19

KNIGHT

I glared at Zarah. I knew what I wanted. I wanted her even the first time our eyes met. I knew she was mine, and I knew without a doubt that I would protect her with my life— but she was also human, so I thought I did what was rational at that time.

Yeah, I wasn’t ready to have a mate, didn’t know how to deal with her, and wasn’t near ready to meet her too soon. And things got out of hand, but she was mine and mine alone.

“Knight, please?” Kailin pulled me back to reality. “We have to protect her. I don’t know how to convince her to come with us, but I’m the only hope you have. She trusts me. I will help you break the news. And maybe she will believe me if we show her the truth about us.”

“Just don’t drop the bomb all at once,” Zarah warned us.

“She hates me.”

“And who’s fault is that?” my cousin blamed me.

I chuckled sadly. “I never wanted to reject her. I don’t know how to handle the situation, and the pull drives me crazy.”

“You’ve never been in love. I got that, Alp