Page 11 of My Mate

“Dad loves you very much.”

“That he does. I would have to say I have a feeling Dex has quite a few feelings about you.”

“Mom, come on, stop it.”

“What? Can’t a mother ask about her daughter’s love life?”

“Your daughter doesn’t have a love life.”

“Okay, so what is Dex?” she asked.

Casey sighed and couldn’t help but giggle. “I don’t know, and I probably sound like a schoolgirl.”

“Honey, you are still a schoolgirl.”

“I care about Dex. I’ve always cared about him.”

“But?”

“Can I allow him to … you know, be with me?” Casey asked.

She moved from her muddy patch and joined her mother as she poured them both a glass of lemonade.

“Why can you not be with him?” Rose asked.

“Are you not worried about the giant problem right now?”

“You mean about you not turning into a wolf?”

“Yeah, it is a pretty big … problem.”

“Only if you make it one. I don’t see a problem. If you and Dex are in fact mates, then there is not, nor is there ever going to be, a problem with the two of you being together. Here you go, sweetheart. It is way too hot out here.”

Casey took the lemonade from her mother. “How can you be so positive?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe it is because of … you know, Dex always showing up here. I also saw what he did to that Buddy boy, and now that I think about it, whenever you did come home with bruises and scratches, the people responsible were always joining you.” Rose shrugged. “You and Dex can make this work.”

She leaned back and took a long sip of her lemonade, not realizing how thirsty she had become.

“You’re not convinced?”

“It’s not that…” She pressed her lips together. “Just … what if I don’t feel quite as strongly as Dex?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said yourself that you and Dad struggled. You did the whole dancing around but when you both went through your transition, you knew without a shadow of a doubt, and no one could come between you.”

“I know where this is going, and you cannot allow that to hold you back. You’re mature, and I do not think you need to have a wolf transition to know in your heart if you love a man.”

Casey sighed and sat back. “What if I do?”

“You don’t. Love is all about the heart. It’s in here and I think what is happening here for you is you’re panicking. You want to transition. I know your father and everyone in the pack don’t know how excited you were for your transition night. I did. You talked about it all the time growing up, and I knew you were counting down the days. I also saw how gutted you were when itdidn’t happen. Don’t let it affect your decisions. Your transition will happen.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“I don’t believe that.”

She wanted to argue with her mother, but she also knew Rose had blind faith. Finishing off her lemonade, she glanced around the garden, feeling trapped. “Can I go for a walk?”

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