Page 55

There’s no world where I can live without her, and while this one might not be perfect, it’s what we’ve got and what I can give her.

I move on autopilot. I’ve been in this room so often, not only when Serena was here, but once she was gone as well.

There was a time after my father sent her away when I refused to leave.

Everything felt too big, too lonely without her.

I’d slept here, clinging to the memory of her as I tried to understand why my father would send her away when he knew she was my mate.

I didn’t talk to anyone for weeks, hardly ate, and couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was the way she looked at me that day. Heard the way her words shook in fear while I worried I wouldn’t make it to her in time.

The day her scent finally disappeared, I lost it.

I went back to my room finally, and I destroyed it.

Mother cried. She and Father were already fighting, but I made it worse. Through it all, my father stuck to his choice. He really believed he did what was best for Serena and everyone, and while it might have torn me apart back then, I know he made the right decision now.

Serena not only stands a chance now, but she has other mates she never would have found if not for the way things happened. I’d love to believe that she didn’t need them, that she would have been all mine had she stayed, but I don’t think that’s true anymore.

As much as it pains me, I’m pretty sure she has another mate in this realm, too.

The idea makes me groan in annoyance, but it’s fine. The longer he’s around, the more I think Mother might have been right with all her talk of circumstances.

Doesn’t mean I have to like him, but I can tolerate him… most of the time, at least.

“Why are we here?” Serena’s voice is low, a whisper that is easy to hear in the small room of her past.

Her lips pull down in a slight frown as she moves to the dresser, looking at the knickknacks that still line the top even after all these years.

She’d been in here for a moment when she first arrived, but as far as I’m aware, she stays away, almost as if she’s avoiding it.

“I came up here the other day after our argument, and again after talking to my mom about everything, and she set me straight,” I tell her, earning a weird look, and honestly, I probably deserve it.

She’s back now, so why come here, especially when we were fighting?

It took me a while to understand, too.

“When you were gone, I used to come up here. I slept here, refusing to leave. I’d cry myself to sleep missing you. Your absence was like a hole in my chest. The bond caused a physical ache, and some days I thought dying might have been less painful, easier.”

It sounds pathetic saying it out loud. At first, when she came home again, I never intended to tell her. She didn’t need to know how weak I was, and I wasn’t trying to guilt her. She didn’t have a choice any more than I had.

Serena turns to face me, and I see the sadness in her eyes, the guilt, and I know I need to keep going. I need to get to the point.

“When your scent finally disappeared, I kinda went off the deep end. I lost it. I didn’t know how to live without you, Serena.

You’re my mate, but you’ve always been more than that.

You were my best friend. One of the few people who looked at me and saw a person, a child, and a friend instead of a prince.

” My chest heaves, and I realize I sound almost hysterical.

Fuck, this isn’t what I was planning; this isn’t how I wanted this to go.

I’m messing up again. I run a hand through my hair, pulling it in an attempt to ground myself.

Why is this so hard?

“Hey.”

I crack an eye open, not even realizing I’d closed them, to find Serena right here, so close. All I want is to hold her, but I need to make sure she really understands first.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” She frowns, and I see the emotions swirl in her eyes before she looks down, her hand reaching for mine, intertwining our fingers together.

“I don’t know how that feels, and I’m sorry you had to go through it alone, but I’m not going anywhere again, Garrett.

I’ll be here. No matter how much we fight or argue, I’m not leaving.

Life isn’t all rainbows and love, it’s hard.

” Her voice cracks, and I see the tears as they gather in her eyes even as she tries to blink them away.

My throat feels thick as I fight my own sadness that threatens to choke me before I can say what I need to.

“It is hard.” I nod, reaching up to wipe away the tear that rolls down her cheek, offering her a smile even if it is sad. I want her to know she’s okay; whatever she needs, I’m here.

Always.

“It’s not fair, and it’s not promised. I realized that when you were gone and I made a promise to myself that I would find you and I’d never let you go again…” I trail off, hooking a finger under her chin to force her gaze back to mine.

I need her to understand.

“I’m sorry.” I let all of my emotions bleed into those two words, hoping she sees just how much I truly mean them.

Her eyes search mine and she opens her mouth to say something, but I shake my head, needing to finish.

“I love you, Serena, with every piece of me. My soul is yours, my heart, hell, even my beast. I went out looking for that little girl that was taken from me, but that’s not who you are anymore.

The need to protect you is written on my soul, and while I can’t stop that, I do promise to trust you more, to be by your side should you need me.

That we will face everything together, whether it be Ryker, Draven, or whatever else the gods throw at us next.

I promise to stand by your side for it, good, bad, and annoying other mates.

I don’t care.” A smile curves her lips; it’s small but real, and my heart flutters, knowing I get her for the rest of my life.

“You were right. I was wrong. I might not like him, but I don’t think Ryker would have chosen this path had he been raised by anyone else and it’s impossible to deny his lessons are helping you in a way I only ever wish I could. ”

Serena’s eyes light up, and I quickly hold my hands up before she can get ahead of herself.

“That doesn’t mean I like him or trust him!” I tell her, but she only rolls her eyes. “I just don’t think he’s as monstrous as I thought he was—” Pressing her lips to mine, she cuts off my rambling, and yeah, that’ll do it.

Her lips are soft, and she tastes like home. My beast grows restless, pressing to the surface as he pushes me to mate her, to make her ours.

She’s already ours!

I growl back at him, annoyed that he’s acting as if our mate bond is nothing.

She needs to be ours completely!

Stupid greedy wyvern…

Though I can’t say I hate the idea, I also don’t want to push her; we have forever.

Our kiss starts slow and gentle, but quickly becomes more. Unable to resist, I run my tongue along her bottom lip, curious if she’d grant me access or not.

She does. Her mouth falls open, her tongue darting out to meet mine so quickly the taste of her explodes in my mouth, and I can’t bite back the happy rumble of my wyvern.

Serena is going to be the death of me, and what a way to go.

Pressing up on her tiptoes, she throws her arms around my neck as her tongue plays with my lip ring before tugging on it with her teeth.

The rumble in my chest quickly turns into a growl as I scoop her up into my arms, my fingers biting into the soft skin of her thighs right under that plush ass, and I can’t resist the urge to feel her.

I’ve been mated to Serena for years, since we were children.

At first we were friends, but as we got older, the feelings changed.

It started as a crush and eventually turned into other feelings I didn’t understand until after she was gone.

Seeing her again on Earth, grown and so fucking beautiful, it was like someone grabbed hold of my heart and squeezed.

I’ve craved her in every way I can have her, my beast pressing me to seal our bond in the most primal way.

But I knew she needed time. I was a stranger, and then we were at odds.

It was never the right time, and it still might not be with everything going on lately.

But I’m not a strong man when it comes to Serena.

She owns me, and if this is what she wants, if she wants me…

Serena reaches down, gripping the bottom of my shirt, her nails scraping against my stomach in her haste to pull my shirt over my head, and I hiss as the feeling goes right to my already throbbing cock.

Tossing my shirt over her shoulder, she slams her lips back to mine hard enough that I know hers will be red and bruised after this.

That shouldn’t excite me the way it does, but I can’t deny I love the idea of her walking around like that, knowing it is from her time with me.

My beast loves the idea as well, which is strange, seeing as I don’t think wyverns mark their mates.

Shifting her in my arms, I trail my fingers up her back. I can’t stop the smile that pulls at my lips as I feel her shiver, her lips slowing as her breath catches when my hand tangles in her hair. She comes easily as I use my hold on her to pull her back so that I can look into her eyes.

“Calm down, my love, we have the rest of our lives,” I tell her, trying to calm the raging beast inside of me as well. Looking down at her, I see the lust as it swirls in those beautiful blue eyes, and it’s intoxicating to have her look at me like that. Like she craves me as much as I crave her.

This time, it’s Serena’s growl that fills the air, making my beast still for the first time in a long time.

My wyvern is an alpha asshole, dominant and demanding; he doesn’t do well with others trying to be in charge.

Which might have been part of the reason Lyle and I didn’t get along, but right now he’s happy to listen, to fold to Serena’s will.