Page 2 of Forced Plus-Size Mate

The room falls into complete silence as if every kid in the room has turned to focus on us, anxiously awaiting Body’s answer.

I’m not anxious. He loves me. We’ve been together every night for months… it’s time to make it official and begin our lives together!

“Look, Amanda,” he said. “We’ve been having some fun together, but I think you got the wrong idea. I’m not going anywhere with you. I’ve got responsibilities, okay? Just drop this.”

“Okay.” My answer was bright, cheerful, and full of ridiculous self-assurance. I really couldn’t see the blow coming.

“Let’s just hang out in town, then,” he said. “I’m happy to spend the summer doing whatever you want.”

I stepped forward, smiling, my heart full of love, reaching out to him—

And he sighed, grabbing my hands, pushing them back towards me and shaking his head.

“Amanda, you aren’t listening. I’m done here, okay? I don’t know what you’ve been assuming, but whatever we had, it’s over now. I’m just not that interested in you.”

Even though the memory is years old, it hurts no less. Tears trickle down my cheeks as I stare at the moon, wondering why the Goddess has abandoned me just like Body did. Like everyone has…

Except my coven.

They stood by me when I told them I had to leave Silver Meadows. They didn’t even argue about leaving their families—they just packed up their things and left with me the very next day. We became true sisters to each other, a deeper bond than blood.

That’s why I have to do the right thing by them now. I have no choice.

I walk slowly towards the little cabin. The light in the windows is getting dim. We are forced to cut wood by hand now, and that means we don’t have much left. It’s hard to keep the cabins warm. Running water became impossible a short time ago, and the little gardens we kept alive with our magic have all died.

I walk slowly up the stairs, feeling the cold soaking through my clothes to chill my bones. I push open the heavy door and shut it quickly behind me. Nell is sitting by the fire in her rocking chair, staring into the low, flickering flames.

“We can’t stay here,” she whispers.

“I know.”

“The spell didn’t work, did it?” she asks, and I shake my head.

“No,” I answer, coming over to sit across from her. I put my things down on the floor and pull off my scarf, looking at Nell. She turns her gaze from the fire to look at me with her pale, green eyes.

“We have to go back to Silver Meadows,” she says. Inside, I fall apart, but I don’t let it show. I keep screams bottled in my throat, and I won’t allow a single tear to fall.

“I know,” I answer softly. “We have no choice.”

With only a few hours until dawn, there is no point going to bed. I pack some things, trying to avoid conversation with Nell. We’ve talked ourselves half to death about the failure of our magic, and I don’t feel like doing it again.

As the others begin to wake, Nell and I give them the news. Some of the girls seem relieved. I don’t blame them, but it still feels like a betrayal.

They followed me out here, helped build these cabins, plant our gardens, and care for the wild creatures. They’ve been nothing but loyal, and now they are scared. Stand by them as they have stood by you!

It takes us some time to hike out to the nearest campsite. Our old van is waiting patiently where I left it. Since I took it to Silver Meadows a few months ago to see Lucy, I know it’s still working and has a full tank of gas.

I try to ignore the excited chatter of the others as we pack into the little bus. I could easily consider going to another town to start over, but it’s obvious from the way the others are talking that they can’t wait to go home.

Home. I thought Black Canyon was our home. Now, it looks like my sisters have always thought of it as a temporary place.

It takes a few hours to navigate the long, old roads back to Silver Meadows. Nell switches places with me about halfway through, and without the distraction of driving, all I can do is look out the window and sulk.

“Hey, Amanda,” says Zoe, sitting down next to me. “You look down, hun. Are you okay?”

“Just thinking about our magic,” I say. “That’s all.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. We’ll figure it out. In the meantime, think of this as a cool holiday—a chance to catch up with all the people we know back home!”

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