Page 48 of Ember's Claim
I roll my shoulders back and explain the case. There are rules, and I break every single one of them as I tell him all about The Market Heist Crew, The Doctor, and I even circle back to Ethan Sanders.
“He’s who Rogue saw in the vision?” Veryn asks.
“Right.” I focus on what Lorcan said in the bar. “There’s something else. Someone else—a druid.” My eyes pop open, and I don’t even know when I closed them, but I squeak. “Holy shit, I was able to tell you about him.”
“Yeah, now keep going,” Veryn growls.
Everything spills out, from our first interaction to how I asked Wraith about different species Lorcan might be. My anxiety heightens the closer I get to recalling our conversation tonight.
Veryn and I just bonded.
The last thing I want to do is hurt him.
It would likely be more detrimental to keep secrets.
I repeat every detail I can remember. “…the first time, his compulsion included banning me from talking about him to anyone, but tonight, he changed the rules. He said I could remember our exchanges and speak of them, but only to anyone I trust implicitly.”
Veryn’s head tilts, and he brings a hand up, thumbing my lower lip. “I trust you too. Show me where he placed the mark?”
Nodding, I bring my wrist up between us. “It’s all hazy. I’m not sure if it was drawn in my blood or his. I did feel a prick, but…” I shrug. “I think it was mostly his blood with a drop of mine mixed in.”
Veryn wraps his hand around mine, bringing my wrist to his nose. His eyes glow as his nostrils flare. “That’s a smell I’ve never scented before. It’s earthy and has the tang of magic, but I don’t pick up any of the hints of decay that come with dark magic.”
“Where have you scented dark magic?” I ask, blinking like a total goofball.
“During the years after I turned eighteen.” My dragon shrugs. “Bane knew I had a lot of anger to work off. He brought me along with him on more than a few jobs.”
It feels a little like my entire world tilts. Honestly, I thought he was leaving Haven for days or weeks at a time to troll human towns for women to hook up with. He told me he was a virgin the first time we had sex, and a big piece of me wanted to believe him, but that sliver of doubt makes me feel rotten.
Veryn lays my arm down on my thigh and wraps his hand around the side of my throat, pulling me closer to him. The way his fingers tease through my hair at the base of my skull is soothing.
“I don’t want to ruin the moment or anything, but there’s something I need to tell you before you accidentally run across it in my memories.”
My eyes move to meet his. “What?”
“I came with the quads the night they dealt with Carson.” Veryn’s jaw clenches. “More like, I was an active participant in making sure he couldn’t fuck with your life in the future.”
“Okay.” I slow blink a whole lot of times as my mind processes what he just said. I’m not upset. I wasn’t angry with my brothers when they told me Carson was dead. “I’m a little surprised no one thought to tell me you were involved, but I’m not angry.”
My wolf gets weirdly giddy about that new piece of information. To her, it’s an excellent example of how honorable of a mate Veryn will be.
“I was always going to tell you,” he says sincerely. “I just wanted us to be in a good place when I did.”
I can understand that, and if we’re doing confessions, it might be time to spout off one of my own.
I blurt out, “The druid said I have more than one mate. During our conversation, he insinuated that it was common for all omegas, but I don’t know if I even inherited those pieces of my mom’s genetics.”
“Pretty much everyone but you has always suspected that you did.” Veryn leans close, nuzzling his cheek to mine. “But remember what I said earlier? Whatever comes next, we’ll figure it out together. We both grew up in packs. I love the shit out of you. I’ll adapt.”
My hand moves to his neck, digging in as I capture his mouth in a slow and sensual kiss. A warmth fills my chest, and it takes my breath away. It’s too intense to describe, but I eventually determine it’s Veryn sending his emotions toward me in the bond.
That is most definitely going to take some getting used to—but in the best way.
Chapter Seventeen
Anders
Neither of my animals is happy. Not that I’m in much better shape. What a fucking hell of a time for my beasts to inform me that Ember is our mate.