It was quiet after that, uncomfortably quiet. That was until Hansel broke it again, his voice firm but it was less harsh then it had been before.
“I want you to tell me why I have prevented you from phasing. I warn you now, it would not serve you well to lie to me” he stated bluntly.
It was the girl who spoke first. “I…urm, made your girlfriend uncomfortable because I flirted with you?” she asked with a shrug.
I frowned at the term, ‘girlfriend’ seemed to, I don’t know, vague as a way to describe mates.
Turned out Hansel must have thought so to.
“Do you to understand what a mate means?” he asked curiously, though his tone was still like steel. I liked it. Made me feel protected, safe.
“It’s like a long-term partner?” Sophie smirked, clearly happy with herself.
“It’s permanent. It m
