Page 28 of Challenged

But then thoughts of slouchy trousers, oversized t-shirts, creep in. The sorts of things I wore at home, alone, when no oneelse could see me. I debate if that’s the image I want to present to Rardek. Decide it can’t possibly be worse than this dress.

When I open my eyes, I’m wearing my softest yoga pants, a cute tee with a motivational quote wrapped around some flowers on it. I pluck at my new clothes. Feel the fabric between my fingers as real as if I was awake.

“Wild,” I say, my mind already racing at the possibilities. What else can this dreamspace do?

Closing my eyes again, I picture my living room. I sense a shift in the atmosphere, comfort washing over me. The floor beneath my bare feet turns soft, carpeted, familiar scents filling my nose. Opening my eyes, I see my living room recreated perfectly around me. Rardek looks incongruous, standing in the middle of it.

I take a seat in my armchair, gesture for him to take the sofa. He sits down, folding his large frame into the too low seat. He should look ridiculous, but he just slouches back again, effortlessly sexy. I swallow past an increasingly dry throat.

“We are definitely dreaming, or something like it.”

“We are.”

“And I can find out if you really are you in the morning easy enough.”

“You can.”

“So, working on the presumption that you are the real you, why are you here?”

CHAPTER NINE

Rardek

It is a more loaded question than she realises, of course. Knowing how some of my sisters have reacted to the idea of mates being chosen for them, I am hesitant to answer. But it is not fair to keep my Angie from the truth. She has had to learn a great many difficult things this day, and I would protect her from another if I could. But in this, protecting her will not serve her. She needs to know, and she needs to know that I will always be honest with her.

Already, her eyes are narrowing at my hesitation, so I fix a calm, open expression on my face. Decide the best path for me is to be blunt.

“I am here because we are chosen for each other. I call you ‘linasha’ not because I think it is your name, but because it is your title. What you are to me. My linasha. My mate.”

I remain silent a moment, giving her time to think through my words. From the way her mouth twists, I can tell she is displeased by this revelation.

I confess, as much as I would be thrilled by her acceptance of our mating, the thought of seeing her eyes flashing with fire again has my heartspace racing. It is difficult to contain myself, to be gentle and not teasing. My female needs my kindness and consideration as she adapts to her new circumstances, but the temptation to provoke a reaction in her is overwhelming. The sharp words she fires at me speak of a quick headspace, and I am eager to test this. To pit my wit against hers and see to what delights our words carry us.

But she first must accept our connection. Desire it. Or at least not be frightened or disturbed by the thought of it.

“Your mate?” she says, her tone a full day’s hard running from accepting.

I nod. “It is not the human way of things, I know. Many of my sisters have struggled with it also. Speak with them in the morning and they will tell you their stories.”

Her expression hardens further.

“So when Liv said that I would have a choice about how to live my life here, that when it came to being accepted by the tribe, sex had nothing to do with it, she was lying to me?”

“No,” I say, firm and quick in my answer. I do not want her to have any cause to doubt our chieftess’ words. Because Liv was not lying, though I can understand how, in this moment, it feels to my Angie like she was.

“What part of having you invade my dreams and declare us mates is me having a choice about anything?”

She speaks the words in the slow way that elders use to let you know they are very angry. This is a dangerous moment, I sense. What I say will shape her feelings for me for a very long time.

“You do not get a choice in this, no,” I say. “Lina chooses who enters in dreams together, and raskarrans have always said that she is never wrong. But you are not of Lina’s forests, and have no cause to trust her judgement, I understand that. Just as I understand that it is uncomfortable and strange to you in a way that it is not to me. And that is okay. I will be guided by you, my Angie. Every other thing in this will be your choice. I cannot stop the dreams, and I cannot stop the way my heartspace beats for you, but what we do with this time together is for you to decide. Whether you wish to spend your waking hours in my presence or avoid me is for you to decide. Whether-”

“Whether I’d rather be with someone else entirely?”

She cuts across me, her words sharp and pointy, meant to poke at my most tender places. She is testing the edges of what I am saying. Seeing how well it holds up under her assault.

“You think there is a male in the tribe who would be preferable to me?” I ask, gesturing to myself as if I think I am the finest male in the tribe.

“I told you, you’re not that impressive,” she snaps, but the flood of red that comes into her cheeks reveals her words are at least a little untrue. I cannot help the slow grin that spreads across my face.

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