Page 21 of Claimed By the Panda
“That was all a lie, an elaborate story he invented to get you off his back,” I said, watching Jian’s jaw tense. “Until maybe it wasn’t.”
“Why would you lie about finding your fated mate?” Marissa asked, turning to her son with a frown.
Jian tugged his hair. “I don’t know. I just knew Darla wasn’t for me, knew it was a waste of time. I was desperate to get out of that restaurant, and I wasn’t making rational decisions.”
His father made a quiet sound. “Ah, so you were inexplicably desperate to get outside, to where you found Cody.”
“She kept showing me panda videos,” Jian said. “Or you sensed he was near.” “Oh, come on,” Jian said. “My panda couldn’t have known my mate was outside. He couldn’t have forced me to lie to drive me towards Cody.”
Guo frowned. “Fate is a mysterious thing. There was no need to lie, but I understand the drive to be close to your fated. And I understand that it can cause you to do things you shouldn’t.”
“I wasn’t…” He crossed his arms over his chest and paced across the room, eyeing his parents. “You don’t think I really knew he was nearby, do you?”
“It’s hard to know, sweetheart. Some things are too strange to be coincidences,” Marissa said. “And some things truly are just strange coincidences. But you didn’t need to lie. You could have told Darla the truth.”
“I was afraid Dad would be upset that Darla wasn’t for me. And her father really wanted it all to work. And he’s terrifying.”
“You can’t live your life in fear of how others will respond to you, Jian,” Guo said firmly. “You can’t lie to slip out of consequences. I understand that when your panda senses his mate is near, your judgement is clouded, so I’m not angry, but I still think you need a consequence.”
“A consequence?” I yelped. “But he didn’t really mean anything bad by it!”
“One month of 6 a.m. Saturday and Sunday Tai Chi,” Guo said firmly. “That should remind you to listen to your inner voice instead of making up lies to cover what it wants.” Marissa nodded. “Now figure things out with Cody in a way that allows him free will.” “He does have free will,” Jian insisted, eyes darting to me. “He wanted to stay.” “Figure it out, Jian. You can’t uproot his entire life. You need to blend him into yours without forcing him to change.”
His parents both gave him a stern look and bustled out of the cabin, leaving us alone again. I stared up at him for a long moment, trying to figure out what I really wanted. But all roads always led back to him—to learning every little thing about him. I had so many questions.
“The dire consequences you did all of this to avoid were morning Tai Chi classes?”
“At six a.m.!”
I burst out laughing. “You’re an idiot.”
“Six in the morning,” he repeated. “With cheerful old people.”
I stepped in closer, wrapping my arms around his waist. “And the dangerous truths of being around shifters?”
“I mean, we can’t let humans find out that we exist. It’s dangerous. There’s a council that monitors our secrecy, and humans who try to tell people about us usually end up committed as crazy. It’s a real danger.”
I kissed the spot below his ear, the one that made Jian squirm. “I think I’ll stay and risk the consequences. I could even help you out at morning tai chi.”
“I don’t want to ruin your life.”
I nibbled his earlobe. “Why would you ruin my life? I like you. I’m having fun.”
“I don’t know. This place… don’t you want more from life?”
“More from life than a super hot boyfriend who dumped a sexy date and lied to his parents just because his heart sensed I was near?”
“That’s not proven.”
“Just admit that I’m your fated mate.”
“Fine. You’re my fated mate.”
“I am.” I beamed up at him, heart swelling.
“Don’t look so smug. It’s tough, because you have a life you need to get back to, and you’re human, and humans are fickle little assholes who take forever to fall in love.”
“Well, I mean, it’s only been four days, but I’m fucking addicted. You’re right that I can’t drop everything for you. I have a life and a job, and I can’t lose that, as much as I hate it. But that doesn’t mean we can’t spend as much time together as possible, getting to know each other.”
