Page 190 of Claim Me
We stop in a wide driveway.
"Are you sure you don’t want to come in with me?" Blue asks.
"I’m sure. I have a feeling you’re safe there, so I’m asking to be relieved of my bodyguard duties for the time you’ll be spending with your family."
Blue opens his mouth as if to add something, but stops himself, giving only a short nod before walking toward the brightly lit entrance, where a butler greets him.
I sit there motionless for a long moment, staring blankly at the illuminated front of the building.
Soon more limousines arrive, and other Lowens begin getting out, along with some regular cars. At one point, emerging from one of them are none other than… Storm and Damien Lowen.
Wow. I somehow forgot that Damien is one of them.
On impulse, I step out of the car and wave at him. Storm turns, surprised.
"Oh, wow, Gabriel. You came here with Blue?" he asks with a wide grin, walking up to me and extending his hand. I shake it firmly. I wave to Damien as well in greeting.
"Yes," I say. "And you’re heading to the family gathering, I assume?" I add, stating the obvious, since it’s clear why they’re here. Damien is Sebastian’s son, the head of the Omega Red Line Agency, the same one Blue lends his jet to.
"Have fun," I add after clearing my throat. "Blue’s already inside."
"Thanks, man. So… spill, gossip time. What’s it like working with Blue?" Storm suddenly asks, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
His eyes move over my face, amused.
A strange irritation suddenly rises in me.
"That’s a funny way you put it back then at the fair: ‘controversial,’ and it really is. You felt it yourself, didn’t you? That it’s strange, almost impossible, almost illogical, that Fate would choose such a zero like me and Blue as fated mates."
Storm blinks, surprised by my rant. He knows a completely different version of me. Quiet, nervous Gabriel, who never talked back to anyone, suddenly has an attitude? Damien glances at him and then at me.
"I’m not sure I understand…"
"Come on. You knew from the start, right?"
Silence.
"With your gift, it must have been obvious. You had to see that we’re True Mates."
"I did, yes, and I also knew you’d never believe me. It’s the story of my life. My own brothers doubt me, even though they were proved wrong on more than one occasion," Storm smiles helplessly and spreads his hands. "But isn’t it a good thing, now that you know?"
"I know, but I still don’t understand it, Storm! It’s crazy! Why would Fate pair us together? It doesn’t make any sense."
I’m aware that I’m dumping my frustrations and negativity on Storm, who has done nothing to deserve it, but it’s boiling inside me.
Unexpectedly, it’s Damien who answers me.
"I don’t think it’s that strange. Our families have a high level of compatibility, the Nolans and the Lowens."
"Maybe, but…" I cut myself.
It doesn’t pull me away from my original line of thought, because it still changes nothing. Out of all the Nolans, Ishouldn’t bethe one paired with Blue. Plenty of my cousins would deserve that more.
I’m about to add something, but one of the arriving cars stops, and a shor man with a youthful face steps out. I recognize him as Sebastian Lowen. Beside him is a tall alpha, both of them looking no older than thirty, even though I know they’re much older. After all, they’re Damien’s parents, and they’re True Mates too.
Yeah.
Will that be my future too? Will I stayundeservinglyyoung after all those years?
