hesitated for a moment as I digested her words.
“I...I don’t know what to say to that. I find it hard to believe I’m going to save shifters from extinction,” I said, my doubt apparent. Violet, despite her calling most of the legends brought over from Europe foolish, seemed to believe this one. I found that a bit odd.
“You will. You’re sons’ human wives will bear female shifters and so will their sons and so on. You can see why I wanted you to come here, to live amongst us. You’re important and you must be protected. You must find a mate and bear children so that our kind may not only survive but flourish,” she told me.
“I already have a mate,” I said. Violet smiled again but this time it seemed genuine if a bit self-satisfied.
“I suppose he told you the two of you were fated to be together, that you are his one and only mate,” Violet replied.
“Yeah, he did. So?” I wondered.
“Child, that’s utter rubbish. We are no more fated to mate with anyone than humans are. In the vernacular of young people, that’s a pick up line and it appears to have worked,” she said. That made me bristle a bit.
“That’s not true. I felt it. I know that Yeager is my mate,” I argued but Violet’s words were already working their way into my thoughts. I didn’t want to believe her but I remembered the way I felt when Yeager first told me. I didn’t believe it then but part of me wanted to.
“Of course, you felt it. A girl like you suddenly told by a good-looking, albeit rather uncivilized, man that she is his mate for life. It’s a romantic notion, a fairytale of sorts, and I suppose his bad boy demeanor didn’t hurt either. Young girls are so susceptible to that sort of thing. I don’t doubt Yeager is interested in you but I wonder what his motives really are,” Violet said. I recoiled at that.
“I’m not some naive schoolgirl. I love Yeager and he loves me. We are mates,” I assured Violet hotly. She flashed that familiar smile again.
“Of course, child,” she said and just then Agnes appeared at the door.
“Dinner is about to be served,” she announced.
“Excellent. We can discuss this later, child,” Violet told me and led me inside, her hand on my back again. Suddenly, I felt the possessiveness of that simple gesture. I realized it was a subtle display of dominance. I pulled away from her touch and let Violet walk ahead of me. She smiled that false smile again as we entered the dining room. The head of the table was empty, Violet’s spot I was sure. Agnes took her seat leaving me to sit at the opposite end of the table from Yeager and right next to Violet. Sophia was seated next to Yeager.
“I thought sitting like this might allow us all to get to know each other,” Lady Violet announced. Yeager subtly shrugged at me. Edie sat on the other side of Sophia and Agnes across from me. Phillip sat at the other end of table opposite Violet. The leader of Wolfsbane Ranch smiled at me as she sat. I reluctantly sat between her and Gerard. I felt as if I was purposely being separated from Yeager.
A moment later, two women dressed in traditional maid uniforms served Caesar salad. I barely noticed as Violet’s revelations swirled around inside my head. I was the fulfillment of a prophecy, the one to save what Violet referred to as “our kind.” But along with that was her claim that Yeager was not my one true mate. I couldn’t believe that. I felt it inside and had from the moment we met. But Violet had an answer for even that. She implied Yeager was simply taking advantage of a young, naive girl. I wasn’t so naive as to imagine all of that, was I?
As the meal finished, the evening wore on, Lady Violet all but ignored me. I tried to corner her but she always managed to slip away before I could pry anything from her. I found myself avoiding Yeager and Edie, partly
“I...I don’t know what to say to that. I find it hard to believe I’m going to save shifters from extinction,” I said, my doubt apparent. Violet, despite her calling most of the legends brought over from Europe foolish, seemed to believe this one. I found that a bit odd.
“You will. You’re sons’ human wives will bear female shifters and so will their sons and so on. You can see why I wanted you to come here, to live amongst us. You’re important and you must be protected. You must find a mate and bear children so that our kind may not only survive but flourish,” she told me.
“I already have a mate,” I said. Violet smiled again but this time it seemed genuine if a bit self-satisfied.
“I suppose he told you the two of you were fated to be together, that you are his one and only mate,” Violet replied.
“Yeah, he did. So?” I wondered.
“Child, that’s utter rubbish. We are no more fated to mate with anyone than humans are. In the vernacular of young people, that’s a pick up line and it appears to have worked,” she said. That made me bristle a bit.
“That’s not true. I felt it. I know that Yeager is my mate,” I argued but Violet’s words were already working their way into my thoughts. I didn’t want to believe her but I remembered the way I felt when Yeager first told me. I didn’t believe it then but part of me wanted to.
“Of course, you felt it. A girl like you suddenly told by a good-looking, albeit rather uncivilized, man that she is his mate for life. It’s a romantic notion, a fairytale of sorts, and I suppose his bad boy demeanor didn’t hurt either. Young girls are so susceptible to that sort of thing. I don’t doubt Yeager is interested in you but I wonder what his motives really are,” Violet said. I recoiled at that.
“I’m not some naive schoolgirl. I love Yeager and he loves me. We are mates,” I assured Violet hotly. She flashed that familiar smile again.
“Of course, child,” she said and just then Agnes appeared at the door.
“Dinner is about to be served,” she announced.
“Excellent. We can discuss this later, child,” Violet told me and led me inside, her hand on my back again. Suddenly, I felt the possessiveness of that simple gesture. I realized it was a subtle display of dominance. I pulled away from her touch and let Violet walk ahead of me. She smiled that false smile again as we entered the dining room. The head of the table was empty, Violet’s spot I was sure. Agnes took her seat leaving me to sit at the opposite end of the table from Yeager and right next to Violet. Sophia was seated next to Yeager.
“I thought sitting like this might allow us all to get to know each other,” Lady Violet announced. Yeager subtly shrugged at me. Edie sat on the other side of Sophia and Agnes across from me. Phillip sat at the other end of table opposite Violet. The leader of Wolfsbane Ranch smiled at me as she sat. I reluctantly sat between her and Gerard. I felt as if I was purposely being separated from Yeager.
A moment later, two women dressed in traditional maid uniforms served Caesar salad. I barely noticed as Violet’s revelations swirled around inside my head. I was the fulfillment of a prophecy, the one to save what Violet referred to as “our kind.” But along with that was her claim that Yeager was not my one true mate. I couldn’t believe that. I felt it inside and had from the moment we met. But Violet had an answer for even that. She implied Yeager was simply taking advantage of a young, naive girl. I wasn’t so naive as to imagine all of that, was I?
As the meal finished, the evening wore on, Lady Violet all but ignored me. I tried to corner her but she always managed to slip away before I could pry anything from her. I found myself avoiding Yeager and Edie, partly
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