Chapter 74

Violet

I tilted my head, searching for the words.

“I am living here for now, and I figured I’d be living her at least part of the time.”

The smile on Theodore’s face faltered. “What do you mean part of the time?”

“Exactly what I said. I still have to run Darkmoon. It wouldn’t make sense—”

“We’re mates, Violet. You should be living here with me.”

I pursed my lips. “I’m also alpha of my own territory, Theodore. I can’t just never be there, there is work that requires me to be there.”

“Day trips then.”

I scoffed. “No.”

He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing just slightly. “You’re serious?”

“Of course I’m serious. Darkmoon’s my pack, Theo. My people. I’m not just going to abandon them.”

His brows furrowed, and I could see the tension creeping into his shoulders. “Violet, I thought...I mean, we’re mates. I assumed you’d move to Midnight with me.”

I huffed. “Well, Theo,’ sorry, but that assumption is discounting the facts of our situations.” I winced. “Admittedly, this wasn’t as much of a problem when I figured it would take a while to get Darkmoon back, and this was only meant to be a year… and we haven’t really had any time to talk about our expectations of each other beyond the contract.”

His jaw tightened. “I didn’t think we’d need to have the conversation since—” He stopped himself and let out a breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think we’d have to have this conversation.”

I crossed my arms, leaning back slightly. “Why not? Did you think your mate would just give up everything to follow you? That she’d have no responsibilities of her own?”

Theodore ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated but trying to stay calm. “Honestly? I didn’t think about it.”

I cocked an eyebrow and he threw up his hands.

“I had never… really imagined much about my mate.”

“Other than the idea that she’d hang all over you?”

He grinned. “I’m still partial to that.”

I shook my head. “You never thought she’d… have anything? A job? A career?”

He flushed. “Not… really. At the least I never imagined she’d have responsibilities like yours.”

There was something in tone that made me stop and stare at him. He was lying, about something, and when I turned over the conversation in my mind, I could only conclude that he was lying about what he imagined his mate to be like.

“What aren’t you saying, Theo’?”

He worked his jaw, glancing at me.

“I told you about my parents. That’s… my main view of mates, and I never wanted that, but I… I mean there were stories. I knew of your parents and Tyron and Helena, you know, but seeing it in the papers is way different than growing up with it…. And all of those relationships had the luna moving to the alpha’s territory, there’s no talk of them going back or them living apart, or…” He winced, flinching. “Everything in me is screaming that it wouldn’t work. That I’d lose my mind.”

He hung his head, rubbing his neck.

“You had thoughts about what your mate would be like.”

His lips twitched. “Actually Violet… I never thought I’d find my mate.” He looked at me. “I never thought I’d find you. I expect to… just be driven to near insanity and end up caught and tossed in the temple or across the border at some point.”

“Well, for starters, that’s literally impossible,” I said. “Every child blessed with magic is bound to find their mates eventually. It’s… well, it’s called the Imperative, you were always going to have and find your mate.”

He flinched and didn’t look at me. I reached up, turning his face so I could look into his eyes. He was so guarded; I could tell I’d hit a nerve and I was spot on.

He thought he’d probably end up like Owen at some point, but I was sure that he’d prefer that to ending up like his father.

I pressed a hand to his chest. “I don’t fear you wanting me close, Theo’.”

His eyes shuttered closed. “I’m glad to hear that, Violet, but… I’m serious. Being apart from you isn’t going to work, and… it makes the most sense for us to be building a life here. Together. In Midnight.”

Where I can protect you.

Where I know it’s safe.

In my territory.

I heard the emotions more like thoughts. I felt the feat entangled with possessiveness and desperation. His instincts were all on edge.

“Well, I imagined that we’d live in Midnight half the time and Darkmoon the other half.” My lips twitched. “Preferably during the better weather months for either territory.”

He looked up like he’d never considered it. He probably hadn’t. I stroked his hair, running my hand through it. He leaned into the touch, his eyes fluttering closed again.

“We’ve already started connecting our packs—it would make sense…. Luna Consort.”

He snorted and smirked. “You are the only person allowed to call me that.”

I leaned up to kiss his forehead, murmuring a soft charm of peace there. He shivered and practically melted against me.

“What was that?”

“Peace charm.” I chuckled. “It more uses your magic against you than needing me to have it. You okay?”

He nodded, humming almost sleepily. “You really think that’ll work? Splitting our time like that?”

“Yep,” I said. “Compromise, while foreign and new to you, is not as complicated as many would think.”

He pulled me into his arms, resting his chin against my chest, breathing in time with me.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “If I seemed… crazy.”

He nuzzled me, pulling me closer to place his face in the crook of my neck and breathe deeply.

“I don’t like the idea of you being so far away.”

“I had no plans to leave you alone.”

Theodore

I sat there, holding Violet, feeling like the ground under me was steady again. The irrational fear of her going off to Darkmoon, of being apart from her, had blindsided me, but this compromise was… nice.

She would build a life here in Midnight with me, and I would be a part of her life, her past and legacy, back in Darkmoon.

It was appalling to me, realizing that I had no idea what it really meant in a relationship.

For years, my life had been about control, cut-throat decisions, and leading without hesitation. It was about being unyielding because I couldn’t be, and yet again, this woman, Lady Violet Donovan had reduced me to this floundering mess, unearthing things in me that I had never thought were there.

“Am I ever… going to get used to you having better plans than mine?”

“Probably when we’re on our deathbeds.”

I laughed. “I look forward to it… and to seeing Darkmoon.” I pulled back enough to meet her eyes. “To really understand what it means to you.”

Her smile was small but genuine. “You should. Darkmoon’s closer to the border anyway—the one leading to where our mothers are from. It’ll make it easier when we’re ready to take that trip.”

Something shifted in my chest at her words. I had never entertained any real hope to go, but Violet spoke as if it was already part of our future.

“You’ve really thought about this, haven’t you?” I asked.

She nodded. “I have plans, Theo’. You’ll learn that my plans have plans on the best days.”

I huffed a quiet laugh. “Noted.”

“There’s also something I want to show you when we’re in Darkmoon,” she said, her tone light but meaningful.

“Do I get to know what it is?”

“One part is a surprise.” She looked away and grinned. “But… the not surprise is the Donovan library.”

My eyes widened. “The near-mythical Donovan library?”

It was considered the best and most protected library in the country, beating out the temple and the Academy’s library. Legends said that an alpha king gifted it for safekeeping centuries ago, just before magic was completely persecuted out of the country.

“I think it has several texts that you’d find interesting.” Her lips twitched. “They’d serve you more than me anyway.”

Before I could say anything else, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I frowned, pulling it out to find a notification from one of the news outlets I followed.

My stomach sank as I read the headline: “Prominent Alpha Addresses the Alpha King’s Latest Proclamations.”

I clicked the link, and the live feed opened on my screen. The image of a gray-haired alpha filled the frame—his stern expression and sharp suit only amplifying his reputation as a hardliner. He was known to, in general, have it out for rogues. He’d been behind several bills to start actively hunting rogues in the past.

“Derrick Cavanaugh,” I muttered. “Of course, he’s the first to speak up.”

Violet peered over my shoulder. “What’s he saying?”

I turned up the volume, and his voice filled the corridor and drifted up the stairs.