Chapter 34

Viviane’s POV

If I hadn’t already been sitting down, I surely would have fallen over.

Caspian’s velvety voice wraps around me like a warm blanket, lulling me into a false sense of security as I try to process this latest shock. I can’t believe what I’m hearing, and I don’t have the first clue how to respond to the young Alpha’s invitation. Dazedly I wonder if my mother is still in the hallway. Wherever she is, I’m certain she can’t hear us, or she would already be back here screaming her head off.

Unable to find words, I stall for time. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I want you to move in with me, Viviane.” He repeats.

“This is crazy.” I protest. “We haven’t known each other long enough to even be thinking about moving in.”

“When it comes to mates, we measure relationships in feelings not time, kitten.” Caspian declares, his warm hands sliding over my body in slow, calculated caresses. “I want your beautiful face to be the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning and be the last thing I see before I go to sleep at night. I want you to be close to me, always.” He proclaims, nibbling my ear, “And I need you to be safe.”

“Caspian, I can’t!” I refuse. “Have you lost your mind?”

“No.” There’s humor in his voice, but he doesn’t smile. “I’m perfectly sane; this is what I want.”

My mouth opens and closes soundlessly, like a fish gulping down water. “This is a huge decision – it’s about a lot more than what we want.”

“And what do you want, Viviane?” The hulking shifter asks.

“I want to spend more time with you.” I evade, “But I’m not ready for such a big step and there are about a thousand other considerations too. Our parents, for one thing!”

“You mother would move in too.” Caspian states easily, “We’ve already discussed it.”

“What?!” I leap up from the chair before he can stop me.

“Marina and I talked about it after you left the ball last night.” The room begins to spin. How could she have let me complain about him all night without saying a word? I clasp my palm to my forehead, clenching my eyes shut and trying to make sense of all this. “And your father?”

My mate nods. “He’s excited to have you both.”

My eyes go wide as dinner-plates. “How could you do all this behind my back?” I question hoarsely, “this is my life, Caspian. Don’t you think I should have a say in it?”

“Of course I do sweetheart.” He sighs, “And if the circumstances were different, I would ignore everything else in favor of what you want. But unfortunately things aren’t different.”

My nose crinkles, and I begin pinching myself, wincing and repeating the action when a small twinge of pain blooms beneath my fingers. This isn’t real. It can’t be – none of it makes any sense. “Viviane, what are you doing?”

I dance out of Caspian’s reach, continuing to pinch myself and murmur bewildered anxieties until a pair of heavily corded arms still my frenetic movements. “Stop pinching my mate.” An intimidating voice grumbles in my ear.

I ignore him. “This isn’t happening.” I tug at Caspian’s powerful hands. “James lives at the pack house. You know, your uncle? The one who kidnapped me?”

“Not anymore he doesn’t.” Caspian reveals, his fierce blue eyes locked on my frazzled expression, overflowing with concern. “I agreed to let him return to the city, but he no longer lives as the Pack House, and if you don’t want him there at all, he won’t be welcome as a visitor either.”

For one brief moment I relax, and Caspian eyes me like I’m a bomb about to detonate. “You’ve really thought this through haven’t you?” I broach carefully, beginning to pace. “I mean, you’ve been planning this for longer than a few hours.”

“That’s right.” The wolf confirms stoically. “I never liked you living here. You deserve so, so much better.”

My blood, simmering up until now, is beginning to boil. “And in all that time, when you saw fit to discuss it with my mother and your father and the Gods’ know who else, it never occurred to you to bring me into the loop?”

Caspian exhales slowly, pulling me to a stop once more and guiding me onto the couch. His fists dig into the cushions on either side of me, pinning me in place. “I know everything seems like it’s moving very quickly, kitten.” He purrs gently. “but we don’t have the luxury of taking our time.”

“No, we have to take our time.” I correct him, lowering my harsh voice to a whisper even though we’re alone. “We’re still in high school, Caspian.” When he continues to look unfazed, I press on, “We haven’t even had sex yet and every time we get close, we have to put half the territory between us because I’m so damaged I can’t handle a bit of affection. How are we supposed to live in the same house?!”

He opens his mouth to reply, but I slap my small palm over his lips, pushing past the skitters of fear his foreboding look sends racing down my spine. “More importantly, we’re not like other couples, Caspian. I’m a mermaid.” As if he needs reminding. “I’m not a shifter, I’m not a pack member, I’m not even in this territory legally. My kind are being trafficked up and down the continent for sale to the highest bidder, and if the wrong Nightshade’s found out, I would probably be back in the pearl farms by morning.”

I’m not even processing the things spilling from my tongue anymore, all my repressed thoughts and feelings spill out of their own accord. Everything my mother shared with me about her visit to the mermaid settlement pours out with them, and even as I watch Caspian’s expression grow darker and darker, I cannot stop the flow. ”And you want to just walk me into the highest echelon of wolf society and offer me up like a lamb to the slaughter?”

“What are you talking about?” Caspian finally cuts me off, rising to his feet and towering over me without making any effort to temper his threatening demeanor.

“I’m telling you why we can’t move in together.” I counter weakly. “I’m telling you what you could already have known if you’d discussed any of this with me rather than making unilateral decisions about my life without any consideration for my thoughts or feelings.”

“No, little mate.” Caspian purrs dangerously, “I want you to explain what you mean when you say traffickers are selling mermaids in my territory.”

“Maybe you should ask my mother,” I proffer snidely, “since you like having secret conversations with her so much.”

“Viviane –” He says my name as a warning, turning my insides to liquid.

“It’s not so fun when people keep information from you, is it?” I snark.

Caspian’s mouth forms a hard line, “Do you think the rest of this has been fun for me?” He growls, “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? How much effort I’ve made to arrange all this, in order to keep you safe?”

“At the end of the day you’re still the one making all the decisions.” I remind him. “If you’re waiting for me to feel sorry for you, I wouldn’t hold your breath.”

The next thing I know, a firm tug on my ankle pulls me down on the couch, my body flattening beneath Caspians until all my curves are cushioned by the hard muscles of his abdomen. “Explain.” He orders, his tone replete with Alpha authority.

Caving beneath the weight of Caspian’s dominance, I huff, “Mom went to the old settlements, she talked to the mermaids still living there.” Though his handsome face hovers over mine and I can sense him trying to catch my gaze, I turn my face stubbornly away. “If she agreed to move us in with you, it’s only because young and pretty mermaids have been dropping like flies in the slums. From the looks of it they’re being taken out of the territory for sale to packs like the bloodstones.”

An ominous rumble sounds in the huge wolf’s chest, and I kick out indignantly. “If she wasn’t so afraid, you know she never would have agreed to let you anywhere near me.”

“I know.” Caspian nuzzles my neck, somber and gentle even as his pins me. “But that should tell you how grave the situation is, sweetheart.” His serious brows furrow so deep I almost believe he feels some guilt – almost. “we both know I’d be pushing for this anyway, but I can’t accept anything less given the danger.”

“I won’t move in with you Caspian.” I state determinedly. “No matter what’s happening out there. Or what my mother wants.”

My mate glowers at me so coldly I want to cower away from him. “We’ll just see about that.”

“No.” I repeat. “You might be my mate, but it’s my decision.” I announce. “I’m 18. No one else can make the choice for me.”

“I –” The future alpha begins to reply, then freezes, studying me closely. “what did you just say?”

“I said it’s my choice.” I parrot stubbornly.

“No.” Caspian purrs triumphantly, “You said I’m your mate.”