Page 17 of Cuffed By My Mate

He smells so good.

That deep, rich scent of pine and cedarwood, mixed with something uniquelyhim, fills my senses. My bear sighs, content, and I feel it too—a bone-deep satisfaction I never thought I’d experience.

I stay there for a moment, wrapped in the warmth of his scent, in the memory of his touch, and the lingering whisper of his hands on my skin.

I can’t remember the last time I felt like this.

I’m… happy.

Not just in a fleeting way, not in the way that feels like it might be snatched away at any second. But truly, deeply safe.

I’ve never had that before.

Being with Crew is everything. A dream. A gift.

He sees me—really sees me. And more than that, he loves me. He makes me feel beautiful, and smart, and precious.

And my bear?

She’s never been more at peace.

This place, this pack, him—they are our home.

It’s where we’re meant to be.

The shrill ring of my phone pulls me from my thoughts, and I groan, rolling onto my back and blindly reaching for it on the nightstand.

Still half-smiling, I answer without checking the screen.

“Hello?”

“Vera.”

My stomach drops.

The sharp, cold bite of my father’s voice sends ice through my veins, and just like that, the warmth of Crew’s bed vanishes.

I should have looked before answering. I never would have picked up if I’d known.

I sit up, gripping the phone tighter, my body tensing.

“Are you alone?” my dad asks, voice clipped, suspicious.

I clear my throat. “Yes.”

“Why didn’t you call earlier?” my brother demands in the background, his tone impatient, accusatory.

I swallow hard, my fingers gripping the sheets. “I wasn’t alone then. Crew just left.”

“Who’s Crew?” Jim’s voice cuts in, sharp and biting. “Have you seen Nori?”

I hate the way he says her name.

I don’t know why he’s so obsessed with his niece, and I don’t want to know. The thought alone makes my stomach churn.

“No,” I say, keeping my voice steady.

“Who is he then?” my dad barks.

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