Page 33 of His Mate

He shrugged, the movement small, but there was a residual tightness in his shoulders.

“I learned a long time ago that loss is just part of life. But sometimes…” He glanced at me, and for the briefest moment, his expression softened, his eyes warming with something I couldn’t quite name. “Sometimes you find something worth holding onto.”

We sat there for a while, the only sounds the crackling of the fire and the distant rush of the waterfall. I took another bite of the venison, savoring the warmth that spread through my body.

“What did you mean,” I began again, my voice barely above a whisper, “when you called me your mate?”

Rowan’s eyes flickered again, and for a moment, I saw something fierce flare in their depths, something that sent a shiver racing down my spine. He leaned closer, the muscles in his arms flexing as he rested his elbows on his knees, and I could feel the heat radiating from him, a warmth that seemed to seep into the very air between us.

“It means you’re mine,” he said simply, his voice rough, tinged with that growl that I’d come to associate with him. “I’ve claimed you, Kendra. You belong to me now.”

His words sent a jolt through me, a mix of fear and something else—something darker, something that curled low in my stomach and made my pulse quicken. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breathing, trying to find my voice.

“You don’t even know me,” I protested, but my words sounded weak, even to my own ears.

“I know enough,” he said, and there was no hesitation, no uncertainty. “You’re strong, even when you’re afraid. You didn’t break, even when they tried to crush your spirit. I saw something in you that I’ve never seen in anyone else. And I decided I wanted it.”

His gaze locked onto mine, unyielding, and I felt the weight of his words, the intensity of his desire, wrap around me like chains.

“You make it sound like I’m some prize you’ve taken,” I whispered, my voice trembling, and I hated how much I wanted him to deny it, to tell me I was wrong.

But he didn’t.

“You are,” he said, and his tone was possessive, unapologetic. “I’m an alpha. I take what I want. And I wanted you.”

My heart skipped a beat, and I felt my breath catch in my throat, my skin prickling with the heat of his gaze.

“And what if I don’t want to be taken?” I challenged, though my voice shook, betraying the lie in my words.

He leaned in closer, so close that I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin, could see the way his eyes darkened, pupils dilating as they roamed over me.

I hated how I liked that he looked at me like that.

“You’re free to leave if you want,” he murmured, and I could feel the rumble of his voice in my chest, vibrating through me. “But know this—I’ll always come for you. I’ll always find you. Because you’re mine now, Kendra, whether you want to be or not. That’s what the mate bond means. My mark will always bring me to you.”

His words sent a shiver down my spine, and I felt something inside me twist, something that made my heart pound and my blood race.

“That’s not fair,” I breathed, my voice barely more than a whisper, but he just smiled, a slow, dangerous curve of his lips that made my stomach and my heart flutter.

“I’m not interested in being fair,” he said, his eyes locked onto mine, and there was a raw, unyielding honesty in his gaze that made it impossible to look away. “I’m interested in you. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you.”

The fire crackled between us, the heat pulsing against my skin, and I felt something shift inside me, as if his words had reached into the deepest parts of me and pulled something to the surface that I hadn’t even realized was there.

And as I stared into his eyes, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I didn’t want to be anywhere else.

That maybe, somewhere deep in my soul, I wanted him too.

I looked away, trying to ignore the way his gaze made my skin tingle, trying to remind myself that I had no reason to trust him—no reason to want him. But I could feel the heat of his presence, the way it seemed to wrap around me, pulling me closer, and it was becoming harder to keep my distance.

“You don’t even know who I am,” I murmured, forcing myself to look him in the eye, even though it felt like standing in the path of a raging wildfire.

“Then tell me,” he said, his voice softer now, gentler, and that vulnerability, that patience, made my heart ache. “Tell me where you came from.”

I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts.

“I grew up in one of the smaller sectors,” I began, my voice low, shaky. “It wasn’t a great place—more like a slum, really. My parents were… they weren’t kind people. My father worked in one of the underground factories, and my mother… she was never around much. I practically raised myself.” I glanced at Rowan, expecting judgment, pity, but all I saw in his eyes was quiet understanding and a comfortable warmth that made it easier to keep talking.

“There were gangs, criminals, and all sorts of things lurking in the shadows,” I continued, wrapping my arms around myself as if the memory still had the power to reach out and grab me. “But I managed to stay out of trouble. I’d sneak into the market and trade what little we had, just to make it through the week. I had a couple of friends—other girls around my age—and we’d look out for each other. We always talked about running away, finding somewhere better.” I paused, a sad smile tugging at my lips. “But then my birthday came, and I was taken. Just like all the others.”

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