Page 4 of Sealed With A Kiss
Stacey and I always agreed to teach our children how to use their powers instead of stripping them of their energies and leaving the children defenseless. I swore not to leave our child unable to defend herself like my late mate had been when her uncles took advantage of her. It kills me that they hid it so well for so long and that I didn’t discover their despicable practicesuntil years after I mated her and saved her from her own personal hell. If I had known the secrets she hid when we were teenagers, I would have helped her escape their clutches earlier. Unfortunately the uncles had spelled her to secrecy.
“You may not need a full one. Let me speak with the coven and Hendrix. We may be able to place a dampener on it so that she doesn’t lose her powers completely and can still access her full strength in times of danger to protect herself, but she won’t be able to cause harm to herself or innocents.”
As we were speaking, a sweet and tantalizing scent of toasted marshmallows and chocolate met my senses, and my whole body came to life. I closed my eyes and savored the moment, wondering who had made these magical s’mores and did they have enough to share with me.
Knock. Knock.
“Hi, Rayne. Are you ready for our meeting? I went over the documents you gave me and feel confident I can assist in this project.”
My dick hardened at the sound of the voice, and my eyes popped open to take in the sight of the most amazing man I had ever seen, walking in through the open door of Rayne’s office. Tousled dirty-blond hair. Wide and bright cerulean eyes framed by dark and lush lashes. A light sprinkling of facial scruff that I instantly yearned to feel against the inside of my thigh. At that moment, I knew that I would never see anyone more incredible. I was staring at the realization of Xavier’s vision. I was in the presence of the one person fate had created to be mine. Emotion overwhelmed me. Excitement, joy, and longing were strong but were battling the other swarm of feelings I couldn’t deny—sadness, anger, guilt.
I wasn’t supposed to find a fated mate. I was supposed to be with Stacey. My traitorous dick and fate could take their plans and shove them deep into a cavern of darkness.
Jumping to my feet, I ran out the door and into the hallway. I knew Willow would be safe with her uncle, but I needed to get out of there. I needed to escape the smell of that man. I needed to avoid my energy reaching out and searching for him, yearning to connect and build a more concrete bond. I needed to be alone and remember my wife.
The one who sacrificed everything for our love.
I’m so sorry Stacey. It should be you.
4
Milo Mikolov
“What was that about?” I stared after the handsome alpha who scented as my mate. I was torn between my desire to chase after the deliciously handsome man fate had deemed mine and a knowledge that I needed to give him space. I didn’t know the man; besides the surface facts, he had hair the color of dark chocolate, eyes just as deep brown, and a scent that made me want to gorge myself on brownies. I heard in the whispers of my soul guides that the man who just fled needed space and time to himself for whatever was happening inside his mind and heart. That didn’t stop my worry for him from rising. “Do you think he’s okay?”
“I hope so.” Rayne’s brow furrowed and he handed me the small child that my mate had left behind in his haste to leave. “Let me call my husband, Zander. He is Nikolai’s brother and can hopefully check on him and find out when he plans to return. He has to since he forgot his daughter.”
“Don’t worry, sweet baby.” I took the girl from Rayne so he could use his phone. “We will get your daddy back here.”
“Paaaa.” Willow reached out, grasping my finger and squeezing as she flashed a gummy grin. “Paapaapaapaa.”
“I know, sweetie. We will get your papa back soon.”
“That’s strange.” Rayne disconnected his call and shoved his phone back into his pocket. “Willow usually calls Nikolai ‘Dada’ not ‘Pa.’”
“Maybe she’s trying a new word in her growing vocabulary? Something tells me this little girl is going to grow up smart and strong.” I could sense the energy bubbling just under her skin. For someone so young, she held a great deal of power.
“She will. We sometimes worry that she has a bit too much magic for her age.”
As if to punctuate Rayne’s claims, a bottle that Nikolai had left sitting on the desk rose from the dark wood and levitated to the bright-eyed child. Willow giggled as she grabbed her bottle out of the air.
“I guess she was hungry.” Amazed by the little girl, I just stood there and held her as she drank. “That is incredible.”
“It truly is. But the coven has been worried that the power she holds is too much for someone so young. We just aren’t sure if a binding is needed or if we can find another way.” Rayne glanced at Willow and winked. “And don’t fret, little one. Uncle Zander said he had already found your daddy and will bring him back here in a short while. For now, you can hang out with Uncle Rayne and our friend Milo.”
Willow popped the bottle out of her mouth and shook her head. “Papa.”
“Your daddy will be here soon.” I kissed her gently on the forehead. I usually didn’t do that to children I didn’t know, but I could feel a bond between us and knew it would be okay for me to show such affection. “I have you until then.”
Willow lay her head on my chest and closed her deep-blue eyes.
“Let’s sit down over here while we wait. We can continue our conversation about the training program.” Rayne gestured to the teal couch that sat in the corner of his office.
“Can you tell me anything about Nikolai?” I knew I should focus on the job I was here to do, but knowing he was my mate, I wanted to know more about him and what may have caused his reaction to meeting me.
Rayne stared at me for a moment. “He’s your mate, isn’t he? I can’t think of any other reason he would run than if he was confronted by his fated mate.”
“He is.” I nodded and couldn’t control the laughter that bubbled out of me. “I never expected that sort of reaction from my mate when I finally found him.”
