#Chapter 23 Not So Simple

Charles Grace's living room was bathed in the soft glow of the fireplace. She wasn’t relaxing much, but it was better than the nervous energy from earlier. I met her gaze. "I appreciate your willingness to talk about this," she began softly. I shook my head. “It’s not a secret, Grace.” She looked wary, and I sighed. “Should I just start from the beginning?” She bit her lip and nodded. "For lycans, the mate bond is supposed to be a powerful connection. It ensures our strength passes to the next generation. I’m sure you’ve heard that lycans never leave our mates… not even in death." She nodded. “It’s mostly a lie,” I said. Her eyes widened. A heavy sigh escaped me, and I ran a hand through my hair as I considered how best to convey my predicament. "To reject a mate is to sever that bond, and it's not a decision to be taken lightly. Yes, I’ve consummated by mate bond, but I haven’t formally rejected her. In my case, it's not a matter of love or hope. It's a matter of survival