She cleared her throat, changing the topic. “Is my age a problem for you, Ikrus?”
He sucked in a deep breath, looking away, still thinking about why he had brought her and Arlo here - still trying to figure out his thoughts. “No. I was merely surprised, that is all.”
“I’m not bothered either.” She leaned closer to him, a hair’s breadth between them, catching him off guard with her action. “Don’t worry,” she skimmed her fingers over his hair and he stilled, forcing himself not to move as more of her fragrance consumed his air. “I have always fancied old men.”
What?!
Old men?!
Old men where?!
“I’m not old,” he said, clearly offended.
“You are thirty-two,” she said as she lay down and closed her eyes.
“Exactly. I am not old.”
She felt his shadow over her and she sighed, wanting the warmth of the sun on her skin once again. “You are thirty-two… and blocking the sun.”
“That is not old at all.” He sounded like he was losing his mind, but his voice was leveled.
She shrugged nonchalantly, her eyes still closed. “Still blocking the sun.”
“Lycans live up to two hundred years. Thirty is nothing.”
Well, it seemed he would block the sun forever.
“Humans are not so lucky. We have to make the best use of what we have. Back where I come from, 18 is an adult.”
“16 is an adult here. From sixteen, you can feel the bond but you mustn’t act on it until you are twenty.”
“What a delicious torture. Your goddess is not very considerate, is she? Just like she isn't considerate by allowing your mate to be a human. If we were to live normally,” she paused, “without the threats we carry on our heads, you will have to grieve me about a century before you die.”
“If we were to live normally, then your life span would increase while mine would reduce to accommodate yours.”
She opened her eyes, stunned; her forehead creased in a frown. She found him hovering over her a little too closely; if her curiosity wasn't so strong, her questions would have vanished. “And you are well with that sacrifice? That is, if we were living normally.” She scoffed. “You are well with living a shorter life just because of another?”
“Of course. What is a century without one’s soulmate? It is better not to have met at all than to lose the other too early.”
“Is it?”
A light smile played on his lips. “You cannot miss what you never had.”
Resting on her elbows, she moved closer to him.
“If this is how you think, then why didn't you leave me back in Inaymi?”
“I had met you.”
“But you haven't had me.”
He frowned, thinking as he moved closer to her, hovering even closer, his hand itching to take off her veil.
Her breath caught in her throat; he smelt like the woods, she could feel betraying those sparks starting to sizzle in her skin.
“I know our relationship isn't the best but not knowing you would have left my life bleak. I have always felt like I missed something and maybe the saying is wrong?” He arched her an eyebrow as he smiled.
“Your goddess makes you suffer unnecessarily. Why didn't she just find you a partner of your own kind?”
“Suffer? No. The Moon Goddess is kind, and we are mates not because we are forced to be but because our souls align perfectly; our fates seek one another to be whole. The Moon Goddess only enhances the feeling so we’d know when we meet. Many others of other realms miss their soulmates even when they meet, our goddess ensures that we don't. We know, and because she wants the best for us - she wants us to be one, to complete the process as soon as possible, that is why the Matebond exists.”
Well, that was a lot of words and they made her understand some things better.
“It is a blessing…” Then he added, now succumbing to the urge, as he pulled off her veil, “and a curse for some.”
His black eyes held hers in a consuming gaze as his voice dropped to a lower pitch.
“Do you have that in your realm? Did you feel a bond with the one you had Arlo with?”
“No. I didn't. We don't have it in my realm.” She laid back, her elbows aching already. “When you love someone, you love someone. You know,” She pressed her hand against his chest, feeling the warmth and hardness beneath his shirt; he froze under her touch, “here.”
She attempted to pull away immediately, but he had held her hand against him so she wouldn't move.
“It takes time though,” she completed.
“Time. A waste of something you already don't have enough of.”
She pulled her hand away now, swiftly. She attempted to pull her veil back on, hoping for the same success, but he imprisoned her wrist above her head; she didn't fight him.
“It is an adventure. You don't have to hope in wait for something that might never happen. A soulmate that you might never meet because they are in another realm, one that might shorten your life–”
“We, lycans, can explore adventures too. Not many will find their soulmates, and not many will want to explore other realms. My sister wants a mate, but she hasn't found one yet; she has visited every village in our Realm. She is not going on those journeys any longer and she has decided on exploring adventures. We have both options but you have only one. Who suffers more?”
“There is love at first sight. You feel your heart drum.”
“Isn't that usually inaccurate? Does it not fade away after a while? Ours remain forever.” When he leaned closer this time around, his breath washed over her face; warm… alive. “What we have is better.”
It almost sounded like the “we” meant both of them.
Aniya gulped, her voice a whisper when she spoke. “You are in my sun again.”
“Aniya, I don't plan to move.”