Page 8 of Make Me

“Don’t call me that,” Bethany said automatically, but there was no heat behind her words.

“Sorry.” Cody rubbed the back of his head and looked away.

The Alpha Heir was uncharacteristically quiet. Granted, she was the loud one of the two of them, but he usually had more to say. What had happened to them?

“Thank you,” she said quickly. “For the birthday wishes, I mean.”

“Of course.”

The silence grew between them, and Bethany realized she didn’t recognize the man standing before her. It was funny how in four months he had become a stranger. He clearly was working out more. His already large muscles seemed larger, and his handsome face looked like it was carved out of stone. His messy brown hair softened his look, otherwise she would have thought she was looking at a statue. But his appearance wasn’t the only reason she didn’t recognize him. The old him would never have let the silence drag this long. And he would have hugged her. He had always been a hugger.

“How have you been?”

“I got you something.”

They both said at the same time.

“Sorry, you go,” Cody said.

“No, you go,” she said.

“I got you something. For your birthday, I mean. It’s not scones, but I thought you might like it.”

Cody pulled his hand out of his pocket. Gold and green glinted at the end of a fine gold chain. It was a small paw print with a tiny green jewel in the center of it that matched the color of her eyes. Her lioness loved shiny things and was purring as she reached for it.

Their fingers brushed, and she sucked in a gasp as her cat surged inside her. Mate. Goosebumps broke out on her skin as she stared at the wolf in front of her. He was her mate? Her best friend was her mate? She couldn’t believe it!

His expression didn’t change, and her heart sank. Wolves knew the instant they turned eighteen who their mates were. She had asked around after Cody had started avoiding her, thinking he had found his mate, but he was never seen alone with a girl. Wolves also couldn’t avoid claiming their mate, so he definitely would have claimed her if he’d found her. Did he not feel the bond? Was her cat wrong?

Mate. Her cat insisted again, but Bethany shoved her down. He couldn’t be her mate. He didn’t even flinch when they brushed fingers. Cats found their mates by touching them, but Cody didn’t react. He would have claimed her already, so her cat was just delusional. It must be because she hadn’t seen Cody in months. Ignoring the snarl her cat gave her, she cupped the necklace in her hand and drew it to her.

“It’s so pretty,” she said, pretending to examine the necklace more closely.

She wasn’t lying. The golden paw print matched the color of her cat’s pelt, and the green was a dead ringer for her eyes.

“Thank you.” She looked up at Cody, who had an odd expression on his face. He probably wanted to get out of here.

“Of course,” he said gruffly, looking away from her.

“I guess you have to get going,” she said.

That was his new routine. She would see him for a few minutes and then he would come up with some excuse as to why he had to leave.

He hesitated but nodded. “I should.”

“Okay.” She took a step back, her cat yowling inside her and fighting her every step of the way. Her cat didn’t want him going back to the pack lands for another female to claim, but he couldn’t be her mate. Her cat had to be mistaken.

He turned to leave, and her hand shot out to touch his arm. He turned back to her, eyes wide, and she threw her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. Her cat purred inside her. Cody’s body was stiff, and his wolf let out a low growl. She stumbled backwards.

“Sorry… I just… Sorry.”

She turned and fled from the clearing. For the Realm’s sake, that was so stupid. She looked desperate and weak, throwing herself like that at him. She didn’t look back, just speed-walked back to the pride lands and found herself standing outside her mom’s office. Maybe her mom would know why her cat was acting like this?

She knocked on the door.

“Come in!”

She looked up when Bethany entered. “Ah, Bethany, what do you need?”

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