Page 20 of Her Fake Mate

I’ve never been kissed like that.

I’ve been kissed. A couple of times. But after my mom died, I wasn’t really interested in dating anyone. I’ve got six years before it becomes a problem.

But that kiss…

I shudder, then pull my blanket up to my chin. Lana’s snoring from the other room eventually drowns out any thoughts I have about Zander.

Then, I hear a small voice. “Mia?”

“Yes, Lana?”

“AJ threw up.”

I sigh.

No matter what, I accept that I won’t be sleeping tonight. Might as well be productive.

The next morning, I need all the coffee I can get. After the kids get to school, I head home.

There’s a letter on the porch. From the Bureau.

I snatch it and open it quickly. My eyes scan the document. We regret to…

“What’s that?”

Zander’s voice makes me jump. I hide the letter, crumpling it in my hand. “Nothing.”

“Mia. Did I see the Supernatural Bureau’s stamp on it?”

“No.”

He sighs. “Please don’t lie to me,” Zander says softly. “I don’t really feel like I deserve it, and if you’re in some kind of trouble…”

“I’m not,” I say quickly.

“Okay. So. Spill.”

I eye him warily. “Do you promise you won’t tell Thorne?”

“No,” he answers. “Because Thorne is my alpha. If it threatens the safety of the pack, I have to.”

I don’t think it does. I wrinkle my nose. “What if it makes life in the pack easier?”

“Mia. What are you talking about?”

I sigh. I hold out the letter to him. “I’ve been trying to appeal the decision about our leash and the land we used to live on.”

He scans it, then turns to me. “I don’t need to know why. It makes sense. But what happened?”

“It’s not for the reason you think,” I say softly. “There’s… something on the land. Buried. In a safe. I want the document, so that I can force the mountain lions to pay us. Through the human courts.”

“Mia…”

“I know. It’s dangerous. But… I hate this.” I gesture to the houses. “I hate that we had to beg Thorne to take us in. I hate that we have to prove ourselves to people who hate us, for no reason other than we’re outsiders. I want to give my leash something tangible, so we don’t have to feel threatened anymore. We had to leave our farms there. We had to leave all of our lives. We had to leave… the people who died,” I whisper.

The tears in my eyes are burning.

“I don’t want to have to rely on someone else ever again,” I finish.

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