Page 157 of Sigils & Spells

“Oh my goodness!” Amaryllis squealed. “You have to call him right now.”

Pippa pulled out her phone and quickly saved the number in her list of contacts, then set the phone back down. “It’s almost midnight. I think we could all use a good night’s sleep and I need to take a shower. I’ll call him in the morning. Or maybe I’ll just go to him. Does anyone know where the pack’s den is?”

*.*.*.*.*

“That was trulyexcellent timing on your part, Tivali,” Bygul said.

“That kitten is so cute, I just can’t stand it, and he’s so smart. He remembered exactly where he’d hidden the note, went right to it.”

“And that’s why I try to use earthbound cats as much as possible when matematching their humans,” Bygul said. “The cats are extremely smart and when they’ve taken part in helping a match along, they’re more invested in the outcome and they tend to be happier with the placement..”

“It’s really an excellent strategy,” Muezza said.

“When it works,” Soraya said. “Remember that kitten, Cleocatra?”

“Oh, boy,” Bygul said. “She was quite the instigator.”

“And determined not to share her panther with the bear,” Tivali said.

“Those were good times.” Muezza chuckled. “We might have to visit them sometime.”

“Oh, no,” Bygul said, “because the minute we step back into that town, someone’s going to want me to match a bear, and I am absolutely, one hundred percent, pawsitivelydonewith bears.”

*.*.*.*.*

Jared didn’t sleepwell that night. He tossed and turned, worrying about his mate and second-guessing his decision to give her space.

He should have stayed, tried to convince her further, but now it was too late.

By morning, her defenses would probably be high again and he’d be right back where he started.

When the sun finally rose in the sky, he was grateful to get out of bed. Unfortunately, his conscience wouldn’t allow him to go to his mate just yet.

He’d promised her time to think and he needed to honor that promise, even if it killed him.

He was sitting at the dining room table, surrounded by pack members, picking at his breakfast when a commotion in the hallway caught his attention.

“Jared.” David, one of his enforcers, stood in the doorway. “You have company.”

He stepped to the side and Pippa walked in, her entire coven at her back.

Jared stood and walked around the table to stand in front of her.

Had she brought her coven for courage?

For backup?

Was she that worried about rejecting him?

“Jared,” she spoke softly. “I’m sorry I reacted so badly last night. You were right. I had one idea of how my life would go and this new pathway threw me for a loop. A big one.”

She gave him a lopsided smile, one dimple winking at him.

“But I thought about what you said and the answer is yes. Idothink I could love being part of a mated pair as much as I love being single, especially if the other part of that pair is you.”

Jared’s heart skipped a beat, then started to race. Was she saying—

“If you still want me, I would be honored to accept you as my mate.”

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