Page 12 of Reluctant Rebel

“I know where the secret doors are,” he grumbled, allowing Sabre to propel him forward. “This ismypalace.”

“Great. Open a portal. Find Jinx. Talk to her. Don’t let anyone see you that shouldn’t. You’re still dead, remember?”She clapped him on the back, then stood with a happy smile on her face.

Mikhail shrivelled where no one could see. He hated to wipe that smile off his best friend’s face. He looked to Brax, who shrugged his heavy shoulders before making a shooing motion with his hands. Defeated, Mikhail closed his eyes and focused his mind, reaching deep within himself to tap into his legacy and the wellspring of power he knew resided there. As he concentrated, he felt a tingling sensation spread from his core, radiating out through his limbs. The air around him began to vibrate with unseen energy.

He thought about where he wanted to go—the garden beneath Brax’s bedroom window—before picturing the magical gateway in his mind's eye. It was a shimmering, translucent doorway suspended in midair. As the image crystallised in his thoughts, reality began to warp and bend before him. The very fabric of space seemed to ripple and distort, folding in on itself like a piece of origami. A faint outline appeared, traced in pale blue light. It grew more defined as he poured his will into manifesting it fully. The portal took shape, its edges glimmering with an otherworldly iridescence. Mesmerising patterns of energy danced across its surface, shifting and changing in a constant, hypnotic display before it settled, revealing the garden.

With grim determination, Mikhail stepped through the glowing threshold of the portal, thinking that his council of war had turned into a war of the heart. And he knew who the winner would be.

No one.

Least of all him.

6

Jinx stood frozen in the garden, her heart racing as she tried to make sense of the overwhelming flood of emotions that threatened to drown her. Mikhail—Sabre’s demon, the King of Purgatory—was her fated mate. The knowledge thrummed through her body like lightning, equal parts exhilaration and terror.

She ran trembling fingers through her now tangled hair, mind reeling as she tried to process the revelation. It certainly explained why she wanted to jump his bones when he was masquerading as Hound. Her body had recognised him. But the fae glamour had been strong enough to prevent a full connection.

“What the fuck am I going to do?” she asked the universe.

“I second that.”

The words startled her so much that her muscles tensed, and her skin prickled with the sensation of fur threatening to burst forth. She whirled around, a low growl rumbling in her throat as her fingertips shifted into razor-sharp claws.

In front of her, Mikhail stood frozen, his eyes wide with surprise. “Whoa, easy there,” he said softly, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Jinx took a deep breath, willing her racing heart to calm and her claws to retract. “Sorry,” she muttered, taking calming breaths as the adrenaline slowly ebbed from her system. “I didn’t hear you.”

He shook his head, and one corner of his mouth kicked up. “Please don’t apologise. I know better than to sneak up on a predator. It wasn’t my intention. My portals are silent.”

The man had opened a portal to find her? She told her stupid heart to calm the fuck down. It was hardly a romantic gesture. And even if it was, she didn’t want it to be, she reminded herself.

She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. What was she supposed to say? That although a part of her wanted to leap for joy at having been given a mate, a bigger part wanted to vomit? That was bound to go down well. Male egos were fragile things. So, she simply stood there. Staring. Like a mentally diminished mute. It was awkward as fuck.

As the silence stretched out, the tension between them was palpable, a crackling energy that filled the air like static. She couldn’t take it anymore and shouted, “Sorry!” She cringed when Mikhail jumped. Clearing her throat, she lowered her voice. “About earlier, I mean. The wholematething. I wasn’t exactly subtle.”

“That’s not necessary,” Mikhail assured her kindly.

“But it is,” Jinx insisted. “I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that before hightailing out of there. It was just …”

“Unexpected,” they said simultaneously. They stared at each other for a moment before smiling.

“I admit, this isn’t how I pictured our first official meeting going,” Mikhail said.

“What, you weren’t expecting to discover that the crazy weretiger who sniffed after you all those months is your fated mate?” Jinx tried to joke, but it fell a little flat. “Just another thing for me to apologise about,” she added with a mutter.

“How about we call a moratorium on apologies?” Mikhail suggested lightly. “Besides, if it makes you feel any better, I was sniffing you back.”

Jinx froze. Did that mean Mikhail was attracted to her?

“Uh …” Mikhail shoved his hands into his pockets and his high cheekbones flushed a pretty shade of pink. “I didn’t mean that literally. What I was trying to say, very poorly, was that I was drawn to you.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “You were?”

Mikhail nodded. “I was. Iam. I …” He broke off, looking away. Creases formed on his forehead as he stared at the ground. “I want to be honest with you, Jinx. In all matters.”

She shivered, enjoying her name on his lips more than she had a right to. Clearing her suddenly dry throat, she said, “I value honesty.”

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