Page 38 of Wolf Reborn

We stood in silence for a moment before Rumir spoke. “I’m sorry about the other day. I hadn’t meant to upset you.”

“It’s okay," I told him, and he shook his head.

"It's not, but this has been a lot to process. I didn’t think I could ever have a fated mate. It’s the one thing I’ve always wanted, but for so long, it seemed impossible.”

“I’d always wanted one too,” I told him. “But when I was on Earth, I didn’t want to rush things. I thought I should enjoy my youth first. I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t go searching for my mate. After all, one of them is a god.”

He laughed as he held onto the railing. “I’m glad you didn’t, too. When others talk about the mate bond, nobody ever mentions how complicated it can be. And I don’t think we’d find one more complicated than ours."

"You’ve got that right."

He crossed his arms on the glass as well and leaned forward, his smile fading as he stared out at the brightly lit city. "Most people don’t like me. I’m sure you’ve been told that by now.”

“Maybe,” I answered. “Right now, all I know about you is what I’ve heard, and I’d like to change that. Some people have patience with things that irritate them, and others don’t. That doesn’t make you a bad person. But you really need to tone it down. You could have broken that guy's arm. I appreciate you wanting to protect me, Rumir. But don't forget that I can protect myself, as well.”

At his surprised look, I continued. “I’m an Enchanted, remember? If I wanted to, I could crawl into your mind and trap you there, paralyze you, let you see only what I want you to, or force you to hurt yourself. While I’m pretty good in a fight, I don’t have to lift a finger to kick your ass.”

He bent his head to look at me, and we stared at each other for a moment. I loved the way he smiled when he was relaxed.

“That’s kind of hot.”

“Oh, be quiet.” I blushed and he laughed, the sound echoing around us.

He took a deep breath. “I understand. But you need to know something, too. We all know that werewolves are protective of their mates. But dragons they’re even more primal.” He watched as a bolt of lightning danced across the sky in the distance, his eyes glowing. “I’m both a dragon and a god, and it triggers me to see anyone approach you who might represent even a remote threat. This isn’t just my personality, it’s my biological makeup. I can’t always help it.”

I moved my hair away from my face as I turned to him. “That sounds . . .”

“Hard to deal with, right?” he interjected, and I nodded. “It is for me and everyone around me.”

We stood in silence for a moment, and I suddenly realized that his primal nature would have played a large role in creating the jealousy he felt about Lucian’s relationship with the Goddess.

As if he’d read my mind, Rumir continued. “At first, I told myself that my mother had done this to be spiteful, that it was just another thing to prove she favors Lucian. But I'm not so pigheaded that I can't admit that's not true. He has to watch you be with me as well."

"I don't think any of us should worry about the Goddess’s reasons for now; not until she wakes up,” I said. And in the meantime, I had to figure out how to handle this situation. Rumir was my mate, but I didn’t want to latch myself to his side the way my wolf was telling me to. Like in my relationship with Lucian, I wanted to have some control. But I wanted this man as much as I wanted Lucian.

“I want to be with you both." I held my hand up as he started to argue. "I know this is hard for you and Lucian, but I can't help how I feel."

He neither blinked nor looked away, but I could see the battle being fought in his eyes. As he turned away, I took his arm.

"Like you said, Rumir, we have time. We don't need to rush anything. I know you and Lucian aren't going to become best friends anytime soon, but the only way we'll be able to do this is if you guys don't try to beat the hell out of each other every time you’re together."

He scratched his brow, looking uncertain.

I knew that me wanting to be with them both would make their lives difficult. But I wanted to make them both happy. They were my mates for a reason, and whatever that reason might be, I wanted to stick by them both.

Rumir, who’d always dreamt of having a fated mate, looked at me with a longing in his eyes, a yearning I always imagined I’d sense in my mate whenever I met him.

Lucian sometimes looked at me in the same way but never for long. He seemed to be holding back a part of himself, and I had no idea why.

My hand fell to my side, and I turned my back to the city. “What happened between you and Lucian?”

“I thought he’d tell you. Did you ask him?”

"I'm asking you," I replied. He appeared surprised at that. “I want to hear your side of the story.”

“Okay.” He took a breath. “My father and I don't get along, and we never have. So I grew up with my mother.” He shook his head. “The thing is, while my dad despises me because I'm not like him, my mother can barely look me in the eye. After all, I remind her of him."

“Did she tell you that?”

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