Chapter 87: Just me

Chapter 86Lenora What an amazing biology lesson that was. Cameron leans back in his chair, relaxed, a satisfied grin tugging at his mouth. I roll my eyes, though the corners of my lips betray me with the smallest twitch. "So, you can sense my emotions through the bond?" I ask, watching him carefully. "Uh, yeah, actually. It’s not all the time, but sometimes I feel things... little flashes. Is that not normal for mate bonds?" he asks, genuine confusion furrowing his brows. I climb onto his lap, nestling comfortably against his chest. He stiffens slightly, still adjusting to the instinct of closeness, but then his arms wrap around me like they were always meant to be there. Right. Everything is still new to him. I never explained any of this. "Actually, no, not really," I say. "What?" he blurts, blinking. "Don’t tell me you thought all married wolves were out here sensing each other’s emotions?" I tease. "Are they not?" His voice is hesitant, almost boyish. I chuckle softly. "Cameron... what do you call a wolf’s spouse?" "A mate." "And what are we to each other? What were my parents to each other?" I press gently. He thinks, his eyes narrowing slightly as he works it out. "True mates?" "Exactly." I take his arm, weaving my fingers between his. "There’s a difference. Mates are... well, kind of like a normal marriage. You’re attracted to each other, you’ve got compatibility, maybe you date for a while and decide to settle down. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t—like humans." He nods slowly, absorbing each word. "But true mates," I continue, my voice softer now, "are different. They’re rare. It’s when the goddess herself decides to intervene. It’s like she says, This is your person. This is the other half of your soul. When you’re mated to your true mate, your two halves become whole." I press our linked hands closer to my chest. "And with a bond like that, sometimes... not always, but sometimes, you can sense each other’s emotions. Like us." His breath leaves him in a quiet wow. "I thought it came with the whole wolf thing." I laugh under my breath, resting my head against him. "No. It’s rare. Most wolves just settle, Cameron. They choose what’s available because their true mate could be on the other side of the world, or already gone. The odds of finding them are... impossible, really. But we did. We found each other." Silence lingers for a moment. Then his chest rises with a deep inhale, and he whispers, "So we’re the lucky ones." "Extremely lucky," I say softly. "And apparently, when the bond is deep enough, reading each other’s minds is possible," I add almost reluctantly, like I’m letting him peek into a secret I shouldn’t. His head snaps up. "What?!" "Yeah," I nod. "My parents were guilty of that. It happens when people are on the same wavelength of affection. But do you know how impossible that is? In every relationship someone will always love a little less, and the other a little more." My chest aches as the memory surfaces—how sometimes Mum and Dad would forget to even speak out loud, how their words flowed between them silently, seamlessly. It used to annoy me as a child, watching them smile at each other in that secret way. Now I realize how rare, how precious, that really was. I swallow, my throat tight. "Anyway... the fact that you can sense my emotions too, it’s kind of validating. I always thought..." I falter, staring at our joined hands. "I always thought I’d be the one who loves you a little more." His voice is quiet but firm. "Lenora—" "I know, I know." I rush in before he can say more, because I don’t want him to feel guilty. "It’s nothing you did or didn’t do. More like... an insecurity I carried with me." "Did I not—" he starts, frustration edging into his tone. I cut him off with a shake of my head, pressing my forehead to his jaw. "No. This isn’t about you. It’s just me. My doubt. My fear of being too much, seeing how we’re from different worlds." His arms tighten around me, anchoring me in his warmth. "Lenora, I’m scared shitless, but I’m all in with you." "I know." "Then why didn’t you say anything sooner?" His voice cracks just slightly, enough to make my chest ache. I take a shaky breath. "Hey, I’m saying it now—living up to the promise we made. About talking things through. Remember? After the whole me-not-shifting mess?" He exhales, rough, dragging it through his throat like it weighs him down. His forehead dips against mine, his ocean-blue eyes softening. "I hate that you thought you had to carry that alone," he murmurs. "Like you couldn’t trust me with it." My lips tremble into a half-smile. "It wasn’t about trust. It was shame, maybe. You’re this... powerful, brilliant man and I’m just me." His reaction is immediate—sharp, almost offended. His hands tighten around my waist, anchoring me in place as his eyes blaze into mine. "Now that’s just insane," he says, each word clipped, absolute. "You are Lenora Maen—daughter of Eamon Maen, from a bloodline of pack leaders. Do you even hear yourself?" I blink, stunned at the intensity in his tone. "And let’s not forget," he adds, his mouth curling in something that’s not quite a smile, "Miss Most Desirable Wolf. I’ve heard from Adrian—apparently, in these wolf circles, you were the dreamgirl...wolf?." "And now look at me," he continues, his eyes burning into mine. "I’m standing on the edge of something I never asked for — pack leadership. Me, who never had a pack. Who never even had a family. And the only reason I haven’t turned and run is because of you. Because you believe I can do this. Because when I doubt myself, I see myself through your eyes and I believe it too." His hand cups my jaw, firm but tender. "So don’t ever say you’re ’just you.’"