The statement pricked my heart and filled me with fire. One of the Midnight princes was so ashamed of being my mate that he’d talked his brothers into making the ball masquerade so that he didn’t have to be seen with me.
“I’m going to get mage wine!” Nell sauntered off, Rue in tow.
Kaja looped her arm through mine: “Wanna dance?”
I gave her a fake smile, trying to keep the depressing thoughts at bay. “Sure.”
We wove through the crowded dance floor toward the center, and Kaja started to wave her arms, twisting to the beat. I swayed, trying to feign fun, but I couldn’t get into it. When a guy stepped between us and asked her to dance, I gave her a genuine smile and thumbs-up.
“Find you later,” I shouted and then fled, grateful to escape the dancefloor.
I needed air. Massive crowds of people and social niceties were not my things. Insincerity and politicking, also not my thing. Finding my way to the patio, I stepped out through the open doors and gulped in the crisp night air. Maybe Alpha Academy wasn’t my thing, but I’d stick it out for my pack.
I felt him before I heard him, a presence at my back. “You came,” he said.
It was him. He drew near, his proximity sending heat down my spine. The same way a magnet was drawn to its pair, I pivoted and faced him.
My mate.
I sucked in a breath, ready to tell him off, to cut him off. I needed to say I couldn’t do this, that I wouldn’t. But then my gaze fell to his left hand.
Mate marks.
He’d kept them. On display, for all to see.
I was so stunned that when he reached for me, I let him. He gathered me into his arms, and then we were dancing. The melody filtered out through the roof and open doors, and he pressed his hand to my lower back, coaxing me closer. I nuzzled my head to his chest.
Home. He felt like Montana, like pack, like my future. Tears welled in my eyes because that felt like a lie. As long as he wouldn’t tell me who he was, it was a lie. I wouldn’t play these games. Not anymore.
Pulling back from his chest, I tilted my chin up to look him in the eye.
“This is the last time you will ever touch me. I can’t do this.” My voice shook, but I held strong. His eyes widened, but I rushed on, determined to finish my speech. “You’ve played with me. You’re ashamed of me. Or you don’t trust me. Either way, I don’t deserve any of it.”
I stepped away from him even though it was the hardest thing I’d ever done.
He stumbled forward, reaching for me, “I want to be with you, Nai, but—”
“But you’re a Midnight prince, and your pack hates mine,” I said, shaking my head.
I held his gaze. He stared at me, frozen in place, lips parted.
I exhaled and then continued in a whisper. “You’re either Rage or Justice. I’m not sure which, but it doesn’t really matter. If we can’t be together, I need this to stop.”
He shuddered, hands balled into fists, and his eyes flashed yellow.
For the first time, I retreated several steps back in fear.
Would he attack me? I scanned the darkness, but there was only us in this corner of the garden.
He shook his head and put his hands out, palms up. “My wolf is angry with me. It’s trying to take over, but I’d never hurt you, Nai.”
I crossed my arms across my chest. “You already have.” My shoulders sagged with defeat. “We’re done.”
I turned to leave, ignoring him when he growled.
I heard him move, felt him crossing the space between us, and then he pulled me to him. My back to his chest, his arms encircled my waist. “You’re wrong. We will never be done.”
His warm breath caressed my neck, making my knees go weak. I could pull out of his grasp, but I didn’t want to.
“You’re mine,” he said, his voice rough. His breath grew shallow, and his chest pressed into my back with every heave. “Mother Mage, I’m … I’m so in love with you.”
I gasped as the shock of his declaration ran through me, causing my heart to grow wings and take flight.
He … loved me?
I spun in his arms and stared up at him.
“Being away from you is physically painful.” He closed his eyes and sucked in a ragged breath. “You’re all I think about. Everything I do is to protect you. The food boxes, meeting you for forest runs, making sure you got a healing serum, and running a perimeter around your dorm at night, Nai … you’re everything to me.”
Whoa.
Whoa.
Whoa.
“But … you’ve ignored me, been so cruel,” I whimpered.
He frowned. “I tried to fight it. My human side tried to push you away. I thought if I was mean enough, if I could find enough reasons to hate you … but I can’t. I’m done fighting.”
A single tear rolled down my cheek.
“Please…” he whispered.
I waited for him to finish his plea. Waited to know what he wanted so I could give it to him.
He opened his eyes, and his vibrant green gaze fell to mine. “Please, let me show you.”
Really?
Stunned, I watched, lips parted, as he bowed his head and tugged his mask off.
He raised his chin, and tears burned my eyes.
Rage.
Holy Mother of Mages.
My mate was Rage.
“I wanted it to be you,” I whispered, almost afraid to admit the truth. Raising up on my toes, I brushed my fingers over his lips and then swallowed. “I’m so glad it’s you.”
He growled, a low possessive sound that made desire flare within me. He gripped my hips and pulled me closer. “I need you.”
Threading his fingers into my hair, Rage tilted my head to expose my neck. He traced his nose up the side where my pulse pounded, stopping only to nip at the tender flesh. “I’m sorry for what I said about your pack, about your uncle, about everything. I’m so sorry.”
My breathing grew shallow as he continued his ministrations, kisses, and hot breaths against my skin. He grazed my skin with his teeth, and his hips moved.
I moaned, desperate for more. “Rage, please,” I panted.
His warm tongue traced the outside of my ear, and then he sucked the fleshy part between his teeth. Every second was agony and pleasure.
“Rage…” Reaching into his jacket, I raked my nails down his back, and he groaned. Desire and need shot through me. “Kiss me.”
His lips crashed against mine, and he nipped at my lower lip. I opened to him, and our tongues tangled. He brushed his fingertips over my skin … up my arms, over my shoulder, and then the swell of my breast.
I arched my back and clung to him as heat and magic buzzed under my skin.
Rage guided me backward until my back pressed against a wall. I tilted my head to give him better access. He pressed kisses down my neck then licked where he’d caressed seconds before. My mind clouded with lust, and I pulled him closer, desperate for more.
“I’ve missed you,” he murmured against my breasts and then inhaled sharply. “Your smell.” He moaned, and my desire became an inferno of need. “Nai,” he huffed, kissing between my breasts as he fumbled with the corset clamps of my dress. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I panted.
He kissed my shoulder, and I pushed his jacket off over his arms.