Page 37 of Forced Plus-Size Mate

“Last night was nice,” she says. “I like that we’re making progress. It was so difficult not being able to talk to you.”

“I know,” I answer, relief flooding through me. “Acting like we were strangers was absolutely killing me.”

“Well, we kind of are,” she says. “We’ve been away from each other so long that we’ve changed. It will take time to get to know each other again.”

“Yeah, I guess.” I want to tell her that she’s exactly as I remember—strong, spirited, powerful, and kind, but the moment passes.

“We should get some breakfast going for those pups,” she says, getting up.

“Yeah, I should wake them,” I agree. “They need to go for a run before they get breakfast.”

She raises her eyebrows. “You’re a slave driver.”

“Nah. Brutal dictator, maybe.”

She giggles. “Go on, get out of here. I’ll have some food ready by the time you get back.”

I wave to her before I hurry away, pausing for a moment. Set against the slate-blue sky patterned with streams of white clouds, Amanda stands with one hand raised to wave back to me. Even from a distance, I can see the joy in her bright blue eyes and the warmth of her smile. A sudden breeze from the peak whips down the slope, spiraling around her and catching her long, mahogany hair, tossing it around her face.

When I turn away from her, I can still see the afterimage behind my eyelids, and I know that moment will be burned into my memory forever.

This is the day, the very first day of us being together. From here on out, I have a chance to earn her heart. And this time, I won’t let her down.

I wake the kids, ignoring their protests as I hustle them onto the mountain. I don’t make them run too far or too hard. They are only kids, and the really rough stuff comes later.

When we return, Amanda has cooked breakfast, as promised. Thick slices of bacon and hash browns are sizzling on the skillet. The kids descend upon the feast like starving crows at a barbecue.

“How was the run?” she asks me as we sit down.

“Good,” I mumble through a mouth full of bacon. “After breakfast, I want to take them into the deeper woods to do some plant identification. There are things that are healthy for humans but poisonous to wolves, and vice versa.”

“I could help with that,” she offers. “It’s pretty much the base level of witchcraft.”

“I actually forgot about that. Why don’t you come along?”

“Sure,” she agrees, smiling and snuggling next to me. My heart leaps in my chest to see such a happy, carefree expression on her face.

Even if I don’t get her back, giving her this peace is enough. To heal the wounds I caused, even a little, is worth every moment of my penance.

When we go out into the woods, Amanda takes the snowmobile and keeps up with the pack easily. We spend the afternoon lifting logs and burrowing through snowbanks to findfungi, bugs, and random plants to teach the pups about the beauty—and the dangers—of the forest.

On the way back, Nick asks Amanda to show them some magic.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she dithers. “Magic is supposed to be for specific things. I’m not very good at performances.”

“But what is your special talent?” Dawn asks. “I heard that all witches have individual skills.”

“That’s true,” Amanda answers. “But I have a few different ones. It’s how I become the high priestess—I have more than one skill.”

“So, show us,” Marty urges, though he looks a bit skeptical. “I hear a lot about the witches being seriously powerful, but so far I’ve seen nothing that proves it.”

“Okay,” Amanda says with a grin. “Let’s see if the mountain is listening to me today.”

Amanda closes her eyes and tilts her head upwards. With her arms out and her palms up, she spins in a small circle, her movements slow and heavy as if she’s underwater.

Dawn lets out a sharp gasp as Nick yelps in surprise. A flock of birds has gathered over Amanda’s head, flying in a small circle and flitting down towards her. I can feel her energy radiating outwards, connecting to all the living things in the woods around us.

To my surprise, Amanda isn’t done. Green grass sprouts around her feet, and wildflowers stretch up towards her. She smiles gently and raises her arms a little.

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