Chapter 22: I Would Traverse Mountains

Jordan continued to gaze into my eyes, his expression unreadable. This time, I made a conscious effort not to attribute any significance to his intense stare. I yearned for him to be straightforward with me, to look directly into my eyes and give me a definitive answer. The silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity, until finally, Jordan lowered his gaze, took a deep breath, and moistened his lower lip with a nervous lick.

"Would you?" I whispered, my voice trembling with a mix of desperation and vulnerability.

"Lia, as the only son of..." Jordan began, his voice trailing off.

"Jordan, would you mate and mark her?" I interjected, my impatience overpowering my emotions as I braced myself for the inevitable revelation. Tears welled up in my eyes, threatening to spill over.

"For the survival of our species..." Jordan continued hesitantly, his words hanging in the air.