Gavin
Taryn closed the door softly behind her, leaving Daphne and I alone in the quiet room. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence wasn't uncomfortable—just thick with everything we were both still trying to process. The whole morning had been a whirlwind, and now we were standing at the edge of something even bigger.
Daphne turned toward me, her green eyes bright and steady. “We should talk about… us.”
I nodded, but my hands were clenched in my lap. “Yeah. We should.”
She stepped a little closer, her voice gentle. “I want to do this, Gavin. I want to mark and mate you.”
My heart stuttered. Goddess, she was beautiful—so sure of herself and of me. I wanted to match that certainty. But I couldn’t. Not yet.
“I’m not saying no,” I said quickly, seeing the flicker of uncertainty
