Page 2 of Make Me

“If you don’t choose your mates because of that, I will never forgive you.”

Bethany’s eyes widened.

“Of course I know they’re your mates. You were the one who encouraged me to go after mine; well, now I’m encouraging you to go after yours. Don’t let the lies they spun prevent you from choosing them.”

“It’s not that easy,” Bethany said, her shoulders slumping.

And it wasn’t. Even if Claire gave her blessing, it would cause too much unrest among the pride and pack, and they were two of Claire’s biggest allies right now. Claire needed them, and Bethany wouldn’t risk that because of a fantasy she really needed to let go of.

“As you like to say, ‘bullshit,’” Claire said.

Bethany couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll think about it.”

Claire hummed but let it go. She threw her arms around Bethany’s neck. “You’d better. Now go. And be safe, please.”

Bethany hugged her back tightly. “I will. You’d better be safe, too. No more heroics or sacrificing yourself. My heart can’t take it.”

Seeing Claire’s lifeless body on the battlefield was still seared into Bethany’s brain. The fact that the magic it had taken to destroy the ultimate weapon had only taken her sight and not her life was a miracle by a fluke of intention.

“I think my Triad’s about to put me in a magical bubble,” Claire said, her lips quirking.

“Good, they need to.” Bethany said. She reluctantly let Claire go and backed away.

“Be careful,” Claire said again.

“We will,” Bethany promised.

She turned and jogged towards Cody and Zack. “I am perfectly capable of making it to the portal myself.” She sighed as she narrowed her eyes at them.

Ever since they’d started sleeping together, they had been treating her differently. Like she was fragile. Like they were getting attached. None of them could afford to get attached. And she was not fragile; she was a badass Alpha Heir.

“We didn’t mind waiting,” Zack said with his sweet smile. It melted through her annoyance. Her wizard had that charming ability to make Bethany forget all the problems they were facing. “Holly and her mates are headed back to the Academy.”

Bethany nodded. “Let’s go then.”

They walked towards the portal.

“Are you sure your parents aren’t going to be mad that you disobeyed the travel order?” Zack asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Bethany and Cody exchanged looks. She didn’t know how it had been for him when he had traveled back, but she definitely had some trouble waiting for her. Not that she would ever tell the guys. Her mom had been willing to listen to her. But the pride’s Delta warriors she had beaten up when she and Cody escaped had been a different story. Hopefully, there would be no welcoming committee when they went through the portal.

“I think now they see it was necessary,” Cody said. “Or, at least, my dad does.”

Bethany could feel Zack’s gaze as they approached the portal. “My mom was fine with it once I explained,” Bethany said simply.

Two Fae guarded the portal as they approached. They kept wary eyes on them but didn’t stop them as Zack activated the portal between the stone columns. Bethany braced herself. Cody and Bethany hadn’t left home on the best of notes, and even if their parents came to their aid, it didn’t mean they were forgiven for how they left.

The clearing on the neutral grounds was empty when they arrived. Bethany let her lioness flood her senses to make sure no one was waiting in the trees for them. It would be just like cats to lay an ambush. Even if she couldn’t sense anyone, she wasn’t going to risk it.

“Cody, take Zack with you,” she said firmly. The pride would not like a wizard wandering around, and she didn’t want to chance his safety. “We’ll meet back here in an hour.”

Cody looked like he wanted to argue, but Bethany strode off before he could say anything. She headed straight to the main meeting hall. Some of the houses had black curtains in their windows, and her stomach panged. They had suffered losses coming to Claire’s aid. She made a mental note to check in on Calen’s family and try to send word to him at the Academy. The cougar shifter had mated a witch and been banished from the pride, but Bethany still tried to keep him updated on his family here.

Thankfully, she made it into the building without interruption. Her mom’s door was closed, and Bethany steeled her shoulders and took a deep breath before knocking.

“Come in.”

Bethany pushed open the door. Alpha Sadara was sitting at her desk. She was a striking woman. Her sharp face held no softness. Any trace of that had died when Bethany’s dad had died of a strange illness when she was younger. Her mom had been left to run the pride alone, and she had done so with a spine of steel and a sharp brain. Her mom had always been the logical one, her brain deep in so much strategy it made Bethany’s head spin.

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