Claimed By My Mate's Step-Uncle
My life had escalated to an unimaginable point. I was pregnant with a child who possessed powers beyond my understanding, a child of a man who was supposed to be my mate's enemy. And now, I was on the run dependent on a stranger.
I knew I wouldn't survive out there alone, especially with a child on the way. And going back to Claus, to his lies and his betrayals was no longer an option. The thought made me sick.
"So," he asked, his voice breaking the silence, "will you come with me? Or will you go back to Claus? If you decide to go back to him, I wouldn't blame you." His eyes held a gentle understanding, an absence of judgment that was both surprising and comforting. "But for now, I need to know. Do you trust me?"
I looked at him, truly looked at him. The man who had unknowingly marked me, the man who had brought me solace in my darkest hour and the man who was now offering me a future, however uncertain. He was a stranger yet he felt more like a sanctuary than Claus ever had.
"I'll come with you," I said, my voice barely a whisper, but firm with a newfound resolve.