“Whether you believe it or not, I haven’t been pursued. I’m aware of romantic relationships, Alister. But... I was an outcast in the Arctic Wolf Village because I’m an arctic fox. I wasn’t appealing to the wolves. I’m too frail... too weak.” I sucked in my bottom lip and bit down as my heart thumped wildly in my chest.
Too weak for a mate.
His index finger slid underneath my chin, and he tilted my head up. “Wren, if it’s not clear already, I have every intention of pursuing you.”
My lips parted as shock ricocheted down my spine. “What? Why?”
“I’m assuming you haven’t found any of your mates, correct?”
“I’ve not been mated to anyone,” I said barely above a whisper. “But I’m not positive I’ll find my mates.”
I had found one of them, but he rejected me, so he didn’t count.
“What do you mean by that?”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I answered, “My father only had one mate, my mother. He was an arctic fox.”
“Was?” His brows furrowed, and the spear of grief drove through my gut again.
It didn’t matter the length of time that had passed, I would never get over their deaths.
I shook my head, wrapping my hand around his wrist and pulling it away from my face. “How did you know my birthstone was a ruby before I met you?”
His mouth opened to speak, but he paused as if to collect his thoughts before he spoke. “It’s a gift. A gift from a witch, actually.”
The warmth from his wrist made my fingers tingle, but I didn't let go of him. “Who was the witch?”
“My mother.” He smiled, glancing down and turning his wrist to show the garnet ring he wore. “She gave me this ring, enchanted with the ability to sense someone's birthstone before she left us. Someone’s birthstone can tell a lot about them.”
“Really?” I breathed the word, my grip tightening on him. The pain that laced his words pierced my heart. I didn’t know why his mother had left, and I didn’t want to pry.
He nodded, pulling out of my grip and grabbing my hand with his. He traced the veins on the soft flesh of my wrist with the other. “Rubies are associated with wealth and prosperity. Ancient human and supernatural crowns were decorated with gold and rubies, because the stones represented good fortune and courage. The deep red color has ties to love, passion, and raw emotion. Unsurprisingly, humans still believe that rubies contain drops of Mother Earth's blood.”
“Wow. That’s pretty amazing,” I admitted, my entire body soothed by his fingers sliding over my veins gently. Instinct told supernaturals to be careful around stronger potential predators, but I was prepared to stick my neck out for this vampire without an ounce of fear. “What about garnet?”
“Garnet is said to bring love, luck, health, loyalty, and friendship to those born during the month of January. Garnet is also a gem that mates give on their second mating anniversary.” His voice rumbled through his chest as he stared down at me with a darkened gaze.
“Excuse me, Alister,” a feminine voice rang out into the room, and I glanced over at the door to see a woman with long black hair and wide brown eyes strolling into the room with a bright white smile. “Do you have a minute?”
Turning my head toward Alister, he rolled his eyes and didn’t stop tracing my wrist. “No,” he answered her.
She placed her hands on her hips, standing right next to us with a disgusted look on her face. “Headmaster Barrington told me to collaborate with you on my lessons with Fundamental Blood Magic, so tell the little shifter to beat it.”
My brows shot up in surprise. I’d been avoided and ignored, but nobody had ever disrespected me to my face for no reason at all.
“The little shifter can stay as long as she likes,” Alister said in a chilling tone as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest.
Her piercing glare was directed toward me as she huffed. “Would you like to tell the headmaster that you’re not complying with his demands?”
“Rowan won’t give a fuck about that.” He chuckled darkly. “But he will care that you’re being rude to a student.”
“And what will he say about you trying to feed on one?”
“I’m not trying to feed off her,” he growled. “Get out, Vicki.”
“Not until you look at this damn lesson plan.” She slapped a file on his desk.
I placed a hand on Alister’s chest and stepped out of his hold. “I’m going to go. I’ll see you later, Mr. Vespertine.”
