Page 11 of Chev's Mate

“This will be your office,” Aziel says, coming to a halt in the middle of a hallway. He pushes open the thick, wooden door on our left, and I lean around him to peer inside. The space is fully furnished, and I can’t help but wince as I take it in.

Aziel gestures to the giant bouquets covering almost every inch of the room. “Charlie insisted on the flowers. She read that nymphs enjoy nature.”

It’s a lot, and I plaster a weak smile on my lips. Nymphs love nature, but we tend to prefer it in its natural state. Cutting flowers is a borderline sacrilegious action, but there’s no way Charlotte could’ve known that.

“Will you thank her for me?” I ask.

If I weren’t so out of sorts, this many cut flowers would likely bring me to tears. I do a good job holding back my discomfort, though. At least, I think I do. Aziel sucks his cheeks into his mouth as he evaluates my reaction, and after a moment, he slides his gaze to the vases.

“I’ll tell her no more flowers,” he says.

I open my mouth to argue, not wanting him to think I’m ungrateful, but his back is to me before I get the opportunity.

“I’ll show you to your home and leave you to get settled,” he says. “It’s a bit of a walk.”

His pace is fast, and I struggle to keep up. Is Aziel always this curt? I don’t dislike it, but it’s not the most welcoming. I’m beginning to wish I would’ve gotten my tour from Silas, after all.

I trail my fingers along the walls, letting the emotions they hold fill me. My nymph abilities are weak, but I can still feel the history that lives in the things I touch. It only works when the stories are strong and hold powerful emotions, which these walls most definitely do.

Flashes of sorrow and anger are the first to fill my body, but they’re almost immediately replaced by curiosity and excitement. These are the most recent emotions, which is encouraging. Good things are happening here.

Thoughts of Chev try to force themselves into my mind, but I refuse to indulge. I can’t let myself, at least not now.

“Are you sure Chev won’t be allowed access?” I ask.

I mentally curse myself the second the words slip from my lips. I’ve heard the rumors about Chev and Aziel. They’re close, the two almost always spotted together. I’ve also heard Aziel is one of the few non-shifters who has access to Chev’s lands, the demon allowed to enter and exit as he pleases.

Aziel slows before coming to a halt and turning toward me. His face is blank, making it nearly impossible to read his emotions.

“Chev will be banned from using the portal within this facility and any in the immediate area,” Aziel says, his blank expression shifting into one that looks almost like pity. “Chev is a good friend, but I won’t compromise your comfort for his. He wouldn’t do it for me.”

I nod.

I don’t want to be a burden, but I can’t work here if it means Chev has unrestricted access to me. The mate bond is sacred to shifters, and I’m sure he’s been waiting a long time to find me, but I’m not interested in any sort of romantic relationship.

I don’t see that changing, either.

I want to spend the remainder of my life alone, free to make decisions and be my own person. Never again will I allow myself to be at the mercy of a man, and that’s precisely what a mate bond is.

Alpha males are dominant, and Chev is no different. There’s a slight possibility I’d consider him if he were a mild-tempered animal, like a deer, but he couldn’t be further from that. His bear will want to control and own me, and that’s something I’ll never be in a place to give.

My head aches the more I think about it.

Aziel leads me to the back entrance of the facility, and I wince as he pushes open the doors. Sweltering heat hits me, the temperature in Wrath warmer than it has any business being. I’ve never been a fan of the heat, but I’m excited to visit the lava fields.

The climate inside Wrath is unique, and Aziel’s land houses some of the largest lava fields in existence. Nymphs are tied to nature, and I’m interested to see if I feel an affinity toward lava the same way I do with woodlands.

Aziel guides me away from the facility and down a worn path leading into the woods. I thought my housing was on the facility property.

“This land is safe,” Aziel says, seemingly sensing my nerves. “The facility is gated, and the lands are monitored.”

I suck my lips into my mouth, not responding. It’s comforting to know the house is within the gated area, and I want to see it and understand precisely how far it is from the facility before making any judgments.

After only three minutes of walking, I’m sweating. I wipe my forehead, mentally cursing the punishing sun. Aziel huffs and wipes at his own face, which is interesting. I thought he’d be all for the warmth.

We continue forward, and I admire the large trees lining the small path. It’s truly beautiful here, and I shut my eyes as I let the energy of the woods fill me. I love it.

After five minutes, I finally spot a building. It’s a large, two-story brick house, complete with a wooden porch and giant windows. I stare with a slackened jaw as we approach it. Is this where I’m meant to stay? I assumed I’d get placed in a small building, maybe even a studio. This is an entire house.

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