"A human mate?" a woman looked at Gabby, scrutinizing her, her gaze sharp as a blade.
It felt as if she wanted to pounce on Gabby at any moment now. "You are telling me that you found your mate?" the woman turned her attention towards Sebastian. "Are you telling me that this human is indeed your mate?" she asked for the umpteenth time.
"Grandmother..."
"Be honest with me, Sebastian! Is this human your mate!?" her voice boomed inside the room. Somewhat Gabby could not help but find this a bit comical.
How did she arrive in this situation?
It was Sebastian who convinced her to become his 'mate'. Apparently, she could not stay in this place for too long as she is human. So, Sebastian needed a reason and that was her becoming his mate— soul mate.
"She is," Sebastian nodded. Again, the woman looked at Gabby. The woman who spoke was named Victoria Devereux, and she is the current head of the Devereux Family.
She stood nearly six feet tall, even taller than Gabby with her heels on. But it wasn't just her height that commanded attention. Beneath the loose robes she wore, Gabby could see the powerful definition of muscle – the kind that came from years of honed strength, not just working out at a gym.
Her arms looked like they could snap tree branches in half, and her posture radiated confidence. Her face, though, was a different story. It held the lines and creases of a woman who had lived a long life, weathered by experience.
Yet, her eyes – a piercing amber color – held a spark of youthfulness that made Gabby question her true age. Were those laugh lines crinkling at the corners, or the remnants of countless battles fought?
There was an ageless quality about her, something that seemed to enchant Gabby.
And Gabby wanted to study her. Would it be rude to ask for her age?
Probably yes.
That would make the Alpha Lycan snap her spine in two. Victoria looked at her again, scrutinizing her from head to toe. "Tell me your name."
"Gabrielle," Gabby said as she met her amber eyes. "You can call me Gabby."
Victoria arched an eyebrow. "Have you told your father about this?" she asked.
"No. I have not."
"Good. Keep it that way," Victoria said. "I will talk to the Elders. You may tour her around the place."
"Thank you, grandmother," Sebastian held Gabby's hand and dragged her out of the room before she could ask too many questions.
"How old is she?" she immediately asked.
"Lycans have especially good hearing abilities," Sebastian said. She looked at their intertwined hand and wondered if he would let go somehow. Walking like this is kinda awkward. Then she recalled how they had been pretending to be mates.
"Mates, huh?" she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper as she glanced down the empty hallway. Sebastian had mentioned the Lycans were a dwindling race, far fewer than the werewolves.
Being whisked away to their pack mansion upon arrival in Aetheria had been part of the 'mate' charade.
"Meeting your mate isn't exactly common for Lycans," Sebastian offered with a casual shrug.
Then he continued, "Earth is simply too big for us to find our mate when we want to. Some Lycans die in Aetheria before they even have a chance to go to Earth to find theirs. Some marry within the pack to keep the bloodline strong. A lucky few find their true mates."
"What does having a mate even mean?" Her heart hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Those novels she devoured always portrayed mates as helplessly drawn to each other, their connection undeniable.
This was something that Sebastian did not explain when he convinced her to act as his mate in exchange for giving her access to the library of their mansion— a place where she could start her journey of studying Aetheria and Lycans.
"It's a blessing from the Moon Goddess," he murmured, his voice turning low and husky.
"Does it make you stronger?" she blurted, the question tumbling out before she could stop it. A slow smile played on his lips. "Truth is, no one knows for sure." His gaze locked with hers, a spark of something dangerous igniting in the depths of his eyes.
"When was the last time a Lycan found their mate?" she pressed and then continued. "That was… a long time ago, wasn't it?"
Almost immediately, realization dawned inside her. The reason why Victoria acted like that should be because this was not considered normal! It should be because this doesn't happen all the time!
"You should have told me!" she hissed as she made a futile attempt to pull her hand free. As if against her will, her fingers clung to his instead. Fighting him was like trying to stop a tidal wave.
"Would knowing have changed your mind?" he countered. Frustration bubbled up inside her. "This is insane!" she whispered.
If she had known, she wouldn't have so readily agreed to this charade. She wouldn't want to face a chaotic and unknown variable in her plans.
It would have been fine if this was something normal inside this place but instead. Surprise might be in order, curiosity would happen too. But then the fact that the last time a Lycan found their mate was a long time ago would change everything!
This would surely birth reactions that are completely out of her grasp, out of her control.
Control. That was what she craved. Order in the seemingly endless chaos. But this man, this infuriating, captivating man, had thrown everything into disarray.
"Take me to your room," she demanded, her voice surprisingly steady despite the tremor in her hand. Sebastian had mentioned their rooms had some sort of privacy enchantment, a place where they could talk freely.
A surprised laugh escaped his lips before he scooped her up effortlessly, bridal style. Heat flooded her cheeks as her breath hitched. "What are you—" she began, words failing her as his laughter deepened into a chuckle.
"Shh," he murmured, his voice warm against her ear. "Let me take you where we can talk."