Chapter 40 Liza #2
Between mouthfuls, we engaged in lighthearted banter, our laughter mingling with the clinks of our cutlery against our plates. We avoided all talk of Sylas or anything remotely related to Castro, which was refreshing. My brain needed a break from all that anxiety.
For the first time in a while, I was content sitting in my little house, eating a home-cooked meal I hadn’t made.
Beneath all the glowing, happy thoughts of Ty and his masterful cooking, a question tugged at my mind. It didn’t take a genius or a psychic to see Ty was struggling with something, and I sensed that there was more he wished to share.
He’d kept up his end of our conversation and had smiled and laughed at all the appropriate times, but his eyes were dark and brooding. There was something he wasn’t talking about, and that scared me.
With a gentle sigh and a deep desire to help him work through it, I mustered the courage to address the unspoken tension. “Ty, is something bothering you? Did something happen during your meeting with your dad?”
He lifted his gaze to meet mine, a small crease forming between his brow as his mouth twisted from side to side. I could see he was struggling internally and deliberating over his words. “There is something I want to talk to you about.”
There was always something. I swallowed back another sigh. Why couldn’t we just have one carefree evening without something heavy coming up?
My anxiety reared its ugly head, and I crossed my arms, waiting for whatever it was. That burst of adrenaline was a bitch, and it hit every time my flight-or-fight response kicked in, which had been happening more often than I’d liked.
Ty’s voice was deeper with a hint of unease. “Dad thinks we should move forward with claiming each other—with our mating ceremony.”
A mixture of curiosity and apprehension swirled inside of me.
I knew the significance of a fated mate bond, the intertwining of destinies that would tie us together for eternity.
Yet, I couldn’t shake the reservations clouding my mind.
The thought of a forced union, driven by duty rather than love, troubled me.
I ran my tongue over my teeth, keeping my tone cautious as I spoke.
“Ty, you know I care for you deeply, but there’s a lot at stake here.
Fated mates share a bond that goes beyond mere love.
If something were to happen to one of us, we would both be lost. It’s not like a normal chosen mate.
It goes way deeper than that. We’d literally die together.
” I had no reason to believe that the rush wouldn’t be worth the reward, but we hadn’t even confessed our love to each other yet.
Yes, we were fated mates, so I had no doubt that the love would eventually come, but I didn’t want to be claimed when we weren’t even in love with each other. We’d be linking our actual lives together, so there was a lot to lose. “Is it worth the risk?”
My words hung in the air, the silence echoing our shared contemplation.
I sought clarity, a glimpse into his true motivations. “Do you want to mate with me because it’s expected or because you’re truly ready? I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I’m ready for all of this.” There was so much pressure.
Ty’s hesitation spoke volumes, and my heart ached.
I wasn’t angry or resentful. Claiming each other was a decision that couldn’t be taken lightly.
I understood the burden he carried, being the next in line to lead our pack.
Sacrifices were sometimes necessary for the greater good.
Not that I thought mating with him would be a sacrifice, but I couldn’t ignore the nagging doubts that gnawed at my heart.
He sat back and crossed his arms, lost in his thoughts.
I rushed to explain myself better. “I completely understand that as the alpha’s mate, I’ll be required to make sacrifices for the sake of the pack, but I can’t mate with you simply for the sake of pleasing others.
Not when our lives are at stake. Things are dangerous right now.
Castro is after me, and I wouldn’t put it past him to hurt you in order to hurt me, purely out of jealousy. ”
Ty sighed, but he didn’t respond. He didn’t look at me, either.
My goal wasn’t to hurt his feelings or make him feel unwanted, but a fated pairing was an extremely sacred entity. When the claiming happened, it was meant to be special. I didn’t want any doubts between us, didn’t want anyone to say we’d only claimed each other because we were forced into it.
“I don’t see what the rush is, anyway. We’ve got all the time in the world. Why force the issue when we have a much bigger issue on our hands.”
Ty leaned forward, a look of defeat in his eyes. “You’re right. I understand everything you’re saying.”
Even though his words were meant to convince me of his agreement, his look of disappointment told the truth. He’d been hoping for a different response, and I felt a twinge of guilt.
As the night moved on, the tension between us was palpable. Everything felt awkward. I tried to lighten the mood, to sweep away the heaviness that settled over us, but Ty remained lost in his thoughts, distant and distracted.
I flipped on the TV, found a romantic comedy, and patted the spot next to me. “Join me?”
He gave a slight shake of his head. “I have a lot of work waiting for me.” He flashed a half-smile. “I’ll just get my laptop and get to it.”
I nodded. I wasn’t buying it, but I wasn’t really in the mood to call him out on it, either. “Okay.” Swallowing, I excused myself to take a shower, hoping the steam and solitude would offer some sort of clarity.
Under the cascading water, my mind wandered through a maze of fear and doubt.
It wasn’t just the fated bond that troubled me but the shadow that loomed over our lives.
Castro’s relentless pursuit of me, his capacity for cruelty, and the danger he posed to us were ever-present in my thoughts.
The last thing I wanted was to intertwine our lives into a forced mating, potentially exposing Ty to an even greater risk.
On the other hand, if I wasn’t mated to Ty, I would be unprotected if word got out that I was an omega. Was that a good enough reason to jump into a mating where love didn’t exist?
Perhaps all royals joined in unions where love wasn’t a factor. Surely it wasn’t all just for gain. Was Dominic and Persephone’s union a huge production and a facade?
I shook my head. No way was that the case.
As I emerged from the shower, the lingering veil of uncertainty clung to my skin like the steam clung to the bathroom mirror.
I searched the house for Ty, but he wasn’t anywhere.
I could still sense him, though, so I figured he was sitting on the porch or by the firepit in the backyard.
He carried so much weight as the next alpha, and I chastised myself for putting him in a foul mood.
It was my life, too, though, and I had to consider every decision that affected it carefully.
Climbing into bed, I yearned for Ty’s presence by my side and hoped for a resolution, or, at the very least, a moment of shared comfort so I could fall asleep peacefully.
I made sure my alarms were set and double-checked my calendar for the next day.
Just as I was about to power down my phone, a chime interrupted the calm of the room.
My heart skipped a beat as I read the message from an unknown number, my blood turning cold.
Looks like your boy toy and his weak excuse of an alpha are trying to find me.
It’s almost comical. But I like a good game of hide-and-seek.
So, how about this? I’ll leave them some clues as to where to find me.
Let’s see how smart they really are. I must admit, my love, I don’t think they’ll be able to crack it.
And what a shame it would be for them to fail.
Their own ignorance will be their downfall.
And once the empire has crumbled, I’ll return for you, and we’ll show them what an empire is meant to look like.
The words cut through me, their malicious intent leaving me chilled to the bone. Castro’s twisted taunt, as well as his knowledge of Ty and his father’s search for him was all too much to process.
I sat up, my body zinging with fear as a million questions raged through my mind. How did he know? What was he planning?
The sense of impending danger loomed larger than ever, reminding me that our lives hung in the balance.
That Castro had the upper hand.