Sophia’s POV
Lex was holding me so tightly that I was having trouble breathing.
“I am okay, Lex,” I said, rubbing his back gently. “He wouldn’t hurt me.”
“We don’t know that Soph,” Mason mumbled angrily. “We don’t know who he is.”
‘He is my mate,’Stella growled.
‘He is, Stella,’I sighed.‘But it’s understandable that they are afraid. We need to be patient with them.’
She didn’t respond, but I could feel her annoyance.
Lex let me go and looked at me worriedly.
“What are you going to do?” Jacob asked me, making me look at him.
I took a deep breath and released it slowly.
I wanted him. Goddess, how much I wanted him. He was my mate. He was made for me and I was made for him.
But…
“He is dangerous, Sophia,” Mason said as he crossed his arms over his chest. “His father is dangerous. You need to think about what to do.”
It didn’t feel like I was in danger when I was in his arms. It didn’t feel like I was in danger when he was kissing me.
I looked at my dad, who was leaning on my mom’s desk. He had a worried look on his face.
I moved away from Lex and approached my dad. I needed his comfort.
He opened his arms immediately. He knew what I needed. He knew how much I loved him.
“Oh, princess,” he mumbled as he wrapped his arms around me.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my head on his chest.
“Everything is going to be okay, Sophie,” my dad said. “We will love and support you no matter what you decide.”
I didn’t know what to do.
I wanted him. I wanted him so much it hurt.
But his father hurt my family. His father almost killed my aunt and Mason. His father almost took my mom away from my dad.
Was his father the same man he was all those years ago? Would he even accept me as his son’s mate? Was he still angry at my family? Would he try to hurt me as an act of revenge? Would he try to hurt my family again?
Well, I didn’t care if he hurt me, but I couldn’t let him hurt my family.
And then there was the whole issue with my magic.
I had both light and dark magic inside me. Anna and my mom taught me how to gain control over the darkness. They taught me how to suppress it and stop it from consuming me. I hadn’t told anyone yet, but it was getting harder and harder to keep the darkness away. I could feel it pushing me to set it free. I could feel it fueling up my insides.
I could tell that Lex could tell that something was going on, but he still didn’t bring it up. It was only a matter of time before he would.
What if I hurt Hunter with my magic? What if I hurt his family or pack? What if they started to fear me?
I had so many questions and so many concerns. I had so many reasons to accept him and so many to reject him.
I was so confused and I didn’t know what to do.
“Your dad is right, sweetie,” my uncle said. “We will support you no matter what. We are just scared.”
I looked at him and nodded.
“I know,” I mumbled. “I am scared too.”
My dad kissed the top of my head and rubbed my back gently.
“You can’t do it, Sophia,” Mason said as he started to pace around. “His father could hurt you. He could hurt you. Maybe you are not even his real mate. There are so many things to consider…”
I stopped listening.
My heart felt like it was going to stop.
What did Mason say?
I wasn’t Hunter’s real mate?
What? Why would he say that? I was Hunter’s mate. I felt it all: the connection, the tingles, the sparks. I felt it all. It was there. It wasn’t fake.
I could feel my heartbeat in my throat.
What the hell was Mason talking about?!
“What did you say?” I mumbled as I stepped away from my dad.
Mason stopped talking and looked at me. He furrowed his eyebrows.
“I said a lot,” he mumbled with a confused expression on his face.
“You said that I’m not Hunter’s real mate,” I mumbled, trying to stop my voice from shaking.
A look of guilt flashed across Mason’s face. He looked at my mom.
And then it dawned on me.
They thought that I was his cursed mate.
I felt tears in the corners of my eyes.
“Sophie, honey, he is your Goddess-given mate,” my mom said as she pulled me into her arms. “You are not cursed, princess.”
I hugged my mom and leaned my head on her shoulders.
Warm tears fell on my cheek.
“I am sorry, Soph,” Mason mumbled. “We were talking about the possibility of you having two mates just like your mom, and it just came out. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I am sorry. I am so sorry.”
Stella whined. Her pain overwhelmed me.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My mom kept kissing the top of my head.
“You are not going to go through that pain, my princess,” my mom said softly. “I promise.”
Was it possible? Did I have two mates just like my mom did? Was Hunter my cursed mate? Was I bonded to another man as well?
‘No!’Stella whined.‘We are his. I know it. I can feel it.’
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. The pain was drowning me.
“Okay, everyone out,” my brother said angrily. “Leave us alone.”
“Alex…,” my uncle spoke, but Alex interrupted him.
“I said to leave us alone,” Lex said. “I need to talk to her alone.”
My mom kissed the top of my head again and let me go.
“It is going to be okay, Soph,” my mom said as she cupped my cheeks and gave me a small smile. “We are all here for you.”
I heard the rest of my family leave my mom’s office quietly. My mom and dad stayed.
“We love you, princess,” my dad mumbled as he hugged me tightly. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
“I love you too,” I mumbled as I hugged my dad back.
He let me go and took my mom’s hand in hers. They both gave me a small smile and walked out of the office.
I took a deep breath and turned around to look at my brother.
