Explanation

>>Elayne (Present)

"Kaan," I shook my head in denial but the fact didn't change. He was still there, "How…?" I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I didn't want to,

He smiled, "I'll only speak if this time, you'll listen to me from the start till the very end." He folded his arms. I blinked at him in confusion then suddenly came to the realization that the restaurant was closing and the staff was looking at me.

"Can we go outside?" I asked and he nodded softly. I turned around and walked ahead as I tried to process how this was possible. Rugen has a very strong defense system. The magical barriers around it would never allow a demon to pass through it, especially not a dragon! But it didn't take long for my brain to completely disregard how Kaan came in and began to be consumed by the fact that he was in and right in front of me.

My body started acting all weird again. Just like last time my heart and mind united in wanting to pounce on him and take him.

Shit! I shook my head! Now's not the time for that!

We stopped outside, near the stairs that led to my room. There I took a deep breath before turning around to prepare myself. Then I nodded to myself and turned to face Kaan ready to question him.

But, he didn't let me. He spoke before I even got the chance to say anything.

"I came to take you back with me." He laid his intentions bare in front of me, making my heart skip a beat and my mind go blank.

…

I was stunned but my heart and body were overjoyed. It took a lot of effort to contain myself and not jump into his arms because even if I wanted to be with him, it wasn't possible.

I looked down, away from him, "You already know that's not possible." I frowned as I answered him. My head started to hurt as soon as I gave him that answer and I broke my own feelings.

Kaan stepped closer to me, "Even if I say that I want you, " He placed his hand on my cheek and made me look at him softly, "Even if I say I want to be with you forever?" He looked into my eyes.

My chest hurt as my lips quivered. My feelings were so badly blending together that it gave off a weird sort of pain. I want to say yes right away but the fear of death was looming inside of me too.

"Kaan…" I frowned, "You and I aren't meant to be together…" It felt like I stabbed myself right where it hurt the most.

Like the sharpest of glass shards rained down on my heart.

Kaan kept his hand on my cheek and held my hand with his other hand, "Listen to me now," He started, "Till the end, okay?" I could see his clear purple eyes shine very brightly under the full moon.

Those pretty eyes of his were so sure of themselves that I nodded without a second thought.

He gave me a soft smile in return and then spoke, "Elayne,you're a succubus, they can't have kids unless they've bonded with someone."

My heart was pounding like I was mesmerized but his words puzzled me, "What?" I asked softly as a gentle breeze passed by us.

"And you had my child." He looked at me in disappointment, "It means you paired with me." He looked at me desperately, "I knew you didn't understand it all since you grew up human and I was going to explain it to you."

"Explain what?"

"A pairing is only formed when two demons consensually like each other. If two people have chemistry between them, they can become a pair." He took a deep soft breath, "This is why I searched for you so desperately! This is why I found out you weren't dead!"

I frowned at his words, "What's that supposed to mean?"

He remained patient with me, "For a whole year after I came back from your funeral, I kept feeling something strange, the symptoms showed I had paired with someone but a pair works only with someone alive. This is why I went back and dug your grave. And when I saw that empty casket, I knew it was you."

"But-" He stopped me by putting his finger on my lip and I was reminded to let him talk till the end.

"A pairing usually happens when two people are conscious but I guess in our case, it must have happened when we slept together that night we all got drunk…"

"Ah," I remember that night. I got pregnant from there. But was that not supposed to happen? "So, it was a mistake?"

He shook his head, "No," He looked deep into my eyes, "From the beginning I told you that you and I were compatible right?"  I found the way he talked and how he explained everything quite comforting, "The night we spent together, by that time I had come to like you a lot." I was already extremely drawn to him but his confession made my feelings burst into euphoria. To the point where I even felt a little drunk.

He laughed, "Honestly, I was having doubts… I didn't see you the morning after and you pretended like nothing happened, so even when I found out you were alive I feared I might have paired with someone else." He brought me into his embrace and I just melted in, "This is why I needed to see you. I Knew it had to be you! You were always on my mind." 

I could hear his erratic heartbeat. He was scared and happy and his feelings were probably a mess right now.

"But you didn't understand the concept," I could feel he was hurt, "And you still ran away from me." I slowly moved my arms around him and hugged him back.

It's true, I'm not aware of these concepts but it all makes sense now.

This is why I was never able to move on from him! This must be why I crave him so much! This must be why I always want him!

I hugged him tighter., "We're… A pair?"

He tightened his embrace too, "Yes,"

My heart warmed at the single word. I found so much peace in it that I didn't even know was possible to achieve.

So… We paired…

Is this why my lust charm never naturally worked on anyone? I had a child, so people knew I had someone…

It makes sense now.

My heart that had been pounding like crazy till this point, began to calm down. Like it was being cradled to comfort.

A pair…

"Does that mean you're in love with me?" I asked

"..." I felt him tense up. He grabbed my shoulders and then he broke the hug and looked at me with a bewildered expression, "I can't believe you…" He sighed, "Yes!" He confessed, "I love you! We're a pair for God's sake!!"

And once again my heart leapt out of my chest in excitement.

"After a pairing is done. The pair only desires each other." He shook his head at me and my lack of knowledge.

"What if two people don't like each other." I asked.

"Like I said, a pair can't be formed if it isn't mutual. It happens only if there's a bond between two people, if they have chemistry between them along with trust and once the pair has been formed, the love only grows." 

He looked at me with a smirk and I felt shy all of the sudden.

"I see…" I suddenly couldn't look directly at him. Because if we're paired he already knows I'm head over heels over him and I didn't even confess!!!

There were a few moments of silence between us and the space reminded me of my redemption once again.

"Kaan," I sighed, "Even with all this… I won't be able to go back with you…"

"I knew you'd say that." He slid his hands down to mine, "But my explanation isn't over yet. I told you you won't die if you stay with me." 

"But that pot!" I got anxious all over again.

"It was planned."  He replied, "They wanted to scare you away." He held my hands tightly, "Apparently, that man, Allard, heard some of our conversation and planned the scheme with Leysa."

"Leysa…" It suddenly clicked in my mind. She did try to get rid of me in the beginning too,

"She threw the pot on me?"

"Ah no, sort of, she made someone do it for her. A young minotaur."

"Oh…" I nodded, "I guess you had a whole investigation done..." 

"I did…" He held me closer, "I told you it was planned. I told you I'd explain everything."

"Kaan…" I looked, "Still, even if it was planned what if-" He placed his finger on my lips again, shushing me down

"I know the fears you keep in your heart." He gave me a soft smile.

I held his finger and brought it down, "Then you know I can't leave… I can't go with you…" These were my own words but these exact same words pierced my soul, ripped me to pieces and tore my feelings. It was like the cycle was on repeat.

I bit my lips as I tried to repress my tears but this time, they came out stronger for some reason. They hurt me more. They practically ripped my heart apart.

Kaan on the other hand remained calm. He simply pulled me in for another hug. A tight one, "It's alright." He said as he caressed my hair, "It's going to be all alright." It was a simple gesture from him but I felt myself calm down a little .

After a few moments, he broke the hug, then kissed the corner of my eyes, wiping the tear that was ready to fall in the process, then he placed his hands on my jaws and gently caressed my cheeks with his thumbs, "I came here fully prepared."

"Prepared?" I took a shaky breath, "For what?" I sniffled as I wanted to go back into his embrace again.

He smiled confidently, "There's someone I want you to meet." He looked past me at someone and I turned around to see who he was staring at.

It was a hooded figure, making its way towards us