I don’t know what the fuck to do anymore. It’s been two days since the night at the lake when I followed Amelie. I wanted to go to her, to tell her I’m her mate. Judging by some of the things she said, I’m hopeful it means she knows the truth. Still, it doesn’t make things any easier if she’s not feeling the mating signs. I can’t make her mine until then.
All morning, I’ve buried myself in work to get my mind off of things, but nothing’s working. Amelie’s called me several times over the weekend, and I’ve been close to answering, but what do I say? I don’t want her to ask if she’s my mate; I want her to feel it on her own.
A car door slams out front, and I knew who it was long before he turned down my driveway. Ever since Colin mated with Kami, his power quadrupled. Of course, my parents were true mates, but there’s something different about this new magic. It’s stronger than anything my parents and my ancestors ever had.
Colin knocks on the door and walks in straight to my office. “I knew you’d be in here,” he says, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.
I wave him over. “Come look at this. Tell me what you think?”
Colin strolls over and looks down at my sketch. “Very nice. I like what you did with the stone at the front entrance.” He moves the drawing to the side and studies the rest of the ones I finished. “Did you do all of these this weekend?”
With a heavy sigh, I nod. “Yep. In good news though, I talked to Micah. He’s okay. He still hasn’t found the others yet.”
Colin nods. “He will.”
“I know,” I agree. “It’d be nice if he were here.”
Colin’s brows furrow. “What’s going on with you? Did something happen?”
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the green stone and move over to the window. “You could say that.” Visions of Amelie flash through my mind.
“Are you still worried about Kara and Knox?” he asks.
I open my eyes and slide the green stone back into my pocket. “I’ll stop worrying about them when I know they’re not a threat anymore.”
Colin nods. “I understand. Kami’s still tracking them. They’re nowhere near here.”
“Good,” I say, meeting his gaze.
His eyes narrow with concern. “What else is bothering you? I’m assuming it has to do with Amelie and her lack of mating signs.”
I scoff. “That’s putting it mildly. I kissed her the other night.”
Colin’s mouth gapes. “You’re fucking kidding me. You actually made a move?”
“Yes,” I grumble.
He waves his hands in the air. “And? What happened?”
“And,” I reply with a huff, “I could feel her uncertainty when things got a little heated. I didn’t like it, so I stopped before she could regret anything we did. Then, just the other night, I kept myself hidden and followed her to the lake. She spoke to me even though she didn’t know for sure if I was there.”
His grin widens. “What did Amelie say?”
I shrug. “I think she might suspect we’re mates, but of course, nothing’s happened on her end. I feel it though. That’s what makes this a million fucking times worse.”
Colin snorts. “That’s how I felt with Kami. But then again, she knew we were mates and pretended otherwise. It infuriated the hell out of me.”
At least, I’m lucky enough not to have Amelie be like that. She wants things to happen between us. Turning away from him, I avert my attention to the window. It only snowed a small amount last night, so if Amelie were to search around the woods, she’d see my tracks. I keep waiting for her to call to say she knows I was there.
I can see Colin’s reflection in the glass. “Want to know something strange,” I say.
He nods. “What?”
“After I kissed Amelie, it’s as if all of the guilt I’d had inside of me over the years just disappeared. It’s like I was set free.”
Colin comes up behind me and places a hand on my shoulder. “That’s the way it should be. Alina died thirty years ago. You had something special, but your bond with Amelie is for eternity. She may not feel that pull yet, but it’ll happen. You just have to be patient.”
“That’s the last thing I have right now,” I say, turning to him. “The sooner we’re mated, the sooner she can be stronger. If Kara and Knox show up, she’ll be vulnerable. Kara has a jealous streak, and she’s never forgiven me for tossing her aside. If they find out, they’ll kill her to get to me. With the true mate’s power, I can defeat them myself if they attack.”
Colin shakes his head. “Why do you talk as if you’re alone in all of this? You have so many of us behind you. The Channons aren’t going to be able to do shit.”
“No,” I growl. “They’re my problem which means it’s my fight. I’m not letting you or anyone else finish what I should’ve been done years ago.”
Colin blows out a sigh. “Fine. Have it your way, old man. Hopefully, the bond between you and Amelie opens soon. If not, we’ll have to figure out what to do about the Channons when or if they show.”
Kara and Knox like to make an entrance everywhere they go. They’ll wait for the most inconvenient time. With Christmas coming up, it wouldn’t surprise me if they show up just to make it miserable for me.