Page 60 of Beginning Fate

Before she could freak out and over think it, I jumped into action.

“The new day rolls over at four. If we hurry, I can probably talk them out of making you pay tonight.”

She scoffed. “I doubt that’s possible.”

“You’d be surprised. I’m very good at talking.”

“That doesn’t surprise me one bit.”

Lauren

Chapter 16

I couldn’t believe I was actually doing this. It was the craziest thing I’d ever done, yet it felt right.

That hotel room cost nearly two hundred dollars a night. And that was one of the cheaper ones in the area. I’d been saving up for months to afford it. That would be a lot of money saved by staying with Denny.

My cheeks warmed at the thought.

He told me he could stay in another room, but could he? I could sense when his wolf was on edge and I knew that being around other males did that to him. So why was I agreeing to stay in an all-male house?

My mate was going to go crazy if I made him sleep in another room.

Was the money saved worth that?

Was I just going to torture him?

Denny moved quickly as he rushed us back to the hotel and packed my things. It was very clear that he wanted me to stay with him. I just wasn’t sure he understood what he was getting himself into and prayed it would all work out.

Once he packed my bags and put them in his car, he went to the front desk and asked the lady to release me from my reservation without penalty.

It was a human establishment, so it wasn’t like he could just tell her we were newly mated and wanted to be together. Though that wasn’t at all what this was about. Was it?

There was a part of me that still wanted him with a desperation I didn’t fully understand. It scared me. I didn’t knowwhat to do about it. I also worried that maybe I was sending him the wrong idea by agreeing to stay with him. Yet, the frugal part of me couldn’t turn down the offer. I think he knew it, too.

I was nervous and yet a little excited, too.

And my first party?

This was a whole trip of firsts. I was trying not to let myself freak out about everything and just enjoy it.

Being with Denny helped that a lot. It should have scared me, but it didn’t. I was already dreading the end of the week when it would be time for me to pack up my things and drive home, leaving everything I cared about in California.

But what if I stayed?

I quickly pushed that thought aside. It was going to hurt enough without leaving me open to possibilities that couldn’t be achieved.

The lady behind the counter giggled, and I shook my head to clear it. I had no idea how long I’d spaced out standing there while Denny did all the talking.

“You know I’m not supposed to do this. That was a prepaid room.”

“But you can, can’t you?” he asked her.

She rolled her eyes, but the sparkle in them told me she was amused by him.

Damn. Why hadn’t I been paying attention? I wanted to know what he’d said to her.

Overall, I was handling this mating stuff pretty well, better than him. Or at least that’s what I told myself. But then she reached across the desk and touched my mate’s hand.

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