"A kiss? Why? Do you really think that would calm you down?" Katelyn’s voice was soft but she pressed her palm gently against his chest, pushing him back an inch.
"And I know n like you, Sage, the ones who swear they only love one woman. My heart isn’t built for gas. It’s fragile. What happens if you shatter it later? I don’t crave much in life; I already have everything I need. What I want is the right man."
Sage’s lips curved into a faint, almost rueful smile at her words. "You’re right," he murmured. "Most n do say that. But I’ve never told anyone what I’m telling you now." He leaned closer, his breath brushing her ear. "It’s strange, isn’t it? How you still don’t believe . You’re mine now, Katelyn, my mate. No one else can have you. Rember that."
"You have fifteen days," Katelyn said. "I won’t give myself to a mate bond so easily. I need to see your true feelings first."
"Thank you... For being honest with ," Sage replied after a pause as he straightened to his full height.
"You’re leaving?" Katelyn asked, her heart skipping as she watched him pull back.
"Yeah," Sage said with a bitter little laugh, already turning away. "Because you refused to kiss . It would’ve cald down, at least. I need to stay away from you, for my own sanity."
He was almost at the door now, his hand closing over the knob when Katelyn’s breath caught in her throat. She rose, instinct driving her forward.
"Sage," she called softly.
His grip on the knob slackened, and he slowly turned his head toward her, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"What?" he asked.
"I’ll bring als for you," Katelyn said softly, taking a hesitant step toward him.
"It’s fine. I’ll just order sothing," Sage replied, glancing away as though trying to put distance between them even with his words.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "You really don’t want to cook for you?"
"Kate, I’m staying here," he said firmly, closing the door behind him. Without waiting for her response, Sage slipped his feet back into the slippers and brushed past her.
"I didn’t ask you to stay here," Katelyn replied, folding her arms. "You’ll only feel worse being this close to . And..." She hesitated, biting back the words pressing at her lips.
Sage paused mid-step. "And that way you’ll understand what a mate bond really does," he muttered. "You said I’d play with your feelings. You don’t trust , not even a little. Do you know how much that hurts?"
"I thought you understood ," Katelyn said, her eyes et his.
"I’m hungry," Sage replied. "Just cook for . I’ve been waiting for you for what feels like an eternity. It’s already past six, isn’t it?" He slid his phone from his pocket, checking the ti but not really looking at it.
"Okay," she murmured after a pause. "But you’ll have to wait a little. I need to freshen up first."
"Hm."
He watched her retreat.
"If there were another woman in her place," he thought, "she would have fallen into my arms by now. But Katelyn... she’s different. As much as I’m affected, she’s affected too. The bond is there, even if she fights it. But for now my main concern is how much longer can my suppressants hold my rut back?"
Katelyn dried her face with the towel, her hands trembling slightly. She grabbed her phone and quickly dialed Alie’s number.
"Please... please, be free," she whispered under her breath, pacing across the room.
The call clicked, and a cheerful voice answered. "Kate? Good evening!" Alie greeted warmly.
"Good evening, Alie. How are you? And Noah?"
"We’re good. Noah is happily in his grandmother’s arms right now," Alie said with a soft laugh. "What about you? You must have just gotten back from work."
Katelyn hesitated for a mont before answering. "Yeah... I did. But, Alie, I found my mate."
There was a sharp gasp on the other end. "Oh my god! Who?" Excitent bubbled in Alie’s tone.
"Sage Nightshade," Katelyn said quietly.
"Really? That’s, well, that’s nice." Alie’s voice wavered between surprise and curiosity. "But... Kate, why don’t you sound excited? I can hear it in your voice. You still think Sage isn’t right for you, don’t you?"
"I do," Katelyn admitted softly. "It’s not that I don’t feel anything. It’s just... I’m more shocked than happy. Honestly, I wanted to run away from him. And yet, the Moon Goddess chose him for . I can’t ignore that. I want to see if he’s truly sincere, Alie. But I’m confused, and worried. What if—" her voice faltered, "what if he turns out to be a bad Alpha?"
"Kate, you’ve spent ti with him already. Tell the truth. Did Sage ever make you feel unsafe? Did he ever make you doubt your worth? I told you not to judge him from his past."
"He’s... caring," Katelyn admitted after a pause, her voice low. "It’s just... I’ve been unfair to him. Maybe because of my own prejudices about who I thought he was." She sighed, realizing she was answering her own doubts as she spoke.
"I’ll be honest with you, Kate," Alie said gently. "You always looked up to Karn. So, deep down, the kind of man you thought you wanted... was soone like him, wasn’t it?"
Katelyn let out a faint hum in agreent. "Maybe. But Karn turned out to be... sothing else. He’s not good to . And I know I brought so of that on myself, because I kept pestering him."
"Kate," Alie’s tone softened. "You can’t compare any man with Karn. Every person is different, every bond is different. And now, you’ve found your mate. Don’t let your doubts chain you down. Try to understand him... And if he shows you his sincerity, embrace him with your whole heart. I’m sure Sage is making efforts to win you. Don’t lose it. Matebond is a purest bond one can share with each other. You can’t defy the will of the Moon Goddess. Keep that in mind."
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