Jake slammed his office door a little harder than intended, making the frames on the wall shake. Lyra flinched beside him, but she didn’t say anything. Callan and Russ settled into chairs in the room, giving each other wary looks.
Jake ran a hand through his hair and turned on Lyra. “Why did you agree to that? I told you it wasn’t necessary.
Lyra lifted her chin, though her eyes were soft. “Because I think it is necessary.”
“No, it’s not,” Jake bit out. “You are my fated mate. That’s all that should matter. We don’t need to entertain some outdated ritual to prove it.”
“It’s not just about proving it to them,” she said quietly. “It’s also about proving it to myself.”
Jake froze. The words sank into him like cold water.
Callan shifted in his chair. “Jake, you know how it looks to the
