11. Mine to take

“Each of us is born with a box of matches inside us but we can't strike them all by ourselves”

― Laura Esquivel

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(Vera)

I absolutely felt guilty as I looked at Ezra. It was like a dark vein of misery, pruning through my body, and I didn't care for it.

I had always been truthful to him about everything, and we knew, we always knew this would come to an end, the thing between him and me. We were friends first, and would be friends later, so I didn't know why I felt guilty.

"He is your mate! That is why he didn't drag you down to the court, huh?" Ezra chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, but I could see a hint of sadness in his eyes. Maybe this wasn't as easy for him as it was for me.

I almost blurted out that the prince wanted to handcuff me in his dungeon, but I didn't. That would be too much information too soon.

"Yes," I sighed, pulling my hair, playing with it as I always did, whenever I was nervous or sad, and he watched me with a shake of his head. He knew almost everything a