Chapter Sixteen
“So, what’s going on with you and Wade? Have you jumped his bones yet?” Erin asked.
Adalyn’s eyes widened in surprise. She’d never heard someone, let alone a woman, speak so candidly about sex. A blush stained her cheeks as she sputtered out an answer. “N—no!”
“It’s okay if you have. You are his mate, after all.” Mina smirked at the turn of the conversation.
“I keep hearing the word mate, and I’m not sure what it means. Care to clue me in on it?” Adalyn asked.
Erin was the first to answer. “A mate is your best friend, your lover, your partner, your protector.”
“Someone who will be by your side no matter what. Not even death can part true mates,” Mina added.
“What do you mean? Mates aren’t parted in death? How is that possible?” None of it made sense to Adalyn. Everyone knew wedding vows were always ‘till death do us part’. How did wolves escape that clause?
“Wolves are born with one true mate who has been selected for them by the Fates. Once the mating ritual is complete, the souls are bonded for eternity. The mates will be together for all of time, both in life and the afterlife,” Mina explained.
“That’s incredible. And you think I’m Wade’s mate?” Adalyn’s mind was blown. She’d never even had a boyfriend, and now she was someone’s mate? Or so they said. How could that even be possible?
“I know you are Wade’s mate. Everyone does. Both of you are giving off the mating scent. You have been since the moment the two of you met,” Erin said.
“Here we go with this scent thing again. I’m able to smell so many different things since my first time shifting into my wolf, but I have no idea what they are. How can you tell the difference?”
“Ask your wolf. She knows the difference and can tell you. You need to learn how to trust her and rely on her abilities.”
“This is all so weird—so foreign to me.”
“Of course, it is, but you’ll get used to it. The more you embrace your wolf, the easier life will become. Enough about that. Tell us more about where things are with you and Wade. You know, I went out with him a few times, before Lucas and I were a thing. He was such a sweet guy.” Erin smiled at the memories.
A strange feeling ripped through Adalyn. One she’d never expected and had certainly never experienced.
Jealousy.
The thought of Erin kissing Wade—touching him. A low rumble rose up from her chest, startling her.
Mina and Erin laughed at the sound.
The rumble grew louder. Adalyn was ready to launch herself across the table and attack.
“And that, my dear, is how you can confirm Wade is truly your mate. The simplest thought of Wade touching another female makes you want to slaughter anyone who dared to touch what is yours.” Mina laughed.
Adalyn glanced at both of the women. So many ways to rip out their hearts passed through her thoughts. Her wolf pushed against her mind, demanding release. The logical part of her pushed back against the wolf, knowing those thoughts were insane. She liked both Mina and Erin—a lot and didn’t want to see anything bad happen to them, especially Mina. She was very pregnant and could pop at any time.
“That feeling, right there, the one consuming you,” Erin said. “I don’t want you to worry though. Wade and I had dinner twice. I hate to say it, but I was using him to make Lucas jealous and it worked like a charm.”
Adalyn heard the truth in her cousin’s words and calmed the rage brewing inside of her. The need to destroy Erin faded just as quickly as it had appeared. Maybe there was something to this whole mating thing.
“That was weird! One minute, I was fine, the next, I felt like I would literally tear your head off. My wolf was beating herself against my mind, trying to escape.”
“Have no doubt, your wolf knows her mate,” Mina said.
Erin laughed. “Yeah, she knows who her true mate is. Even if you try to fight it.”
“What do you mean?” Adalyn asked, puzzled by Erin’s statement.
“I tried to fight the mating call for years. Like the talisman you wore to block your wolf scent when you first arrived, I had my own. It blocked the scent of my witch, as well as hid my scent from my mate. I walked around for years, knowing Lucas was my true mate while he had no flipping idea.”
“Talk about brutal.” Mina’s fingers danced across her belly. “How were you able to keep yourself in check?”
