Page 78 of Wolf Mate

Against my better judgment, I obliged. It wasn’t like I had many options. He had information I wanted to know. I despised the power it gave him over me.

What I saw had the walls I’d built around my heart crumbling.

His expression was soft, and his emerald eyes were warm like they used to be when we’d hung out and things hadn’t gotten so complicated. “I’m sorry about everything, and I didn’t spell the area to piss you off.”

I extended my arms at my sides and snorted. “Well, I’m pissed about it, so forgive me if I don’t believe you.”

His shoulders slumped. “You know it’s spelled only because Raffe followed you. If he hadn’t, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

I gritted my teeth to prevent my blood from humming. “Because I wouldn’tknow. You still did it, and that’s a separate problem. If I don’t feel comfortable coming here and talking to you alone, you shouldn’t trick me into doing it. You tried to pressure me into kissing you the other night.”

He ran a hand through his blond spikes. “You’re right. I was a douche.” Sincerity and regret wafted from him. “I was in the wrong. I get it, and I hate that it’s straining our relationship. But I’m crazy about you, and I want you to be with me.”

I scoffed. “Do you think that makes it better? Because that’s a horrible way to make me see you in a positive light. Most importantly, I already told you I want us to remain friends forthisreason. I didn’t want things to change between us, but it’s too late now.”

He shook his head. “Why? We could be good together.”

Exhaling, I tried to stay calm. My blood was dangerously close to humming, and I hadn’t agreed to come here and talk about this. “What information did you find?”

“We’ll get there.” He placed a hand on his heart. “I promise. I just want—”

“I’m not ready to have this conversation with you.” My stomach roiled. I hated confrontation. “And here you are, pushing. You say Raffe is spoiled and always gets his way, but how do you think you’re acting? Maybe Raffe is right. Maybe you’ve always been pushy, and I didn’t see it until now. The last time we trained together, I barely made it back to my apartment, and I felt awful that next day. You pushed me to keep training after I told you I was spent.”

I wasn’t sure that was completely fair, but our entire relationship was in question. As I replayed our interactions, I didn’t see him as particularly pushy, but the change in his attitude had started that day.

The pain of losing a person I thought was a friend throbbed deep within my heart. But I wouldn’t let him push me around. “If you won’t tell me what you know, I’m out of here.” I spun on my heel and marched back the way I’d come from.

“Wait!” Slade huffed. “Please don’t go.”

I paused but kept my back to him. “Are you going to share the information?”

“Yeah,” he answered in a gravelly tone. “I promise, okay? Just stay.”

Some of the tension in my neck released, but my blood remained at that high-level fizz. I wasn’t sure I could trust him, but I could read the defeat and frustration rolling off him.

I slowly turned around. “Fine. Start talking, or I’m gone.”

He raised his hands in front of his chest in surrender. “Do you remember the arcane-born who had a relationship with the priestess centuries ago?”

“Of course I do.” As if I’d forget anything he’d shared about my heritage.

“I finally found a secondBook of Twilightof hers, and it had information about the arcane-born. Apparently, they were close friends.” He stepped toward me. “The arcane-born lived in the priestess’s coven since witches and warlocks have the closest supernatural abilities to your power.”

That … made sense. “The wolf shifters and vampires were probably thrilled about that.”

He shrugged. “It was irrelevant and didn’t matter. Back then, there were more witches than wolf shifters and vampires. That’s one reason we have more detailed notes—because of the time the arcane-born spent with our species.”

I flinched. Slade hadn’t mentioned the arcane-born’s family. “Was he alone? No relatives?”

Slade nodded. “He was.”

I wasn’t the only one who’d been orphaned. Maybe the journey between this previous arcane-born’s life and mine was similar.

“Like you, he struggled to control his power, and the coven helped him.”

Hope expanded in my chest. “Does the book detail any of that?” I took a few steps forward, eagerness swirling through me. I’d give damn near anything to see the book for myself and devour every word. This was the closest I’d gotten to answers, and I needed them more than oxygen to live.

Not that I was dramatic or anything.

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