Page 13 of Shattered Mates

“Just don’t ever do that again.” There’s a hitch to her words. I’ve made Dawsyn Chase cry.

Going home isn’t going to be as easy as I hope, but I know facing everyone I left behind isn’t something that can be ignored. I’ve missed too much already.

“Give him a break, Dawsyn,” Jules cuts in. “It’s not like he had much of a choice.”

I raise a brow, expecting Dawsyn to snap back, but she takes a steadying breath. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just hearing your voice… How soon will you be back?”

“About ten hours driving,” Jules answers, which I appreciate because I know we’re in Colorado, just not exactly where.

Dawsyn growls. “That won’t work. Stop and send me your GPS coordinates. We’ll have the two of you home in five minutes. Someone else can drive the truck back.”

“It’s the middle of the night,” I tell her. “Go back to bed, and we’ll see you in the afternoon.”

Something still feels off with Jules and I’m not ready to share my time with her yet, but it doesn’t seem I’ll be getting my way.

“Don’t argue with me, River,” Dawsyn states sternly. “You’re coming home. Now.”

Jules pulls over and shrugs. “I’m texting a pin to our location now.”

I watch as her fingers fly over the screen, sharing the coordinates.

That felt too easy for her to do.

My stare inspects every inch of her, seeking answers anywhere I might be able to find them. The sincerity of her earlier words, the unmistakable joy I saw in her eyes—none of that was a lie. Yet, her restraint and distance gnaw at me. Could there be someone else?

Six years is a long time to wait. I might understand… No, I couldn’t. My fingers curl toward my palms. Even the thought of her wanting someone sends a surge of possessiveness through my veins, making me murderous.

Jules catches my hardened stare, and she frowns. “We’ll see you soon, Dawsyn.” Then she hangs up the phone and looks back at me. “What’s wrong?”

“I feel as if I have no right to ask this since I’m the one that left, but is there someone else?” The words burn like acid along my tongue. Even speaking them makes me want to vomit.

She rears back as if I’ve slapped her. “Gods, no. Why would you think that? I’ve never even looked at another since meeting you. Hell, I haven’t even kissed anyone. The moment I met you, I knew it would only ever be you.”

Guilt overtakes me as I reach for her, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I’m sorry, Jules. This is all a lot, and I thought you didn’t want to be alone with me and?—”

She pulls back enough to look into my eyes, cutting me off. “You are all I have dreamed of for six years, River. When it’s time for us to be alone, I won’t leave your side, but what you’ve been through, you need to work through that.”

Before I can understand her meaning, Aunt Andie's arrival is sudden and jarring as she jerks open my door and yanks me from the warmth of the truck cab. “River!” Her cry is laced with a relief that chokes off the rest of her words.

“I’m fine. It’s okay.” I return her embrace even though my mind is still on Jules’ previous words.

Aunt Andie steps back, her scrutiny as intense as it is caring. Fine lines crease around her blue eyes, and her pink hair has lightened over the years to show more blonde, but she’s still the same witch I remember.

“You’re okay,” she says, likely more of a reassurance for herself. “Let’s get the two of you home.” She looks past me at Jules. “Thank you.”

“No thanks needed,” my mate replies and gets out on her side of the truck.

Aunt Andie hugs me again as we wait for Jules to join us. “I knew that potion was a bad idea. I should have listened to my gut, but all I could think about were all those stolen lives?—”

I stop her right there. “It’s in the past now. We freed the supernaturals, and Jules broke through the block on my memories.”

Her frown deepens. “You couldn’t remember us?”

“Let’s just get back to the pack,” I tell her. “It’s late and we’re all tired.”

Plus, I know I’m going to have to tell this story too many more times for my liking and I just want to be with my mate. Might as well tell it once more tonight in front of Dawsyn and hope that’s enough to buy me some time with Jules.

That is if she’ll have me.

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