Page 87 of My Solemn Vow

“Yes, we are, but that doesn’t matter, Antonella.”

“What does matter?” she asks while walking the burnt pan to the sink to soak.

She nervously wanders to the fridge and then the cupboards before settling on a water glass and filling it up at the refrigerator.

The scent of burnt food clings to the air, and I want to take the whole pan out to the trash can. It’s not worth trying to salvage, but I can’t leave Antonella while she’s in shock like this.

“Did you mean what you said about keeping our secret?” When I ask that, she stiffens.

“Well, good to know you could understand me.” She sighs and sets the glass down.

We lock eyes, and hers are brimming with tears.

Cautiously, I step closer to her. She doesn’t smell like fear. She doesn’t look away or try to flee. Nothing speaks to the waterworks threatening to unleash.

“Talk to me?” I place my hand over hers on the counter,caging her in and yearning for more. Seeing her while in wolf form awakened something so deep and needy.

I fuckin’ told you she’s our mate. Did you listen? No. Now here we are. You finally see it.My wolf berates me.

And I shove him down deep inside because he can rub it in later, but I can’t comfort her later. It has to be now.

“Please.”

“I’m scared,” she tells me, her voice not wavering.

“No, you’re not.” I contradict her. “You’re in shock and handling it well. But there’s no fear. Outside, sure, little afraid. Not right now.”

I turn her to face me in time to see a tear escape, and I raise my hand quickly, wiping it away. She doesn’t recoil so I pull her into my arms. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

“I promise, your secret is safe with me,” she whispers, resting her head against my chest. “You don’t have to do anything to me. I promise, it’s safe with me.”

I squeeze her tight because those words come with a fear scent. I kiss the top of her head, and she molds against my body. My mate is afraid of me. That hurts deep in my soul. She shouldn’t be afraid of me.

“You’re safe with me.”

Antonella lets me hold her for a minute. Then, in an instant, she pushes out of my arms and narrows her gaze at me. “Kerrianne isn’t sick, is she?”

I scrub my hand down my face, trying to keep up with her. “No. She’s having a growth spurt, and her wolf is developing more. Luckily, it’s happening over winter break.”

“And you were letting me make soup and look silly when she wouldn’t be ill tomorrow?” Her stern words make me laugh.

“Kerrianne loves chicken noodle soup. She wouldn’t think you’re silly at all, not after I told her you thought she was sick.” I try to downplay my clear negligence on the subject.

Antonella mutters while going to the cupboard where we keep the frying pans, “This man will be the death of me.”

“I heard that.” I try to draw on some of the ease we’d found over the last week and a half. It hasn’t been perfect, but there’s been a peaceful vibe between us.

“All the better to hear you with, my dear,” she says in a mockingly deep, gruff voice and shrugs her shoulders before retrieving more vegetables.

I grab clean knives and cutting boards and ready myself to help. She lets me, not trying to tell me to stay out of her way but going about our normal every night deal of making food together.

She’s so fucking good for me. The wolf was right. Now to make her fall in love with me too.

My smooth chopping strokes stutter for a moment before I recover.

Love.

Shit. I really do love her.