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He chuckled to himself like it was supposed to be funny. For some reason, that got under my skin even more.
“Great. So, you think it’s funny for me to see you cozying up with another female werewolf? Two can play that game, Gabe,” I said. I crossed my arms, trying desperately to get some of that bravado I had felt a few moments ago, but it felt impossible. As much as I hated to admit it, my feelings were hurt, and I was somehowvulnerable over this whole thing. For someone who doesn’t want to mate with Gabe, what he did had way too much influence over me.
As if sensing my thoughts, Gabe moved closer again, this time boxing me in so I couldn’t put the distance between us again.
“Hey,” he whispered. “I’m really sorry I hurt you, Ella. It’s my fault. I need to set some better boundaries with Samantha. I didn’t even tell her about finding you since you were fighting our bond, but this— your jealousy, that kiss— changes everything. I know you can feel it, too.
“I’ll explain to Samantha that I’ve found my true mate and need to change how we interact. She’s a good friend. She’ll understand, and I know she’ll be excited to meet you.”
I licked my lips, not trusting myself to respond. My wolf was listening intently but gave no indication of what she thought about Gabe’s words. Human promises and interactions were sometimes more than she could truly understand. At times like this, I envied the more straightforward way she viewed the world.
“Let’s just get through this mating ceremony tomorrow, and then we can discuss everything else. Okay, Gabe? We should be focused on celebrating Mariam and Trace, not arguing.” There. Not a promise to reconsider, but also not something that he could really argue about. Tomorrow was a huge day for my sister; we both needed to set everything aside and be there for her.
Gabe searched my face. After getting nothing else from me, he sighed, defeated. “Yes, fine. Deal. But after that, we need to talk about this. About everything. Promise?”
I nodded, which seemed to appease him, but he didn’t realize that I was crossing my fingers as I did it. This time tomorrow, I would be on a plane heading back to Dark Claw, and nothing he could say would change my mind.
__________
I didn’t bother to hide my surprise when Mariam appeared in my doorway later that night. By the time Gabe had left my room, the house was pretty quiet, and I thought everyone was asleep, trying to get enough rest for the big day tomorrow.
“What are you doing? Isn’t your mate going to be upset you aren’t spending the night before the ceremony with him?” I asked, setting my book down.
Mariam grinned broadly. “Nope,” she said. “Apparently, Tunblewild has a tradition that mates have to be separated the night before the ceremony. Trace was going to avoid it by not telling me, but I passed Gabe in the hall, and he spilled the beans. Trace was a little pissed at him, and he promised to return the favor when you two….”
She made a dismissive motion with her hands, trailing off and sighing when she saw the look on my face. “Are you really still fighting Gabe about being true mates? You know that doesn’t end well, right?”
I scooted over on the bed to make room for her, and soon she was tucked in beside me. I ran my hands through her hair, admiring the curls that she had gotten from our mother. Sharing a bed with her again made me remember those years right after Mom had died when Dad had been so lost in his own grief to know how to take care of her.Mariam had been terribly young and looked to me as a mother substitute. It really wasn’t that long ago, but here we were, ready for her mating ceremony to take place the next day.
“Goddess, Ella, are you crying?” Mariam gaped at me. I blinked, willing the unshed tears to disappear and not fall.
“No, that’s stupid,” I said when my voice stabilized. I nudged her with my shoulder to show her I was kidding.
“Good, because if you cry, then I’ll start to cry, and then Trace will come barging in like a madman, and no one will get any sleep tonight.”
I had to smile at that logic. Fair enough.
We messed with the pillows until we both found a comfortable spot. It wasn’t hard, considering the size and luxury of the expensive mattress. Still, I was left staring at the ceiling long after Mariam’s breathing had evened out.
“How long are you going to make him wait?” Mariam asked, startling me with the question when I thought she was fast asleep. “He loves you, you know? And he’s my best friend. It hurts to see him so worried about losing you.”
I wanted to tell her that asking me something like that wasn't fair. Or to point out that it was impossible for Gabe to love me as he didn’t even really know me. I also considered telling her about Samantha to gauge her reaction to hearing her name, but I didn’t say any of those things.
“I’m sorry you and Gabe are hurting.” Those words came easily. Probably because it was the truth. I really didn’t like to cause either of them so much pain and stress.
Mariam reached for my hand under the covers, and I lether hold it. I was still widely uncomfortable with how much more physically affectionate she had become since leaving Dark Claw, but it could be a good thing. Maybe I hadn’t given her enough hugs or handholds growing up, and now she was getting what she needed.
“You’re doing the best you can,” she whispered, almost as though she was trying to crush the doubts running wild in my head. But no, she was still talking about Gabe. I felt a little guilty knowing that I wasn’t really trying to consider a future with him, but I let the emotion pass.
“We all are, Mariam,” I whispered back. “We’re all trying our best.”
That night I had really weird dreams. They started with me being in a dark room, lying on a bed or couch, or maybe the floor because I was staring at the ceiling. Minutes drug on, turning into an hour or more. I tried tossing and turning, not of my own accord, but whoever I was in the dream. Finally, it seemed like I got comfortable enough to fall asleep, and my dream-self fell into her own sleep.
I couldn’t remember anything after that, but the next morning I awoke feeling more tired than ever. Mariam was already gone, leaving behind a note about breakfast being ready whenever I decided to come down. I quickly changed out of my pajamas into a pair of leggings and a simple T-shirt. The ceremony wasn’t scheduled to begin until dusk, so it didn’t make sense to get dressed up before then.
I brushed my teeth and pulled my hair into a bun before setting out downstairs. I wasn’t even halfway down the staircase before that fresh scent of cinnamon met my nose,and I groaned inwardly. Of course, Gabe was one of the people gathered around the kitchen table, breakfast plate and coffee in hand. I felt a little bad for him as I gave him a quick once-over. He looked as tired as I felt. I guess no one got very good sleep last night.
He zeroed in on me instantly and brought his mug to his mouth, covering the smile he gave me in greeting. I nodded at him and grabbed a plate of my own. Mariam wasn’t kidding about breakfast. The catering company had set out heaping piles of fruit, meat, and biscuits for us to pick at. I grabbed a piece of fruit and some bacon, then padded over to the formal dining room. Justine smiled and gestured to the empty seat next to her at the huge table.
