Page 52 of Fated to the Wolf Billionaire

Brielle nodded and smiled down at me. “That’s excellent. I still think you should rest for a bit and let one of us pack for you. If you still want to go?”

“Yes.” I said at the exact same time Reed said, “Absolutely not.”

“Reed, be reasonable.”

He shook his head. “No, Fiona. You should stay here, where you’re safe. I can go with Gael and Leigh, and you can stay here with Brielle. If you have a seizure while we’re gone?—”

“Reed!” I snapped, unable to take another second of his patronizing. “I’m an adult. A capable, independent woman. Yes, I have a seizure disorder. But that’s something I’ve learned to live with. If you think you’re going to keep me safely locked up while you go off and live a full life, then you’re going to find me gone when you come back. I’m not going to accept a partner who can’t see me as an equal. So, it’s up to you. I come with you, as planned, or this is over.”

My voice shook as I threw down the ultimatum, but I meant every word. I was starting to develop feelings for Reed—real, strong feelings. But I couldn’t be with a man who saw me as broken. It would kill me, piece by piece.

Better to end it than to live with someone who thought I could only have half a life.

“Fiona, no, I…” He cleared his throat, then shot a look at Brielle.

“I’ll give you two a few minutes. If you need me, I’ll be in our room.” She smiled tightly, then left.

“I’m not trying to lock you up. I’m trying toprotectyou. You’re my entire world, and we don’t know what Cysernaphus is going to want. It could be dangerous. If you got hurt trying to helpmypack, I’d never forgive myself. Please tell me you understand.”

“I understand that you think I’m a liability, not strong enough to stand at your side aswehelpourpack.”

“Never.Never, I swear it.”

There was so much sincerity in his eyes, it smoothed some of my ruffled feathers. “So why do you want to leave me behind?”

“I don’t want to leave you behind. I want you to be safe. The idea of something happening to you?” He stopped and tugged at his collar, leaving it uncharacteristically askew. “I would abandon the mission in a heartbeat if you needed me.Me. I’d be the liability because there is nothing I’d prioritize above you. Not even for my Alpha or my best friends.”

My heart faltered in my chest, skipping a beat at his confession. Where a moment ago, I’d been hurt and furious at his dismissal of me, now I understood. Now I wanted to kiss him.

“Reed, you beautiful idiot. Are you going to be a hundred percent safe? Can you guarantee me that?”

“Well, not a hundred percent guarantee, but reasonably safe. I’m a good fighter but an even better negotiator, so I rarely have to fight.” He shrugged, not bragging, simply stating a fact.

I nodded. “So, I should accept that you’re capable, and even if there is some danger from whatever the dwarf king asks for, you’ll be able to handle it the way you handle every other obstacle in life and come back to me?”

“Yes, exactly.”

I stared at him, waiting for him to get it. It was like a lightbulb clicked on, realization dawning over him.

“You’re telling me you’re also a fully capable adult who knows how to handle her disease and doesn’t need me to babysit her, huh?”

“Bingo, hot stuff.”

He snorted, then came around to sit on the edge of the bed. There were, indeed, finger-shaped indents in the bedframe from his grip. But when those same fingers laced themselves with mine, they were only gentle.

“I don’t let seizures rule my life. I take precautions, I follow doctor’s orders, take my medication like it’s my religion, and then I go live my life. Everybody has something. This is my thing to deal with, and I know how to take care of myself.”

“I’m sorry. I know you’re more than capable. This mate bond… I knew it would be intense, but knowing something intellectually and experiencing it firsthand are entirely different beasts.”

“I forgive you. Now, how much time do we have before that fancy jet I heard you ordering gets here?”

He checked his watch, which looked like it cost more than my car back home and hadHublotdaintily inscribed on the face. “Less than an hour, now.”

“Excellent.” Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I kissed him on the cheek and grabbed the magical book from his desk. “Can you get my toiletry bag from the bathroom? I can’t exactly go see the dwarf king with dandruff.”

TWENTY-SEVEN

Reed

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