Page 71 of Savage Fate

As Saint backed out of the kitchen, he narrowed his eyes on his mother. “I won’t be gone long.”

Was it wrong that I wanted him to stay?

“My son is such a worrywart.” Enid shook her head, those blond curls bouncing. “He’s a great alpha, but sometimes I wonder if my husband let him take over too soon. He’s always stressed about something.”

Without asking, I grabbed the block of cheese and the grater to shred some for the omelet. “How old was Saint when he became alpha?”

“Eighteen.” A flash of sadness flitted across her expression as she dumped vegetables into a bowl and grabbed the jalapeño. “My run-in with The Collective made my husband lose interest in running the pack. He became so focused on me. Fated mates just can’t help that. Of course, Saint saw this and stepped up.”

I couldn’t imagine taking care of an entire community of shifters at eighteen. I failed at protecting just one kid.

“Saint’s a great guy.” From what I could tell, anyway.

“He’s very selfless, to a fault sometimes,” Enid said.

Saint seemed like the type to always put others first, the opposite of my father. Was Barric ever the kind of alpha he pretended, or was it always a lie?

“That’s why he won’t say what’s really in his heart about this whole situation, and he would never ask you what I’m about to.”

Dread pooled in my gut as I guessed where this was heading.

Enid cracked two eggs into a bowl and whisked them together. “I know you and Saint are fated mates. Everyone in the pack does.”

Heat spread over my skin, and I wanted to slide off the stool and hide under it.

“When I heard that The Collective had abducted you, and you ended up here, of all places, I knew it was a sign.”

My fingers clutched the block of cheese so tightly I was surprised it didn’t crumble. “Sign for what?”

Enid poured the eggs into the pan. “That you and Saint belong together. The bond pushed you toward him in your time of need.”

I gritted my jaw and passed her the grated cheese before I threw it across the room. “That was just a coincidence.”

She scoffed. “Do you really believe in coincidences? Things happen for a reason, Tate, and fate will keep pushing you and Saint together.”

“I already have a mate, and not long ago, the universe worked overtime to pushustogether.” I didn’t want to admit how odd it was that I ended up in Blackwater Falls.

Enid sprinkled the cheese and vegetables into the pan. “Saint is a good, kindhearted soul who puts everyone first. I always thought his fated would be the one thing the world gave him to make up for all the sacrifices he’d made so young.”

My throat tightened at the agony in her words, and I blinked hard to keep the tears from brimming over. “I’m sorry I can’t be that for him.”

Her back was toward me as she used a rubber spatula to lift the edges of the omelet. “You wouldn’t consider breaking your bond with Fane?”

Just the thought of it had my stomach clenching and the tattoos on my neck and arm crackling with sharp zaps of electricity.

“I can’t do that. Not for anyone.” I rubbed the tattoo on my neck to soothe the harsh tingles. “Fane and I don’t have an ordinary mate bond. I don’t think anything could break it.”

“I did hear about your strange connection.” She peered over her shoulder, noticing how I rubbed my tattoos. “Saint also revealed that after first meeting you in Mohan Wilds, he was oddly drawn to you. I guess we know why.”

Saint had definitely shown interest until Fane nearly attacked him over his friendly behavior.

“I also know Fane wasn’t always happy about your bond.” Enid flipped the omelet. “So even if Fane agreed to break his claim on you for your fated mate, you wouldn’t do it?”

“Mom!” Saint stepped into the kitchen, his nostrils flaring and an iridescent gleam dancing in his irises. “I told you not to do this.”

She turned and slid the omelet onto a plate, blinking back unshed tears. “And I’m your mother, so I’ll do anything to make sure you’re happy.”

“You bothering Tate about this doesn’t make me happy.”

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