“Ariel,” Jackson breathes, turning towards me with his eyes wide. “It’s hypothetical – I don’t think – I never –“My body’s temperature begins to increase exponentially as I just stare at my mate, my wolf whimpering and snarling in me at turns as I turn the idea over in my mind, unable to turn away
“We talked about this too,” mom says, still looking at me anxiously and clearly wanting to check that I’m all right even as she responds to Rafe. I do my best to give her a steady nod, still holding Jackson’s hand tight in mine. “We think that…the God of Darkness, in possessing Alvez’s body, was…put
“Okay, so, ground rules are clear?” mom says, arms crossed, looking around at us. Fifteen minutes have passed and while we’re all equally freaked out, we’re much calmer and more ready to…call upon a Goddess, apparently.Quietly, we all just nod, staring at mom, I think all kind of wondering if this
“Sorry,” he says, I think working hard to be polite and not knowing precisely what level to strike. “But, um…what did you mean when you said that?” He points now towards Tony and Jackson. “When you said they…weren’t yours?”“Oh, look at you, little godling,” the Goddess says, moving across the room
“What do you mean?” the Goddess asks, grinning at Jesse, clearly a little entertained and looking around the room as if she’s going to see Jesse’s mate hiding in a corner or something. “Of course you’ve met your mate – that’s how it works! My magical gifts can’t develop until your mate comes along t
“It is clear, little daughter, that you and your mates do not understand. So I will say this once to ensure that I am perfectly clear: I did not give you these mates simply because it pleased me to grace you with abundance. I did it because it was necessary to your gift – and because your gift is ne
The Goddess beams at my question. “You really like this one, don’t you?” She nods her head to the side to indicate Jackson, still frozen next to me.I raise my chin, my teeth clenched, not bothering to answer. Because I’m sure she can see it, read it in every line of me – that Jackson is the most pr
“Nope,” Tony says instantly, staring at her warily, holding his hands up as if to protest his innocence. “I’m…good.”The Goddess laughs then, the sound somewhere between the tinkling of bells and the soft shush of ocean waves. “My boy likes a mystery, then.”“Your boy?” Tony asks, shocked. “But I th