Page 117 of Big Bad Wolf

“Why now? Why’d you come? I know it’s not about some bullshit goodbye.”

She chuckled softly and turned to face him.

“I heard you were making things,” she said, avoiding his question.

“How?”

She shrugged. “Same way I found your cabin. Nymphs talk. I always ask about you.”

Rafe grunted.

“Where’s the girl?” Nell cut to the chase, pinning him with her ethereal stare.

“Home.”

“Oh, Rafe.” Nell shook her head, her hair whispering across her back.

“What?” He couldn’t seem to get more than one word past the hot ache in his throat. His mother was finally here and Ruby was gone. His poor brain couldn’t seem to process it all.

She tipped her head, studying him. “The girl is your Mate. I was sure you knew.”

Rafe’s eyes widened, his heart tripping over itself just hearing his mother voice the truth. “It doesn’t matter.”

It was Nell’s turn to look shocked. “Doesn’t matter? Doesn’t matter! How can you say that?”

“How can you care?” he fired back. “I thought we didn’t believe in that bullshit in our pack? Remember? We mate for strength, and humans are weak.” He turned his back, unable to look at his mother’s horrified face.

“You don’t need to repeat your father’s lies.”

“She’s a human. It won’t work.”

“You can make it work,” she insisted.

Rafe let out a bitter laugh, turning back to face her. “There’s nothing left to make work. She finally understands what I am.” His voice was raw, broken. “I can’t let things end the same way this time.”

“Nothing is the same.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“She’s your Mate, Rafe. That changes everything.”

He let out a strangled groan, the word “Mate” like claws down his back.

“You’ve seen this before then, a werewolf mated to a human?”

“Well, no…”

Rafe scoffed.

“But that doesn’t mean it’s not possible! Your Mate is the other half of your soul, Rafe. Who cares what she is beyond that?”

“How did you know what she was?”

“A mother knows.” She gave him a rare smile. “That’s why I came. I know what you grew up believing. But I know it’s real.”

He flinched. “Not you and my father?”

Nell shook her head violently. “Oh, God no. He wanted me for my speed.”