Page 100 of Seduced By Moonlight

“No. I mean, kind of? It’s not every day someone declares you their mate in front of an entire clan of gargoyles. But we’ve both felt this from the start. Right?”

“You know that I have,” Ward reassured him. “I didn’t plan to announce it like that, though.”

Kayden chuckled softly. “I think everyone figured that much out.”

They continued walking, their hands still intertwined. Ward felt Kayden’s pulse calm under his grip.

“I do apologize for not speaking with you first.”

Kayden stopped short. “About the mate thing?”

“That, among other things.”

“You dropped a nuclear bomb. No wonder that elder had a meltdown.”

“That’s no excuse. Graymore has always been a pain in my ass,” Ward replied. “He’s too traditional for my tastes, but he’s an elder because his son, Joel, is on my counsel. I’m starting to question having both of them so close to me, though.”

“He definitely has some opinions about your ideal mate.” Kayden rubbed the back of his neck. “Are you sure, Ward? About… me? Us? In case you didn’t notice, I can’t give you an heir.”

Ward stepped closer. “It is you I’m certain of above all else. And modern technology has given us a way around the fact that neither of us are female.”

“I’ve never thought about having kids and now suddenly we’re talking about having kids.”

“The elders want me to have an heir. That doesn’t mean I want that.”

“But do you? Can you and I even have a child together? Can we do that?”

“No. Our species are incompatible in that way. Gargoyles can only reproduce with a gargoyle.”

“Right. So that means any child you have won’t have my DNA. Same for if I had a kid.”

“If a surrogate provided us with a child who had your DNA, I would cherish it just as I would a child with my own DNA because any child would beours.Kayden, is all this just too much?”

Kayden opened his mouth but hesitated. He exhaled slowly. “It’s a lot and fast, but….” He shook his head.

“But?” Ward coaxed gently.

“But it’s not too much,” Kayden said, squeezing Ward’s hand.

Relief washed over Ward like moonlight breaking through the clouds as they walked around the thick woods.

Ward would’ve been perfectly happy to stay out there all night, but, unfortunately, duty called. But at least they’d been out there long enough for everybody to calm down. And yes, Ward had some fires he needed to put out.

“I guess we should be heading back, huh?”

“I was just thinking that,” Ward admitted.

“I imagine you have some things you need to handle, and I need to log in and see what emails and such I have waiting for me too.”

“We have a library in the castle, you know. It’s not used very often. That might be the perfect place to work if you don’t want to go to your room,” Ward said. “Would you like for me to show you where it’s located? Actually, I haven’t had a chance to give you the full tour.”

“That can wait. In fact, that could be our next date. How does that sound?”

“I’d enjoy showing you my home,” Ward said as they walked up the steps and entered the grand hall. “Still, though, do you want me to show you the library?”

“I bet I can find it. Besides, I imagine I need to have a conversation with Mika and Lance first,” Kayden said.

“Ah, yes. Because I blurted out that we’re mates.”

---