a's
in what had happened between her father and me. The words
ually," I finally managed, my
?" she
ther," I said, the words feeling surreal even as I spoke them. I b
e most permanent way possible. I'd stepped into her mothe
nt, her express
worst. "Chloe, I'm sorry
r face. "Jasper is going to lose his absolute mind. You just mated with the most powerful,
wilderment. Why was s
he's your dad and now I'm your... your stepmom.
my life. If it wasn't for you finding me in those woods and healing me, I
n't expected this acceptance, this easy
" she crowed, dancing around m
topped and gave me
e word with obvious delight. "Should I
oked. "Abso
y stepmom now," she teased
cheeks. "Home and everywhere else, we're still ju
"But you have to admit, it would be pretty funny to see everyone's face
phone chimed with a text message. She pulled it out, glanced at t
denly grabbing my hand and tug
mbling to keep up with h
cally, her eyes bright with excitemen
happened today, I'm not sure I
g faster. "This one's different.
-
an's
her slender figure disappearing around the cor
protect her, claim her properly. With considerable effort, I r
ly called for Ethan and Taylor
the north, known throughout werewolf circles as an incorr
ccessfully courted his Mate against impossible odds-his emoti
into my office, Taylor close behind him. "I was in the m
he words feeling strange on my tong
an froze mid-stride, while Taylor's usual st
aged, dropping heavily into one o
. "She's a friend of Chloe's from university. And I need yo
ound your Mate, married her, and now you're a
plicated. We're legally married, but she doesn't kn
"Being Mates is sacred-it's a gift from the Moon Goddess herself. No
entioned. "She was betrayed by someone she loved, and she's only agreed to this marriage to escape her past. If
sharply. "Choose her, I m
ng yet vulnerable. Kind but not weak. I want to know everything about her, protect her from
or exchanged s
I won't pressure Lina into bearing children unless both she and Ch
given me twenty years ago. I'd been just eighteen
promise never to let anyone into our lives
g about her was diff
upting my thoughts. I
secured the property. The mountain lodge outside White
satisfaction. "A
kwood was also bidding on it. Aggressively.
the phone. "Alpha Jas
ame was on the c
's childhood home confirmed what I'd suspected-his feelings for her went far
d Taylor, grabbing my jacket. "
aylor asked, alarmed
I said simply, already heading for the door
ponse, hurrying out to my c
took to make him see th
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