Page 14 of Wolf Fated

His face softens and I’m drawn into twin dark pools. “Please call me Mitch.”

I nod, his name sinking into me with another feeling of illogical rightness. As the information loads on the screen, I brace myself for the worst, steeling my resolve for the confirmation of my darkest fears. And then everything is confirmed when I look at those zeroes.

That.

Conniving.

Asshole.

All of my savings. Gone.

All of those overtime hours I worked to get ahead.

Vanished.

After all of the back-breaking, headache inducing, unending hours of extra work I took on to make sure he didn’t go without, Mark has left me penniless.

I’m completely and utterly destitute.

Chapter Eight

Mitch

"That's why I was driving in the middle of nowhere. I came home and saw…him…in bed with…" she says, her gaze distant, haunted. "I just...I had to get away. I didn't even think, I just packed a bag and got in my car and drove. And drove. And drove."

The anguish etched into Sarah's delicate features cuts me to the core, each shaking breath she draws mirroring a physical ache deep within my soul. Rage simmers beneath my skin, a visceral, all-consuming fury that has my wolf snarling and snapping at the edges of my consciousness. How dare that man do what he did to my mate? How could any man do that to any woman? How dare this pathetic excuse for a man shatter something so precious, so utterly perfect?

My muscles cord with the effort of restraint, every fiber of my being aching to unleash the full force of my wrath upon Sarah’s ex. My wolf pushes at the edge of my control. Fur breaks out along my arm, thankfully hidden by the sleeve of my uniform.

Easy. We can’t act rashly. Not when Sarah needs us.

The thought of Sarah, so fragile and yet so achingly strong, is enough to temper the inferno of both our fury. I force myself to focus on her words, to truly listen as she speaks.

“I paid for everything,” she whispers, her voice trembling with a mixture of heartbreak and bitter resentment. “His tuition, his books, his rent...I worked overtime, took on extra shifts, just so he could focus on his studies.”

A harsh, sardonic laugh tears from her lips, the sound devoid of any true mirth and her shoulders slump forward. “I can’t afford to pay Cindi for the room. And I certainly can’t afford to fill up my gas tank.”

Each admission is a physical blow, driving the air from my lungs and leaving me reeling. This woman, this extraordinary creature who has endured more pain and heartache than anyone should ever have to bear, is more concerned with settling her debts than with her own circumstances.

It’s a testament to her strength, her unwavering sense of integrity and honor, and it only serves to deepen the well of regard I have for her.

She is precious beyond measure.

Sarah draws herself up, her shoulders squaring as she lifts her chin in a silent show of defiance. “If there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s work,” she declares, her voice ringing with a newfound determination that sets my soul ablaze with admiration.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to earn my keep. I don’t expect people to pay for me. If Sally needs a dishwasher, or a waitress, or someone to scrub floors, I’ll do it. I’m not afraid of hard work.”

Pride swells within me, a fierce, possessive surge that has my wolf preening and puffing out his chest. This woman, this extraordinary creature, is everything I could have ever hoped for in a mate–strong, resilient, and unbreakable in the face of adversity.

And in that moment, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I will never let her go, not for as long as I draw breath. She is mine, now and forever, and I will move heaven and earth to shield her from a world that has already taken heavy tolls.

But first, she deserves to know the truth – the whole truth, about who and what I am, about the world that exists just beyond the veil of human perception.

“Tell me, Sarah. What is your profession?”

“I’m a reporter. But I don’t imagine there’s much call for that sort of thing around here.” She offers me a sad smile.

A faint grin tugs at my lips, and I shake my head, unable to contain the surge of amusement that washes over me. If only she knew. I’m the alpha of our packlands and in charge of every job. I leave everyone to choose their own occupation, but I can also make up jobs that need doing.

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