Page 61 of One True Mate

I was so consumed with thinking about it that I didn't even hear Kyle enter the office.

“Ms. Adams, can I speak with you in my office, please?”

“Ms. Adams?”I thought and heard him chuckle.

“Infuriating, isn't it?”he said evilly through our bond.

I glared at him as I entered, and as soon as the door was shut, he wrapped me in his arms and held me close. I was shaking all over as I let the threat of the challenge and everything that could go wrong sink in, fueled by his own thoughts, concerns, and fears he was loudly projecting.

“Why didn't you tell me?”

I shrugged against him.

“I had no idea you were so worried about your powers. You've been doing so good.”

I looked back at him at first confused, and then realized I hadn't locked down my thoughts earlier. I had been getting good at shutting him out of my thoughts. I left enough that I didn't think he fully realized. It felt so wrong to do it, and I was constantly biting back the guilt, but I didn't want him to know how weak I really was. Now knowing that I could kill him with one screw up had me so scared I couldn't keep that wall up between us.

“It's going to be okay. You're going to be fine. You can do this. I know you can. You are not weak. You are the strongest woman I know. Not to mention the fastest.”

He pulled me back, forcing me to look up at him as he smiled down with love shining through his eyes.

“I meant it when I told you I never want to live without you. We don't know for sure that our bond is strong enough to kill the other if anything happens to one of us, but I know for me, I would want to die regardless, because I couldn't stand living in a world where you didn't exist.”

“Stop saying things like that. It's not helping, Kyle. I don't want you to die. I certainly don't want to be responsible for that. And I don't want to die, but I don't want to kill anyone either, not even Christine Canine, as obnoxious as she is and as much as she annoys me. I hate being put in this position, but I promise you I won't give up. I know she will fight to the death and I will be forced to do the same. I just hate it. All of it.”

He soothed me, stroking my back and kissing me all over. As he made his way to my mouth I remembered what his dad had said.

“Kyle, we can't. You promised him. And if there's any chance at all that the bond isn't fully sealed, then it needs to stay that way until these challenges are over.”

“Kels, you can't be serious. You're going up for a challenge tonight. And you're going to need me when it’s over. Or at least I know I'm going to need you tonight.”

I sighed. He was so sure I could win this, but at what cost?

“Would it be okay if I went to see your dad this afternoon?” I decided to change the subject.

“Yeah, sure, of course. What's up?”

“He had said he'd help me learn to contain my powers, but we haven't really spent any time on that and I'm scared they could unleash during the challenge. I just wanted to discuss it with him, see if he has any advice to offer.”

“I think that's a good idea. Want me to come with you?”

I felt his hope, then his disappointment, as I started shaking my head no.

“He was serious this morning about keeping a distance. I think you showing up with me would be disrespectful of that.”

He nodded and kissed my temple. “You're a very wise woman, mate.”

I suspected he knew how it warmed me and made me all tingly every time he called me mate, and if he hadn't before, he did now that I had thought of it.

“My mate.” He grinned, holding my gaze. “My perfect, beautiful, strong, courageous mate. Mine.”

He kissed me hard, nearly taking my breath away.

“You're going to do great tonight.”

“Will you be there? Watching?”

“Yes, it is a requirement. Just as you will have to stand by and watch when my challengers come. Honestly I think that may be harder than the actual challenges themselves.”

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