My gaze shifted between them. I’d loved Isaac since I was a kid, and Liam was my mate. I wasn’t sure I was in love with him yet, but an ancient magic that said we belonged to each other bonded us. It was hard to fight that connection.
Normally, the bond links mates so strongly, they wouldn’t even think about anyone else. But there was a bond between Isaac and me. It may not be a fated bond, but it was a bond, nonetheless.
He'd protected me, taught me to protect myself, and had always been there when I needed someone. We’d been there for each other for so long, but it was unfair to Liam for me to be with Isaac in any way other than a friendship.
“Both of you,” I said finally, making my way to the door. I passed by Liam without a word. He didn’t try to stop me but never took his eyes off me.
I went to his room to shower. He didn’t join me. I stepped into the bedroom. He wasn’t there. I walked out to the backyard. He wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
I shifted and let my wolf run through the forest. I gave her the freedom to do as she pleased, take me wherever she wanted. Henry and Walter joined. The three hunted and played for a while before my wolf settled herself down by the lake.
Philip’s wolf settled in beside her. After a while, he yipped and shifted. “You should return to the house. To Liam.”
I growled before shifting. “And why is that? So he can lie to me some more?”
“So he can tell you the truth.” He didn’t wait for me to respond before shifting again and hauling ass into the woods.
I sat on the ground looking out over the water as I thought it over. I may not be in love with him, but the pull to return to him was so strong it almost hurt. Which I had to admit to myself was part of why I hadn’t gone back. I didn’t like having the urge to be next to someone like this.
“You’re going to freeze,” Isaac said from behind me, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders before sitting beside me. It was technically still summer, but it was so close to autumn the nights were cooling down more.
“Thanks.”
He nudged me with his shoulder. “Are you avoiding us?”
“Yes.”
We fell silent for a while. Henry screeched a few times, but it was more him cursing at Isaac than anything else. He saw Isaac as a threat to Liam, my mate. He saw it as his job to make sure I made the right choices. They don’t call them guardians for nothing.
“Liam and I had a long talk,” Isaac said finally.
“Yeah?”
“Why are you being pissy with me? What did I do?”
I looked at him. Studied him. I had almost lost him tonight. The pain I’d felt when I thought he was dying had been too much to bear. But what had really freaked me out, was feeling even more terrified at the thought of Liam dying.
“Nothing. I’m sorry. There’s no excuse for being bitchy toward you.” I rested my head on his shoulder.
His arm came around me. “You’re freaked out because you found your mate.”
“I know.”
“Have you let him be on top?”
I pulled back to look at him. “What the fuck made you ask that?”
He barked out a laugh. “Even as close as you and I are, you never let me take the wheel when we had sex. You always had to be on top, always had to be in control.”
“You noticed?”
He pulled me in and held me tight. “I did. You let him be on top, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Is that what’s got you spooked? That you’re okay with giving him the reins?”
“Maybe that’s part of it, but it’s more… I’m only twenty-four. I thought I had decades, centuries even before I found him. Now I’m settling down for eternity with him.”