Drake—POV
My heart pounded in my chest. The mate bond’s magic swirled around us, wrapping me in warmth, yet the confusion in Yuri’s green eyes made it hard to breathe. I forced myself to take a step back, breaking the spell, the connection—the illusion, maybe.
“I don’t know if this is real,” Yuri whispered, her voice uncertain.
I swallowed hard. She doesn’t want this.
“You never wanted me as your mate, did you?” My words came out sharper than I intended, laced with something dangerously close to pain.
“That’s not what I meant, Drake. Don’t twist my words.” Her serious gaze locked onto mine, but I could feel the weight of truth beneath them. She never wanted me. She wanted Mac—a wolf shifter. Not me.
“Maybe we should consult witches,” she said carefully. “See if this magic—whatever we
