(Rayla’s POV)
I swear I’ve faced war drills with less panic than the discussion I just had with my mother with my Fated Mate beside me. Ryan and I stepped into the hall, the door closing gently behind us. For a few seconds we just stood there, shoulder to shoulder, staring at nothing like two people who had just been handed a live grenade and told, “Don’t drop it.” My face was burning. I could feel it. My ears were burning too. Probably my soul. Ryan finally exhaled. “So…your mother just…said that.” I dragged a hand down my face. “Please don’t say it out loud.” “I’m not,” he argued, hands up, eyes wide. “I’m not repeating the part where she said—” “Ryan—!” I hissed. He shut his mouth instantly. Silence. Long, mortifying silence. I leaned against the wall, burying my face in my hands. “The
