Page 10 of Awakened

I don’t want to, but if it comes to it… I will rip apart every soul in this stone fortress until I find her.

Finally, Gavran’s expression smooths into polite civility, and he extends a hand toward two leather couches at the opposite end of the room, where they sit facing each other with a massive stone-and-bronze coffee table between them.

“Why don’t we have a seat,” he suggests in an even tone. “And you can tell me why you believe we have your Mate.”

I force my face into my best approximation of a cordial smile, but it must look as forced and insincere as it feels because Gavran’s lips thin and, over his shoulder, Kane grimaces and rears back. He slices his hand through the air in front of his throat repeatedly, and with a sigh, I decide to just level with the Alpha.

The smile drops from my face. With as much patience as I can muster, I cut to the chase.

“Listen. It’s late. We’ve shown up here, unannounced and probably interrupted your night. I apologize for that. If the situation weren’t so urgent, I’d have taken a more… diplomatic approach. And let’s be honest, neither one of us wants to do this whole song and dance. I have a feeling you dislike it as much as I do.”

Gavran’s expression softens, and he grunts what I’m pretty sure is a sound of agreement.

I push on.

“I don’t want to waste any more of your time than I already have. That’s the honest truth. I just want my Fated Mate. Once I have her, we’ll leave, and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“What if she doesn’t want to leave with you?”

At the sound of his voice, my attention snaps to Daxen as he takes a seat on the couch facing the door. There’s nothing on his face to prove otherwise, but I have the overwhelming sense that he’s mocking me.

My eyes narrow on the Alpha. “What did you just say?”

“Alright.” Gavran moves, positioning himself between Daxen and me with hands raised. I glance down.

When did I move across the room?

“As much as I wish for it to be that easy, Alpha Heir, we should probably discuss a few things beforehand.” Once again, he gestures toward the couches, urging me to take a seat. “Please. Let’s all four take a seat and get this situation straightened out.”

Kane crosses the room, making sure to shoot me a look as he walks by that screams ‘what the hell is wrong with you?’

With a sigh, I give in. Gav and Daxen take the couch facing the door, which makes my Beast twitchy as fuck. My jaw clenches as I sit, falling into the soft brown leather opposite the vampires.

“Let’s start at the beginning,” Gavran says, leaning in and bracing his forearms on his thighs. “Why do you think your Mate is here? What’s her name? Why are you just now coming for her?”

With each question, I relax. It’s not like I thought I’d just show up, ring the doorbell, ask for my Omega, and take off… but something about the absolute certainty of our Bond is so overwhelming that I’ve almost forgotten that I’m the only one who can feel it. Of course Gavran has questions. He’s not going to just hand someone over blindly. Not unless he were a really, really shitty male.

“You seem like an honorable male,” I tell him. “And I appreciate your due diligence.

He inclines his head in thanks while I lean forward, mirroring his position.

“I’m not saying that to kiss your ass.”

To my right, Kane coughs on a sip of whisky.

“If you’re as honorable as I think—as I’ve heard—you are, then it’s safe to assume you’re fair as well as smart.”

“Sure you’re not kissing his ass?” Daxen mutters, but I ignore him.

“My situation is… abnormal.”

After a long moment, Gavran frowns, tilting his head to the side. “Abnormal how?”

I’m struggling to keep from fidgeting, but it’s not easy. It’s been decades since I’ve been this nervous, but if I’m wrong about this male, I’m fucked. If he doesn’t take a chance and listen to me… I don’t know how the hell I’ll get to my Omega. At least… not in a way that doesn’t lead to war.

Taking a deep breath, I straighten my shoulders and tell him the truth.

I think I’m going to throw up.