107

ALEK

Two months ago

Kærasta.

I still couldn’t believe that word left my lips. Sunday wasn’t my mate. I didn’t have one. Fated mates were rare and precious. The fact that my parents found each other was the stuff of fairy tales. The odds of lightning striking twice for my family were less than zero. But here I was, uttering an endearment I’d never been called to speak before.

At least she had no idea what it meant.

The fuck of it all was I wasn’t even supposed to be here. Tor had been slated for the mission. As the twin with a perpetual hard-on for following the rules and proving himself, he’d been the clear choice for this military assignment. Which made it even more surprising when Cora, the Satori matriarch blessed with glimpses of the future, told me I needed to be the one to go.

We’d learned early on never to question one of herfeelings. So there’d never been any doubt I’d take her advice. Even though I didn’t have any interest in this kind of responsibility.