Page 22 of Beginning Fate

“No!” I practically yelled, drawing attention from the others hanging out nearby. I lowered my voice. “No, and don't even insinuate that.”

“Seriously? You've been paying her special attention all evening. You even went after her when she left,” Damon pointed out.

“I promised her sister I'd keep an eye on her. That's it.”

“What's her sister's name again?”

“Lauren,” I blurted out without hesitation.

Karis threw her hands up triumphantly. “I told you it was her. Pay up, mister.”

Damon groaned, took out his wallet, and handed his mate a hundred-dollar bill.

“What just happened?” I asked.

“I told him it was the sister. He didn't believe me because you went out of your way to ignore her today.”

“Dumb move, dude,” Damon said.

“I know.”

“You're not going to deny it?”

“What's the point?”

“So you're happy about this?”

I shrugged. “I don't know yet. Maybe. I see how happy you two are together. Why wouldn't I want that for myself?”

They both stared at me and then burst out laughing.

“Oh, this is going to be fun,” Damon said. “I'm sorry we have to head home tomorrow because I would love a front row seat to this mating.”

“I'll be sure to keep you posted,” I grumbled.

Lauren

Chapter 6

My only saving grace was sheer exhaustion. And even still, my body buzzed with an odd mix of excitement and anxiety as I laid in bed tossing and turning thinking of him.

My mate was here. I'd been too hurt and stubborn all day to allow that to fully sink in.

Denny was my mate.

I'd already begun to build him up in my mind as an asshole who I was better off without, but that wasn’t the case at all. Or at least I suspected it wasn't. Our talk before I came back to the hotel room had left me even more confused.

I had this odd need to go back. It wasn't my usual concern for Kylie or needing to check up on her. I had a strange peace leaving her there. She was making friends, and somehow I trusted Denny to watch out for her just as I would myself.

It was freaking me out.

I had never entrusted anyone with my sister's care. In my mind there was no one who could look after her as well as I could. On top of that, I did not trust people easily. But I trusted him.

Mentally, it was screwing with me. I didn't know this guy. I had no reason to trust him. Yet intuitively there was no denying that I did. I trusted him, and it was driving me even more crazy knowing it.

Despite my turmoil, exhaustion won out and I slept soundly that night, though I woke up the next morning feeling like I had a major hangover.

My phone rang before my feet even hit the ground. It was Kylie. I answered it and then propped the screen up with pillows so I could see her while freeing up my hand. Back home I had a stand that the phone clips into so I could communicate with her.

---