Page 32 of Lost Fate

Oh, shit. She’s going to do this right now? I panic, looking over at her. I kind of hoped that she would give it a little time before telling her dad that we’re together.

Nope. Not my Ember.

“Leander and I are mates.”

He blinks for a second. I shuffle, because it’s never an easy conversation to see that your potential father-in-law is going to figure out that you’re sleeping together.

“I thought I sensed something, but I wasn’t sure. It seems... different,” he says warily. “Is everything okay?”

“We’re fated mates,” Ember adds. “In Colorado, we had kind of a weird moment in the woods, and… yeah. Definitely fated mates.”

The alpha’s eyes widen, and he looks between us. “My daughter… you’re one of the few fated mate pairs? I’d heard rumors about them out West, but I never thought…” He looks at us, his eyes wide.

Ember kicks her feet. “Yeah. Well. It’s us.”

James chuckles. “Well, if it’s anyone, I’m glad it’s Leander.”

My ears perk up at that. “Sir?”

He comes up behind me and slaps me on the back. “Why do you think that I wanted it to be you who went to find her, kid? That’s why I promoted you to beta. You’re the only one of my enforcers that I trusted with my daughter.”

“Um…”

“Relax, Leander. I’m glad it’s you. I’m glad you found her, and you brought her back to me. I know that you’ll take good care of her, and that she couldn’t find a better mate from a better family.”

I feel a little like I’m blushing now.

James pulls us both in and sighs. “I know it was a lot to get here. But Ember, I’m so happy you’re here. I’m so sorry that I didn’t find you earlier. I’m just grateful,” he says, his voice thick again.

I don’t know what else to say. There’s nothing to say, I guess. Luckily, I don’t have to think that hard about it.

Alpha lets us both go and smiles. “Now, I think that Leander’s parents have prepared a little party. It’s supposed to be a surprise, so act surprised, but I can’t wait to tell the pack that my daughter and her fated mate are here. Let’s go knock ‘em dead, shall we?”

Ember and her father grin at each other. Clearly, they also share a little bit of a badass attitude.

I shake my head. This is going to be a hell of a ride.

But I can’t wait to share it with her.

Epilogue

EMBER

“So, you don’t miss the mountains?”

I pull down my sunglasses and look over at my mate.

We’re lying on a beach. The very beach, in fact, that Leander’s parents own, and that they say they’d like to give to us once they finish building us a little house on it. The sun is about fifteen minutes from dipping below the horizon. The waves lap gently against our toes, and the sounds of the rest of the pack filing in to join the beach party are slowly getting louder as the start time gets closer.

Leander is grinning at me, a cold beer halfway to his lips. I put the glasses back on and lean back in my chair, letting the sun’s rays sink into my skin.

“I mean, the mountains are great, but they’re really fucking cold,” I say finally.

Leander laughs. “Sure. The cold. That’s what you don’t miss.”

I honestly don’t miss much. Oakwood is great. Fort Meyers is better.

“I miss Terra.”

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