Author's note: this is from Seraphina's point of view

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We returned to the apartment just in time to see the sunset from the balcony.

We stood next to each other, facing West, and I snuggled in Duke's embrace while enjoying the view of the Eiffel Tower in Duke's company.

The afternoon passed much better than I expected.

Duke had many questions, and I'm sure that he has a million more.

We returned with Duke knowing he is a half-werewolf, his father was the Supreme Alpha, my adopted father is a vampire, and I am not human.

I should be happy, but the possibility of my father awakening Duke's wolf successfully and Duke telling me I'm not his mate is gnawing me from inside and making me restless.

I knew that I shouldn't worry about things that might not happen, and I should enjoy the present. But the doubt was consuming me, and I pushed myself further into Duke with the hope that we will merge and never separate.

I told myself to stop being selfish. This was not about me. It was about Duke.

In a way, he went through a similar thing I did three years ago.

Duke lived for more than two decades with people who deceived him, and it doesn't matter if they did it in order to protect him or for some other reason. The point is that he was living a lie, not knowing who he was.

Similar to Duke's experience, my so-called grandmother and my so-called parents made me believe that I'm their flesh and blood, human, and only when I met Aldus I realized that was not the truth. It was scary and liberating at the same time.

Duke is going through the same.

I am Duke's truth-bringer, and he must be confused and insecure, and just how Aldus was my rock, I want to be Duke's.

"Duke…", I called, and he responded with a hum. "No matter who your parents were and no matter if you are a human or a werewolf, you will always be my Duke, the boy who sat next to me on the first day of high school and made my days brighter, the man who waited for me for years and arranged a class reunion so that we meet again. Even when we were apart, I was thinking about you. You are the only man I want in my life now and in the future. Nothing can change that. Whatever is coming, we will go through it together."

Duke's smile reflected in his eyes. "Thank you, Serina."

He gave me a light kiss on the lips and then hugged me tightly.

"I was waiting for this moment.", Duke said.

I didn't get it. "This moment?"

"This. The two of us on this balcony, watching the Eiffel Tower. Three years ago, I had a vision of us doing this."

Oh, the Soul Echo. "That was not a vision, Duke. It was real."

Somehow, he was not surprised, and I had to ask, "Did you know it was not real at that time?"

I could see his lips lifting into a smug smile. Damn it! "Did you know that dreams, when you held me, were not dreams?"

His expression told me he did.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Duke frowned a little. "Tell you, what exactly? How many times I urged you to come to London? You said you will, but then you didn't. I feared that if I tell you those were not dreams, I will lose that as well, and it was the only thing that kept me sane. It was three years, Serina. Three years of not knowing where you were or why you were not coming back to me."

"I heard that you…"

"Yes, I know.", he interrupted me, and I could feel irritation bubbling inside him. "You heard rumors. I told you many times that you are my only one, but you either didn't believe me or you thought those were just dreams. I wanted to see you in person and explain, but I didn't know how to reach you."

He was right. "I'm sorry."

Duke exhaled sharply. "Don't be. Those rumors spread because of my negligence." He touched my chin and made me look up to him. "Didn't you say that we should not think about the past, and focus on present and future?"

Yes, I did. But I still had one question. "How did you know those were real?"

"Uhm…", Duke hummed and paused. His lips were twitching while he was trying to suppress his lips from rising into a smile. "I was sleeping and then I felt a woman clinging onto me. Before I could push her away, the scent of jasmine reached me, reminding me of the only woman I wanted by my side. I remember the sound of thunder mixing with your sweet moans. You bit my neck. In the morning, there was a bitemark." He touched the left side of his neck.

My eyes widened in horror. That was when I was at Lazarus's place. The same evening when I found Zoe, Luca, and Ash.

"You knew from the beginning.", I said under my breath.

After that heated dream, every next one Duke was keeping his hands to himself while I was feeling him out and begging for a kiss for three whole years and he told me he will give me a kiss on the lips as a reward when I come to London. And he did.

"I don't know if I should be angry at you, or thank you for being a gentleman.", I shared my thoughts.

"I was not a gentleman that evening when you bit me."

I exhaled dejectedly, and Duke's embrace tightened.

"Don't be angry, Serina."

"I can't be angry at you.", I admitted.

His expression softened. "I'm glad to hear that because I can't be angry at you either, no matter what you do. As long as you stay by my side, I will do anything for you." He kissed me on the lips. "Anything…" And he kissed me again.

I wished that was true. I really did.

I knew that he was sincere, and he would stick to it, unless it turns out I'm not his mate and he discards me for another woman.

The suspense was eating me alive.

And there it was again, the dark cloud I managed to ignore for whole few minutes.

Unfortunately, there were no ways to confirm if I'm Duke's mate because the only existence who has the answer to that question is in deep slumber somewhere within Duke. My Duke.

I was dejected that there was a possibility of Duke regaining his power and position that belonged to him from the day he was born, yet that would also mean I might lose him.

Sure, there was a chance that even if I wasn't his mate, he would never find her and he would stay devoted to me but… could I live happily with the fear that one day she MIGHT show up and take what I thought was mine?

I clung onto Duke desperately, not willing to let go of him, frustrated that my insecurities are spoiling this moment.

I hated the non-existing woman while hoping that was me, and I blamed Duke for something he didn't do yet.

We were finally together with no secrets between us, yet that damned tiny IF was casting a shade I couldn't shake off.

I wanted to forget about everything and just focus on the man who was holding me in his arms. The man I adore with every fiber of my being. Drago Orsini. Duke. Mateo… Mateo Testa.

"Duke…", I spoke into his lips. "Make love to me…"

Without a word, Duke scooped me into his arms and carried me into the bedroom, princess style.

He laid me on the bed gently and slowly kissed and caressed every part of my body, setting me ablaze.

I was confident that he could feel my anxiety because he took his time to melt it away. His every caress was a testament to how much he loves me, erasing some of my worries away, and I relaxed, happy that we have now.

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