Chapter 27
It was like staring at a fragile butterfly, her wings broken from trying to escape the storm. The sight of Harper”s tear-streaked face hit me in the gut, and I couldn”t fathom why I felt so damn bad. A part of me wanted to reach out, wipe away those tears, and promise her everything would be alright. But could I even keep that promise?
”Little one,” I said as I crouched down to her level, the carpet beneath my knees feeling fluffy and soft. ”You”re clearly Dante”s mate, but I also think you”re mine.”
Her shocked green eyes, round as fucking saucers, stared back at me. ”I don”t understand,” she choked out. ”I don”t understand this whole thing.”
”I know,” I sighed, lowering myself to sit cross-legged on the floor in front of her. ”I know, little one. That”s why we need to talk.”
Harper”s face was still a mess of tears and confusion, but she nodded hesitantly. It felt strange, sitting there with her, trying to make sense of this tangled web.
My gaze flicked to Orlando, who stood off to the side like some unreadable statue. He was the nerd of our group – always had the right words when the rest of us were tongue-tied. And damn, did I need his help now more than ever.
I could see the confusion etched across Harper”s face, and my heart clenched in response. I glanced at Orlando, hoping he could provide some clarity for her.
”Harper,” Orlando chimed in gently, ”what do you know about mates?”
”Only what Melody told me last night,” she admitted, clutching the fabric of her shirt as if it were a lifeline.
”I only explained the basics,” Melody said, ”I don”t know enough about it all to explain properly.”
”Alright then.” I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation ahead. ”Let”s start with the fact that we”re all supernaturals here – Dante, Orlando, and myself included. When a supernatural finds their mate, they form an unbreakable bond – one that goes beyond simple love or attraction.”
”Like a soulmate?” Harper asked, her eyes wide and vulnerable.
”Something like that, yeah,” I replied, struggling to find the right words to explain such a complicated concept. ”But there”s more to it than that.”
”Okay…” she said hesitantly, taking a shaky breath. ”So, how does this whole… mate thing work?”
”Each type of supernatural has a different way of finding and connecting with their mates,” Orlando began, his voice steady and knowledgeable.
”Let”s start with the easy one.” I gestured towards Dante, who was standing off to the side looking like a kicked puppy. It was hard not to feel a little sorry for the guy.
”Okay,” Harper said hesitantly, her green eyes wide and filled with confusion. ”What do you mean by ”easy”?”
”Right,” I sighed, trying to find the words to explain without overwhelming her. ”Dante is a wolf shifter. In his wolf form, they have this extraordinary sense of smell. When they find their mate, their wolf instantly knows.”
”Like some kind of...instinct?” Harper asked, a frown creasing her brow as she tried to wrap her head around it.
”Exactly,” I nodded. ”So when Dante”s wolf scented you, he knew you were his mate. But you freaked out and ran away, which...well, it essentially meant you rejected him.”
”Shit,” Harper whispered, her face paling as the full weight of her actions hit her. ”Dante, I”m so sorry. I didn”t know, I don”t understand this world at all.” She looked around at all of us, desperation in her eyes. ”Three days ago, I was just a simple human living a human life. Now all this has happened, and I don”t know which way is up.”
Dante stared back at her, his brown eyes filled with a mix of hurt and hope. I could tell he was torn between wanting to comfort her and maintaining his distance, afraid of pushing her further away. It was a shitty situation for everyone involved, but I couldn”t help feeling that strange, protective urge towards Harper – like I needed to shield her from all of this chaos.
”Let me explain further,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady and my gaze locked on Harper. ”When a wolf is rejected by his mate, he”s doomed to be alone for life. Never able to move on or find happiness with anyone else.”
The colour completely drained from Harper”s face as she stared at Dante, her green eyes wide with horror. ”Oh, no...” She muttered under her breath, her hands trembling at her sides.
I could practically see the gears turning in her head as she processed the information. Her lower lip quivered, and I felt a sudden urge to reach out and pull her into my arms. But I didn”t.
”How do I fix it?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
”Simple,” I replied, swallowing the lump in my throat. ”Just don”t reject him.”