Page 20 of Wild for the Wyvern

It would seem Astra feels awkward too, as she is silent and stuffs her hands in her pockets. She looks at the door. “Kori is your mate?”

“Yes.” I’m embarrassed by my past behavior and ashamed that I let Kori walk out of the house in favor of privacy with Astra.

“And you’re happy?” she asks.

“I am. Are you happy with the satyr?” How had I ever believed I was in love with her? I was a stupid, lonely fool.

She blushes. That’s a sight I never thought I’d see. By nature, a nymph is a seductress. All those who look upon her fall under her spell, yet at the mention of Niko, she turns bright red. “I’m happier than I ever dreamed I could be. Niko is my true mate. I’m sorry I lured you into an escape plan. I knew you were smitten, and I used that to get away from my father’s heavy-handed behavior. He was going to marry me off to someone I’d never met. I wanted control of my life, but it should never have been at your expense. Can you forgive me?”

“If you’d asked me that two weeks ago, I would have never forgiven you. Now, it hardly matters. I appreciate you coming here, and I accept your apology.” A heavy burden lifts from my shoulders as I put the past behind me and look forward to a long, wonderful future with Kori.

Smiling, I walk Astra to the door and open it.

She stands on the threshold and looks back at me. “No more traps in the woods?”

I shake my head.

Kori steps to the doorway from the right holding a bunch of wildflowers. Her eyes are wide and full of horror. “That trap was for her? You were trying to catch a woman, or whatever she is?”

“Oh gods,” Astra says.

“Kori.” I brush past Astra and hold out my hand to Kori, desperate to explain.

Dropping the flowers, she backs down the steps and searches for a way down the mountain.

“I set that trap before I knew you existed, and it wasn’t what you think.” I have no idea how to explain the stupidity of why I wanted to humiliate Astra and Niko without making matters worse.

Stopping, Kori brushes tears from her cheeks. “You reset that trap after we met.” She runs down the drive. “I’m such a fool. I thought it was an animal trap.”

Heart pounding and wishing I’d told her some or all of this before Astra turned up, I run after Kori.

The steep downslope gets the best of her and she tumbles to her knees and sits with her face in her hands. “I’m an idiot. I should have known all of this was a mistake. Men don’t fall head over heels in love with me. That woman in your house is the kind of woman men fall for.”

Kneeling in front of her, I take her hands in mine. “I should have told you about Astra. I’m sorry. She stopped being important the moment I first saw you.”

“But you reset the trap. Explain to me why you set a trap for a woman who’s engaged to someone else.” The pain etched on her face wrecks me.

So that she’s not on the hard ground, I sit and pull her into my lap. “This is going to sound pathetic, but I’m going to tell you everything, then I’ll take you to the resort. It’s too far to walk and your sense of direction isn’t your strong suit.”

She scoffs. “That’s kindly put. Tell me.”

I take a deep breath and let it out. If she’s going to leave me, it should be for the truth, not the small bit she overheard and speculation. “Astra is a nymph. She’s beautiful and alluring because that’s her nature. Like most nymphs, she’s part of thenature around her. She can become part of the trees and ground, lakes and rivers. Also, like other nymphs, she can seduce all who look upon her.”

“And she seduced you?” Her voice aches with desperation for that to be the case.

“No. Astra never seduced me, but she was always kind to me. I lived in these woods all my life and had long passed the age when I should have found my mate. I was lonely and she was alluring, even without intention. I pursued her for many years to no avail.

“A month ago, her father arranged a marriage for her to a satyr from Canada. It was her desire to avoid the match that drove her to come to me and ask me to fly her away from here.” If I had the power to turn back time, I would live the last few years differently. I would trust that my mate would find me.

“Why did her father want her to marry against her will?” Wide-eyed, Kori is genuinely concerned for Astra.

I love how empathetic she is. Brushing her hair behind her ear, I want to kiss away all her concerns, but I continue my embarrassing story. “Her father is a bully and has the power to force others to his will. Astra came to me to take her away, and I readily agreed. I hoped I would gain a life partner and banish the never-ending loneliness of my life.

“On the day of our clandestine escape, she didn’t come to the designated meeting place. I waited a long time. Finally, an owl came and delivered the message that she wasn’t coming.”

Kori blinks and raises her eyebrows. “I have so many questions about the owl, but maybe that’s beside the point. You were hurt that she didn’t come and sent only the bird.”

Was I hurt? No. “I was angry and my pride was injured. So much so, that I set that trap to humiliate Astra and her mate, as I felt I had been humiliated.”

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