I nodded. “Yeah.”
His hands slipped from under me. He was still holding me up, but he was trying to create space. “I’m sorry.”
I tilted my head and raised my eyebrow. “Why are you sorry?”
He placed me down on the ground. “Your wolves have picked someone.”
I nodded. “They have, but it doesn’t change or effect who I will decide to mate with.”
His face fell and then he turned his face away. “I thought you were in sync with your wolves.”
I smiled and snagged his hand. “I am. They are the ones that decided.” I pulled him back to the table and pushed him back into his chair. “Megan was the first to decide to pull away from romantic decisions.”
“Why?” He grabbed a bottle and drank as I went back to my seat.
“Because he mate was Brandon and well…come on. I know it is the Goddess’s will, but in my last life she was head over heels for him and look where that got us.”
Hey! Megan looked a little hurt. It’s true but low blow. Nix chuffed out a laugh.
“Okay…but what about Nix?”
I grimaced at the question. “Honestly? She pulled back because of you and Erubus.”
He sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Really?”
I nodded. “You kinda of messed me up.” I took a drink. “And I’m not saying this to upset you. Just the facts. She didn’t pull back until after she found out that Erubus was you.”
He sat back and took another drink. “Then who’s the guy?”
I stopped mid sip. “What?”
“Whose the male that they set their sights on? The one that triggered the heat?” He looked jealous, and it just made me snort.
“You dumbass.” I palmed my face. “Or I should say Erubus. That little fucker has been coming and visiting. He won them over by throwing you under the bus, though.” I laughed a little.
“But I turned out to be Thoth.”
I nodded. “Yup.” I popped the p and sighed. “I had loved you as Rowan. And then everything my father and you decided ripped me apart.”
“I’m sorry.” He squeezed my hands, and I nodded again.
“I know. But hearing those words doesn’t change how it felt.” He looked down again and pulled back his hand.
“I know.”
I snagged his hand again. “Then I loved you as Thoth. And when I found out the truth, it hurt. It hurt more than I would like to admit because it felt like you were making a fool out of me.”
“I wasn’t.” He flipped his hand over and tried to thread his fingers through mine, but because of how we were sitting, it was a fumbling mess of fingers. I laughed, and Rowan blushed. “It’s stupid. I thought you were ignoring me, and I need you in my life. Thoth was your father’s solution.”
I tilted my head. “You said that, and I was confused. What do you mean?”
Rowan leaned back in his chair, pulling my hand with him. “When your dad blocked our messages, I thought you were mad at me because of the heat. I tried for weeks to talk to you, and I told you dad I was going to go to the school, he told me not to. But he said you asked for someone to help with your courses because the teacher that took over was confusing you.” I shook my head slowly. “You never asked your dad for help in finding a mentor.” I shook my head again. Rowan groaned. “He told me instead of going to the school, and interrupting your studies, that he would introduce me as Thoth. A friend to help you with your schoolwork. That way we could talk, and we would know it is us, but if anyone saw the messages, they wouldn’t know who was who.” He groaned again. “I knew something was fishy because you acted like you didn’t know who I was at all. He convinced me your were just really committed to the secret.”
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