Page 106 of Rejected By a Wolf

For years, Sophia bore her parents’ burden, making their suffering her own. For years, she sacrificed life’s joys with the hope that she could one day save them from the cruel fate that had been bestowed upon them. All the while, Casper had been making those same sacrifices.

But she now knew her parents were no longer suffering. In fact, she was told they hadn’t suffered in a very long time.

For decades, they’ve been at peace, which was so much more than Sophia could say for Casper’s mate.

And unlike Casper, Sophia no longer had to carry the weight of their suffering on her shoulders. She was now free to live her life exactly how she wanted to, without guilt.

But couldn’t envision a life lived happilywithoutAntonio standing by her side, supporting her. She couldn’t deny it, she wanted Antonio in her future. She wanted him in it so fucking badly it hurt. “Antonio…” She clasped her hands over her trembling mouth as she replayed their last encounter in her head. “I need to find him. I… I have to apologize to him.” Shedidn’t mean what she said. Gods, he needed to know she didn’t mean what she said!

Antonio doesn’t deserve a mate, she told Lance, someone he cared deeply about, and she made sure he heard every word of it. She knew how much those words would hurt him, and she said them anyway, disappearing before she could see his reaction.

And now his soul may soon be trapped along with the ones in front of her. Which meant, for eternity, he’d be unable to do anything but ruminate over his mate’s last words to him. Terrible fucking words.

“We need to find him. I… I don’t want…” She was rambling, having no idea what to say. How could she cry about Antonio’s soulpotentiallybeing trapped while the woman Casper loved already was?

But Casper, always seeming to know her more than she knew herself, gave her a sympathetic smile and pressed a comforting hand to her cheek. “Do you remember when we met?”

How could she forget? “It was the first time left wandered out of Trim. I wanted to see the humans so damn badly that day. So I did.”

“You were still so young, andgodsyou were so naive. Stubborn too. You still are.”

Sophia cracked a smile. “I almost pissed my pants when I ran into you. I knew you were were one of those unnatural beings I was warned about. I was sure you’d gut me and feed off my innards right there.”

Then Casper smiled too, his body shaking as if in silent laughter. “But I didn’t.”

“You didn’t.”

“I calmed you down.”

“Eventually.”

“Eventually,” he agreed, still grinning. “You know, that chance encounter saved my life. Before I met you, I had alreadybeen living down here for nearly two decades, abiding by Circe’s every command. But then, one day… I gave up. I told myself I wasn’t strong enough, that my mate deserved someone who was strong enough, and that someone wasn’t me. Then, for some reason I can’t even remember, I ended up in that meadow, contemplating my existence. That’s when you showed up. A gods-damned fey out in the open and naive as ever. It’s not every day you see a stray fey. But I came across one exactly when I needed her most.”

He nodded to himself, looking at the ceiling above with an appreciative smile.

“Recently, it seems everyone’s been seeing this stay fey. Let’s be honest here, Ididmake quite a name for myself back in Elaron.” Defeating that harpy was definitely one of the prouder moments in her life.

“Ha, you certainly did.” His smile faded, sincerity taking over his features. “I knew you needed my help. You were too stubborn to be kept within the safety of your village, too curious. You knew nothing about the outside world but you were determined to figure it all out. So I decided I’d make sure you remained safe. If I couldn’t help my mate, at least I could help you. Suddenly, I had something to live for again, someone who needed me. And during those early months, I found something so much more. I found a friend. A friend as great as the one I had abandoned. I was so grateful for our friendship. Then your village was attacked.”

Sophia watched anguish take over his features, unmasked terror darkening his eyes. “When I saw you in that… that bloodbath… I thought I had been too late. I thought I failed you just like I failed her. I panicked when I held you in my arms. You were so broken… I didn’t think about your family, I didn’t think about much of anything. I just knew I couldn’t lose you too. So, without thinking, I brought you to Elaron, knowing some of theunnatural worlds best medics lived there. And that day I realized what I had to do. So, after making my family promise to take care of you, I left.”

“To return to your mate.” Sophia said, suddenly understanding everything so much better. “What was it that convinced you to go back?”

“Knowing that if I had given up on you like I had given up onher,you wouldn’t have survived that attack on your village. I realized that maybe I was good enough. I also realized I didn’t quite give a damn whether or not I was, I just needed to make sure she wasn’t alone in the world. I promised myself she never would be again. Because one day she may need help, and having someone by her side might make all the difference in the world. I’d be damned if I took that from her.” His fists tightened at his sides, his knuckles turning a shade of white. “I’m so fucking happy I didn’t take that from you.”

When his eyes became glossy, Sophia knew. She knew now, with more clarity than she ever had before. “I love you, you know.” All her life she practice those words, preparing for the day she’d finally say them to him in some grand, romantic gesture.

All her life, she failed to realize the two of them weren’t meant to be together intimately. She had no doubt in her mind that they were soulmates. Only, they were a different sort of soulmate.

They were the best of friends.

“I love you too.” He rubbed his forehead, lines of stress creasing between his brows. “And I’ll be damned if I let you lose the man you want to live your life with. Which means we need to get to him before Giselle does.”

“Can she really take his soul, though? Drusilla told me souls cannot be taken unless freely given by their owner. Was that a lie?”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“None of this makes sense. Why would anyone willingly hand over their soul?”

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