Page 42 of Her Fake Mate

“Terra…”

“I’m okay, Zander. Really,” she murmurs.

I don’t believe her.

“Hi, Terra,” Mia says with genuine pleasure. She and Terra have made lotions together a couple of times. At first, it made me nervous, but it’s clear to me that there’s no bad blood between the two. Mia even started growing some roses and other herbs specifically for Terra to use in her concoctions. Mia makes one that makes her smell like roses.

Terra grins. “Mia. The rosewater tonic? It’s a hit.”

“Excellent! I knew it would be.”

“You really did. Thank you, by the way.”

Mia tilts her head. “For what?”

Terra does the same, indicating the event around us. “This. All of this. You inspired the pack to put on something new. We’re making money. We’re making connections. You did all of this, Mia.”

Mia blushes. “Oh, no. Zander did a lot…”

“Zander is great. But you’re the one who can’t help but build a community wherever you go. It’s a gift, Mia,” Terra says. “One that I, for one, am happy you bring.”

Mia’s still blushing when Terra goes to walk back to her little stand.

I reach down and squeeze her hand. “She’s not wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

“You bring people together, Mia,” I say softly. “You make people see the best in themselves and each other. You make everything easy. For all of us.”

She snorts. “That feels a little biased, coming from you.”

I lean down to kiss her. “I love you, Mia.”

“I love you too, Zander.”

We look out over the crowd, milling and laughing. As the sun starts to set, I realize that this is the feeling I was searching for.

Contentment.

And, had my life not been torn to shreds by a fox shifter first, I might never have had it.

Mia is my mate. She’s the only one for me. I never should have doubted that.

One thing’s for sure, though.

I never will again.

Want to follow Terra and Rylan’s story? Continue reading the Wolves of Oakwood

Exiled Mate

Exiled from my pack two years ago, I've been watching over Terra, the woman I love, from the shadows. Now, with danger threatening the only thing that matters to me, it's time to come home and face the truth.

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Interested in how it all started?

Read about Cara and Gabe, the first fated mates in hundreds of years. You can download the book for free here.

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