Chapter 74

Jonas How could she pick Thorin over me?! We have been best friends forever, doesn’t that count for something?! Anything?! I have been fuming all week over this. I haven’t been able to even look in Kelly or Thorns’ direction. I knew if I did I was going to blow a gasket. I needed to calm down, but I didn’t know how. I don’t even know if I wanted to, but if I didn’t, there would be trouble, no doubt.

I swear there was a rut starting to form in my room where I had been pacing all week. I needed to speak with her. She needed to give me another chance, because without her, what am I? I wanted to love her so badly, but she has never even given us a proper chance. I’m willing to reject my mate for her for goddess sake!

That’s it, I’m done waiting. I’m going to go give her a piece of my mind. I slammed my door behind me as I stormed down to her office on the first floor of the palace. It was a relatively quiet day, but not for much longer. My b***d began to boil the closer I got to her office. I could hear him in there with her, laughing.

“Jonas?” Kelly asked, her eye catching me before I even made it to her doorway. “Everything okay?” She frowned.

“This isn’t over!” I shouted. “I love you Kelly, and I know deep down you love me too, just admit it!” I yelled.

Thorin straightened his posture, his hand resting on one of his fancy knives he had attached to his belt. I dare you buddy.

“Jonas,” Kelly began, her voice low and calm and condescending as f**k. “I told you, I am with Thorin now. You need to move on.”

“Why? What does he have that I don’t?! A body count?! Goddess, Kelly, open your f*****g eyes!”

“Watch your tongue boy, you are speaking to your queen.” Thorin growled.

“Why are you even here?!” I growled.

“Jonas, that is enough!” Kelly yelled, slamming her hands down on her desk. “This is your last warning. If you do not shape up, I will be forced to take drastic measures.”

“Do it, I dare you.” I growled and stormed out. I needed some fresh air.

“Jonas, come back here!” Kelly yelled, hot on my heels. “This discussion is not over!”

“It is for me!”

I quickly exited the palace, nearly getting run over by a car on the way. “Hey, watch it-” I began to yell, stopping short when I realized it was Kelsey who was driving.

“Sorry! I didn’t see you coming out!” She said, hopping out of the car.

“It’s fine-” I began to say, stopping short when her scent hit me. “Mate.”

“Mate.” She said back, covering her mouth quickly.

“Jonas!!” Kelly shouted, coming up next to me. “I am talking to you!”

“Kelsey-” I said, taking a step forward.

She quickly took a step back, her breath hitching. Kelly took notice and looked between her and I a few times before it seemed to click.

“I’ll…um…give you two a minute…” She said before heading back towards the front entrance of the palace, dragging Thorin along with her.

“What is happening?” Thorin asked as they quickly left.

“Kelsey-“

“Stop.” She shook her head. “I just lost my mate a month ago. I am not ready yet. My pups are in the car, I need to go.” She said before quickly shaking her head and flinging open the car doors.

“Can we at least talk about it?” I asked, careful not to say the “M” word in front of her pups who had just lost their father.

“Eventually.” She hesitantly nodded.

Eventually, I could work with eventually.

– – – – – – – – – –

Kelly “You are sure they are mates?” Thorin asked as I laughed to myself like a crazy person.

“Oh, I’m sure, Kelsey has already linked me about it too. I gave her my blessing.” I shrugged. “They might actually be a match made in heaven.” I snorted.

“You think he will get over you that quickly?” Thorin frowned.

“It’s the mate bond, I don’t stand a chance against it.” I said, shooting him a look.

Silence fell over us on the elephant in the room, one of the only two things we didn’t see eye to eye about. Thorin had no worries about the possibility of finding his mate, whereas I found myself staying up late at night worrying about the day he would leave me. The only other thing we didn’t agree on was the subject of pups. Thorin was petrified of losing another, while I, on the other hand, wasn’t. I wanted pups, not for a while, but eventually. And I wanted to know that my mate felt the same.

“You have nothing to worry about, Solnyshko,” Thorin said with a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry for how I acted.” Jonas said, bursting into my office a moment later, interrupting our tension. “Please don’t kick me out of the pack.”

“Mate bond sure does change things, doesn’t it?” I said to him, a half smile on my face.

“I never thought it would feel like this.” He shook his head.

“It’s powerful, no doubt.” I said, shooting Thorin another look before turning back to Jonas. “Give her some time, she will come around. Her pups already love you.”

“Thanks Kelly.” He smiled before practically skipping off.

“If you would let me mark you, we wouldn’t have anything to worry about.” Thorin said, coming up from behind me and resting his head on my shoulder.

“I’m not there yet.” I said.

“Because I don’t want pups?”

“You don’t want to lose another pup, there is a difference,” I shot back. “But I would also like to spend more time with you first. Once we mark each other, the council will expect us to have a ceremony and make you king. I’m just not ready for the stress of planning it yet.”

“We should discuss that too…”

“Discuss what?”

“I was not pure man in my early years. I did many bad things to bad people.”

“Yeah, you mentioned being kicked out of a country or two.” I shrugged.

“I have found peace here, in this pack, far away from where I used to…work. I worry that if my name is announced, there might be trouble that comes our way.”

“Oh.” I said, having not thought of that as being a problem. “How much trouble are we talking about?” I asked.

“How long do you have?” He asked.

He spent the next few hours telling me all of his deep dark secrets. I listened and was trying to be as supportive as I could, while also writing down the names of all the packs, species, countries, and anything else that might have a chip on their shoulder towards Thorin. It was a lengthy list, making me a bit uneasy. I in no way second guessed my decision about him, he was a different man now. But that didn’t stop me from trying to think about how we could basically hide him in plain sight. I still had a kingdom to worry about.

“I think that is all…” Thorin said when he was finally finished.

“Okay…so we are looking at about two thirds of the world that could potentially come after you.” I chuckled, feeling a bit stressed. “At least it’s not the whole world.”

“Are you sure you still wish to pursue me?” Thorin asked, a weary look on his face.

“I’m positive. All this list does is prepare me for what might happen. No one could do anything, or maybe everyone would, all at once. Either way, it’s a risk I am willing to take.” I said, going over to where he was sitting and straddling his lap. “Now, let’s talk about something else.”

“Like what?”

“Will you help me with a project?”

“What kind of project?”