*** Ethan ***
“Why are you back here? Aren’t you supposed to be with your mother? Why come back now?” I sighed, barely in the mood for conversation.
“I’m not in the mood, Calvin. I want to be alone.”
“Alone? What happened?” he asked, not budging. “You know me too well—I won’t leave you alone.”
My jaw tightened. I hesitated before speaking, my voice low and filled with frustration.
“It’s Mother. She… she wants me to marry that horrible girl.”
“Chloe?” Calvin blinked, stunned by my words. “As in Lyra’s sister? The girl who’s been trying to talk to you for weeks?”
I scoffed bitterly. “Yeah. That Chloe.”
“Does your mother know you’ve found your mate? Does she know about Lyra?”
I nodded. “No. She doesn’t. And you must never tell her. I don’t want to lose Lyra... because I might end up
