"Of course, I do," he said, his voice thick with feeling. "She’s my mate, Lora. I feel it in every fiber of my being. But… I don’t know how to move forward when she won’t even meet me halfway."
Azriel, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke. "Sometimes, when we’re given something as important as a mate bond, it tests us in ways we don’t expect. But that doesn’t mean the bond is broken, James. Maybe she’s struggling with something she hasn’t fully explained yet. Something bigger than what she’s let on."
James stared at the ground, his expression conflicted. "Maybe," he muttered, though it was clear he wasn’t convinced. "But I’m just… I’m scared. Scared that she doesn’t want the same future I do. That she’ll never come to Stormheart. That I’ll lose her before we’ve even really start
