Page 80 of One True Mate

“I'll see if the girls want to join us and we'll meet you at home,” she caught herself that time and blushed deeper. “I mean at your house.

Kelsey

Chapter 29

I swung by the Alpha's house to see if Lily and Elise wanted to join us as they had already left the arena. Lily was game for it, but Elise still seemed off. She said she wasn't feeling well and would just stay in, but something told me there was more to it than that. I was worried about my friend.

Still, there was much to celebrate, so I pushed my concerns aside and Lily and I sped off to Kyle's house to meet the boys. The entire way she was babbling about how cute Patrick was and how sweet it was for him to drop the challenge. That girl had more crushes than I would ever keep up with.

It was fun getting to know Patrick O'Connell. He had an easy nature and was quite animated when he talked and that accent of his just drew me in. Okay, not just me, I noticed, seeing the dreamy eyed glaze on Lily's face. I'm pretty sure that boy could have been reciting the phone book and the look wouldn't have changed.

Snuggled up to Kyle on the couch with my feet propped up on the coffee table and a few drinks to the wind, life was really great for that brief moment. We all eventually crashed right there in the living room and waking up in his arms just felt righter than anything in the last week had.

But, all good things must come to a crashing halt. With the 72 hour warning having been issued, we all knew it was only a matter of time. And I knew when the phone rang, stirring the others back to life that it wasn't going to be good.

“Hey,” I heard Kyle say. “What?” He ran his hand through his already ruffled morning hair. “Jesus, Dad. Are you kidding me?” There was a pause and I tried to listen in and gain some knowledge both with my ears and through the bond, but nothing. “Yeah, okay. Yes,” he said a little louder and full of frustration. “I understand, Dad.” He sighed, “It is what it is. We'll do what we have to.... okay, bye.”

“It's bad isn't it?” I asked softly.

He looked around at the audience before us and I knew he didn't want to talk in front of them, but I had to know.

“Spill it, Kyle. I'm a big girl. I can handle it.”

He played with my hand almost absentmindedly and couldn't look me in the eyes. “First,” he began slowly, “since I didn’t fight last night, Andon's challenge was moved up to tonight.” He paused and let that sink in. “You have three potential challengers, Kels. And I have a potential for another five. All of them put in their request for consideration and extension, meaning they haven't formally issued the challenges, but have been granted the right to do so for the remaining challenge period despite the 72 hour warning issued.”

“What the hell? Kyle that would be eight challenges for you. EIGHT?!?” Lily screeched with barely controlled hysterics.

“Lil, I can't think of that right now. I have to concentrate on just surviving the Andon challenge tonight.”

I hugged him, trying to hold back tears. I wasn't scared for myself. Something freed in me during the Christine challenge and I no longer had any doubt in my capabilities. But back to back challenges against Kyle were causing a lot of stress on both of us.

“Do you want me to help prepare you for your battle against Andon?” Patrick offered.

Kyle nodded, “That would be nice. I could use a solid sparring partner this afternoon. But for the remainder of this morning I do not wish to discuss or think about challenges any further. How about pancakes?” He winked at me and I knew he was just trying to put up a good front.

Still, I played along. “Only if you have bacon to go with them.”

“You drive a tough bargain, mate.”

We kept the remaining morning to a light banter, but there was a falseness to it, an evil lingered over us all. And when it was time for Kyle to begin preparations for the evening, he and I said our see ya laters. Never goodbye! And he and Patrick left in reverent silence.

Lily wasn't about to leave me alone feeding off my fears, so I was dragged to the Alpha house with her to waste the afternoon. I almost wished it were a work day so I'd at least have something to occupy my time.

We found Elise sitting in the living room staring at a magazine but really just looking lost in thought.

“E, you okay?”

“Yeah, are you feeling better?” I added.

She looked up. “Um, yeah, I'm fine. What are you two doing here?”

“Wasting time,” we said in unison. “Jinx.” We giggled. “Double jinx!”

“You heard about Kyle's next challenge, right?”

“You mean against Andon? Did they set a date?”

I sucked in a sharp breath as Lily rubbed my shoulders in loving comfort.

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