Page 36 of Soren

But I don't want to think about that. Now we have peace...and I have Lara.

I idly wonder how she's doing as I head with my men to the tavern. We're celebrating a job well done, and it's also a convenient place to talk to everyone at one time. I can't wait to tell them what I've discovered, but a small part of me still shies away.

Funny, isn't it? That a revered warlord could shy away from anything.

When it comes to Lara, all bets are off.

I greet each of my men in turn, buying us all a round of drinks before we settle into our chairs in a well-worn corner of the tavern. Just like old times, indeed.

My oldest friend and right hand man Kyvan raises a glass. "To Soren! May we enjoy many more centuries of Aesir’s peace!"

The others echo the toast and toast back, clinking their glasses together. I let out a sigh as I take a long drink and savor the taste. "It's good to be home."

A brief silence settles and I sense each of my men gauging me. They all want to ask me about Lara and about the ISA. It seemed like such an outlandish idea at first -- even dangerous. Some of them even warned me not to do it, but once they hear about my results I have no doubt they'll be rushing to the office to sign up themselves.

"I'm sure you all have questions," I say, trying to keep the pensive thoughts at bay. "But the truth is, I don't even know where to begin."

"Don't keep us in suspense, Soren," Kyvan prompts. "Tell us about the girl. You knocked her up yet?"

A streak of possessiveness flares up, but it's only Kyvan. If he knew what I know, he wouldn't use such crass words. A sense of pride fills me up in its place, and the sweet memory of her smile greets me every time I close my eyes. I clear my throat. "She is with child, yes."

A hearty series of cheers and hollers go up. I let them have their fun, and when the noise dies down I look at each of them, my face serious. These are men I've battled with to the edge of the galaxy and beyond. We had held each other's lives in our hands more times than I could count. They were like brothers to me, and now I was about to share one of my most personal secrets.

"There's more," I start. I stare into my mug and try to think of the words. "I think she's..." I gulp down the last of the liquid and pray that it gives me courage. "I think she's my heart-mate."

The raucous cheers die in an instant. Nothing but stone-cold silence fills the air between us. They know the gravity of this confession as well as I do, and it takes a few moments for them to process.

Kyvan speaks up first. "Are you certain?"

I think for a moment, but the answer's already embedded in my heart. "Yes. She's the one. I know it."

The men sit back in their chairs, watching me with wide-eyed admiration. "Whoa," one of the other men says. "That's huge. And a human, at that..."

I shake my head. I know how ridiculous this all sounds, but I can't deny the way that I feel. "It surprises me just as much, I assure you. When I signed the contract I expected nothing more than a willing human for our little...transaction. What I got was..." My voice deepens, cock twitching in my trousers. "So much more."

Kyvan claps me on the shoulder. "Well, I'm happy for you, man. But what does that mean for the contract? She's supposed to go back at some point, right?"

My fists clench at the thought. My nails dig into my palms as my heart thuds harder in my chest. No. I can't lose her. I can't let her leave. She's mine. My heart-mate.

The very floor rumbles with the strength of my emotion. I shoot up from my chair. It clatters backward. My men stare at me, but I don't care. I can't do this right now. "I told you. She's mine." That's the only answer I have at the moment, and the only answer they'll get.

For now, I need a moment alone.

I stomp out of the tavern and into the stormy night. The weather matches my mood -- foul and raging with the very fury of nature itself.

I should have known better. I should have held myself back, done something, anything, to avoid imprinting on her like this.

But it's already done, and now I can't imagine life without her.

No one understands. Not my men. Not the ISA. Hell, probably not even Lara herself. This isn't some passing fancy. I don't just want her around. I need her.

Does she not know how rare a heart-mate is? How sacred?

Those words would mean nothing to her, but everything to me. A heart-mate was the greatest connection two people could ever have. Our destinies were literally written in the stars, fated to come together since the day we were born. She's the missing piece I longed for all these years, and she doesn't even know it yet. How could I ever let her go?

I want to say screw the contract, screw the ISA and screw the entire planet if they were to stand against us. I would pay for her sister and niece out of my own pocket for the rest of their lives if it meant I could have more time with Lara. I would fight anyone who tried to tell me otherwise.

I growl and stalk across the village to my dwelling. Busting open the door, I make a beeline for the bedroom and throw open the trunk at the foot of my bed.

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