Page 33 of My Broken Mate (Healing Bonds #1)

“I am so sorry,” I blurt out. “I was just so frustrated and said so many mean things, and I didn’t even mean them.”

“You were right, though. I was an ass, and the worst part is I didn’t even notice. Kata, I can’t even remember that we talked that evening. I am the one who needs to apologize. You were nothing but kind to me, and I wasn’t even able to treat you with the respect you deserve.”

My thoughts return to the evening, and I remember how pale Remy looked. “You weren’t feeling well, were you?”

“That’s no excuse.”

“Of course it is!” I exclaim. “Who are you trying to impress? It doesn’t make you weak if you show those you love when you feel upset or are in pain.”

“Those I love, huh?”

“Like your brothers,” I point out. “And…” Goddess, I feel my face flushing in embarrassment. Goodbye, dignity. “And I am here, too.”

“What is it with you?” he mutters, repeating his earlier words.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just… something about you is so intriguing, so alluring. I felt it when I saw you for the first time, although I tried my very best to ignore it. And then each time I saw you, the feeling got stronger. I didn’t want to get close to you in any way, but I can’t help it.”

My heart makes a jump for joy. This is not exactly the type of confession I was hoping for, but coming from Remy, the most closed-off person in the universe, this certainly means something! It’s more than I ever expected to hear from him. “Then, don’t fight it,” I say.

Joel would be proud of my cheesy line. I know it is, but I can’t help it. I just felt like saying it.

“Kata,” Remy says quietly, and I am scared he will shoot me down now. Maybe his previous confession, or whatever it was, was meant in a completely different way, and I just made myself look like an idiot. Wouldn’t be anything new at least.

“Don’t you want to wait for your mate?” Remy asks me quietly.

I stare at him in utter surprise. I don’t know what I expected him to say, but certainly not this! Millions of thoughts run through my mind. So, it’s true. His issue wasn’t me being his mate; it lies somewhere else. But this means… “You weren’t ignoring me on purpose?” I say.

“Huh?”

“You really don’t know?”

He looks at me, mirroring my confused expression. Not sure how else to react, I decide to take his hand, entwining our fingers. I am too far gone anyway. We kissed, and I calmed him during his panic attack. I can hold his hand now and stop pretending this bond doesn’t exist.

Light tingles erupt from our touch, making my eyes widen. Tingles! Again! And I could swear Remy’s scent got more distinctive again. Marise is stirring in my mind, clearly feeling her mate now.

Remy pulls his hand away as if he got burned. I feel my heart ache. Does he not want me as his mate? Or does he not like my touch? “I am sorry,” I say.

“Why are you apologizing?” he asks, still sounding confused. “I felt tingles,” he continues, before I can even answer. He keeps eyeing his hand in shock. “I think I also felt them when we kissed, but I wasn’t sure. Now, however, it’s obvious, I just felt…”

I don’t know what to make of his words, but at least it doesn’t seem like he wants to reject me.

To my shock, Remy drops to his knees, his body shivering. “I feel tingles! He is not dead, he exists, he is there, somewhere!”

I kneel next to him. “What are you talking about?” I ask softly.

“Can I touch you again?” he asks me hopefully.

“Of course!”

Touch me where and how you want! Obviously, I don’t say that part out loud. Remy takes my hand, light tingles erupting from his touch, before he starts laughing hysterically. “He is not dead!”

“Remy—”

“My wolf,” he blurts out. “He exists! I have a mate.” He looks at me, as little tingles shoot through us again. “By the goddess, you are my mate!”

Hearing him mention his wolf is like a puzzle piece that was missing.

Both Marise and I are stunned, before understanding settles in.

That’s why we couldn’t feel the mate bond strongly, that’s why sometimes he smells like our mate and sometimes he doesn’t.

“Does that mean…” I hesitate, unsure how to continue.

“Yes, your mate can’t connect to his wolf. He can’t even shift or rely on his healing abilities,” Remy says bitterly. “Some freak you got here, huh?”

“You are not a freak! I couldn’t care less. We can learn how to connect to your wolf together; we will find a way. Goddess, you are not going to reject me, are you?” I exclaim. “I thought you would, and that’s why you—” I laugh, because when I am anxious, it’s all I can do.

Remy reaches out his free hand to touch my cheek, his thumb brushing over my skin. “I could never reject you,” he says.

My heart makes a jump, and then another one, and another. “I have found my mate,” I say, as it finally settles in. I found him, and he didn’t reject me. He wants me, too!

“I still don’t understand how this works, and how we are going to move past my wolf being in hibernation,” Remy says. “But if you are willing to stick with me—”

“Of course I am.”

Remy stares at me like he can’t believe my words. “Are you sure? I told you—”

“Yes, I heard you. And I don’t give a fuck. I want you !” I blurt out. “How much more do you want me to embarrass myself?”

“I am sorry,” Remy says, his tone gentle. I didn’t know he could sound like that. “Truth is, I’ve had a crush on you ever since I met you for the first time, maybe even when you wrote me the first message.”

“When I asked you about which dress to wear?”

“Yes,” he smiles, and it strikes me how beautiful his smile is. “No one has ever approached me the way you did. With so much open honesty and kindness.”

I groan. “I could have told you earlier, I am so stupid.”

“You knew we were mates?”

“I didn’t always feel it with the same strength,” I admit. “But honestly, I probably was in denial because I thought, well…” I break off. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“It doesn’t,” he agrees.

“Just so you know, I haven’t told anyone,” I say. “Just Ayden. He was too perceptive.”

“Yes, he strikes me like the type of person to see through others,” Remy agrees. “I am glad no one knows,” he admits. “Not because I want to hide you away, but because I won’t have anyone fuss over me like crazy.”

“They are driving you insane, huh?” I ask, finally comprehending why Gabriel and Alpha Sean were so eager to make Remy go out and find friends, and why they even set him up as my tutor.

They were worried about him. “I get it,” I say quietly.

“They mean well and keep fussing over you, but it just makes you feel worse.”

He looks at me, surprised. “And again, I am in awe of how perceptive you are,” he says.

His words make my heart take another leap for joy. “Let’s keep it to us for now and figure things out. We can just make it seem like we are hanging out or dating loosely,” I offer. “Unless you start dating someone else, then I will tell the world and have Joel hunt you down.”

“I would never dream of it,” he promises.

“And now? What are we going to do?” I ask.

“How about we return to the concert? You planned this evening, and I think we can have some more fun.”

We get up from the ground, still holding hands. “You don’t want to cut the evening short?” I ask hopefully.

“I am not feeling exhausted anymore,” he says.

“Then let’s enjoy the remainder of the night,” I say.

Before I can move, Remy pulls me back, my gaze meeting his for a moment.

He doesn’t need to say anything, it just comes instinctively.

I wrap my arms around his neck, while he grips me by my waist. He claims my lips without hesitating, his kiss is soft at first, before turning more heated.

I willingly open my mouth, allowing him to dominate me, because it feels freaking awesome the way he claims me.

He pushes me against the wall, making me cling to him even more.

I could swear there are more tingles erupting from his touches, leaving no doubt about how real this is.