Page 61 of Beginning Fate

Anger flared in me so fast that I yelped in surprise. My whole body vibrated with untamed emotions.

“Excuse me,” I said before running for the bathroom.

My wolf was furious that I left our mate standing there with another woman while she was flirting with him. And theoverwhelming sense of betrayal that hit me was profound. It nearly knocked me to my knees as tears pricked my eyes.

I had the strong need to shift and submit to my wolf, but I was terrified of what she would do to that poor lady just for casually touching my mate.

Who was I?

I was sitting in the bathroom bawling my eyes out over a boy while trying to rein in my emotions.

No matter what I told myself, my tears kept falling.

It wasn’t long before Denny burst through the door and ran over to wrap me up in his arms.

“I’m so sorry, babe. I should have just paid for the hotel and been done with it. I wasn’t thinking about how it would make you feel. I’m a terrible flirt, but I don’t mean anything by it.”

I clung to him, letting his touch soothe me.

“I know,” I finally managed to say.

We sat in there for a while, just holding each other. When a woman walked in and gasped, I buried my head in his chest.

“Sorry. Just give us a minute, please,” he said.

She seemed to listen to him and left the bathroom without a word.

Everything here was different. It felt like I was in a foreign country I didn’t understand. Back home, that woman would have cussed us out for having a man in the ladies’ room. She would have caused a big scene over it. With my luck, it would have ended up on social media or something. I wasn’t sure if it was the area or just Denny, but none of that happened.

I sniffed and stepped away from him to get a tissue and blow my nose.

“I’m sorry,” I told him.

It was embarrassing to know how close I’d been to losing it.

“Is your wolf calmer now?”

I nodded.

“Good. Let’s go home.”

Home.

Why did that one simple word give me comfort when it never had before?

Home had always been nothing more than a place for me to lay my head. Hearing him say it made me feel so much more. It had nothing to do with a bed and a roof over my head, and everything to do with him. I thought of comfort and peace, stuff I’d never felt or talked about before. I realized I desperately wanted these things, though.

I nodded and let him lead me out.

I couldn’t even look the receptionist in the eyes as we passed the front desk. I just stared at the floor and hugged Denny a little closer.

It wasn’t until we were in the car and pulling out of the parking lot that I really found my voice again.

“Did you at least get me a refund?”

He barked out a laugh. “I did. In fact, she credited back all of it, even the nights you already stayed.”

“She did? Why?”

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