“You’re her mate.” Harriet cuts me off. “Pride and ego have no place in a relationship, Cedric. You’re not her king, and she’s not your subject. She’s your mate.” Harriet gets to her feet. “If you’re tired, I can ask Derrick or Rothan to come watch the house.”
I shake my head. “No. This is my family. I’ll protect them.”
“Even when she shuns you?” Harriet asks quietly.
I don’t look at her. “She’ll always be mine. I lost her once. Never again.”
Harriet’s hand comes to settle on my head. “Be patient, Cedric. And think over what I said. You’re not a king when it comes to your relationship. You’re her protector, her shield, and her mate.”
I nod.
Harriet leaves, and I lean back against the park bench, staring at the night sky. Even the sky here is hazy, unclean. The air is putrid. Yet, she
