Page 107 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
“Thank you, Princess,” she whispers.
Blaine dismisses the meeting soon afterwards to prepare some of his warriors for what’s going to come. It means I finally have the time to tell Tynan about the dragon Caitlin’s sister saw. He gasps when he hears it. “Shit, Alana…”
“I know,” I mutter. “Do you think I should have told Blaine and Caitlin about it?”
“No, I don’t think you should… yet,” he says. “I’m not sure how to proceed from here. That’s nothing I have ever had to deal with, ever.” He pauses. “You should tell Ita when she returns.”
I try not to wince when he says her name, instead I smile. “Good idea. She might know what to do.”
“Yeah, she is our gamma, after all.” He pauses. “Say…”
“Hm?”
“Is everything alright between you and Ita?” he asks.
Oh awesome, how come Tynan out of all catches on, now!? “Why are you asking?”
“Just getting some weird vibes, is all,” he says with a shrug.
“It’s nothing,” I say. When Tynan gives me the stink eye, I sigh. “Alright, alright, we had a little argument.” It’s always better to go with a half-truth instead of a lie.
Tynan seems to buy it. “What happened?”
“None of your business, you nosy kid,” I tease.
“I’m not a kid!” he grumbles. “I have a mate, if I may remind you!”
“Yes, a mate you haven’t told yet that you are fated to each other,” I retort.
Tynan looks flustered. “Right, I forgot.”
“I think the general is an attractive and intelligent man,” I say. “So, I wouldn’t be surprised if he already knew.”
“If he knows, why didn’t he say something?” Tynan asks.
“Maybe he wanted to tease you,” I muse. “Or, he feels insecure about being mated to a young werewolf.”
“Or, he doesn’t want me,” Tynan concludes.
“He strikes me more like the type of man who would be straight-forward enough not to play games, if that were the case,” I say.
Tynan tilts his head slightly, his brows furrowed, then he nods. His eyes light up. “You are right. I need to have faith.” He stretches his limbs. “I’m going to grab something to eat. Thanks for the talk, Alana. You should totally do that with Ita, too.”
“I will,” I say. “Going to wait for her in her room. I need to tell her about the dragon, anyway.” Nothing says desperation more than just sitting around and waiting for the person you are in love with… in their room. It’s slowly getting dark outside though, so I know that Ita will need to return soon. For a while I just sit there on her bed, staring at the window and watching the sunset.
The thought of having a mate always terrified me. In a way, I almost envy Caelan, Endellion and Flinn for the absence of their bond. They can decide for themselves. I know that, in reality, said absence terrifies them and puts a toll on their mental health, though. Not having a mate makes them look cursed.
But choosing someone on my terms sounds beautiful to me.
I’m not like Nevyn and Kilah, who are both dreaming of their future mates. I know that Kilah is sad and desperate that her wolf isn’t awake yet, preventing her from feeling and following her bond. I know that even Eibhlin is eager to meet her mate. Despite her love for all these creepy and mysterious legends, she also likes to read romantic tales.
I’m the only odd one of my siblings. I know who I want, and I wish I could choose her.
However, I also know that Ita doesn’t want to be chosen. That’s the bad thing about knowing someone so well… you know when they are sincere or when they are not. Ita is still out there, not because she still has research to do, but rather because she is stalling. She is going to tell me that we are not going to be a thing… ever.
I know it, but I want to hear it from her.
I can smell her before she even enters the room.
