“I wanted you to have a proper date. From what I’ve gathered, none of us have come into this in a traditional way.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you fell into Ravenscroft and found each of us. At least, that’s what Thorne shared with me. You deserve to be properly wooed.”
“Is that what you’re doing?”
“That depends. Is it working?”
Heat unfurled in my belly. “Maybe.”
He winked at me. “Then I guess I am.” Alek made us each a plate, putting a little bit of everything onto it before setting it in front of me. “So, Sunday Fallon. Tell me about you.”
I had no idea which way to go. Did he really want to be bored with my whole history? My time spent isolated? How did you tell your mate who you were without overwhelming him?
“CliffsNotes version? I was abandoned on my dad’s doorstep when I was a newborn, a shame to my pack because I couldn’t shift. I didn’t know anything about the world until I came here and learned from you four. Oh... and I’m pretty sure my mom’s the devil.”
He snorted. “I’m sure we all feel that way about our parents from time to time.”
“Oh no,” I said, taking a sip of my cider. “I don’t mean metaphorically. I think she could be the literal devil.”
His smile faded as he held my stare. After a beat, he scratched his cheek and shrugged. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing you’re mated to a demigod blessed by Odin himself. I’m pretty indestructible.”
“It’s always the indestructible ones who take the biggest risks.”
“Is it? You’re the most breakable of us all, and you crossed realms to find me.”
“It was only one realm.” I ducked my head as a blush crept up my neck into my face. “You would have done the same for me.”
“I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit.”
I lifted a shoulder. “Stepping through a portal didn’t seem all that scary after facing off with demons and almost being sacrificed during some douchey dude-bro’s ritual.”
“Dude-bro?”
I waved the question away, sneering at the thought ofChad. “Don’t worry about it.”
“So you gave me your basic stats, but what made me fall for you?”
The question caught me off guard. “I... um... I don’t actually know. It never really came up.”
His expression went from tender interest to disbelief. His brows dropped low, and his smile faded. “Then I failed as your mate.”
“What?”
“If you don’t know everything I love about you, I wasn’t doing my job as your mate. It’s simple. I should’ve made you aware of exactly how wonderful you are.”
Emotion constricted my throat, and it took me a few tries before I could respond. “You always made me feel like I was the only woman in the world.”
“Because you are.”
I waved a hand at my face, lifting my drink with a nervous giggle. “Is it warm in here?”
His smile was doing things to my insides. “Since I genuinely don’t know, tell me what your favorite thing is about me.”
I laughed at the question, which was equal parts cocky male charm and boyish innocence. “Your hair.”
Mirth sparkled in his blue eyes. “My hair?”