Golden Duty: A Golden Novella

Chapter Six. Joining

He smelled like the dawn, freshly-baked bread, and the unnamed flowers in the palace garden, each bud's scent on their own and all of them together at once. His eyes were fixed upon me and I felt my wolf side yearning to come out and claim him for my own.

This was it. This was the moment we would know to whom it was the prophecy referred. I braced myself, grabbing on to the counter, pleading that it lend me its strength for whatever would happen.

The man moved closer and I could feel him wanting to shift as well. As werewolves, both our human side and our beasts shared equal control, but in moments of great import, the animal in us sometimes won.

I felt my breathing become heavier. His scent continuing to permeate every corner of the cafe. I felt Lena vibrating, at the ready to shift if this man posed any sort of threat. I wanted to look at her, to tell her that it was okay, that this man wouldn't physically harm me, though that he would break my heart was an inevitability. He could reject our bond, and leave me in tatters, or he could acknowledge me as his mate, and send me on the road that would have my heart break for the daughter that we would share.

I didn't dare take my eyes off this man though, this blessing from the Moon Goddess. Would I be strong enough to accept his decision, either way?

His eyes, so intense before, softened as he came even closer. And in that moment, I knew that I wanted to wake up to those eyes every morning for the rest of our immortal lives. He stopped a few feet from me, his eyes turning to confusion. I knew why.

Wolves, when we were young, have always heard of stories of mates finding each other. How they couldn't wait to get to each other, to touch each other and feel the other half of their soul snapping into place. So he must have been confused at why I didn't make a move towards him.

As much my mind urged me to run away, to escape a destiny that was written before I was even born, my feet and my soul bade me to stay. And my heart, well, my heart was no longer mine.

"Why do you stay still, mate, when I could feel your soul reaching for mine?" He asked in a deep voice, a brow furrowing his forehead.

I involuntarily let out a sob and with everything I had, flung myself the few feet separating us and into his arms. They closed tightly around me and it was exactly as father and mother said. It was like something that I didn't even know that was missing was slotted into place, and I knew, I just knew that this was where I belonged.

I continued crying on his chest, wetting his shirt but not being able to stop myself. My poor child! Not only would she have to bear the pain of rejection, she would also have to stand up to an evil none of us knew the magnitude of.

"Sophie, you and your mate go on to our flat. I will take care of closing down the shop," I heard Lena's voice say a few feet from us.

I nodded, still bawling into this man's chest and once he felt it, he began to lead me to the door.

"Wolf," Lena demanded.

My mate stopped and turned us to face her.

"You might know so little yet, but bear in mind that the gift in your arms is meant to be cherished. Should you hurt her, in any way, my sword will find its way to your heart before you take your next breath."

He nodded and told her, "You have my word, wolf, that should I hurt her, it will be my sword piercing my chest."

Without another word, he swept me into his arms and carried me bridal style to my accommodations. I was about to ask him how he knew where I was staying when he murmured.

"I should have known when I passed this building that my mate lived here. Now that I have memorized your scent, I can very clearly point out the places you would frequent by the trace it has left."