Page 27 of Plus-Size Mate

“Well then, that settles it!” Winter announced, her face a glorious smile once more. “All we have to do now is wait for the full moon in three days' time.”

Eddie's heart stopped.Three days?Was that really all the time he had to get to know the woman he was going to mate with?

Chapter 8 - Winter

After the attack in the shop, Winter stared at her phone for what felt like hours, wondering if she should call her mother and tell her everything that had happened. In fact, she was surprised that her mother hadn't called her. She always seemed to have a knack for knowing when something was wrong.

Glancing at the grandfather clock, she realized it had only been about an hour since Jack and the others left, her mate-to-be included.

Every time she closed her eyes, she still saw his face, how he had looked so concerned when he had found her bleeding on the shop floor.

It still took her breath away when she thought of the deal she had made with the werewolves.

She was going to be the one to perform the spell and possibly save the whole of Nightstar from yet more tragedy and attacks.

More than that, she was going to be Eddie's mate. Hell, she had imagined all too easily what that might be like in her dreams.

If she felt anything close to what she had in her sleep, she was sure that her life was at least going to be anything but boring.

“Fuck…” She ground the word out through gritted teeth and finally dared to pick up the phone. Calling her mother, she waited impatiently, tapping her foot beneath the desk.

“Winter? Is everything alright?”

“Yes, now,” Winter admitted, her stomach twisting as she imagined all she was about to impart upon her poor mom.

“What's wrong? What's happened? You sound strange,” her mother said, the concern in her voice palpable. It made Winter's throat constrict, and for a few moments she was unable to respond.

The soreness of her nose, the lingering scent of her own blood, told her exactly why she sounded strange.

“Mom, something’s happened,” Winter said, beginning to shake. Her mom was not going to take this well. She could sense that much already.

“What? What is it? Do I need to come home?”

“No!” Winter blurted out. She was certain if she did, her mom would likely try to put some kind of stop to what she had planned.

“Um…the shop needs a new window and some fresh stock,” Winter explained sheepishly.

“Why? What did you do?”

Winter gulped. Yes, she had been known to be a little clumsy, but it wasn't like she was capable of breaking a damn window.

Her body quivered as she imagined how Eddie's forearms bulged as he held up the wooden board to block off the broken window in the shop door while Kane secured it in place.

Stop it,she told herself firmly. She couldn't be thinking about him. Not right now.

“It wasn't me. The shop was broken into. I, um…I was attacked tonight by a group of werewolves.”

“Those bastards. Just wait until I get back to town. I'll flay Jack and his mongrels.”

Her mother's tone made Winter cringe. Just the thought of what a powerful witch like her mom could do to Eddie and the others made her feel sick.

“No, Mom, it wasn't the Nightstar pack. It was Christopher's men.”

“That's even worse! What did they do to you? Are you hurt?”

“No,” Winter responded, deciding it was best not to tell her mother about her bloody nose and bruised ribs. Besides, her nose wasn't broken. There was no real physical harm done; the harm was all in her head. And, she guessed, her future. “Jack and the others saw them off, but it left me thinking. It's time to agree to Jack's plan.”

“Excuse me?”

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