Chapter 0193

But of course, time does pass, and we do eventually stop kissing when things again get heated.

Because what Jackson said before really was the truth – this is not the time or the place for it.

Somehow we separate ourselves from each other, though we’re never really more than an inch

apart, and we take a moment to get comfortable, organizing our supplies and taking inventory

before Jackson passes an apple to me.

“Here,” he murmurs. “Eat, please. And then you should probably get some sleep.”

I take the apple but laugh at the suggestion that I’m going to get any sleep. I mean, I just confessed

my deepest secret to my mate – what, does he think I’m going to just curl up and take a nap?

“I’m serious,” he growls, though I wave a hand at him, dismissing the implied danger in his voice

that probably makes other men quail. We’re both well aware that he’d never hurt me. “You should

rest, Ari.”

“Well, so should you!” I protest. But when I look up into his smirking face I scowl, shaking my head.

“You seriously just don’t need it?”

“Nah,” he says, shaking his head and reaching for the canteen. “The water I need, we have to share

that. But food and sleep – that’s all for you. I’ll keep watch.”

“I’ll rest,” I say, hesitant. “But Jackson…there’s still a lot we need to talk about. And I’m not going to

be able to sleep until we…come to terms with some stuff.”

“Okay,” he murmurs, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me tight to his side. I smile up at him,

pleased that he’s not fighting me on it, but then I realize that he’s…well, he’s got a ton of questions,

doesn’t he?

But before he gets to those…I have to start.

“Jackson,” I murmur, turning more fully to him now and taking his face seriously in my hands, gazing

at him. “I am so…so sorry that I’ve had to keep this from you.”

“It’s okay,” he says, instantly willing to forgive, his broad hand coming up and wrapping around my

wrist like he wants to be touching me all the time.

A little smile takes my lips as I shake my head back and forth. “You shouldn’t forgive me so easily,

Jacks. You were tortured by this – I know you were.”

“Well, yeah,” he says, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smirk. “But now that it all makes sense

– why I could catch whiffs of my mate’s sense all over the castle, why her trail always seemed to

lead to you. I mean. I get it now.” He frowns a little, lowering his head to my neck and taking another

long sniff. “Is that…Jesse? Has he been scent marking you?”

Quickly I nod. “My cousin,” I whisper, seeing the possessive question already in his eyes. Slowly he

nods, believing me. “Again, Jacks, I hope you can forgive me for it, over time. It wasn’t easy but…I

didn’t have a lot of choice, not if I wanted to stay in the Academy.”

“No, it’s okay,” he says, giving an easy shrug, already over it. “I don’t care. I didn’t mind waiting, Ari

– I just wanted to know that you were safe.”

“You should care,” I say, smiling at him but still feeling a little guilty. Luca’s response in some ways

made more sense – he punished me, a little, and rightfully so. I lied to him for weeks. But Jacks –

he’s so instantly ready to move on.

“Nah,” Jackson replies, wrapping me up closer in his arms, pulling me cozily into his lap again and

against his chest as he presses a kiss to my hair. “It’s all worth it. I don’t want to make myself feel

mad just because I should. I have you now, don’t I? It’s all that matters.”