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That was why I woke up late, but it wasn’t completely why I was behind. I needed to shower, which I did, but then I slipped getting out, and before I could even think to use magic to stop myself, I was on the floor and left with a sore elbow. That was not how I wanted to start my day.

I’d burned the first batch of lemon bars, and yes, I could use magic to make them, but I actually enjoyed baking and all of the things that went with it. It was soothing, and using magic didn’t give me the same feeling. But when my spiraling morning turned even worse because I literally dropped the second batch of lemon bars on the floor as I was pulling them out of the oven, I plopped my behind on the kitchen floor and cried.

I was not supposed to actually bake today, and I was blaming it completely on Lukan. It was his fault because of that stupid dream last night. Or this morning. Whenever. It was his fault, and I was blaming him.

But I was supposed to have been at Lukan’s over half an hour ago, and the messages had started coming in, and that didn’t help. Not even a little. Since I didn’t have anything to take, my elbow was still aching, and I’d discovered a sore backside as well, I gave in and used magic to fix everything, including myself.

I looked around my now clean and tidy kitchen, finding it satisfactory, so I picked up the containers of lemon bars, as well as the one of cookies from Beau, and I used a bit more magic to get myself to the front of Lukan’s place. I couldn’t exactly knock because my hands were full, so I resorted to kicking the door. I stood there in the cold, becoming even more irritated with the man, and kicked the door again.

I absolutely was not expecting Lukan to answer the door in nothing but a towel. “Why aren’t you dressed? You can’t be going around in a towel.”

Lukan looked confused. “I’m getting ready for the Friendsgiving. And why are you late?” Lukan stepped aside, and I entered. I could hear the others, and I looked over at Lukan.

“You’re in a towel? Around everyone else?”

“Not everyone,” he said. “Just Felix, Atlas, and Olly. They’re the only ones here so far. Evan is on his way though.”

“But you’re in a towel, Lukan,” I said again. “You’re running around in a towel in front of them.”

“What is your problem, Lewis? They’ve seen me naked, just like I’ve seen them the same.”

My eyes widened. “Why are you all running around naked? We don’t do that!” I walked off toward the kitchen, grumbling.

“Hey, Lewis! Glad you finally showed up,” Felix said. I glared at him, and he held up his hands and started backing away. “Never mind. Maybe you should just go on back home if you’re in a bad mood. Why are you so cranky?”

I stopped and stared at the trio. I thought about saying something, but they weren’t the cause of my morning. No, that stupid dream about Lukan was. Why was I dreaming about the enforcer? I’d never thought about him in a sexual way ever. Not that the dream was overly sexual. It wasn’t. Not really. It was just…odd. I’d been quite visibly pregnant, and Lukan was walking beside me, holding my arm. That meant…what? Was Lukan somehow going to become my mate all of a sudden? Had the fates decided that? That was what had thrown me off so much. None of it made any sense. And then I showed up, and he was all but naked.

I closed my eyes, and after taking several deep and somewhat calming breaths, I opened them and looked at Felix. “I’m not necessarily cranky, Felix. It’s just been a bad morning. I woke up late, and then I fell and hurt myself in the shower, and it’s just spiraled from there,” I told him. “Sorry for snapping.” I started back to the kitchen, where there was a large central island that was already loaded with food. I placed the cookies there and then went over to the refrigerator, and after rearranging some things, I was able to get the lemon bars onto the top shelf.

“Are you all right?” Lukan asked as he came into the kitchen. “I heard what happened. Where did you hurt yourself?” He grabbed my arm, and I pulled away.

“I’m fine,” I told him a bit too harshly. “It’s just been a morning, Lukan. And it’s not your fault, and I apologize to you, too, for snapping. It’s just…” I looked up at him. “A lot. It’s just a lot. There’s so much going on, and it seems to involve everyone but me.” And maybe that was it. Beau was pregnant, with his second. He’d already found his mate. Roman was such a wonderful man, and he absolutely adored Beau and little Cooper. He was such an amazing father, and I closed my eyes again. I was going to upset myself thinking about it. I didn’t have a mate or children.

“Are you all right?” Lukan asked again. He touched my arm, and I opened my eyes and sighed.

“I don’t know, Lukan. I’m…it’s just a lot. I really wanted to be here to spend time with Beau, but now I’m not so sure. I miss home. I have nobody here, and Beau is so busy with his mate, Roman, and their son, and now they’re having another. But he also has Evan, and I have…nobody. You all treat me like I’m an annoying little brother you have to watch out for.” I understood they were just being protective, but it was so annoying. If an alpha even smiled at me, they somehow knew and were all there, asking me a million questions.

I was going to have a crying fit in the middle of the kitchen, and that was not what I needed right now. There was a loud knock on the door, and then I heard a familiar voice call out. Maybe it was Atlas? I couldn’t be certain.

“Go say hello to your friends,” I said just before I used magic and popped out of Lukan’s kitchen. I found myself back at my own house, trying not to break down. It wasn’t going to work though. I simply slumped downward, my legs crossing, and then suddenly, I was on the floor. I fell forward and let it all out. I lay there crying for who knows how long. I had nothing left in our village, so there was no reason for me to go back home.

I moved to my side, kicking my legs out in front of me and stretching out a little before I rolled onto my back. I thought back to the moment when I first arrived here. I’d told Beau I wasn’t holding my breath waiting for my mate, but in reality, I wanted him. Desperately so. I was tired of going to work and then coming home to an empty place. I’d hung out with Abel a few times, but then he’d gone and gotten himself kidnapped, and, well, I guess that turned out well for him since it was his mate’s family that had kidnapped him. He was happily mated with twins now.

Everyone around me seemed to be finding their forevers but me. Maybe I just need to go on vacation, and I’ll find my mate because it was obvious that he wasn’t here on Treasure Ridge.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I took it out. After looking at the preview, I tossed it across the room. I did not feel up to going to the Friendsgiving anymore. Something was wrong with me because obviously I was having baby fever if I was having dreams of being pregnant with Lukan’s child. That wasn’t even possible. The fae alpha wasn’t my mate. If he was, it would be weird. He wasn’t bad-looking. In fact, I had no doubt that he and I could have good-looking children together. But he was like an older brother I’d never had.

I knew that if I didn’t answer the phone, they’d just show up here. It wasn’t as if they needed me around to be able to have their meal and little get-together. I’d been invited because I was the other unmated fae on the mountain. Again, because they all felt like they had to look out for me. It was nice, to an extent, but it just got old.

I sat up and wiped at my eyes. I needed a tissue, and it was all the way on the other side of the room, so I used magic, and poof, my box of tissues was now in my lap. I pulled one out, and after wiping my eyes and face, I tossed it to the side, where it magically went to the bin in the other room, and then pulled another to blow my nose.

I was in a funk. I was feeling sorry for myself, and this wasn’t me. This wasn’t who I was. I was twenty-three. I had an entire life ahead of me, and I needed to remember that. I’d been brought here for a reason, and that wasn’t to find my mate. Not really. Maybe I was going to be one of those fae that never found their fated mate. Maybe I would be the old omega that everyone whispered about when I walked by.

I needed to get out of my own head. I stood, and after deciding that maybe a refreshing walk would be good for me, I went to the back door and stepped outside. It was late November in the Montana mountains. I’d been told it was cold here in the winter months, and we were there. Well, technically, it wasn’t actually winter yet, but I was told it felt like it. The ground was covered in snow, which was something we didn’t have in our realm. At least, not in my village.

I stepped back inside and walked to the front door to grab my winter coat, hat, and mittens, and after getting them all pulled on, I went out the back door again. I’d heard someone knocking on my front door just before reaching it, but I really didn’t want to talk to them right now. I knew they meant well, but I just needed some time to get my thoughts in order.

I glanced back at the cute little house that I’d been given to live in before I used magic and poofed myself over to the cliffs. I loved sitting and staring at the waterfall, and it was early enough in the season that the water was still running. I walked a little ways to a spot that was hidden enough from the wind that I could sit and watch the water. That was soothing, and it usually helped to calm my mind.