Page 61 of Met Your Mate

"What about Butters?!" my pack alpha asks frantically.

Lucas snorts next to his brother. "I'm sure we can go grocery shopping if the house doesn't have butter, man."

"For toast?" Freya jumps into the conversation with her head cocked all cute and shit.

Casey nods. "Butter is also pretty fire on bagels. But most recipes need butter in some way, so we should for sure get some."

"Huh. Oh, for waffles too, right?" Freya asks, looking hungry for the first time in the past five days.

"No—" Ronan starts, but I cut him off, immediately shocked.

"Have you never had butter on waffles, Ro? What about pancakes?" Shit, now I'm hungry.

Ronan huffs. "That's not?—"

"I'll try it with you!" Freya offers with a big smile at her alpha. "My aunt and uncle only ever let me use butter on toast, but it looked really good on waffles in movies too."

Lucas grumbles something, but everyone else is quiet, soaking in her depressing words. Ronan clears his throat and turns to her while trying to hide his pained expression from our sweet omega.

"You can put butter on anything you want, Star," he all but growls. "But that's not what I was talking about. My cat's name is Butters. She actually looks a lot like your stuffed kitty.” He gestures to the one she hasn't stopped snuggling with since Casey gave it to her.

My mouth isn't the only one that pops open in surprise.

Lucas jumps on the new development first, though. "You have a cat?"

Ronan frowns at his brother beside him. "Yeah, so?"

"It's a little shit, but yeah Ronan, she will be brought to your safe house," Remy interjects. "Butts has been staying with me since you didn't come home. I have a friend looking after her right now. She's fine."

"Butts," Freya and Kate snort out at the same time.

My omega and Kate don't even notice the happy smiles they conjure from their men, too wrapped up in their laughter and teasing.

"Do alphas and cats even get along?" Casey asks, curiosity dripping from his tone as he studies Ronan like he's never met the man before.

"Yes," Ronan grumbles, crossing his arms. "Butters is a great cat, and I miss her. Does anyone object to her moving in with us?”

I think we're all a little stunned still, but Casey, Lucas, and I tell him it's fine. We turn as one to Freya.

"I've always wanted a cat," she says enthusiastically.

I don't think this girl will ever be deprived of anything she wants ever again if it brings the shine back into her eyes like it does in this moment.

It's been a while since my Ray shined like she is right now.

I'll put up with anything to keep her eyes sparkling like the galaxies Ronan nicknamed her after.

Chapter Forty-Nine

FREYA

Ihate this so damn much. I feel like a timid bunny that nobody knows what to do with. It fucking sucks because I know I still have my fire, but I'm so genuinely lost, I'm having a hard time finding that spark.

It's like what made me me before was my hatred of the academy. Everything I was revolved around whether or not to obey.

Now I'm left with so many damn choices all the time that I'm overwhelmed by the idea of choosing which room I want to sleep in. Everything was decided for me before, now I'm expected to decide.

It's our first night at the safe house.

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