“Seiji, brother, I love you, but now you’re pushing it.” I carefully sidestep a tall patch of grass. “We are not painting our armors yelloworpurple. Hazel mocks us enough already, and I’m not giving that siren more material.”
I have no idea why he insists on making us look like tooth fairies in colorful armor, but it’s not happening.Not in this lifetime.
“You are no fun.” he stomps his feet gently, destroying the whole purpose of stomping. Taking in his long uncharacteristic pause, I glimpse from the corner of my eye to find him biting his bottom lip in thought.
“What do you think happened to Harvey?”
I’m dreading that conversation. A single glance at Nevaeh and the little boy tells me I’m not ready to find out what happened to Harvey. I can’t imagine anything worse than what these two have endured.
“I don’t know, buddy, but we’ll find him.”
At least, I hope we will.
We’re ten minutes from where the girls are waiting when Nevaeh shivers in my arms, starting a strange burning in my chest. A stabbing pain in my heart tells me I’m in trouble.
I ignore the chaos my Divine is creating for the millionth time today, and hope it becomes tolerable with time. Breathing through the pain, I keep walking, but when the world around me spins, I decide to give in.
Can’t risk temporary blindness while carrying precious cargo.
I don’t appreciate Fates giving our Divines this much power over us. Dropping my guard before I drop Nevaeh, I heave through the rush of emotions. With every breath, every step, every thought, I feel like I’m going to combust when suddenly everything goes numb.
My steps falter, but I push past the discomfort only to wheeze when warmth and longing fill me to the brim and almost knock me off my feet. My arms tighten around Nevaeh without thought. The hold on her helps me breathe, but barely.
The instant Nevaeh sleepily nuzzles into my neck, I’m done for. As if her acceptance of my presence clicks something in place, I can feel her weak Divine reaching out for me. I’m suddenly a thousand times more aware of her touch. Her soft breath fans my neck and the brush of her cold as-ice nose against my skin makes me shiver.
I didn’t let my eyes wander before because she was not my mate, but now, glancing down at the sleeping beauty in my arms, I feel stupid for not appreciating how breathtaking Nevaeh is.
Despite the bruises, dirt, and blood shadowing her, I’m mesmerized by her delicate features. Her button nose buries itself in my neck and seeing her unconsciously seek my warmth is my downfall.
I have her. I found her.I finally found her.
I don’t realize I’ve stopped walking until Seiji looks over his shoulder and backtracks.
“Anxo? What’s wrong? Do you hear something? Should I call the girls?” he turns his head wildly, searching for what made me freeze.
“Mate.”
Breathing loudly through his nose, Seiji looks at me sympathetically. He has been in my life long enough to know I randomly start talking about my mate, and it always ends with me pouting about not meeting her yet.
“Oh.Look, I know how much you want to meet her. I’ve seen you pray for your mate since you were six, and there’s no way Fates haven’t heard yourbillionpleas. Trust me, she will come soon. I have a feeling—”
“No, no, she—Nevaeh. Seiji,sheis my mate.”
His mouth drops when I finally manage to say the words.My mate.My Nevaeh.His eyes keep bouncing between me and my girl in disbelief, making me shift her closer to my chest.
Oh, drop it, you caveman. He’s not even into women.
“And how the fuck did you only realize thatnow? You’ve been holding her in your arms for half an hour!”
He has a point, but I’m not worried about semantics. I’m content finally meeting her, my mate, my other half, my reason to keep going.
“I don’t know. Maybe her Divine wasn’t strong enough?”
I guess now that she’s passed out and is near her mate, she is healing faster, and her Divine is strong enough for me to feel its presence. What worries me is how she would react to being bound with someone for life after just tasting a little freedom.
She will want me, right? I’m going to lose my mind and run away to the mountains if she said she didn’t want me. Too dramatic?Maybe, but I can’t live in the same realm as her and not have my hands on her.That would wreck me.
“How do you think she’ll react?”
