Page 15 of Reluctant Rebel

“No mating,” Mikhail repeated.

Jinx felt her stomach turn, and she pressed her palm against it to calm the churning. “What now?”

Mikhail sighed heavily, looking a little lost as he gazed around. "Breakfast?" he suggested half-heartedly.

Jinx shook her head, feeling nauseous at the thought of food. “I don't think I can eat right now,” she admitted.

Mikhail's face fell even further, his head hanging down. “I'm so sorry,” he said, his voice barely audible.

“I know you are,” Jinx said, reaching out to touch his arm in a gesture of comfort. The spark was still there, but she gritted her teeth against it. “I am, too. I just ... I really don't want to be around you for a little while. Okay?”

Mikhail nodded. “Whatever you need,” he said, gently squeezing her hand.

Jinx turned and walked away without a backward glance, feeling the weight of their decision heavy on her heart.

7

Mikhail remained stoic as Jinx walked away from him, perhaps forever. The potential of what could have been settled in his gut like lead.

During their discussion, he’d done his best to hold back his emotions, keeping up a strong facade for both their sakes. But as soon as she was out of sight, he threw his head back and let out a guttural roar to release all the pent-up pain, regret, frustration and anger that had been building inside him since the moment Jinx had announced they were mates. The sound echoed through the empty garden, causing birds to scatter from the trees and take flight.

“Fuck my life!” he snarled, marching over to a statue of his father.

It towered over him, a looming and imposing figure made of stone. The details of his father's face were expertly carved, perfectly capturing his kind expression and strong features. Even in stone, Maliq had a regal air about him. Mikhail fought the urge to push it over.

“Did you see this coming?” Mikhail yelled, emotion thick in his voice. “Damnit, Father! You saw everything else. Youcouldn’t have warned me? Maybe I would have found a different way if I’d known a pretty weretiger was in my future.”

The statue of his father remained unmoved, a silent witness to his struggles. Mikhail's heart ached with a deep, lingering pain. It was as unexpected as it was mortifying. His life was complicated enough. He didn’t need to add heartbreak to the list. And why did it feel like that anyway? He didn’t know her. He didn’t love her.

But I could have. One day,his mind supplied.

He closed his eyes, remembering Jinx's face—her blue and green eyes flashing with hurt and betrayal as he rejected their bond. “Fuck my life,” he muttered again, resting his forehead against the coarse stone.

He had no idea what to do from here. He understood Jinx’s need for space and time to process their complicated situation. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be afforded the same luxury. He had a room full of people eager to hear the outcome. And he had no doubt they were expecting it to be a good one. What would they say when they realised he wouldn’t be accepting the mate bond with Jinx? What’s more, what would theydo? Especially Sabre.

“Death,” Mikhail decided, standing up. “Sabre will do death.”

He was contemplating opening a portal to the deepest, darkest cave he could find when Sabre walked out of the palace. She spotted him within seconds and gave him a jaunty salute before swiftly approaching him.

“Well, how did it go?” she asked, nudging him with her elbow.

He braced himself as much as he could. “I turned her away. I won’t be mated to Jinx.”

Sabre froze. “What the fuck did you say?”

This is bad,Mikhail thought, starting to sweat. “Let me explain …”

“Explain what?” Sabre hissed, advancing on him. “That your soulmate literally walked through your front door, and you decided to shit on her?” Mikhail backed up until he hit the statue of his father. “What? She isn’t good enough for you?”

Mikhail scowled, standing to his full height. Did Sabre really think so little of him? “That’s not it.”

“Then, what, you don’t want to be tied down with a mate?” Sabre demanded, jabbing him in the chest with the muzzle of a gun.

Mikhail eyed the weapon askance. “Where did that come from? You know what, it doesn’t matter,” he decided. Mate or not, Jinx was more important than a murderous Sabre. “It’s not like that. It’s not Jinx. It’s not her. It’s me.”

“Oh, shut up. I don’t want to hear it.” Sabre pushed the gun into his sternum, getting in his face. “You know, I didn’t think you could hurt me more than when you ordered me to kill you. But this right here? Breaking the spirit of one of the most beautiful people in all the realms? Congratulations. You did it.”

The words cut through him like a knife, each one piercing his heart with unerring accuracy. He could feel the weight of his mistakes crashing down on him, the pain of knowing he had caused so much harm to the ones he loved the most. He would take a lot from Sabre. He owed her more than he could ever repay. But he wouldn’t allow her to believe a falsehood about Jinx.

---