Page 68 of Tethered Fates

“Sen, listen to me—”

“You’d look after him, Lucero. My Teagan. He is…”

Talented and strong. Gentle and wicked, so stunning that I finally understand why Fate plays her games. If I were a thing that could only observe, all I’d want to do is stare at him, too.

So, while all of this is unfair, it’s the comedic punchline of a life in which I’ve cheated, scammed, and lied.

“You know I will.” Luc claps my shoulder and squeezes. “Just like you know, Vidar, Rurik, and I will find another way. Ramy, too, though you’ve spent little time with our youngest.”

“Isn’t Golden now the youngest?” I murmur.

Lucero is quiet for a moment. “Technically. Vidar has claimed him as part of our Haraldsson vampire family.” Then he says, lower, “but he is mine.”

I want to roll my eyes at his ridiculously possessive tone, but I understand. Teagan will never be Vidar’s either. Mine, always mine.

“Besides, Kai was turned last. So really he’d be our youngest now.”

I snort, then rest my head on the backrest. “Do you have any idea where our wayward Rurik is?”

“No,” Luc sighs. “But Rurik’s been messaging Kai. So at least he’s alive.”

“Good.” My eyelids drop, letting out a long sigh that’s grown heavier since Emma shared her secrets. “I thought having a soulmate would mean much more sex. At the very least, a handjob.”

Luc chuckles, but it sounds half-hearted.

“In truth…” I open my eyes, rolling my head to stare at Luc’s strong nose and sharp, blue gaze. His dark hair is pushed away from the hard line of his jaw. “I’ve never thought about soulmates. Then you found your first one, and I was nearly taken with the idea.”

“I can admit I might’ve not done a good job inspiring others to find theirs,” he says.

“Maybe.” I shrug. “But I much prefer Golden to the others.”

Luc shakes his head, but I see he agrees with me from the twitch at the corner of his lip.

“You lost three soulmates,” I say after a moment of silence. “Rurik lost Apollo—twice, really. Vidar almost lost Kai. Watching each of you suffer through those losses made me think I was the lucky one. Love really did look painful.”

“Do you still believe that?”

My attention drifts to the evergreens and their swaying leaves framing the expanse of the mansion.

Teagan deserves a life where the memory of me doesn’t haunt him. I want him to continue breaking into places and climbing stupidly tall buildings. To forever be brave, and while the thought of someone else at Teagan’s side, experiencing every thrill, and every quiet moment, makes me want to rip their hypothetical skin off, for Teagan…I will bear it.

Begrudgingly, however. I’m no saint.

“Go see your lovely mate,” I tell Luc. “I know you miss him.”

The look Lucero gives me is a fierce one, but understanding all the same. He, more than anyone, can relate to how we do foolish things for those we care about. I’d love to blame Fate, cosmic meddler that she is. But at any other time or place, I would’ve been just as captivated by my little paint-stained daredevil.

“What about you?”

“I need to change, as do you,” I reply. “I’m going to go back to my hotel and check in with my detective to see if she’s discovered anything new.”

“Grey’s wolves are also searching.” His eyebrow quirks. “You think a human will find something first?”

“Hasn’t she already?”

Luc pauses, then makes a sound of reluctant agreement. “Who knew it’d be you with the affinity for humans.”

“They are endlessly fascinating,” I reply with a half-hearted smirk, then gesture my chin towards the mansion. “Go tell the others what happened.”