I

Her heart stopped in his presence, not because he was utterly attractive. No, she had established long ago that his form, his looks, and his mannerisms were undeniable. He haunted her dreams, leaving her restless in the middle of the night. She craved him, which drove her crazy at the worst of times. She knew he had a mate, somewhere waiting for him. And they were playing a game, falling in love was certainly not one of the rules.

Therefore, she couldn't even ask for his heart. After all, his mate couldn't possibly be her, right? The fae didn't have mates.

But then he said that word. He stared at her, with lilac locks flying in the moonlight, and said it so quietly that she had to be mistaken.

Then he said it again.

"Mate."