Page 42 of My Pucking Mate

“It’s brand new. I had it custom ordered when I couldn’t get the color silver out of my mind.” He’s proud of himself, but he also looks worried, waiting for my response.

“Why is my name on the seat?”

“Because this is our car. No one else will ever ride there but you, sweetheart.”

And dammit, if my heart doesn’t melt a little more for this man.

Once I allow myself to fall into my seat, I see all the little pink features he’s added, and I’m just in awe.

He rounds the car and climbs in himself, and he just looks at me for what feels like forever.

“Do I have something in my teeth?” I joke, which brings him back to reality.

“I just still can’t believe you’re real. I don’t think I’ll ever believe it,” he says, shaking his head as he starts the car.

“Okay, so this weird bond?” I press, smashing the moment we were having to smithereens.

“Right, so wolves don’t only have mate bonds. There are pack bonds. And there are . . . family bonds.”

I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion.

“I’ve never met Khaos before, how can I be his family?”

Roman’s head drops, nearly resting on the steering wheel. “There’s more to the rivalry between Khaos and I, than hockey.” He begins, and I just wait for him to continue.

Heaving a heavy sigh, he continues. “Khaos is only a year younger than me. Our fathers put us against each other all the time. He grew up in my shadow, but I was never crude to him or anything . . . we just never could meet eye-to-eye after growing up constantly competing against each other. It ended up causing abrasion between our parents as well, and our lack of friendship grew into an angry beast,” he says, shaking his head.

“Imogen was his little sister. He was blind with rage over our mate bond. He didn't want her to be sucked into the royal pieces of our world that involved me being the commander of the army. He tried to keep her from me, just as my father tried to keep me from her. Then, when she was killed, he blamed me—justifiably so. So with you being my reincarnated mate, you share the same soul as Imogen. He feels her within you. It probably scared him, like it did me. But since a family bond isn’t as strong or sacred, his reaction wasn’t as strong as mine.”

My mind is reeling. I just got used to the idea that I might be a freaking werewolf with a seven hundred year old mate, and now I learn his seven hundred year old arch nemesis is basically my brother.

I don’t even know what to say.

“Um, okay. Can we add that to our table of conversations for later? Wait, where are we going?”

“After a win, especially at home games, the boys all go out and party. I thought we could go back to my place and watch a movie or something, unless, of course, you want to go home,” he asks.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the party? I don’t want you to miss stuff just because of me. I'm just not really good withthat kind of energy yet. Zoey tried taking me to one, and I had a panic attack before she could finish her first drink.”

His eyes never leave the road as he caresses the side of my face, and I can’t help but lean into him when he says, “Everything I need for the rest of my existence is right here.”

35

My smart-ass little mate chose to watch Twilight again after I said she could choose anything. I should have known by the ornery twinkle in her eye. It was too similar to the twins’ faces, pretty much all the time. I'll have to remember to stay alert if I ever catch the three of them potentially scheming. I have a feeling the three of them could definitely cause me some stress.

We didn’t actually watch any of the movie except for when she’d stop talking to me long enough to quote her favorite parts. It was ridiculous, and adorable. The talking was everything, though. She told me about her life growing up with her parents. Regarding her parents, she's decided we’re not talking about the poison right now either. I wonder if it has to do with why she's so small. There are small werewolves, but I mean, she's unusually smaller than most. I wonder if the size of her wolf was also impacted.

If we keep tabling all the weird things we learn about her, we’re never going to get through it all. But she’s been through so much, and I don’t want to push her too hard.

She’s starting to doze off now, but I can’t bring myself to want to take her home.

“Leera, honey, you’re falling asleep. Do you want me to take you home?” I ask softly.

“Y-you want me to leave?” she asks with the saddest, sleepiest eyes I’ve ever seen.

I scoop her body into my arms so fast that I worry she’ll have whiplash. “No, baby, that’s not it at all. I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't be uncomfortable if you woke up here in the morning.”

Her head is laying over my heart, and she grips onto my shirt. “Can we have a G-rated sleepover?” she asks in her sweet, sleepy voice, causing a gravelly laugh to escape me.

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