Fia sat on the edge of the couch, hands clenched in her lap as she stared at Emiliano, her expression unreadable. "Okay, so let me get this straight," she said, her tone matter-of-fact despite the storm raging inside her. "You’re a lycan, and I am your soul mate?"
Emiliano’s intense blue eyes locked onto hers. "Technically, in my world, it's called a blood mate, but yes. Essentially, you are mine."
Fia exhaled sharply. "Blood mate... right. Okay, so I’m your blood mate, and last night, when we—" she swallowed hard, "—when we had sex, we started the mating process, which means that soon, I’ll turn into some kind of sex-crazed woman, hell-bent on getting pregnant by you?"
A muscle in Emiliano’s jaw twitched, but he nodded slowly.
Fia huffed out a breath, running a hand through her dark waves. "And you’re saying I have two choices? Either you turn me into one of you so we can be together, or I reject all of this and walk away?"
Emiliano clenched his teeth, his body taut with restrained emotion. The mere thought of her rejecting him sent a sharp, visceral pain through his chest. But he gave her a tight nod.
She studied him carefully, her golden-brown eyes sharp. "Okay, one more question. What exactly is a sire?"
At that, a slow, wicked smile spread across Emiliano’s lips, and Fia felt heat rush to her cheeks.
"For you and me?" His voice dropped to a husky murmur. "It would enhance our bond. Not only would you love me as a man, but as your creator, you would feel an unbreakable devotion to me. And I to you." He leaned in slightly, his gaze dark and heavy-lidded. "But the pull I feel towards you? It will be nothing compared to yours."
Fia snorted. "Of course, it wouldn’t."
A tense silence settled between them. The weight of what they were discussing hung thick in the air, pressing down on Fia’s chest. Emiliano, fearful she was leaning towards rejecting him, moved towards her, kneeling before her.
"Please, don’t reject me," he murmured, his voice raw with emotion. "I love you. I want this. I want us. I know it’s happening fast, but we can slow down if that’s what you need."
Fia’s eyes welled with tears at his confession. "Slow it down how?"
Emiliano exhaled, relief flickering across his face. "Even though I still have to change you and complete the mating process, we don’t have to rush into…" He hesitated. "Starting a family. That can wait."
The idea intrigued Fia. She wasn’t ready to be someone’s mother, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to be a lycan either. She pressed her lips together, mulling it over. "What about my father and Mia? Would I still be able to see them? Would I still be able to work?"
Emiliano nodded. "Yes, you’ll still be able to see your family and friends. And you can go back to work after a few days. You’ll need time to adjust."
Fia exhaled, nodding slowly. "Will it hurt?"
Emiliano hesitated before nodding. "Yes. But I’ll be with you the entire time."
He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers, his hands framing her face. "Please give us a chance."
Fia’s breath hitched. "Emiliano… I can only make one choice, and that’s it…"
The moment stretched between them, thick with unspoken words. Then, she whispered, "I want to see it. I want to see it all."
Emiliano pulled back slightly, his brows furrowing. "When?"
"During the full moon."
He stood abruptly, pacing the room. "No. I could hurt you. He’ll want nothing more than to break out and mate you as is."
Fia stood, squaring her shoulders. "You wouldn’t let him. I have to see this." Her voice softened. "And look on the bright side—if we do it this way, you’ll get what you want either way."
Emiliano eyed her warily before sighing and nodding. "I’ll send someone to get you the night of the full moon."
Fia bit her lip. "I can’t stay here without thinking about what we did last night. So… I’m going to go. I’ll see you in two days."
Emiliano’s throat worked as he swallowed hard, nodding reluctantly. "Alright."
She walked him to the door, hesitating before opening it. "Thank you for telling me the truth."
He let out a dark chuckle. "Yeah. You’re welcome. And hey, don’t tell Mia any of this—for your own safety."
Fia nodded. Then, in a sudden, impulsive movement, she grabbed Emiliano by the collar and pulled his mouth to hers. The kiss was slow, deep, and full of everything she wasn’t ready to say.
When she pulled back, her lips still brushed against his as she whispered, "I love you too."
Emiliano’s eyes widened slightly, his breath hitching. Stunned, he backed into the door, fumbling with the lock before finally opening it and stepping outside, his mind spinning.
The tingle on his lips confirmed that this wasn’t a dream—she had actually said it.
And for the first time in days, hope bloomed in his chest. Maybe, just maybe, she would choose him.