Page 118 of Poet & Protector

When Sabine recovered, swiping tears from her eyes, she asked Dax, “Are you serious right now? Why would you think Nev and I are going to be mates?”

I didn’t think Dax knew how to blush, but I was wrong. There was definitely pink washing over his cheeks.

“You two are really close,” Dax said plaintively. “Like, we all know you’re best friends. It makes sense that you’d become something more.”

“Yes, we’re close,” Sabine replied. “I love Nev, but we’re not going to be mates. Even if Logan pairs us up, we’d only be pretending.”

“Why?” Dax dug in, his tone belligerent. “You’re the hottest Guardian female in Vail. Everyone knows that. There’s no male who doesn’t want you. Nev’s a lucky bastard.”

His words sounded like a compliment, but they made Sabine flinch. I cursed Dax for not having enough sense to grasp why saying that to her was a mistake.

He was also wrong. I knew a number of male Guardians who didn’t want Sabine, for the same reason I didn’t want her.

“Sabine is crazy beautiful,” I said to him. “There’s no argument about that. And you’re right, she’s my best friend, but she has a couple of qualities that make it impossible for her to be my mate.”

“Really?” His brow scrunched. “What?”

“Breasts and a vagina.”

Sabine bowled over with laughter again and Cosette let out a shocked squeal.

Dax clenched his jaw. “I don’t get you, man. You can’t be real with this.”

“Oh, I’m real,” I assured him, trying to keep cool though I was anything but. “You’ve seen me with Mason. You know how I feel. It’s well past time you accepted it.”

“I can’t. We’re wolves, dude,” Dax said. “Animals don’t do…that.”

I was about to tell him he was wrong, but Cosette spoke first.

“Actually, Dax,” she said, in a quiet but firm voice, “that’s not true. Scientists have observed thousands of animal species that have same-sex relationships. I’ve read lots of articles about it.”

The rest of us stared at her and our attention made her shrink back.

“I’m not making it up.” She frowned at us, then chewed on her lower lip. “Why would I make it up?”

I suddenly had a suspicion about Cosette that had never occurred to me before that moment. Sometime down the road, when it felt right, I would try floating the idea of the Bunker by her and see how she reacted.

“I know you’re not,” I said quickly, because she was clearly uncomfortable with having become the focus of the conversation. “There are plenty of studies. I’ve read them, too.”

I offered her a reassuring smile that she returned hesitantly.

“Yeah,” Cosette said. “They’re really interesting.”

Dax snorted. “Articles and studies? What are you even talking about? I’m talking about us. Guardians.”

“So am I,” I replied as Cosette quailed in the face of Dax’s outburst. “I’m a Guardian and, like I said, what feels natural for you is not who I am. It never will be, so you need to stop planning a future for me and Sabine.”

“You really do,” Sabine agreed. “And since we’re clearing the air, I think you should tell us exactly what went down between you and Mason at the Burnout. Nev and I didn’t get the full story. We still don’t know what set you guys off.”

Dax shifted his weight uneasily as he glanced my way. “Mason didn’t tell you?”

“He told me it would be better if I didn’t know,” I said, trapping him with a hard gaze. “I’m not sure I agree. Do you think he’s right?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Dax looked away, no longer able to meet my eyes. On the one hand, I was glad he understood I wasn’t backing down, but on the other, his refusal to say anything—paired with Mason’s evasiveness about what happened—told me exactly how bad it was.

“It matters to me.”

Dax shook his head. “Just let it go, man.”