Semua Bab Iniko: A New Beginning: Bab 21 - Bab 30

InikoThe sun is higher in the sky than I wanted when I wake up again. I was just so comfortable with my mate that I didn’t want to get up, but I promised my mother I’d be back in time for breakfast. It will be a late breakfast, but it will still be before lunch.I look at my mate, sleeping soundly beside me. When I planned on us coming here, I didn’t think through Brooke not having any clothes when we returned. Of course, I didn’t realize that she was going to give herself to me either. If I had, I would have brought blankets, pillows, and clothes for her.However, I wouldn’t change a thing. Last night was the most fantastic night of my life. I hope, when my mate wakes up, that she’ll agree.I’m not sure how she’ll feel about smelling so strongly of me, but I love it. There can be no doubt that this amazing woman is mine.I carefully pick her up and carry her outside. I’ve never shifted with someone on my back before, but I’ve seen my father do it with Merethyl and Cal do it with Elia

Brooke“I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just going to do it. This isn’t your first life, Iniko,” I say, watching him closely.He stares at me, then frowns. “I have no idea what that means.”“I know. For whatever reason, all your memories from your first life are gone. That’s probably a good thing. Your first life was terrible. It was so awful.”“What do you mean it was awful? How could it be awful? My parents would never have allowed that,” he says.“Let me tell you what I know. Anything I don’t know, you’ll have to ask Mom and Avani. They’ll have the answers I don’t.”He continues looking at me with a reserved expression that I don’t like. I want my Iniko back and I really, really hope that this won’t change things between us.“Did you ever wonder why you were born AFTER mom was claimed by dad and Avani was claimed by Merethyl?” I ask.“Yeah, but no one ever talks about it, so I assumed it was one of those things where they wanted to create a pure-blooded dragon and the only way

BrookeMom stayed with me, holding me while I cried. When I finally stopped, I told her what I’d told Iniko and how upset he was that everyone at the Academy knew about his past except for him.By midnight, I realized he wasn’t coming back. I knew Mom needed to get home, so I told her to go. She asked if I wanted to go with her and stay at her house, but I told her I wanted to wait for Iniko.I sat on the couch and waited all night, but he never came home.The next morning, Avani knocked early. When I opened the door, he looked behind me quickly, obviously looking for Iniko.“He hasn’t returned?”“No.”“I looked for him all night, Brooke. I couldn’t find him. Do you have any idea where he might be?”“Maybe he went to his cave of treasures,” I say, having no idea where I might find my mate. What kind of mate am I that I don’t know where to find him? I’m positive that he would know where to find me.“Do you know where his cave of treasures is? I could fly with you close to the spot. I w

BrookeI was so furious after Iniko left. How could he say that to me, that he’s stuck with me whether he likes it or not? Newsflash, he’s not the one who is stuck. Apparently, I am too!But I know exactly what I need to do. I need to take the advice of the people around me and get my shit together. I’m not a child any longer and it’s about time I started accepting who and what I am.That starts right now. I look around my room. I’m not moving back in with my parents. If I go anywhere, it will be to the mated housing. I’ll have to talk to Aunt Kay about that.I walk into the bathroom and turn on the water, letting my anger fuel my energy. I haven’t slept since Iniko left and I’ve only eaten because dad came by and purred so loudly that all the nausea I was feeling finally went away long enough for me to eat. Thankfully, he brought me food that was gentle on my stomach so when he left and the nausea returned, the food didn’t come back up.I get under the spray and fight the tears. Iniko

BrookeWhen we walk into the office, Alpha Cedric closes the door, but Tana turns to look at me.“Iniko returned but left again. Tell us what happened.”I go through it all again, telling them about my plan to claim Iniko, my conversation with Raina, then Eliane and Cal, and that I’d like to join Cedric’s sword fighting class and speak to Tana about her previous boss, the polar bear.Cedric begins pacing. “The conversation with Tana is easy. Edur was in the arenas, and before that, they experimented on him. Even if it’s not his DNA, he understands his own species better than anyone else here. You could probably get him to come for a visit, right Tana?” Cedric asks her.“I’m sure he would. Brooke isn’t the only hybrid with polar bear DNA, and we could use the time to have Doc Everett look him over again and make sure he’s not having any long-term ill-effects of his time in the laboratory or the arena,” she says, watching me. “Have you considered trying to connect to your hyena side as w