Alaric shook his head, unconvinced. “That’s why Lanokota likes Hayley so much? Because she decided an eternity ago that only Hayley can be my one true mate?”
“That’s an elementary way of putting it,” Willow answered, “but yes.”
“Why me?”
Willow laughed. “Why not you, Alaric? Why not Hayley? I know you two have feelings for one another. That’s not an accident. You were meant for each other.”
“Have there been others like us?” I asked. “Fated mates?”
“Oh, yes. Every thousand years or so two souls are chosen by destiny. In such a manner, the universe is kept happy and doesn’t come apart at the seams.”
“Oh, sure.” Alaric threw up his hands. “Put that pressure on me now. What if Damon kills me? The universe doesn’t have its chosen pair and time becomes unraveled? Give me a break.”
“If you die, the universe will likely go on,” Willow answered. “Another pair will be chosen to take your place.”
“Now I’m expendable.”
Willow rubbed her palms over her face. “It’s not that simple. And it’s extremely hard to explain. Just accept that you’ve been chosen to fall in love with Hayley, and she with you. Call it Lanokota’s game plan.”
I chuckled, meeting Alaric’s stormy gaze. “Remember how you advised me to accept and believe that you’re a dragon? Now, it’s your turn to simply accept what is.”
“What if we can’t fall in love with one another?” he snapped. “Or won’t?”
Willow chuckled. “I doubt that will be a problem. You two are drawn to each other like iron to a magnet.”
“I believe I’m well on my way,” I said quietly.
“To what?”
“Falling in love with you.”
Alaric looked away, still scowling. My stomach plummeted. Fated mates or no, Alaric apparently still wanted his divorce, could never fall in love with me. Lanokota got it wrong. I’m not wife/mate material, and Alaric likely had a squeeze back home. A full-blooded dragon lady with whom he could have itty bitty dragon babies.
Okay, I still have his money. I can survive on my own now. I don’t need Roxanne’s sufferance, or Brad’s abuse. Alariccan have his divorce, and we’ll go our separate ways. I can get over him. I hope.
I glanced up from my entwined fingers in my lap to discover Willow watching me. Her narrowed eyes made me think she’d just read my mind. Perhaps she did. Lanokota possibly gave her that ability.
“Well,” she said into the tense silence, “we need to get busy finding our murderous miscreants and finding a suitable manager. Alaric, you start posting ads for the manager. I’ll start the internet search while Hayley fetches our lunch.”
I blinked. “Lunch?”
“You know, that midday meal most folks eat? I’ll order from that deli down the street if you’ll go get it.”
“Oh. Sure.”
“Get a sandwich for Richard and Bertie, too,” Alaric said, still not looking at me.
“Got it.”
I rose from the office’s chair and left, my heart hovering somewhere around my ankles. What’s wrong with me that I can’t be loved? For Pete’s sake, my own sister, my flesh and blood, despised me and refused to visit me after I’d been shot. I’m married to a dragon shifter, am his fated mate, allegedly, and not evenhecan fall in love with me.
Grabbing my purse from my desk, I stepped from the office while second guessing Willow’s silly assurances that Alaric and I were fated mates. That’s not possible. If Lanokota exists, and I start to have doubts about that, too, then Her Holiness doesn’t know Alaric very well.
On the concrete sidewalk, I take my time strolling to the deli on the corner. Willow hadn’t had time to place the order much less the deli’s staff had time to prepare it. I paused to gaze into the store windows bearing the latest fashion trends. Withthe vast amount of money sitting in my bank right now, I could afford designer clothes, shoes, and purses.
Except my penchant for thriftiness halted any notions I might have for entering those stores. My plain shirts and jeans were more than enough for me.
The deli’s staff appeared rushed with businesspeople standing in line to order, clearing tables with people ready to sit. I worked my way toward the counter that read “To Go Orders”, and stood against the wall to wait. While watching the people, I absently wondered what these ordinary folks would think if they knew dragons walked and lived among us.
