Page 18 of The Last Ultimatum: Part 1

“Mating isn’t that easy,” Linc assured me.

“Maybe not for you, but I’ve watched and learned a few things. Fighting a mating bond just causes unnecessary conflict.”

“So your prescribed conflict resolution is just to claim her before you even know her?” Michael asked.

I shrugged. “Saves a lot of bullshit I watched you all go through.”

They all stared at me and then burst out laughing.

“I can’t wait for the day you do find her.”

“You have no idea,” Walker said.

“What if your mate’s an Annie? No offense, Tucker,” Colin said.

“None taken. I mean, even she had a true mate out there somewhere.”

I cursed under my breath. “It wouldn’t be the same,” I insisted.

There was no way for me to know that for sure, but I had to believe that if Tucker’s ex-mate had found her true mate, that she would have been a very different person with him. Her miserable life was most likely due to choosing the wrong mate. She didn’t have to also make his life equally miserable, but in away I could see how that was an emotional cry for help, which she unfortunately never received.

Then there was the idea that if everyone has one true mate out there somewhere, what happened to Annie’s? Will that poor bloke just go through life never finding his true mate because she died young? And if that’s the case, what did that mean for me? What if my mate had died too and I spend my entire life pining for a woman that simply does not exist?

That thought made me sick to my stomach.

“He’s mentally spiraling,” Linc pointed out. “I know that look. Christine does it all the time.”

The guys sniggered, but I couldn’t deny it.

“Just relax. Your mate is out there somewhere. We’ll find her,” Michael assured me.

I sure hoped he was right.

Needing something to refocus on to get my head straight, I looked down at my feet.

“Shit! I left my thongs on.”

“Excuse me?” Michael asked.

“Why the hell are you wearing thongs?” Walker asked.

“They make thongs for men? Seriously?” Colin inquired.

“Lachie apparently likes flossing his butt cheeks,” Tucker teased

“Flip flops, you arseholes. How many times do I have to explain that one to you? I wasn’t expecting you to be at the house and I didn’t change before we left.”

“Your boots are in your bag though, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you’re fine. Change when we arrive.”

“Okay, yeah.”

“Why does everyone around here say ‘yeah’ all the time? It’s more than just yes. You over use it like grapes on a boujee board,” Linc said.

“What the hell is a boujee board?” Colin asked.

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