Page 24 of Taming His Mate

Before I can turn around, Luka snakes his arm around me and pulls me back to his side. “That’s enough. All of you. I told you that I was bringing my mate, and I told Izzy that if she could be civil, then so could you. Are you going to make me a liar?”

Jarik pinches the bridge of his nose and Mercy glares at her mate.

“You didn’t tell me she was coming here,” she growls under her breath.

“I didn’t think she would actually—” Mercy holds up a hand cutting her mate off. I can see her conflict easily enough, but I’m not expecting what she does next.

“Okay. Enough of that,” she lets out a heavy sigh and turns to face me, “Welcome to our home.”

There is no smile and she’s clenching her jaw, but her words are soft and polite.

Alright. If she can play nice then so can I.

“Thank you,” I simply say.

“Great. Let’s all come inside, dinner should be ready any time.” With a clap of her hands, she turns on her heel and strides back inside, leaving all of us to follow.

We follow them into a cozy den where Luka pulls me down beside him onto an antique velvet couch across from where Jarik and Mercy curl up in a matching oversized loveseat. The silence between us stretches into awkwardness.

“So,” Jarik begins as he strokes a hand up and down the back of his mate’s arm. “How are you two getting along?”

Glaring across the room at him, I lean forward to give him a sassy response, but Luka clears his throat and pulls me back into his side.

“We’re getting along fine,” he answers.

The surprise on Jarik’s face when I let Luka tuck me against him and rest my head on his shoulder is almost worth the trip.

“Not that we need to explain anything to either of you, but don’t forget that Izzy was being threatened by her family,” Luka growls at his brother. Then he shifts to Mercy, “And don’t forget that it was Izzy who saved you and Noa when they separated you from Jarik.”

At least Mercy has the decency to look ashamed. Jarik…not so much.

“It makes no sense!” he suddenly exclaims. “You were fated mates. Luka ismybrother; they should have been thrilled to shove you off on him.” Jarik nods to me, “No offense.”

“None taken,” I reply, folding my arms across my chest before adding, “Luka wasn’t good enough in their delusion. No one was.”

“How awful!” Mercy exclaims. “So, you really never wanted to take Jarik from me?”

“Never.” I look beside me at my mate and smile at the way my heart still kicks in my chest whenever I look at him, knowing that he’s mine. “I’ve only ever wanted one male.”

“In that case,” Mercy shifts beside her mate. “I’m sorry that I tried to decapitate you.”

I narrow my eyes at the blonde across from me.

Luka nudges me through our connection, and I barely catch myself before rolling my eyes. “You don’t owe me an apology. And I’m sorry that I…well, for everything I did.”

Just then a tiny bell rings.

“That’s dinner,” Mercy says as she climbs to her feet.

We follow her into the elegant dining room that is set up with a large circular table, rather than the long rectangular ones I’m used to.

“This way we can all see each other while we eat,” Mercy explains, stepping up beside me.

“What are you, King Arthur?” The tart reply is out of my mouth before I can stop it, and Luka elbows me. I open my mouth to give him a bemused response when Mercy starts to laugh.

“I suppose I am,” she admits.

I look around at the table and shrug my shoulders, “I like it. It’s…different from what I’m used to, but I’m quickly learning that there are better ways to do things than what I was taught.”

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