supposed, and led Frey to his own—Ariel must have made the arrangements by now—but the atmosphere between them was charged with a not wholly comfortable tension.
Mirian thus decided to lead his mate to the garden that adjoined the house. It was quite expansive, something his father had always hoped would prevent Mirian from venturing away from the grounds. It hadn't worked, but it was still a place Mirian enjoyed.
They sat on a stone bench conveniently placed under a tree that blocked most of their view of the house. "This is so strange," Mirian dared to say after a small moment of pause. "I have no idea what to think and feel right now."
Frey nudged his shoulder with his own, a companionable gesture that would have been right at home between friends, but not so much between lovers. "There's no 'should' when it comes to feelings. It's been a very long day, and things are finally starting to process. It's understandable that you'd experience some wariness."
Mirian nodded, but couldn't bring himself to actually put distance between them. He set his head on Frey's shoulder, staring out at the darkening sky. Now that he was actually sitting here, truly thinking about things, he realized just how torn he was.
"I'm scared," he confessed. "I want to leave the island so badly. I always have. I want to be with you. But this... This is the only thing I've ever known. What if..." What if they were wrong? What if Frey decided his family was correct to doubt him? What if he liked that female werewolf more? What if Frey's friends hated him?
Facing his father had forced him to claim that he was ready, but was that really true?
He realized he was trembling when Frey pulled him into his arms, kissing his hair. "I'm sorry, Mirian. This has all been happening so fast, much too fast for you. If I'd had my way, I would have courted you properly, given you all the time you needed. But I'm scared too. I'm scared that you might not be safe here, or that you'll change your mind and not want a werewolf mate after all. So I've been selfish and pushed you into something you weren't ready for. I'm so sorry."
Mirian let Frey's heat comfort and reassure him. "I won't change my mind. It's just... This morning I didn't even know you existed, and now, you already mean so much to me. How is that even possible?"
"You're my mate, so there's a natural draw between us," Frey explained. "But you don't have to let that draw lead you. You're a human, so you automatically attempt to rationalize something that cannot really be explained, and that's fine. We'll take things as slow as you like and get to know one another. In the end, you have to remember—everything is your choice."
Right. Frey had told him that before, in the cave. It was just so easy to forget and to lose himself when things were happening so quickly around him.
At some level, he realized he was playing hot and cold, not at all consistent with his emotions. Earlier, he'd practically assaulted Frey, and now he was being uncertain about their relationship. Frey had been so understanding, and yet...
"You don't mind?" he couldn't help but ask. "That I'm like this?"
"Oh, Mirian..." Frey cupped his cheek gently, brushing his fingers over his skin. "You're perfect. You're my very own miracle. How could I possibly mind?"
It would have taken a man stronger than Mirian to argue with that. Leaning in closer to Frey, Mirian allowed himself to relax and believe in this bond they shared.
It would take some time for him to get used to it, but Frey was with him and didn't judge him for his hesitance. And Mirian might be confused about today's events, but he was certain of one thing. He'd been right when he'd told his father that what he and Frey had was special. With time and patience, it would only grow and become strong enough to withstand any storm.
****
"Duke Lamine, huh?" As soon as Roman ended the call, Julian approached him, a scowl on his beautiful face. "That isn't good."
Roman didn't
Mirian thus decided to lead his mate to the garden that adjoined the house. It was quite expansive, something his father had always hoped would prevent Mirian from venturing away from the grounds. It hadn't worked, but it was still a place Mirian enjoyed.
They sat on a stone bench conveniently placed under a tree that blocked most of their view of the house. "This is so strange," Mirian dared to say after a small moment of pause. "I have no idea what to think and feel right now."
Frey nudged his shoulder with his own, a companionable gesture that would have been right at home between friends, but not so much between lovers. "There's no 'should' when it comes to feelings. It's been a very long day, and things are finally starting to process. It's understandable that you'd experience some wariness."
Mirian nodded, but couldn't bring himself to actually put distance between them. He set his head on Frey's shoulder, staring out at the darkening sky. Now that he was actually sitting here, truly thinking about things, he realized just how torn he was.
"I'm scared," he confessed. "I want to leave the island so badly. I always have. I want to be with you. But this... This is the only thing I've ever known. What if..." What if they were wrong? What if Frey decided his family was correct to doubt him? What if he liked that female werewolf more? What if Frey's friends hated him?
Facing his father had forced him to claim that he was ready, but was that really true?
He realized he was trembling when Frey pulled him into his arms, kissing his hair. "I'm sorry, Mirian. This has all been happening so fast, much too fast for you. If I'd had my way, I would have courted you properly, given you all the time you needed. But I'm scared too. I'm scared that you might not be safe here, or that you'll change your mind and not want a werewolf mate after all. So I've been selfish and pushed you into something you weren't ready for. I'm so sorry."
Mirian let Frey's heat comfort and reassure him. "I won't change my mind. It's just... This morning I didn't even know you existed, and now, you already mean so much to me. How is that even possible?"
"You're my mate, so there's a natural draw between us," Frey explained. "But you don't have to let that draw lead you. You're a human, so you automatically attempt to rationalize something that cannot really be explained, and that's fine. We'll take things as slow as you like and get to know one another. In the end, you have to remember—everything is your choice."
Right. Frey had told him that before, in the cave. It was just so easy to forget and to lose himself when things were happening so quickly around him.
At some level, he realized he was playing hot and cold, not at all consistent with his emotions. Earlier, he'd practically assaulted Frey, and now he was being uncertain about their relationship. Frey had been so understanding, and yet...
"You don't mind?" he couldn't help but ask. "That I'm like this?"
"Oh, Mirian..." Frey cupped his cheek gently, brushing his fingers over his skin. "You're perfect. You're my very own miracle. How could I possibly mind?"
It would have taken a man stronger than Mirian to argue with that. Leaning in closer to Frey, Mirian allowed himself to relax and believe in this bond they shared.
It would take some time for him to get used to it, but Frey was with him and didn't judge him for his hesitance. And Mirian might be confused about today's events, but he was certain of one thing. He'd been right when he'd told his father that what he and Frey had was special. With time and patience, it would only grow and become strong enough to withstand any storm.
****
"Duke Lamine, huh?" As soon as Roman ended the call, Julian approached him, a scowl on his beautiful face. "That isn't good."
Roman didn't
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