Page 18 of Plus-Size Mate

You did,Winter thought, though in truth, though it was frustrating and, in a way, disappointing, she was relieved.

What right did she have to be having sex dreams about a freaking werewolf anyway?

“No, it's fine. I'm still at the shop.”

“Why so late? Is everything alright?” her mother asked, her tone tinged with concern now.

“Everything is fine. I'm just doing some research for Jack Blackwell,” Winter said, closing another book that she was sick to death of looking at.

“Are you certain? You sound strange,” her mother said, and Winter clenched her jaw. There wasn't much one could hide from a witch, especially one that was your mother. “What does Jack Blackwell have you working on?”

Winter sucked in a deep breath and began to explain the spell and the hopes that Jack had for it.

“Is he mad?” her mother asked once she was finished. Winter scoffed. She had felt exactly the same way when he had mentioned it to her. Yet, somehow, she felt less so about it now.

“I said the same thing to him,” she admitted, “Not in so many words.”

Her mother grunted with amusement before she sighed deeply and said, “I suppose it’s something I have to let the coven decide.”

Winter nodded, though her mother couldn't see her. Then, clearing her throat, she said, “I've been searching for other options all day.”

“And? Anything?” her mother asked, her voice edged with hope.

Winter closed her eyes and pressed her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose. “Nothing.”

“Well, you had better keep trying. I can't imagine any witch in the coven agreeing to mate with a werewolf. Even if it is for the sake of the town.”

Winter gritted her teeth. Her mother was right. That morning, she would have entirely agreed with her, and yet, though it had been in her dream, Winter somehow couldn't remove the memory of Eddie's scent from her nostrils.

Would mating with a werewolf really be so terrible?She shoved the thought away just as quickly as it came into hermind. She couldn't afford to be thinking like that. She had to find another way.

But what if there wasn't another way? If she failed to find one, how could she expect anyone else in the coven to take on such a burden? Nightstar was her home, she was the daughter of the coven leader, this was her responsibility.

“Winter?” at first, she barely heard her mother. “Winter? Is everything alright?”

It was only the growing concern in her mother's tone that brought her out of her fog.

“Sorry,” she said, pressing her thumb and forefinger harder against the bridge of her nose. “I'm just tired. I've been staring at books all day.”

“You should get some rest,” her mother said, and Winter agreed, though how she was supposed to do so at a time like this, she didn't know. “But before you go, I want you to promise me something.”

Winter's stomach clenched. She had a feeling, whatever her mother was about to say, she wasn't going to like it.

“What?” she said anyway.

“I want you to promise me that you won't do anything drastic while I'm away,” her mother said, and the concern continued to grow in her tone. “This is something we must figure out together.”

“I know,” Winter said, though her stomach continued to twist painfully. Who was to say that her mother would be back in time? What if she didn't manage to find another option before the full moon?

“Then promise me,” her mother insisted.

“Mom, I'm not eight years old anymore,” Winter protested, but her mother scoffed at that.

“No, you're even more stubborn than you were back then,” her mother said. “I need you to promise me.”

“I promise I'll only do what's necessary,” Winter said carefully, her insides knotting up even tighter. What would be necessary by the time the full moon came around? The longer they continued in this conflict with Christopher and his pack, the more people would be hurt. Her mother knew that as well as she did.

“I mean it, Winter, nothing drastic!” her mother insisted.

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