I’m not sure

I didn’t ask

Blair

Did he say straight-up that you’re NOT his fated mate?

Me

He definitely never said that I was

And he wants me to stay away from the unmated guys so I don’t find out I’m fated to one of them

Izzy

Or he wants you to stay away from them so he doesn’t feel the urge to kill them every time they look at you

Zora

Can you ask Stella how a dragon knows if they’ve found their fated mate?

Me

She’s busy

Zora

Do you even want to know, Avery?

I stared at the question, my throat swollen.

Did I?

I…

Well, I wasn’t sure.

If I was his fated mate, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Maybe I’d even be happy.

But it would mean that he lied to me. Hid the truth from me. Kept secrets from me.

It would mean I couldn’t trust him.

And I didn’t want a mate. I never had. Sealing a mate bond meant exposing yourself to the potential of being hurt in so many more ways.

But not knowing the truth wasn’t an option. Was it?

No.

The longer I waited, the more it would hurt if he was keeping it a secret.

And the more I might start to fall for him. Which I couldn’t let happen.

I finally texted back.

Me

I like him