Page 39 of You're Not My Mate

“I doubt it.”

“Isn’t this what mates do? Mess things up, then fix it?”

Rocco shrugged. “I’ve not known enough mates in my time.”

“What makes you think she hasn’t forgiven you now?” Graham asked.

“Would you?”

“I’m not someone’s mate and I certainly haven’t messed up the way you have. I’m not going to lie, what you did was pretty … messed up.”

Rocco dropped his head and blew out a breath. “I know.”

“But, you were also having to deal with something quite unprecedented. That makes a lot of sense,” Graham said. “Stumbling onto what Milton was doing, the people that were dying … I can’t imagine that being a whole lot of fun. Also, you know, the fact you wanted to kill us.”

“Only to put you guys out of your misery.”

Graham smiled. “I’m not offended. Trust me, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about that part as well. It doesn’t exactly sound like a lot of fun.”

Rocco couldn’t help but remember the men and women they’d lost. Even though it had only been a couple, it had still felt like one too many.

“I’m sorry, man.”

“Don’t, okay, don’t. I know there is no guarantee for me, and that there is a chance I’m not going to make it to next Christmas, that my outlook is fucked. Still, I want to remember the good times. Not the bad.”

Rocco didn’t know how he was able to do it.

“And that means helping you out, so I don’t suppose you have any idea how you’re going to win your woman back, or if you have any clue how to do it in the first place?”

He shrugged. “I’m … thinking of telling the club. Letting the pack know that Rose is mine. That she is my mate.”

“But?” Graham asked.

“There’s no but, just, I don’t know if that is what Rose would want,” Rocco said.

“Why do you think she wouldn’t want that?”

“Because people haven known we’ve been together, like close, and we’ve not told anyone, and at times I have … ignored her.”

Graham winced. “Wow, you do not hurt women lightly, do you? You just go straight in for the attack.”

“It’s not something I was planning. Everything was fucked up.”

“Then talk to Rose,” Graham said. “It’s the least you can do, and if you want, I’m more than happy to be in my tiny shed, enjoying the last few days of my life.”

“Don’t say stuff like that,” Rocco said.

Graham looked behind him. “She’s in the kitchen, why not go and talk to her now?”

It sounded so simple and it really was. He and Rose were mates, bound together for the rest of their lives, and that shouldn’t feel as complicated as it did.

Stepping into the kitchen, he left Graham alone. The scent of coffee was heavy in the air, but also Rose’s vanilla and cinnamon scent mingled in. His wolf wanted to go to her, to touch her, rub all over her body. The full moon was fast approaching, which was why it was getting more difficult to control these impulses. It was much easier when he didn’t see her regularly and could ignore these needs.

“Morning,” he said.

Rose looked toward him with a smile. “Good morning.”

This felt so good, to be on speaking terms and for her to be smiling toward him. He felt like punching the air in victory. “So, uh, the full moon is coming close.”

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