Chapter 41: Control
Gareth stared at his daughter in shock.
“Why would you ask a question like that?” he said instead of answering.
Isabella bit down on her lip and blew out a long breath. She didn’t want to reveal that she was anxious that Elliot might find his fated mate and leave her heartbroken one day. Just the thought terrified her and kept her up at night. But she couldn’t tell her dad that. He barely tolerated Elliot on her behalf; if he found out she was having doubts about Elliot’s feelings, he would personally put a stop to the wedding.
Instead, she feigned nonchalance and shrugged.
“I’m just interested in how the mating bond works since I’ve never experienced it. How does it feel when you find your fated mate?” Isabella asked.
Gareth sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. For a moment, he considered cutting this conversation short and going to bed. But his daughter was asking a simple question.
“The power of a mating bond is the strongest force I’ve ever experienced,” Gareth explained, his deep voice going along well with the crackling fire beside him and the dimly lit room.
Isabella leaned forward, intrigued. It felt like her father was telling her a story, just like when she was a little girl.
“It’s impossible to fight the pull of a mating bond,” he continued, his mind conjuring up images of his former mate. “When I was young and cocky, I thought that I could control the bond. But soon, I realized I couldn’t fight the all-consuming force of it.” He cleared his throat. “My wolf took control of me and made it impossible for me to stay away from my mate. Even if she was in the next room, my wolf would go crazy inside my head, driving me mad until I laid eyes on her again.”