Chapter 347: Chapter 347

Lanie Aharsh so b tore out of my aching throat. | wanted to sink to my knees and press my face to the floor. Instead, | squared my shoulders and took a deep breath. | forced away my burning tears.

| wish you’d never told me that,” | said. “I wish | didn’t know “Better to understand what may happen so that it doesn’t happen,” my grandfather said with cold gentleness. “I loved your mother’s mother with my entire being When | lost her | thought | would be alone for the rest of eternity. It was inconceivable to me that | would ever find a lover who did more than fulfill my body.

| licked the taste of whiskey from my lips. “But you did”

“Yes.” Malachi tilted his head and turned toward the villa’s front door. “Speak of sun, and she will shine. Braden, come in.”

As if on cue, Braden peeked around the door.

“Am | interrupting?”

“Come in,” Malachi repeated and held out his hand.

Even though Braden and | had already talked about his relationship with my grandfather, it still gave me a little cringe when they kissed.

| know that made me kind of a jerk, but | couldn’t really help it. Once upon a time, I’d thought maybe Braden and | had the possibility of something..

My grandfather was right, | realized, horrified.

| loved Xander, Zane, and Mason with everything inside of me, but even back then I'd been drawn to Braden, too. If the Moon Goddess had truly intended for me and my three mates to be together all along, even if | hadn’t known that Mason was waiting for me,she did. How and why could she have let me want Braden, too?

“Hey, hey,” Braden said, soothing, as he took my arm.

| hadn't realized how hard | was shaking. He guided me to the couch and settled me on it,then poured me a fresh glass of water from the bar. He pressed it into my hand while Malachi watched with narrowed eyes.

“What did you say to her?” Braden demanded of my grandfather. “Look at her, she’s trembling.”

“You're right, | muttered, meeting Malachi’s gaze. “I mean, | don’t want it to happen, but | understand.... feel that it could. Do |

have a choice? Could | stop it?”

“Keep training,” he said. “And you'll find out.”

It was not the answer | was hoping for, but it was better than a definite no.

Malachi moved nat in Aradan to nut an arm around his waleteirer Ararian Innn an n and frunht mu desire for him for way too long. | was foolish to do so!

I “He brok my heart. More than once,” Braden said and nudged Malachi with his hip. “Every time | thought maybe, just maybe he might be into me, he’d dump me again.”

“You said you weren’t together romantically until after the last time we saw each other,” | said.

Braden’s eyebrows went up. “Well...yeah.

Romantically, like this. | didn’t mean we hadn’t ever f ucked. When a vampire sires someone, it’s usually because they're lovers.

But it wasn’t until more recently that this old f uck actually decided he was in love with me.”

Malachi rolled his eyes. “Impertinent. I'll take care of you later.”

| held up a hand. “Please, no flirting in front of me.”

Athought struck me. “You sired Braden. Will | be able to sire someone?”

“| don’t see why not.” My grandfather let go of Braden and went back to his chair. Braden followed to sit in the one next to his.

Is it always because you're lo e you're lovers?”

Braden frowned. “What's wrong?”

“You were saying how my vampire energy could end up draining them. Would | be able to sire my mates, turning them into vampires?”

The words shot out of me, rattling like marbles in a jar. My entire body was shaking. | felt my expression turn into a horrified mask. “What would it do to them if | made my wolf mates into vampires? What if | didn’t mean to...but it just happened?”

“| have no idea,” Malachi said quietly. “But you should be very, very careful.”

| put my head in my hands.

“You can’t accidentally sire anyone. It has to be done with consent, you see,” Malachi said. “You cannot sire someone who does not concede.”

“But | could compel them to consent,” | said, lifting my head to stare at them both. “Couldn't I?”

They shared a look Braden frowned My grandfather looked thoughiful.

“You'd have to be able to compel someone to go completely against every instinct for self preservation, Even their morals. You’d have to be able to compel someone to counter their own soul, Malachi said finally. “1 think we should find out exactly what you’re capable of