Instead of answering, Leila kissed him slowly and deeply.

“I want to be with you, Rehn. I just didn’t think you wanted that with me. You’re a king and… I just thought?—”

“Well, then stop with all of this thinking.” He kissed her again.

They were starting to get carried away when he felt her hand push hard against his chest.

“I’m sorry. I need to control myself,” he panted.

“No, no, it’s not that.” Leila seemed equally exhilarated. “I think I just realized something. You said fated mates can affect the partner?”

“In a manner of speaking. You may have felt something for me, but not like if you were another shifter. It would also enhance any shifter powers—” He realized where she was going with this.

“Hang on, are you talking about your magic?”

She nodded, biting her lip.

“If it can enhance abilities, it can enhance my powers. Right? That’s why I have been able to use time manipulation… because you’ve been around me! And why I got so used to the surge of power within me while I was staying with you. It was continuous. It didn’t come back until you were close to me or else I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did.”

“I’m glad I could help,” he said with a soft smile. He took her hand in his and added, “You know, if it helps sweeten the deal, you’ll have that extra magic always, whether I’m around or not, if we were to be mated officially.”

“Tempting,” she teased.

“Not only that,” he whispered as he kissed her wrist softly. “But we would be able to know where each of us was, sense if we were in danger, and speak telepathically to each other.”

“Oh, so you would be able to know what I was thinking about right now?” she asked with a coy smile.

Rehn felt himself harden as his bear yearned to claim her.

“That we should give this a real chance?”

She stepped closer to him. Closing the gap. Her breasts were pressed against him and he felt the heat of desire radiating off her.

“I think so.”

Rehn was conflicted with how happy and turned on he was while only a mere moment ago, his mate was in danger.

“And just so you know, I did feel something as well when we met. It was very… distracting,” she whispered as her finger traced his abdomen.

“You have no idea,” he quietly groaned into her ear.

Their lips were a breath away before?—

“Eh-hem.”

Rehn had been so caught up in their confessions and lust that he had not noticed the party that had gathered at the door.

Tressa, Chaniel, Idris, and a few other faculty members were standing there watching them.

Leila looked embarrassed and pulled away.

“Oh, Director, I’m so sorry. We were just?—”

“Leila, do not apologize,” Tressa said, making her way over, the others in her wake.

The tall director wrapped Leila up in her long arms as if comforting a daughter.

“You have been through enough. I don’t know what happened, but based on the state of Xanthus’s body, I hope it’s safe to assume he was the true mastermind behind the attack?”