Page 1 of Forced Plus-Size Mate

Chapter 1 - Amanda

Moonlight filters through the canopy above me, patterning the forest with a pale glow and shifting shadows. The leaves chatter in the icy breeze, and I turn my eyes to the sky once more.

Please, Great Goddess. Please.

I close my eyes, immersing myself in the darkness within. Then I take a deep breath, open my eyes, and wave my hand across the small clay bowl in front of me.

“Ignite!” I say, using a commanding tone.

Nothing happens. Not even a puff of smoke. The deep, exhilarating power I usually feel throbbing in my veins is gone. I can’t connect to the forest, or the great web of life.

I cover my face with my hands, unable to stop the hot tears spilling down my cheeks. Rocking back and forth on my knees a little, I contemplate trying the spell again.

This is the sixth time. If it was going to work, it would have long before now.

I look up again, trying to fill my heart with love for the Great Goddess who rules us all, but the desperation in me almost turns my thoughts into something much darker and far more selfish.

No, no. Don’t blame yourself, or the gods—just figure it out!

The dry leaves in the clay bowl shift in the breeze. I reach in and crumble them between my fingers. This is the simplest of spells. If I can’t get this to work, then all magic is beyond me, and I can’t figure out why.

I have to. My coven is depending on me!

I gather up my things and start heading back to our settlement. My witches and I have lived out here for years, ever since we fled Silver Meadows.

My heart screams in my chest, and I shake my head, violently pushing the feelings away. I told my coven that we had to leave the human world to live in the wilderness so we could enhance our magic and connection to nature. It was true, but not the whole truth.

Body.

It’s been years since I thought about him. I was happy out here with the coven, living a simple, uncomplicated life. We’re isolated, with no towns or civilization for miles. I chose Black Canyon because West Elk Wilderness seems to go on forever… and it’s completely untamed.

It wasn’t easy to set up our little village, but with the help of our magic, we built a few cottages and made ourselves very comfortable out here. We seemed to get stronger by the day, performing feats of enchantment none of us ever dreamed possible.

Until I went back to help Lucy.

Scowling, I hold my coat a bit tighter around myself, trying to keep the cold wind from creeping through to my skin. The cottages are just ahead, and even though it’s very late, there is a soft glow in the window of the nearest one.

Probably Nell, waiting up for me.

Nell is the oldest in the coven. Thirteen women, blessed with the gift, beloved of the Goddess.

Maybe not anymore.

I don’t want to admit it, but magic had become unstable even before I went back to Silver Meadows. Living in the wilderness, building cottages, hunting, running water—these are things that would be nearly impossible for anyone this far from civilization.

But with our magic, life out here was more than comfortable. For years, all we did was care for the forest, and each other.

Small spells began to go wrong. Nothing that alarmed us too much. I considered it a challenge from the Goddess herself, a sign that we needed to heed the cycle of life and align ourselves to its rhythm.

Then Lucy asked me for help. Seeing that message felt like a blade straight through the chest. I knew I had to go; I couldn’t leave my friend all alone. At the same time, going back to Silver Meadows was the last thing I wanted to do.

Body…

Don’t think about him!

It’s too late—I’m trapped in a memory now. I can hear the excited chatter of the other students as we prepare to leave school on the last day of class. The air feels warm, and the future is full of promise.

And I’m standing in front of Body Andrews, inviting him to go on a road trip with me, thinking about the two of us finally alone with each other, together, and exploring the world before we start on careers or college.

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