Page 13 of Heat Me

To my shock, the omega called me back,ecstatic. The plumber was his High Mate!

Out of over 5,000 candidates, I’d picked his High Mate? Unbelievable.

After that, I started trusting my instincts. I kept looking for those glows, those gut feelings. And my stats improved fast—seven Half Mate pairings and five High Mate in total.

But it didn’t last. Three months later, Tom and I broke up, and Fate’s Choice kicked me out.

Instead of heading home, I went straight to Nathaniel’s place to share the news. I parked in the driveway of his sleek, modern house.

Nathaniel was easy to find—he always worked from home. My brothers, Rain and Skye, were remote employees of his.

When he saw me, he raised an eyebrow and led me into the kitchen. His place was way bigger than mine. He’d inherited a lot of money, though most of it was tied up in a trust fund until he turned twenty-five. But even now, at twenty-three, he was doing well, having poured the insurance payout from the accident into his company. His life was worlds apart from my modest suburban house.

"We’ve reached an agreement! I’m going back to work at Mr. Ren Ragu’s company," I announced as I sat down. Nathaniel handed me a cup of coffee.

"Congrats!" he said with a genuine smile. "I’m happy that you’re leaving that crazy company."

I bit my lip. "Well, it did help with my debts. Technically, I’m still their employee. I’ve got this one regular—the dog-man. I’ll have to finish with him, but after that, I’m free. For now, I’m just a bodyguard there."

Nathaniel giggled. "A bodyguard again? That’s a downgrade."

I waved my hands dismissively. "Relax, it’s temporary! Until I find matches for those clients I told you about."

Nathaniel was quiet for a moment. Then: "Alright, spill. What about Damien? Did you—"

I took a deep breath. "Yeah. I found him."

He studied me. "And?"

"Not much, honestly. I think he was confused—maybe irritated. I told him I could spend his heat with him outside of the company. Gave him my number. But he barely reacted. Honestly, I think he’s already found an alpha and just didn’t want to be rude. It’s been a day since Mr. Ragu told him I wasn’t taking the job, so he’s had time to book someone else."

Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. "Are you really going to give up that easily?"

I snorted, irritated. "C’mon, what am I supposed to do? I’ve already been stalking him."

We sat in awkward silence for a bit before I broke it. "I really hope I can get back to being a matchmaker. My magical intuition just… has to kick in again."

Nathaniel gave me a skeptical look but stayed silent, his expression meaningful.

Well, fuck the doubters. Deep down, I knew those five High Mate matches weren’t just chance. Especially considering it had happened twice outside of my matchmaking job!

I’d felt it with Rain’s lover—it was clear as day they were True Mates. And I had the same gut feeling about one of Skye’scollege friends. Rain’s case was already confirmed, and Skye’s? That was just a matter of time.

Nathaniel’s skeptical look wasn’t exactly encouraging, but I let it go.

This topic tended to rub everyone the wrong way, even my father. No point dragging it out.

I stood up and stretched. "I’d better let you get back to work. I need to head home and catch some sleep. Got the dog-man gig on Sunday, and in the meantime… I’m just waiting for Damien’s call."

Nathaniel nodded, leaning back in his chair. "I really hope things work out with Damien. I’m rooting for you. I know for purples, finding a perfect mate is rare. If it happens, it’d be nothing short of a miracle."

I chuckled softly. "Thanks."

For a few seconds, I analyzed his face.

It was somewhat sad, his forehead marked by a deep frown.

And then I decided to say it out loud in a light tone.

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