Chapter 63 #2
“Perfect. I’ll be expecting her tonight then.
” Mikah’s eyes met Brandy’s, promising what their night together would bring.
He then glanced back at Noah, holding his gaze until the man looked away.
That druid had no idea who he was playing with.
The man didn’t know it, but Mikah was barely holding on to his composure.
He wanted to show that man the clear difference in their strength.
“Fine!” Brandy snapped and looked at Noah. “Wait for me at the end of the walkway. I have one more thing to do here.” Noah reluctantly walked away and she waited until she was certain he was well out of sight before she turned around angrily to confront Mikah.
“What was that all about?!” Brandy snorted. “Why did you interfere? This is my life. I can handle it myself. I’m just your pleasure buddy, remember?” she hissed, then noticed his blue eyes darken.
“You’re just going to do what the elders tell you? Get yourself bred so you can pop out a few puppies for them?” Mikah growled out between clenched teeth.
“You don’t know anything about the lives of druids. This is our responsibility. Druids have to reproduce with other druids. I don’t have a choice in the matter.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. Why was he getting so angry over this anyway?
“To hell with your feelings then? You’ll just take whatever chosen mate they give you?”
“I have a choice, Mikah. I can choose from any of the male druids.”
“You don’t have a choice. You have a gene pool you have to choose from.”
“Why do you care, Mikah? You aren’t offering me anything else, right?” Brandy raised her brows at him and folded her arms over her chest. Why did she even say that? She could see the wounded look in his eyes, but she didn’t break her stare.
“Brandy, I already talked to you about that—”
“Exactly, Mikah! We already know where the other stands. You aren’t taking a mate.
And I have to take one from my kind. This is where we are.
” Brandy shrugged as she swallowed down the lump forming in her throat.
Why? Why was she feeling pain inside? After hearing him begin to shut down the possibility of being together, she felt gutted.
This was just for fun. She wasn’t serious about Mikah. This was just to pass the time for now.
“I don’t like it,” Mikah admitted quietly. “I don’t like you throwing away your chance at happiness.”
“Well, I don’t like you throwing away yours.
You won’t start a family because of your duties, even though the princess is well protected by her mate.
Instead, you hide behind your duties, clinging to them.
You use it as an excuse. Convincing yourself that you don’t want a family.
Convincing yourself that you CAN’T have a family.
When in reality you’re afraid to have one.
Yes, I’ll be taking a mate out of duty. But at least I can admit it sucks.
It’s hell. Do you think I want to be forced to be mated to a stiff my whole life?
Forced to carry his child? Forced to share their bed with them?
Hell no, I don’t want that. It sounds horrible.
” She clenched her fists. “But this is my duty. You have yours, and I have mine.”
Mikah let out a sigh and nodded his head.
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” He balled one hand into a fist by his side.
He couldn’t explain the emotions he was feeling right now.
He wanted to rip Noah’s throat out for the possessive look he’d given Brandy.
The idea of her taking him or any man as a chosen mate aggravated him.
He didn’t want her melting into another man in bed.
Her legs shouldn’t wrap around another man’s body.
Why was he feeling this way? It was wrong.
She could take whoever she wanted or didn’t want as a mate.
That was her choice. They weren’t in a relationship.
They weren’t a couple. For all intents and purposes, Mikah was mated to his duties as a guardian.
That was it for him. He wouldn’t have a mate.
He couldn’t afford a mate. He wouldn’t risk not being there for Alexa when she needed him.
He rationalized he was just feeling his primal hormones fogging his mind.
As an apex predator, he didn’t share, and sleeping with Brandy was making him feel like she was his.
Or so he tried to reason. The problem was he never felt like this before with his flings. So why was it different this time?
“Mikah, it’s alright.” Brandy forced a smile and shrugged. “Anyway, I have no intention of taking a mate right now. But if you’d rather us not hook up, that’s fine.” Mikah’s gaze snapped to hers and a cocky smile reached his lips.
“Oh, I don’t think so. You’re spending the night with me tonight. Even if I have to collect you myself. I’ll be gone for a few days, so tonight we won’t be sleeping. And I plan to punish you for leaving me right now without taking care of my problem.”
Brandy laughed and bit her bottom lip. “I’ll look forward to it.”
Mikah watched as Brandy walked away. He always watched her when she left, but this time, he felt pain in his chest. He wanted to run to her, to hold her.
He wanted to keep her by his side where no one else could touch her.
But that was silly. It was a ridiculous notion that he wasn’t going to explore further.
He turned and walked back to the house. When he opened the door, he found two angry blue orbs staring back at him.