666. Mine Alone

"Your mate?" she asked. "Like the one the Lords want you to get?"

Jael gave her an impressed look and took a step back. "Yeah," he said.

Mauve's mouth fell open, and for a few seconds, she didn't know how to react. "Should you be giving that to me? Wait," she said, placing her hand on her chest as she walked closer. "What does this mean?"

Jael smiled and covered her small palm with his. "Exactly what you think it does."

"You're picking me?" she asked, blinking. She lowered her head and looked down at her feet. It was still hard to believe, and her heart felt as though it would burst out of her chest.

She understood what Jael was saying; it made sense to her, but she was having a hard time believing it was true. Maybe he was messing with her or she was still dreaming, and she would wake up soon enough and realize this never happened.

"I already did; I just made it more official," Jael explained as Mauve tried to gather herself.