<h4>Chapter 532: 532-Finally With My Mate</h4>
<strong>Mariana;</strong>
I do not know what came over me. I slid my hand into his hair and checked his neck.
I cupped his face in my hands and examined him closely, making sure he was not injured anywhere.
When our eyes met, I realized what I was doing.
I awkwardly withdrew my hands and started stepping back.
Yorick suddenly caught my elbows and pulled me closer.
"It has been a long time since someone cared about me like that," he murmured.
His eyes dropped to my lips.
I was frozen in shock. My life was changing too quickly.
But when I looked at him, my heart melted.
This was not sympathy. It was desire.
We leaned forward and our lips collided.
The moment they touched, I felt myself melting into him.
Clouds rolled in and swallowed the sky.
It was the preying month of the mates. During this time, a full moon was not required to find one’s mate.
The moment our kiss deepened, a fire ignited inside my body.
For a few seconds, I could not understand what was happening. I thought maybe it wasfort, because too much had happened today.
Then a voice rose from inside me.
Mate.
I gasped against Yorick’s mouth. Suddenly, I broke the kiss and stepped back.
We were not fully apart. He still had a tight grip on my elbows.
My hands were still pressed against his chest.
"What was that?" I asked, staring straight into his eyes.
The shocking part was that he wore the same expression I did. Pure shock.
"You felt it too?" he questioned.
The moment he asked, I knew it had not been just in my head.
It had actually happened.
"Wait. Did you feel the mate bond too?" I pressed.
Even saying the words made my heart tremble.
"Wait. What just happened? What did you two say?" Lady Rimi demanded.
I thought she was still trying tofort Charles, but she was suddenly standing right beside us.
At first, I flinched when I saw her so close. Then she smiled.
It was the smile of a mother desperate to see her child happy, as if she had finally witnessed that happiness and wanted to be part of it.
She was looking at us with open joy.
I nced at Yorick. I expected him to speak to his mother himself.
When he began avoiding her gaze, I felt a sharp realization settle inside me. Maybe I had rushed ahead of myself.
He did not look as happy as I was.
"What did you just say?" Rimi pressed again.
"Nothing," Yorick replied sternly.
I instantly removed his hands from my elbows.
The way I stared at him made it clear that I did not like his response.
"Coward," I muttered, stamping my foot before turning toward the tent.
"Wait. Listen to me," Yorick called out.
I did not turn back.
He had the nerve to kiss me, yet he did not have the courage to tell his parents. Was he still a child?
I walked away stiffly.
"You should move Charles from here," Yorick began exining to his parents in an irritated tone. "If other monsters sense him, and they can, they wille to collect him or at least investigate. Sometimes monsters start fighting each other."
Of course he spoke like that. He had been here before, so he saw himself as the leader.
His knowledge was greater. I did not know why that thought suddenly made me so angry.
"What do you mean?" his mother asked calmly.
There was something calcting in her voice, as if she had noticed more than she was saying.
"I am saying move Charles from here. Why do you think we do not transition here? Monsters can sense different energies, and right now Charles’ energy is extremely high because this is his first time in his habitat," Yorick shouted.
I had reached the tent by then. I began pacing, trying to think.
"If you are thinking of leaving, do not even consider it. We are safe with them. We are safe with Yorick."
My wolf’s voice echoed inside me.
I growled inwardly and silenced her. She did not understand.
If I stayed here, it would be a matter of pride.
"Mariana, you are not the girl who makes decisions on impulse anymore. You have to think about survival." my wolf continued.
I heard footsteps behind me and fell silent. Taking a sharp breath, I turned and faced Yorick.
"You are a loser. A big loser," I snapped at him.
Yorick watched me quietly. Then he stepped closer and grabbed me with both hands.
"I, Yorick, Alpha Yorick, ept you as my mate. Tell me, do you ept my eptance?" he dered.
His sudden eptance stunned me.
For a moment, I could not speak.
I tried to pull away faintly, but his grip was firm.
"Could you not say that in front of your mother?" I whispered.
I had stopped resisting. My fingers were absently ying with the buttons of his shirt.
"Yes, because my mother is obsessed with healing Charles. She would try to keep you close to feed him. Do you understand?" Yorick exined.
His words made my body tense.
I understood then that he was trying to protect me.
"Do you understand me?" Yorick asked softly.
When I lifted my head, I saw deep affection and longing in his eyes.
It looked as if he had finally found someone who cared for him, someone who could love him.
He was waiting for my answer.
"I, Mariana, ept Alpha Yorick as my mate," I said steadily.
The moment I spoke, he pulled me into his arms.
He wrapped them tightly around me, and for the first time, I felt that this ce might be better than Maind.
Then he broke the hug and cupped my face in his hands.
"We need to get away from them," he mumbled.
I frowned at him.
"My parents. My brother," he rified. "We need to get away from them." His words scared me truly.
"From now on, it is just going to be you and me," he added, brushing a gentle peck against my lips before pulling back.
He took my hand and led me toward the ce where we had hidden the bags.
The way he held my hand made something settle inside me.
For the first time, I felt like I truly belonged somewhere. I belonged to someone.
And there was someone who belonged to me.
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