Here is the next chapter of Pyre Boundaries. What do you think? Is the male perspective working for you? Do you think I need to flip it to hers? I am think about the next chapter being Nina Marie's and finding out whats been going on over the past few days? Let me know what you think
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Cian's POV
I knew the moment the words erupted from my mouth that they would be perceived by the pack as a proclamation that Nina Marie was my soul mate. That didn't bother me that much since Luke had already more or less forced me to admit that truth already.
What bothered me was how Nina would react to my words. Despite holding back so many other times earlier in the day those four words made me incredibly vulnerable to rejection. She needed only to say 'no' and I felt like my soul would shatter into a thousand pieces. My mind was racing. I needed to say or do something before she chose for both of us.
I could claim that she needed to stay with me so we could continue to work on a solution. I could persuade her by saying that I just needed a little more time. I could even add to that by telling her I would introduce her to other council members and Fae and see if they too could work on finding a possible way to get her home. Perhaps if I kept my feeling and emotions out of it she would comply and stay with me.
Then if that didn't work, I just might have to be more forthright and expose my heart and soul to her. That option truly did petrify me since something in her eyes told me she wasn't ready to accept me as mate. I just somehow knew if I forced the issue, she would reject me. Then I started to wonder if her soul even felt the same pull as I did. What if the bond was one sided? I could see in our auroras that we were tied together but what if I was the only one with an emotional need. That's when I felt something inside of me shifted yet again. Nothing I said or did was going to work. Not tonight anyway. I knew Nina held all the cards and the choice of where she slept tonight had to be hers.
"Cian, Come on. Leave this alone for tonight. Let her get some rest. Come by my place in the morning." said Luke in a sympathetic voice
I briefly lifted my eyes to Nina's. I could see relief on her face at the thought of leaving with the wolves, so I nodded in her direction. I didn't dare speak since I couldn't trust that my voice or body language wouldn't expose me further. I turned my back on the rest of the room so that I wouldn't be forced to watch Nina Marie walk away from me. I heard people leaving the room and realized my eyes had become a little misty and my breathing was unsteady and difficult.
When the room finally grew silent and I was sure all the wolves had vacated my domicile in favor of their own, I forced myself to turn around and examine the empty room. I sniffled and turned towards the stairway that would take me to the upper levels.
Because my home was completely made of magic it is much larger on the inside than on the outside. In fact, the inside changes sizes and shapes based on my needs. For example, when it was just Nina Marie and me in the living room it was approximately three hundred square feet. Then, when the wolves all charge in the room grew to closer to three thousand square feet.
I trudged slowly up the stairs and immediately turned into my sleeping quarters. Like the house, the furniture is also constructed wholly from magic as well. Therefore, it too is limited to my needs. If Nina had stayed with me, the room and furniture would have altered to fit both of our needs. For example, the size of the bed and perhaps the amount of furniture in the room would have changed. Even the shape, style and color of the room would have changed to suit her needs.
I looked around the near baron room and realized that my needs and desires prior to meeting Nina had been sparse. Despite the fact that colors were encouraged and acceptable within COR, my room was basic white and lacked any and all other colors. Additionally, I had only three pieces of furniture. The bed, a desk and a chair. According to my father, my quarters are very similar to a dragon's quarters outside of COR.
I took a deep breath and sighed as I plopped down roughly onto the bed. The bed creaked loudly from my weight. Tears started to fall uncontrollably from my eyes. This time I allowed them to come. I didn't try to hold back. I let myself experience the feelings and emotions that I'd been suppressing all day.
~*~
It's been more than six days and I have yet to see Nina Marie again. To me, it seems to be a conspiracy that the entire population of COR is in on with me being the only exception. Even my own parents are part of the treachery. They like the wolves and the council members find a new reason that Nina and I need to be kept separated. I looked at both of my parents suspiciously.
My mom looked a little apprehensive and even a tad bit anxious though her beautiful dragon scales in all shades of red were absent from her cream-colored flesh. A dragon only ever drops its scales if there is no possibility of danger. The fact that my mothers were missing didn't belay my misgivings. In fact, it was even more telling since without her scales it was easier to see my mother's cheeks were flushed pink and her eyes looked suspiciously like she'd been crying off and on for days.
My father on the other hand appeared cool and casual. I could see no visible signs of distress. My father was a purebred fire Fae. He stood over seven feet tall and sported an incredibly muscular but sinewy long Fae body. His flesh was a translucent blood red in color and his obsidian black eyes gave him the appearance of being detached and dispassionate.
I could tell my parents were having a private telepathic discussion and that my mother was about to crack. As a dragon my mother like myself was basically incapable of treachery and deception. It was a dragon's nature to be honorable and faithful sometimes even to a fault. I could tell my father was doing his best to help my mother keep silent. I knew however at any moment she would break down and spill everything she knew. With that in mind, I said in a voice filled with sarcasm
"So, Nina is unavailable for visitors today because she is out on a raid with the wolves for food. I must assume of course that when she gets back someone will claim she is too tired to see me. I will of course accept that line of bullshit since I am always tired when I get back from raids.
I do wonder however why I wasn't requested to join the raid? I am known to be the best warrior in COR. Perhaps the truth is that I am being kept away from Nina because she just doesn't want to see me. Perchance the two of you already know Nina plans on rejecting me and you just want to soften the blow?"
I heard my mother sniff, then she reached out and grabbed my father's arm. In response, I heard my father shuffle his feet. Their reactions to my statement was just as telling as any words could have been. Their reaction and lack of words provided me with a clear indication that my assumptions were dead on. I forced myself to take a large deep breath then said in a voice far less acerbic
"Well then, I do believe it is time for me to change her mind. It is time for the subterfuge to come to an end. How can she decide to reject me when she's barely given herself a chance to know me? Tell me have they already left for the raid?"
My mom nudged my dad at the same time as she looked into his eyes and started talking. Her voice filled with sadness
"Aodh, I can't hold back from our son any longer. I want to protect him and honor my vows, but this is wrong and you know it. He like all of us deserves the chance to bond with his soul mate. Please Aodh let us tell him."
I watched my father nod then he said in his steady calm voice
"I will tell him. Perhaps I can bend the rules. After all there are ways to tell our son things without actually saying them. You need to go home Kolfinna and stay there. Lock the door and don't open it unless it is me. What I am about to do is risky for all of us.
You know we vowed to be silent and gave our word to the council that we would not tell our son or interfere with the natural course of this. By doing this we risk our lives and our home here at COR. We could be forced to return to the other side of the veil."
My mom reached out and cupped my father's face in her hands then said almost in a whisper
"Aodh, it is worth it. Remember our love survived in the real world. Before you helped to make COR we hid in the shadows and scrounged for our meals but we survived because we had each other. I love you Aodh and I love our son. He deserves the happiness we found in each other's arms."
My father leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my mother's lips before he said in a voice now filled with warmth, love and acceptance
"I love you Kolfinna, I would have done anything to have you. Our son is strong! He can survive this. We all can if need be. Now go home and get prepared. I believe once Cian has heard he will want to leave immediately, and he will need our help."