“When you... mated...” I didn’t want to continue. I knew it was painful to talk about her.
“Rissa, yeah. It’s okay. I can say her name.”
“When you and Rissa mated, did you get sick?”
“Sick? What kind of sick?” Concern colored his question.
“Sunday came down with a fever, and she’s been out of it for nearly a week. I think it’s because I marked her after she bonded with a vampire.”
He sucked in a sharp breath. “What the fuck did you just say?”
“It’s a long story, but she’s mated to a vampireandme. Did I... hurt her by giving her my mark? I’ll never forgive myself if I did.”
Dylan blew out a breath, the silence on the other side of the line making my anxiety spike. “Fuck, kid. I don’t know. I’ve never heard of anything like that before. It’s possible the two bonds are fighting each other, but as far as I know, fated bonds win out over all others. The only reason I can see as to why yours didn’t is that she’s destined for you both.”
I sat down hard on the ground, exhaustion taking over. “I don’t know what to do. I’m edgy as fuck, even more desperate for her than before. How am I gonna live like this? Marking her was supposed to fix things, not make them worse.”
“Wait, you asked ifIgot sick. Are you feeling feverish too? Like you want to crawl out of your skin? Maybe like you need to fuck something to get it out of your system?”
Neck heating, I grumbled, “Not that it’s your business, but yeah.”
Dylan burst into loud guffaws. I pictured the asshole sitting on a hay bale and slapping his leg. I hoped he fell off.
“It’s not funny from where I’m sitting.”
“Oh, it sure as shit is from my vantage point, boy.”
“Why?”
“You’re entering the rut. Saddle up. You’re in for a wild ride.”
Rut? Oh, fuck.As though agreeing, my cock gave a throb. “Why?”
“Sounds like your mark sent Sunday into heat. I’m surprised she wasn’t on suppressants, though. Most unmated females are.”
Oh. Fuuuck.
“She’s in fucking heat,” I breathed, the shock of it zinging through me.
“So now you have two options. Hide her somewhere you won’t be able to get to her and let her ride it out alone, or serve your mate until it’s over. Either way, it’s going to be tough.”
I jumped up, exhaustion gone, my cousin’s words giving my wolf the affirmation he needed. He’d been telling me all along what was supposed to be happening. I’d just been too clueless to understand.
“What would you do?”
Dylan let out a low laugh. “I never left my mate needful. She always got what she wanted, and then some.”
I almost hated myself for my next question, but I had to know so I could protect us both. That’s what a good mate—a good Alpha—does. “What’s it like? Am I going to lose myself? I won’t hurt her or anything, right?”
“She’s made for this. It’s the best sex of your life, times a million. And when you knot... well, you’ll see. Your wolves will get you through this. They were born for it. Just let instinct guide you and all that.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. “Thanks, cowboy. I knew you’d give it to me straight.”
“’Course. Now, I’m fixin’ to head out and check some fence before breakfast. But I’ll leave you with one more nugget of advice.”
“Okay, I’m all ears.”
“If you really want to drive her wild... call her darlin’.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Goodbye, Dylan.”
“Have fun, and stay hydrated.”
“I intend to.”
I hung up and shoved my phone back into my pocket, everything in me humming to find my mate and serve her until I couldn’t see straight. Now that I had my answers, all that edginess had turned into anticipation.
Sunday Fallon was going to take my knot, and she’d fucking love it.