Derick chuckled at my question, his head bent low.

“Macy, I’ve never been a fan of the moon goddess. All my life, I grew up hearing stories about her and the mate bond. But when I met you, everything changed,” he said.

“When you met me? How did things change then?” I asked, genuinely curious.

“Macy, I fell head over heels in love with you. That’s what happened. When I met you, I didn’t care about a mate bond. It amazed me that I loved you without one, without being drawn to you by your scent. I just loved you, and I still do,” he confessed.

“Then why do you...