Page 33 of Anaki

Abuela’s eyes warmed with unshed tears. “And she did. She promised me so. She gave me a vision of their future pairings. A wolf and a dragon.” She shook her head in disbelief. “Took me a while to accept it. Your dragon is beautiful, by the way.” She smiled and looked out over the forest.

I wiped a hand down my face. “I still don’t—”

“You don’t have to know everything. You don’t have to know my history; how I came to know shifters, packs. I know Elysian is real. Just know that I know. The goddess promised my granddaughters soulmates, even before I asked. Their souls were destined to be yours and Locke’s in repayment for what has happened to both of you. This entire club—they will get their repayment in this life or the next.” She stood up and walked toward me.

If I could have backed away from her, I would. If she knew so much, did she know of my past? Did she know every detail?

A smile played across her lips. “And you think she would care what happened to you?”

Fuck!

I turned away from her, and my chest rose and fell rapidly.

“She won’t care. You don’t know her yet, but she won’t. Because you both share pain, you will heal each other. You just need to make the first move.”

My dragon purred in my chest. His soothing vibrations calmed me despite the anxiety thrumming through my body. I gripped hold of the post, and my head rested on the wood. I took in a deep breath, smelling the flowers.

“And what about Luis? You said that he will get a mate, too?” She was at the railing, looking out over the trees, a sad look on her face.

“He will, in time. His future is still uncertain. The right pieces have to fall into place. I will be gone and won’t be a part of seeing it through.”

I shook my head. “You are a vibrant woman, I don’t see you passing anytime soon.”

She hummed appreciatively. “My time is short. It is time to pay the price for using so much magic. As long as the people I love are cared for, I will gladly go into the stars with a willful heart.”

With that, I heard her footsteps fall away from me. She opened, then closed, the door with a light click. I could hear Luis’s sounds of amazement through the door.

A purple light exploded on the inside. I stepped to the window and saw Elena, who sat in a chair. She was holding her cane again, a strained smile on her face.

While Abuela’s words hung heavy, my mate was at the forefront of my mind.

Was she hurting because I wasn’t there?

My dragon reared up his head, his claws scraped inside me to pay attention.

How dare you not try harder?he thought.

I put my forehead against the glass.

Why was dealing with a mate so much harder than dealing with my friends? I couldn’t control my emotions around her.

It hurt too much when she rejected me, and now I must face the fact that I needed to step up first. I needed to force my hand. Show her that I would not go anywhere.

My dragon’s deep chuckle reverberated inside me. While he never spoke to me before, I could understand his intentions and wants.

A playful thought came to mind.

If Abuela was right, and Elena wanted me as much as I wanted her, I could put her to the test. If she resembled her sister, and someone provoked her, she would take the bait.

Was the plan slightly evil?Yes.

Would it pull her out of her shell? Most definitely.

I rolled my lips together and chuckled. This would be a night I would tell our little fledglings of... one day.

Chapter Eleven

Elena