23 | Can’t Lose You
Jasmine POV
As soon as I hear the sound of the door closing, I turn back to Lily. I notice she is looking between the two men I have yet to meet. When Lily looks back at me, she is smiling like the cat that swallowed the canary. “Jasmine, I know you said that David is not your true mate but did he mark you when he took you as a chosen mate,” Lily asks. It’s definitely a growl I hear this time.
When my eyes finally take in the man that just growled, the air is knocked from my lungs. His eyes meet mine and I stumble back, not believing what’s happening. I immediately look at Lily again, needing to get my heart to stop trying to beat out of my chest. “No, he didn’t mark me. It
wasn’t necessary, and he knew he was never going to be faithful to me. He made me his wife
and queen, but we are not bonded.“”
Another low growl has me turning to see the man stalking toward me. His eyes are dark as night. Despite not knowing anything about this man, I’m not afraid when he finally reaches me. Strong arms pull me against a hard chest. My heart starts to beat faster. Tingles are
dancing on my skin. His arms around me are the only thing that is keeping me upright at this
moment. I don’t understand. I’ve never heard of an elf having a second chance. of an elf having a second chance.
He buries his head in my neck and I can’t help the shiver that runs down my spine. “Mate” he
growls. I didn’t even think about the fact that, like Lily, he is a wolf. Not that I care. I’d want him
no matter what he was, but the question is will he want me when he hears everything about
my past, about my kids. Fear starts to choke me. What if David finds out? What if he kills my
second chance just like he did Michael?
I quickly pull myself from his arms and immediately miss the feeling of his warmth wrapped
around me. His face looks pained as I take a step away from him. “I’ve waited for you for twelve years, and you don’t want me” he says sounding broken. I feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest. I can’t stop myself from stepping toward him and taking his hand in mine. The minute the tingles erupt I know it is a mistake to keep touching him.
“Believe me,
it’s not that I don’t want you, I really do. I can’t take the chance that you’ll be hurt or killed because of me. I lost one mate because of that ba**ard. I won’t watch him take you from me too.” Before I realize what’s happening, I’m being hoisted off the ground and thrown over my mate’s shoulder, I can’t help the squeal that escapes me. “The children,” I start to say. but Myra cuts me off. “Are perfectly fine. Now don’t be a fool and screw this up. You deserve
this, Jasmine.”
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23 | Can’t Lose You
He takes the stairs two at a time. When he finally sets me on my feet, I realize we are in a bedroom. The sound of the door clicking shut makes me jump. I watch as he reaches down, gripping a leather bracelet and sliding it off his wrist. My eyes must look like I’m a cartoon
character because he chuckles. Goddess, he is even more gorgeous.
His wavy brown hair matches his eyes. Despite his clothes, I can see he is muscular and it’s everything I can do to stop myself from clenching my thighs together. He stalks toward me, coming to stand so close I can feel his breath on my skin. “I can smell your arousal mate” he
“We can’t,” I start to say, but he cuts me off with a low growl. “What is your name mate?”
“My name is Jasmine. What is your name?”
says.
“My name is Liam Martin. I am your mate and you are mine.” “Liam, please, I hate that the goddess chose me for you.” Before I can say another word, he slams his lips down on mine. Every thought I had leaves me. I can only focus on his warm lips on mine. He runs his tongue along my bottom lip and I open to him. Our tongues dance around each other as he threads
his fingers in the hair at the nape of my neck.
I have never been kissed like this. Michael and I were both young and didn’t have a chance to develop this level of passion. When he finally breaks the kiss I’m breathless. He places his forehead against mine. “I don’t care what I have to face or who I have to kill, I will never let you
- go. You are mine,” Liam says.
Hearing him claim me makes my chest ache. I want to be his. “Don’t let fear stop you from accepting our bond. I would rather live one day with you than a lifetime without you,” he says. I can feel the tears streaming down my cheeks. I want to say yes so desperately, but how can I
be so selfish knowing about the past?
Liam POV
The minute I step into the room, Ottis is losing his mind. “Mate,” Ottis says the moment I see the woman sitting next to Lily. She is so beautiful. I had all but given up on finding her, but here she is. My mate is an elf. It’s not till I hear the arrogant pr*ck who is looking at Lily in less than a fatherly way that I realize my mate is not only an elf but the queen. It takes all my control to stop myself from ripping his head from his body.
When he presses his lips to hers, Grant grabs my arm, holding me in place. “He is touching our mate. Kill him” Ottis growls. “We can’t. Not yet anyway.” Once he’s gone I can’t stop myself from taking her into my arms. I have waited so long to touch her, hold her, love her. I’m never letting her go. No matter how much she fights, I will never let her reject me because of that
ba**ard.
As soon as we reach the room I’m staying in, I want to claim her, but I need to make her
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+8 Point
23 I Can’t Lose You
understands that, no matter what her fears are, she is mine. “Jasmine, do you accept me as
your mate?” I can see she is still torn. “Liam, what about David? What about my children?”
“David, isn’t long for this world after all he has done to Lily’s mate.”
I reach up and brush the tears from her cheeks. “Your children are a part of you. I will love them. They will be my children,”I say, and she sobs. I pull her into my arms, loving the feeling of having her there. “Jasmine, do you accept me as your mate?” “I do” she says, and warmth
spreads in my chest. “I accept you, Jasmine, as my mate. I know I have to be patient, and we
can’t complete our bond, but I would like you to mark me?”
She lifts her head from my chest and our eyes meet mine. “You want to bear my mark but
what if,” she starts to ask, but I cut her off. I take her face in my hands. “I want you to do
whatever you have to do to stay safe. The thought of him touching you makes me feral, but the thought of losing you is worse. If you mark me, it will allow you to reach out to me through
our bond. Even if I can’t answer, it will give you a way to let me know you need me.”
“I won’t let him touch me again. I don’t care how I have to get out of it,” she says. I lead her over to a small couch. I pull my shirt over my head and I smile when her eyes ogle my bare
chest. “Like what you see mate?” “Very much” she says, running her hands down my bare chest. I take her hands in mine, not because I want her to stop, but because if she doesn’t, Ottis will want to mark her. We can’t do that yet, despite how much we want to.
I move my head, giving her better access to my marking spot. She gets up on her knees and
leans forward, pressing a soft kiss where my shoulder meets my neck. When she pulls back, she raises her index finger. A white glow forms at the tip. As soon as she presses it against my skin, I fight the urge to moan. She swirls her finger over my skin and after a few seconds I
feel our bond start to form. “Can you hear me” she asks and I smile, nodding my head.
I pull her to me, kissing her like she is the air I need to breathe. When I pull back, her smile makes me feel invincible. “What was that you did with your finger to make the mark?” “I gave you a small amount of my Elven magic.” I stand taking her hand and leading her into the bathroom. I hold her in front of me admiring the beautiful blue infinity mark that shows the world I am hers. “Soon my mark will be right here,” I say, moving her shirt off her shoulder and placing a soft kiss where my mark will be.
A soft knock on the room door startles us both. A look of panic crosses over her face. “I have to get the children and go. I will make arrangements for you, Lily, and the other man to come to the castle for dinner. I’m sorry I have to leave. I really don’t want to stay, but I can’t have him punishing Drake if I disobey,” she says. My arms tighten around her.
“Jasmine, is Drake the only one he hurts? Does he hurt you?“I can see she doesn’t want to answer. Finally, she nods and I close my eyes, trying to calm the rage that surges through me,
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231 Can’t Lose You
but I don’t let her go. He is going to suffer for all the pain he has caused my mate. I turn her in my arms, pressing a soft kiss on her lips. “I promise you that I will protect you with all that I am.”
I take her hand, leading her back downstairs. When we step into the room, everyone is smiling at us. “Mommy, who is that” a voice says from behind us. She releases my hand and steps toward a little girl who looks just like my beautiful mate. “This is mommy’s friend Liam. Liam, this is my daughter Diane and that is my son Daniel” she says, pointing to the boy behind her.
I bend down to their level. “It is very nice to meet you both. Mommy is going to take you both home now, but we will see you soon.”
