Branches of Life

"I'm assuming there's a reason you brought this up?" Koa's question pulled me out of the memory. I shook my head, trying to remember how we even got on this topic, and Koa's heavy stare wasn't helping matters.

"I went there for the first time ten years ago, with my mom and sister. It's where we met Ander."

He sat on the arm of the sofa, waving his hand for me to continue my story. As I spoke, I began pacing back and forth in front of him. "We were there for a ball, celebrating the engagement of Janara's daughter."

"You mean the engagement that turned out to be the Jaguars trying to force a mating?"

"The very one. Ander was a guard at the event, checking to make sure only those invited were allowed entry." I paused my steps, glancing over at Koa, gauging his reaction, but he wasn't giving me much to go off of. "Anyway, at the ball I got bored, and Ari and I wandered off. Trouble ended up finding us, and Ander was there to save us. He made sure we made it back to the ball unscathed," I quickly summarized, deciding it was best to skim over the attack.

From the look Koa gave me, it didn't go unnoticed. "And that's how you became friends?" He crossed his arms and legs, face still unreadable. Surprise was my dominant emotion, having not expected his curiosity. Of course, I'd only known him for less than a day, maybe he was more talkative and friendly than I'd seen so far. I doubted it.

"Kind of." I tilted my head from side to side. At his gesture, I resumed my pacing. "Our aunt Arianna is mated to a blood mage. So we were invited to the events the other courts were allowed to attend. And since our parents never found out what happened at the ball, Ari and I went with them. We saw Ander at those events, and after he saved us, we both had these stupid crushes on him."

My mouth snapped shut as I mentally cursed myself for saying that. I swear I was going for a record in saying dumb shit today. Realizing my pause was probably not helping the situation, I took a deep breath before continuing.

"Anyway, whenever we would come back, he kept an eye out for us. The second time we were there was for the Summer Solstice festival. Ari and I tried sneaking off for a better view of the fireworks. We didn't even make it a hundred feet before Ander stopped us and sent us back to the festival. Let's just say our crushes ended soon after."

I chuckled shaking my head at the thought that I'd ever had non-sibling feelings for Ander. It was hard to think of him as anything but that. It also wasn't lost on me that I added that part because I wanted Koa to know—once again—that it wasn't like that. It was stupid that I felt the need to clarify it. I've never had to or even wanted to, in the past.

I snuck another peak at Koa, who was watching me as I moved around the room. His undivided attention was both unsettling and thrilling. Unsettling because I had no clue what he was thinking.

"And that's how it went for the next five years. He'd watch out for us, and drag us back to the festivities. We'd try engaging him in conversation, and at first, he would only give us one-syllable responses, but as time went on, we slowly wore him down. By the time I was eighteen, we both considered him our best friend. When we told him our plan of moving to the Convergence point, he basically told us that we needed someone to watch our backs and that he would be that person. Shortly after, we all moved into a house together. Eventually, Harmony and then Reed joined us, and the rest is history." I gave a small shrug, pausing at the window and pushing back the curtain, staring out into the forest.

My back prickled from the intensity of Koa's stare. I kept my focus on the dense forest around us, feigning indifference.

"He never returned these feelings?" Koa asked, shocking the hell out of me. Out of all things to focus on, he chose that?

"No." I chuckled, shaking my head at the absurdity of his question. "Keep in mind, he was twenty-eight, while I was thirteen and Ari was sixteen. He only ever saw us as little girls. It would've been weird if he had the hots for us."

"But after you were little girls, once you matured, did he return these affections?" Koa pressed, refusing to let this go. Where the hell was this coming from? I told him it wasn't like that with Ander. That he never saw us that way.

"I already answered your question." Releasing a sigh, I shut the curtains and turned to face him. He was now standing next to the sofa and was watching me the way and predator would when he was cornering his prey. "If you won’t listen to a word I'm saying, then I'm wasting my time. I don't even know why I told you this story to begin with."

I had no clue why he was asking dumbass questions, but I wasn't sticking around to find out. Moving around the sofa, I headed toward my bag, only to be stopped by Koa blocking my path. "You're avoiding."

"The only thing I'm avoiding is dealing with a dumbass." Taking a step to the side, I tried sidestepping him, only for him to step into my path again. "I told you it's not like that with any of us. He sees us as his younger sisters. He always has."

"Right."

It took every ounce of my thinning patience, not to shriek in anger when he once again blocked my attempts past him. "See, there you go again, not listening to a single word I've said."

"Oh, I heard the part about your crush on him, and how he spent years protecting you." His tone was biting, with barely leashed anger that I had no clue where it came from.

I buried my face in my hands and groaned. "You're being ridiculous, you know that right? If you had bothered to learn anything about us, you would know how stupid you sound."

When he didn't reply, I pulled my hands from my face and found him watching me. The barely restrained anger was noticeable from the rigid way he held his body, and how his lips were firmly pressed together. "Why would it even matter?"

He cocked his head to the side, waiting for me to elaborate. "If Ander did have a thing for me."

"It matters."

"Why?" I took a step closer to him so that my chest was nearly brushing his. "Why do you even care?"

The gold in Koa's eyes became the dominant color, the burning intensity behind them holding me captive. Striping me down to see the essence of my being. His fingers brushed across my cheek before threading through my hair, and gently tipping my head back. I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off when he pressed his lips against mine. I only froze for a second in shock before my lips moved against his in a frenzied kiss. This one was different than every other kiss I'd ever had. With an intensity that I wasn't used to, but craved more.

Fire licked its way through my body as my hands tugged on his shirt, fisting the material in my attempts to get closer. Gripping the backs of my thighs, he picked me up. On instinct, my legs wrapped around his waist, pressing my throbbing and soaked core against his growing erection sending tingles through my body. Heat seeped from his body into mine, warming every place our bodies touched. It was all almost too much, the heat, the buzzing electricity coursing through my veins.

A low moan escaped my throat as his tongue expertly tangled with mine. I ground my hips against him, trying to relieve the intense throb and ache. Koa's hands gripped my ass, giving a firm squeeze as he rocked my hips against his. A whimpering moan made its way from me, while Koa grunted. Coiling tension built in my stomach at the repeated actions.

I ran my fingers through the surprisingly soft strands of his wavy hair, giving a firm tug. A rumbling growl vibrated his chest and into my body pressed against his. A low moan followed as I ground my hips harder against his.

Koa's lips left mine as he kissed his way down my neck, finding a spot on my neck, that had me writhing against him. Whimpers and moans came without judgment or worry as he continued sucking and kissing at my neck.

"Jay! The shower is all yours!" Ari yelled down the hall—louder than necessary—snapping me back to reality.

The uncontrollable need boiling under the surface, cooled a fraction, enough for my brain to clear from its lust-filled haze. "Your sister has impeccable timing," Koa murmured against my neck, sending waves of heat and electricity racing through my veins.

I knew I'd have to untangle myself from him. Otherwise, I'd lose all rational thought. That didn't stop my disappointment, though, or my resigned sigh. Releasing my hold on his hair, I unwound my legs from his waist. He slowly lowered me down to my feet, rubbing my body against his in the process. Heat blossomed in my stomach as I gasped at the sensation. A smug smile lifted his lips. The bastard did that on purpose.

Using all of my willpower, I pulled away from Koa and grabbed my bag, leaving the room to find the bathroom.

I locked the bathroom door, leaning my forehead against the cool wood, taking slow and deep breaths. Part of me was surprised at how that conversation took a turn. The other part of me wanted to go back into the living room and finish what Koa and I started.

As I stripped off my clothes, I avoided looking in the mirror. Already knowing what I'd find: bright blue-green eyes, flushed cheeks, and swollen lips. Releasing a long exhale, I climbed into the shower and turned on the cold water, cooling my heated skin.

I was wrong before when I thought I could fuck him out of my system. So completely wrong. If that kiss was anything to go by, sex with him would be the best I ever had. Which would normally be a good thing. No one ever set out to have bad sex, and I was no exception. The problem was, I now feared no one would compare to him, or worse, that I wouldn't want anyone else. It wasn't a leap in logic, not when I was already feeling the effects. Other than noting how handsome Wyatt was, he barely held my attention physically. And I hadn't even kissed Koa by that point. I was well and truly fucked.

The bottle of shampoo I'd been holding, slipped from my hand with an earsplitting bang as realization slammed into me. A sharp gasp ripped from my throat. All I could do was stare at the floor in numbed shock. No... It couldn't be.

The bathroom door shook with a loud bang, jarring me out of my shock. Making me jump and nearly fall over when I heard Koa's voice through the door. "Is everything okay in there?"

I swallowed a couple of times, having a tough time with how dry my throat felt. "I'm fine. The shampoo fell." My hoarse voice betrayed my words. To my relief, he didn't ask any more questions or try barging in.

With shaking hands, I picked up the fallen bottle and quickly washed my hair and body, trying my best to avoid all thoughts. Specifically, the ones that had me drop the shampoo in the first place. I couldn't keep those thoughts out for long. They found their way to the surface, making themselves known. One word.

Mate.

I felt so stupid for not putting it together sooner. Looking back it was so obvious. The signs had been there from the moment I saw him in the council meeting and couldn't look away.

Technically, there were five different types of mates.

The first was an arranged mating, which pretty much explained itself. Mainly it was used by the rulers of a court, arranging a mating for one of their children with someone from another court. In the hopes of strengthening an alliance or their power—political or magic based in some cases.

Forced mating was the next on the list, even though it doesn't technically count since it's illegal, but that hasn't always stopped any of the assholes from doing it. They happened one of two ways. Blackmailing another Mythic into the mating—like Janara's daughter almost was—or kidnapping someone and forcing the mating ritual.

The most common of matings were chosen mates. Where two Mythics chose to be mates, simply because they were in love and wanted to be together. It's what happened with Annie and Garret.

Some believed that bonded mates, shouldn't have a spot on the list. They said that it was just attraction and should be counted as chosen mates. I thought those who said that were dumbasses, especially when they still counted forced mating as an option.

For bonded mates, it was like their bodies were meant for each other. They connected on a level way past simple attraction. From what I've been told, basically, their pheromones attracted them to each other. Almost like they had sexual chemistry times one hundred. I was ninety-nine percent sure this was what Koa and I were. Given how I reacted to his touch and scent. I wouldn't even allow myself to consider the last mating as an option.

Fated mates weren't common, but they weren't rare by any means. The main reason they weren't as many fated mate couples was due to one simple reason; by the time most met their fated mate, they were already mated to someone else. And because of that, they had no clue who they were to them.

When someone found their mate, they would then have a mating ritual. The ritual was pretty simple and easy to perform if done right. A sorcerer or sorceress bound the couple's essences together. Essentially blocking off all other bonds they could form. So, if someone was in an arranged or chosen mating and they met their fated mate, they wouldn't feel any inkling or pull of a bond.

The bond created by the mating ritual could be broken, but only by a skilled sorcerer or sorceress.

Even though fated mates weren't the most common, their bond was by far the strongest. It was the fates’ ideal pairing. From what I remembered, they could be paired together for a variety of reasons. It could be based on powers and strength. It could not even be about the couple, and instead be about the child they would one day have. I've also heard, that sometimes it wasn't about power or progeny, but because their souls matched. Either way, their souls were bound together.

The bond was supposed to be faint at first, hard to notice, but as the relationship grew so would the bond. Performing the mating ritual was just a formality. The bond of a fated mate pairing was deeper than that of the mating ritual. For any Mythic, losing a mate was devastating. But losing a fated mate? They never recovered and it's said to be a fate worse than death. Something I never wanted to be at risk of feeling.

Shoving all thoughts of mates and mating rituals aside, I finished my shower and changed into leggings and a T-shirt. My friends’ scents were easy to follow to Wyatt's bedroom. The door was near silent as I opened and shut it behind me.

It took my eyes a couple of moments to adjust to the dark room, with an oversized bed in the center. Ander lay closest to the door, with Harmony curled between him and Ari. Rowan was passed out, taking up the entire foot of the bed.

As carefully as I could, I leaned over Ander, lightly shaking Harmony's shoulder. Since she'd always been a light sleeper, that was all it took to wake her. "It's your turn to shower," I whispered when her eyelids fluttered open.

She eased off the bed slowly, careful not to wake the others. As she passed me, she grabbed a strand of my hair, drying it in an instant. "Thanks," I murmured as she left the room.

I crawled over Rowan and up the bed, keeping my movements as slow as possible. Since Ari was clean, unlike Ander, I lay closer to her. As soon as my head touched the pillow, her eyes snapped open and immediately found mine.

"I guess I should apologize for interrupting earlier." She didn't look or sound the least bit sorry.

I chuckled quietly, feeling the tension that had stayed with me throughout my shower ease. "We both know you did that on purpose." I looked up at the ceiling, trying to gather my thoughts. "I should probably thank you for that. I can't go there with him, not yet. It's all so fast and confusing." It felt good to finally have a chance to talk to Ari. She and Harmony were the ones I always confided in. I knew they would always be there for me and never judge me.

In the dark, her green eyes were so bright that they almost glowed. It was a bit eerie and that was without the intensity with which she watched me, gauging my every micro-expression. Like my every thought was being telegraphed across my face.

"I know," she whispered, her voice barely louder than a breath. My brows pulled together, I had no clue what she meant by that. "What he is to you. What you are to him. I know."

My mouth hung open, unable to form words or even make a single sound. "How?" I finally choked out before remembering Ander behind me. Rolling over, I checked to see if he was awake. Once I was sure he wasn't faking, I slowly turned back toward Ari, waiting for her response.

"It was how he reacted when you were hurt. He wouldn't let any of us near you. Even Starling kept her distance. The only reason he allowed Ander and Harmony near you, is because he knew you'd die without help. It was pretty obvious to me."

Images flashed through my head. Koa's panicked face above mine. The gentle way he brushed my hair off my face.

Now Ari's cryptic comment in the forest earlier made sense. I didn't know if it made me a dumbass, or showed how smart she was for having figured it out before me. Probably both.

"You don't need to have all the answers right now," Ari soothed, knowing how overwhelmed I was by all this.

"Easy for you to say."

She chuckled holding out her arm and I crawled closer, laying my head on her shoulder. "For now, get some rest. We don't know what we'll find in this new realm." Ari combed her fingers through my hair like she did when I was little. As a child, the act always soothed me, and apparently still did, because my eyes grew heavy and I drifted to sleep.