Wish (Scales 'n' Spells 3)

North plopped into a chair in front of the fire and stared glumly at the banked embers. “I don’t know. I haven’t made a decision either way. What do you think I should do?”

“Live your life.”

He pulled the phone away from his ear, stared at it in surprise, then replaced it. “Really? Just say to hell with it, and abandon the family, my job, all of that?”

“Listen, North. It’s not abandoning your family. Your ma and pa have drilled it into you boys’ heads that leaving the family and making your own way in life is abandoning them. But you realize, don’t you, that’s what children are supposed to do? They’re supposed to leave their parents. They’re supposed to find jobs they like and work them. They’re supposed to fall in love and form their own families.”

That was…true. Why hadn’t North ever realized that? Had he been guilted into this warped sense of duty for so long that he’d stopped questioning it?

“Your parents are dead set on keeping their kids close because really, you’re their whole identity. Being your parents. They don’t know what to do with themselves when they finally have an empty nest. And your ma, especially, is of the opinion that if she rides you hard enough, she can straighten you out, force you to marry a nice girl, and then you’ll stop being the way you are. I’ve talked with her I don’t even know how many times, and she’s turned a deaf ear to anything she didn’t want to hear.”

North winced and scrunched further into the chair. “Yeah, she’s already got a date lined up for me, I think. She made noises about a nice girl from church.”

“I do not want you to do something against your will just because your ma is forcing it down your throat. Can you imagine marrying some girl, having sex with her, and fathering children?”

“I can’t even get past the mental image of kissing a girl, honestly.” Especially after experiencing how Warin kissed. It didn’t even compare. “I’ve nothing against having kids, though. I’d like to have kids.”

“And if that’s what you want, I want them for you. What I’m trying to say is, your parents don’t know how to love you as you are. And you’re not abandoning them by choosing to live away from them. That’s what children are supposed to do. Grow up and leave the nest.”

Relief rushed through him. It felt like his grandpa had lifted a huge millstone hanging about his neck, and his next breath in felt freer. “So, every time Ma says that, treat it like a guilt trip?”

“That’s precisely what it is. North, I ask you. If you didn’t have to worry about family, or that job you hate doing, what would you choose?”

Warin stewed over the remains of his breakfast, not really seeing it. Instead he saw North’s face, so depressed and conflicted. North had dropped hints here and there that his home life in the United States wasn’t a happy one. The man had teared up when Warin offered to buy him a red coat, for god’s sake. That told a whole story all by itself. He did not like the idea of North returning to that environment.

And if he were perfectly honest with himself, that wasn’t the only reason. Warin desperately wished North would stay, and it was an entirely selfish impulse to snatch him up and keep him close.

“Warin.”

His head came up, belatedly realizing Ravi was still seated at the table. “Yes?”

The wind dragon was staring at him with all of the patience of pregnant goldfish waiting for lunch. “You’re a fucking idiot, you realize this, right?”

“Um…why?”

Ravi rolled his eyes expressively, a god-give-me-patience expression on his face. “North was obviously hoping you’d tell him to stay.”

“I did,” Warin protested. He had said that, hadn’t he?

“No, you explained how he could stay, if he wanted to. Not once did you encourage him to stay because you want him here. Two different things.” Ravi rolled his eyes again, another clear bid for patience. “I swear, is Sasha the only romantic we have in this clan? First Alric, then Baldewin, now you.”

Warin opened his mouth on a protest that didn’t formalize, because he couldn’t refute any of that. Particularly when he realized exactly what Ravi had said. Alric had found his mate. And then Baldewin had found his mate.

And now Warin…

Was North his mate? Could he really know so fast?

That couldn’t be possible.

Except that Cassie and Sasha had taken one look at each other and known they were destined for each other.

When Warin had locked eyes with North for the first time, he’d known what? That North was the sexiest, most beautiful creature he’d ever laid eyes on. That North’s laugh was the most precious thing he’d ever heard. That North’s smile was a light in his darkness.