and stuffing it into his mouth.
I also smiled, glancing at Levi, who was seated beside me, cutting into his tiny piece of grilled salmon and washing it down with a bottle of blood wine created for vampires.We had quite a few bottles of blood wines at home for Levi and for when we hosted our monthly family gathering in Aruthia, since some members of our extended family, like Uncle Drew and Aunt Ciara, were vampires.
“Aurora, eat.You haven’t touched your chicken one bit.I know you’re excited, but you didn’t eat before going to Nyra’s trial.”Daddy Aisling urged me.
I forced a smile as my happiness dimmed a little at the thought of Nyra.
The only sounds that pervaded the dining table were the light sound of forks moving on glassware plates and the almost inaudible sounds of chewing.
“Aurora, did you speak to Nyra after the hearing?How is she doing?”My mom asked, staring at me with concern.
“Um, I spent some time with her, and she’s fine.Hopefully, the trial will be over quickly.”I said.
“Don’t worry, the judge on her case doesn’t like to extend trials longer than they need to be.He should conclude the case within one or two months.”Daddy Keane said, reaching for and adding some wine to my mom’s cup.
“Yes, that’s what the lawyer said, too,” I said, pretending not to see my mom kiss Daddy Keane on the cheeks to thank him for noticing that her glass was almost empty and refilling it.
“Have you spoken to Nyra about rejecting the mate bond between you?”Daddy Reece asked, picking up another piece of grilled salmon.
“Yes.But she said she didn’t want to.She ...she said she’d like to think things through during her sentence so she can figure out how she feels about me.”I explained, glancing at Levi from the corner of my eyes.
“So she has feelings for you.”Daddy Aisling said bluntly.
“I’m not sure, but I don’t think so ...I may just be the closest person she has now.She probably doesn’t want to let go of what she thinks makes us connected.”This was my conclusion after thinking about our relationship as objectively as possible.
“Don’t make assumptions about her feelings.By doing that, you’re disregarding her feelings.If you think you don’t want to be with her and it’s impossible for you two to ever be together, explain that to her now so she doesn’t get heartbroken after thinking something else.”My mom said, holding my gaze for a moment before focusing on her food.
I lowered my head, not daring to look at Levi, who was sipping his blood wine beside me.“I’m not sure.I don’t ...think it’s impossible for us to ever be together.”
As if he could sense my discomfiture, Levi patted my head.“It’s okay if you have feelings for her and it’s okay if you want to explore being mates with her.After all, she’s also your true mate.But you may need to tell the others too so they can be prepared for the possibility.”
I turned to lock gazes with him.“I’m not sure I have those kinds of feelings for her.From the day we met, I classified her as my friend, but since I knew she was my true mate, something seems to have changed.”
“Then just explore it,” Levi said with a smile.
He patted my head again and the honeyed warmth in his gaze told me that he wouldn’t get mad at me even if I decided to mate with Nyra.
This reassurance made the anxiety I’d been feeling about this matter for a while settle down and a smile appeared on my face as I ate the last piece of chicken and mashed potato on my plate while ignoring my parent’s unconcealed flirting.
