ALI

I sigh and decide it's time to get up and just deal with the dress that I’m stuck in for the rest of the evening. Of course my luck decides to plummet because just as I start to stand my ankle twists and I lose balance. Strong arms quickly grab me and straighten me out. Once again, I don’t have to look to know it’s Xei. The jolt of electricity that attacked my body at his touch told me who it was.

“If you can’t stand in those stupid shoes maybe you shouldn’t wear them.” Xei grumbles as he steps away.

“I can stand just fine, I twisted my ankle, you big oaf.” I huff out and turn to walk around him.

He shoots out his arm and stops me in my tracks and when I look up at him I can see a mixture of heat, fire and anger flash across his deep blue eyes. “What the fuck are you wearing?”

“A dress.” I say as I start to fidget with the hem trying to pull it down uselessly.

“That is not a dress! That’s some scrapes of material. Go change.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You have got to be kidding me. You're not my daddy. I will wear whatever I fucking want to wear.”

Just then Mer pops her head into the doorway shouting at us to stop fighting and hurry up. I rush to her and take her by the arm as we make our way outside. I can feel the daggers of Xei’s gaze across my back as a smile forms on my lips. Guess he liked the dress.

We make our way outside. I see Bix waiting by the car with the door open. I was surprised I didn’t see him at dinner but I left it alone. Mer stops and her body immediately goes rigid as she notices him. He just nods and says he was ordered to insure the safety of the ride. Mer acknowledges only with a nod of her own before getting in the car.

“You know you could always try being nice. He's your mate.”

“You have no room to talk, and besides, you know I can’t get close. Why encourage something that can never be.” Her words are simple but her voice holds emotion that she refuses to let out.

“I know you think you can’t but you never know. The power of the fates is strong.”

“I don’t feel like discussing this. Drop it please. If not then I will be forced to make you tell me all about those hot ass men you have fawning all over you.” She says with a smirk and I know she is trying to change the subject so I’ll leave her alone.

Truth is though, she’s right. I don’t want anyone in my business either. I’m all sorts of confused about what to do about Xei and Gin. Both men are hot as hell but Xei drives me insane both physically and emotionally. Gin… Well he broke a piece of me the day he left not to mention he still doesn’t know I have turned. He also doesn’t know when I turned and that truth will be hard for him to swallow. Fate may have given me Xei, but even with our past I can’t ignore that Gin is my Imani. It was decided at birth that he and I would marry.

We were born the exact same day, and both bore the exact same star birthmark in the exact same spot on the back of our ear. Telling all of the Bravata that Gin and I were Imani. He was born to protect me and I was born to marry him. We were both born to be the next future leaders of the Bravata. That marriage is a responsibility passed down from generation to generation. Now I’m stuck with figuring out what the hell to do. I’m torn between fate and responsibility, not to mention my own damn desires for both of them.