Page 106 of Destined Paranormals: Volume One

“I cannot fix what I do not know is broken. What upset you?”

“It’s nothing, seriously. We will have a grand time hanging out and finding things to do during the storm,” I told him. I wasn’t about to whine to my newly found mate that he’d not mentioned claiming me. I glanced over at the couch and decided that it was a good thing I was short because I knew I didn’t wish to share a bed with my mate if I had to behave. I was a twenty-eight-year-old virgin who had never even been kissed and wanted to do things to my mate. Well, actually, I wanted him to do them to me and show me how to please him. How did I tell him that though? I didn’t. I was the omega. He was the alpha. He was in control as to when those things happened. That’s just how it was.

Calum sighed. “Very well. Hopefully you will eventually feel comfortable enough to share with me what I’ve done to hurt you. I never wish to cause you pain, Asher. If I do, please let me know so I can correct whatever it is I’ve done.”

I looked up at Calum and, after a moment, nodded. He stared down at me until he sighed again and went to sit in front of his computer. I sat there, observing him for a moment before I picked the book back up and tried to focus enough to read. Instead, I found myself trying not to cry. How was it that I’d already somehow messed things up with my mate? I’d known him for only an hour. That must be a new record.

Chapter 5

Calum

Ikept going over our conversation. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was that I had said or done to upset my adorable mate. He was currently pretending to be reading. I knew he wasn’t actually reading, but I honestly didn’t know him yet, so I wasn’t going to call him out on it.

I would imagine it had to be both terrifying as well as exciting to leave the only place you’d ever known and travel to a completely different world in order to meet someone that you were going to spend the rest of your life with. I shook my head. The similarities of our situation and that of arranged marriages in the human species were uncanny.

“Asher?”

His head rose, and when his eyes met mine, I could tell his were full of tears.

“Oh, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” I asked, getting up and immediately going to him. I didn’t even think; I just picked him up, pulled him into my lap, and held him tightly. “Do you not want this? I realize you weren’t given a choice, and I’m sure we can somehow get ahold of the fates and see about getting you a different mate. You must be terrified to be here all of a sudden.”

Asher looked up at me, and a lone tear fell from his eye. He quickly swiped at it and lowered his head again. I wasn’t going to have that. If he wanted out, I certainly wasn’t going to force him to be here with me. I gently placed my hand under his chin and raised it until he was looking up at me.

“Talk to me. I can’t fix it if you clam up. Do you want a different mate? Want to go home?”

Asher swiped at his eye again and slowly shook his head. “I don’t. But if you don’t want me, I understand. I don’t have anything to offer, really.”

I was confused. “Why would you say that?”

“You were talking about all the things we were going to do to pass the time while we couldn’t leave the hotel. But you never mentioned claiming each other. If you don’t want me, I understand. Maybe someone older would be better for you.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Stop that,” I told him, and without thinking, I leaned down and pressed my lips to his. Asher made a noise that I wasn’t quite sure if it was one of pain, fear, or surprise, but I quickly pulled away and looked at him. “I apologize. I should have asked.”

Asher opened his eyes, and what I saw didn’t show fear, so at least it wasn’t that.

“Why?” he whispered.

“Why what?”

“Why would you ask?” Asher sighed and then seemed to deflate a little. “I don’t understand, Calum. Do you want me or not?”

“I thought I had already said that I did. We’ve been talking about moving to where my family lives. We discussed children. Am I missing something?”

Those blue eyes were once more staring back at me, and I realized they were the color of the sea. I needed to show him.

“You never mentioned claiming me. You talked about everything else but claiming. That’s what fae do when they meet their mate. They claim each other. I guess I don’t understand how shifters do it.”

I couldn’t help but grin. So that was it. Now we were getting somewhere.

“Asher, do you want me to take you to the bedroom and claim you right now?” I asked. I had thought of maybe romancing him a little first. I wanted to show him that he was already more to me than just someone to have sex with. He was my mate. He would be the other father to our children. He would be who I spent evenings cuddled up with. We would go for walks; I’d take him on digs with our kids. We would have an amazing life together, exploring the world.

“I mean…I’m fae.”

I nodded. “Yes. I’m aware of that.”

Asher took a deep breath. “Fae are usually virgins when they meet their mates, Calum. You just gave me my first kiss.”

My mouth parted in shock. Well, shit. I hadn’t known. If I had, I would have made that kiss so much more. Then again, now that I knew, I could fix that.