Page 42 of Jayce

Priscilla chuckles. “Does this mean Damian’s going to be our stepdad?”

I laugh with her.

“Oh, oh. Even better. He’s going to be Anjal and Jayce’s father-in-law.”

I look away, praying the tears don’t come again.

Last night, Jayce held me while we slept for the first time. I didn’t want to be alone. He hasn’t pushed me to share a bed with him. He’s been so patient.

“Shay, are you okay?”

When I look at her again, the tears fall despite my willing them to stay inside. “What am I going to do when his true mate’s clock ticks?”

“What are you talking about? Did he say you’re not his true mate? I’ll kill him.” She tries to climb out of the bed. I grab her before she can.

“You know I hate kids. That hasn’t changed. The Fates would never let someone with my feelings mate someone who needs a son.”

“Posh. Who told you that?”

“This isn’t a fairy tale, Cill. It’s real life.”

“Seems like a fairy tale to me. We’ve got witches, men who shift into bulls with horns, and a maze that keeps humans from finding us.”

“I want to believe he’s mine. I just can’t.”

“What about Tara and Nikolaos?”

“What about them?”

“I have heard nothing about her clock ticking, and they both seem very certain they are true mates. Even if they haven’t officially claimed each other yet.”

“She just turned eighteen. Her clock will eventually tick.”

“I’m going to have a talk with Jayce. He needs to do a better job at explaining to you how true mates work. I refuse to believe someone else is going to steal his heart the way you have.”

“I didn’t come here to talk about Jayce. We’re getting off track.”

“More like avoiding it,” she pushes. I choose to ignore it.

“If my parents ever find out I’m not theirs, what’s it going to do to them—to us?”

“Hopefully, they never find out.”

“We need a plan, Cill. I don’t want to hide forever. I miss my job.”

“A plan? I hadn’t thought of that. Yes. What if we go to them? Or we find a place and bring them to us? Get it over with. Put a stop to their claims.”

Whatever Anjal mixed in that glass seems to have made my sister forget all about her hangover. She’s out of bed and throwing clothes on.

She swings the door open. Anjal stands on the other side, looking like a lost puppy. “We need a plan. We can’t hide forever. Who’s in charge around here?”

Chapter 28

Jayce

The gathering of the entire herd happens for mating and pregnancy announcements, funerals, and emergencies. Rarely do we gather for a funeral or an emergency.

I don’t remember ever coming together for an emergency in my lifetime. We live a life of peace. I hope that the potential trouble my mate and her family are in won’t cause a rift in my herd.

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