Page 29 of Her Fake Mate

I want my girlfriend to come like that every time.

The phrasing is kind of a joke between us now, I guess. Saying, “I’d want my partner to do this” seemed, originally, like a fun way to tease each other.

But now…. It seems like a lot more.

Does that mean that he wants me to be his real girlfriend?

Two thoughts occur simultaneously in my mind. First, elation. I would be more than happy to be Zander’s real girlfriend, and the thought of it makes me feel like my chest is flying. Like I’m soaring.

The second, however, is crushing reality.

I can’t actually date Zander. He’s Zander Black. Last of a very long line of wolves, who have just as much, if not more, of a sterling reputation in the Oakwood pack than the actual alpha himself.

There’s no way that Zander would actually want me.

I’m… me.

I’m a fox shifter who walked into his perfectly made pack and blew the whole thing up. I’m not particularly smart or polished like the women he regularly interacts with…

My mind jumps to Terra.

That’s who he should be with. That’s who his ‘real’ girlfriend probably is. Not me. I’m just someone to have fun with for a while.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that, either. Fun is fun.

I definitely had fun.

I throw my shoulders back and continue to drive toward the store. I’m fine. I’m going to make homemade pizza, a crowd favorite, for dinner. The kids will all be happy, and Zander will enjoy it, too. I wish I had a phone so I could text him and ask him what kind of toppings he likes…

As I pass the street that leads to the hardware store, a familiar truck catches my eye.

I grin. I can ask him myself.

Turning the car up at the next block, I circle back, turning right again so that I can cruise by the store and park. Oakwood is a small town, and everything is laid out on a pretty perfect grid, so it’s easy to see down streets and figure out who is there.

I’m kind of happy about that at the moment.

I put the car in park. I’ll just hop in and see Zander. Give him a quick hug and ask about pizza toppings. I open the door when I hear his voice…

And someone else’s.

My heart clenches.

I shut the door, then turn the car on. I’m a couple of spots down from where his truck is parked, so I need to circle the block again to see who he’s talking to.

Doubt creeps over me. I shouldn’t do this. I shouldn’t go stalk him like I have some kind of hold on him. He’s not cheating on me. He’s not talking to someone in an inappropriate way…

Because we were never together.

It’s fake.

My eyes burn. I consider just turning around, but there’s a car behind me.

So, I creep forward.

I’m in yet another borrowed car from the pack, so there’s no risk of him noticing me. Still, I keep as low of a profile as possible, only turning my head at the last second.

Only to see Terra. Holding Zander’s hand.

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