“So, tell me, what has you in such a state?” Sheryl asked as she used a wet wipe to try to clean Cristie’s hand.
“Remi’s here. I’m not up for this.”
“Who’s Remi?”
“My mate.”
“Your mate?! Girl, that’s good news!”
“He didn’t want me. Now he does. I don’t know what to do.”
“He didn’t want you? What is wrong with him?!” Sheryl demanded angrily.
“He’s too loyal. Had a girlfriend when we found out we were mates. He felt guilty.”
Sheryl didn’t say anything, she just stood there with a confused look on her face.
Cristie looked up at her standing next to the chair. “Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it?”
“I’m not exactly sure. I mean, loyalty is an admirable trait. You can’t have a successful relationship without it. But finding your mate will screw up a good loyal person and make them go for their mate, leaving the one they used to be loyal to.”
“But it didn’t. He stayed with her.”
Sheryl remained silent.
“Then she left him, and he still stayed away because the guilt of wanting me but being with her and staying with her, but being my mate when he was with her.”
“That is a conundrum, isn’t it,” Sheryl said.
“Are you asking or commenting?” Cristie asked, “because I really can’t tell right now. I’m a little out of my element here this morning.”
“I’m just commenting.”
“Good. Because I don’t know much of anything right now. All I know is my father went all Alpha on me and sent me to work and wished me a good day. So, I’m here.”
“Well, what did he say?” Sheryl asked.
“My father? What I said already.”
“I mean about your mate.”
“The guilt thing is what he explained to me. And he told me to behave like the fair and just Alpha I hope to be and be nice and maybe at the least Remi and I can find the friendship we shared as kids even if I can’t forgive him. Then he reminded me that he and my mom had serious issues and look at them now.”
“Oh. And then he sent you to work.”
“That’s about it. Other than telling me he granted Remi sanctuary and I better treat him with dignity and respect just like I would any guest.”
“Oh, that’s just all kinds of…”
“All kinds of wrong! Say it, I know it’s wrong!” Cristie said, looking for someone to agree with her.
“Hang on, now. I did not, nor have I ever insinuated that Alpha Riley is wrong about anything.”
Cristie sighed, knowing she’d been wrong to ask Sheryl to agree with her against her Alpha. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to agree to that. I don’t want you to go against your Alpha.”
“I know that,” Sheryl said. “But I’m worried about you. What did this Remi person say? I’m guessing you talked to him which is why you’re in the state you’re in.”
“He wants to have dinner and see if we can maybe talk a little bit.”
