Chosen By My Mate's Father-in-law
Chapter 41: Control

Chapter 41: 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.”

Isabella was frozen in her seat, staring at her father with wide eyes. Part of her wanted him to keep going, but at the same time, she wanted to beg him to stop.

“But it wasn’t just my wolf who was obsessed with my mate.” Gareth wasn’t looking at his daughter anymore. Instead, his gray eyes were on the hypnotic, dancing flames of the fire. “I was too. I didn’t want to stay away from her... I couldn’t stay away from her. I craved my mate until the desire was like a painful, throbbing bruise, and the only cure was her. I couldn’t fight the pull of the mating bond. No one can. I tried to, and it only made me and my wolf miserable.”

Gareth’s chest twinged as he remembered the pain he faced while trying to do so. It hadn’t even been because he didn’t want to be with his former mate. He had tried to fight the bond because he didn’t like the loss of control.

“I’ve heard horror stories about shifters who have tried to deny their mating bond,” Gareth carried on, his voice low. “Some lose abilities like their heightened sense of smell or their accelerated healing. In other cases, their wolves weaken to the point where they can’t even transform anymore.”

The room was silent for a few moments as Gareth continued to stare into the fire, and Isabella sat across from him, horrified. She couldn’t help but think about her fear of Elliot finding his mate. Now, she was certain that her fiancé would leave her if he found his fated mate. From the way that her father described the mating bond, Isabella concluded that Elliot would have to leave her, or he would risk losing his ability to shift.

“So, you tried to fight the mating bond with Mom at first?” Isabella asked. “Why?”

“I did. When I first met her, I didn’t like the feeling of giving up control. But I shouldn’t have fought it. Your mother completed me. She made me the man I am today.” Gareth met his daughter’s eyes, and a small smile crossed his face. “And the best part is that she gave me you.”

The silence between them was full of warmth.

But after a moment, Gareth looked back at the fire. Isabella noticed the light had dimmed from his eyes.

“When your mother left, she took my heart with her. It felt like I would never be able to love again,” Gareth admitted.

“Is that why you haven’t moved on?” Isabella asked gently.

“What do you mean? I go on dates.”

Isabella gave her father a leveled look. “Come on, Dad. Those aren’t dates. Those are one-night stands. You will never find love like that.”

Gareth balked at hearing those words come out of his daughter’s mouth.

“I never want to hear you say that again,” he muttered. Then, he sighed. “Isabella, you know how busy I am. I don’t have any time to date anyone in a serious way. I have my hands full with my company, running my territory, and taking care of you girls.”

Isabella crossed her arms and shook her head. “Nope, you can’t use Michelle and me as an excuse anymore. I’m all grown, heck, I’m about to get married and move out.” At this, Gareth frowned, but Isabella ignored him. “Michelle is growing up, and before you know it, she will move out too.”

A slightly pained look crossed his face.

“I’m not saying this to be cruel, Dad,” Isabella murmured. “I just think that you should find someone to spend the rest of your life with. I want you to be happy. Michelle and I would support you marrying someone else...” Isabella flushed slightly. “We would even be fine if you ended up falling for someone...a lot younger than you.”

Gareth stiffened and gave his daughter an unwavering look.

Isabella raised her chin. “Michelle and I have talked, and she agrees that someone like Jasmine would be good for you. She would keep you on your toes.” She smirked. “Someone like Jasmine or...maybe even Jasmine herself.”

Gareth picked up his report again, blocking his daughter from seeing how her implication had made his face heat up.

“You’ve lost me, Isabella," he said calmly. “Maybe you should head to bed. I don’t think Elliot will call tonight.”

His daughter nodded, and her shoulders dropped with dejection.

“Goodnight, Dad,” she said quietly, then left before he could return the sentiment.

Gareth’s hands clenched around the report in his hands. He didn’t like that Elliot was making his daughter wait for his call. For that matter, he didn’t like Elliot at all.

His conversation with Isabella about how powerful a mating bond was made him wonder how Jasmine was feeling about watching her former mate prepare to marry another woman. Just today, Gareth had heard Isabella say she was going to show Jasmine her wedding jewelry. This whole situation couldn’t be easy for Jasmine, especially while dealing with her father’s imprisonment.

He tossed the report on the table and stared unseeingly into the fire.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Jasmine had the strength to endure the pain of a broken mating bond like he did when his mate disappeared. After she left, it was hard for Gareth to see the point of living anymore. In those early days, he had to force himself to get out of bed. If he didn’t have to keep going for Isabella and then for Michelle, he didn’t know what state he’d be in right now.

But he survived. Gareth was in a good place now. Maybe it was time to move on, like Isabella had suggested.

An image of Jasmine’s beautiful face came to mind, but he knew that was because Isabella had mentioned her before.

That had to be the reason he couldn’t get her off his mind.