Page 61 of Castings & Curses

“Sure. You know. Because someone has to move and it might as well be me.”

“Might as well be you.” She whispered that too, then glanced at her coven. “Am I hallucinating? Did he just say that moving in with me is asacrifice?”

* * *

“Uh.”Corwin slowly sat up and eyed his mate.

Maybe he should have listened to Pippa, after all.

He’d been so confident he had it all figured out.

After all, whowouldn’tsee his gesture—the sacrifice he was willing to make for his mate—as something amazing and wonderful?

He’d been sure Natalie would be so grateful, she’d fall all over him and mating would instantly commence.

Somehow, though, based on the look on Natalie’s face, that outcome was unlikely at best.

In fact, her way of thinking seemed to parallel Pippa’s. Somehow, in their weird, womanly, witchy minds, being willing to make a sacrifice was abadthing.

How was this even possible?

“Perhaps it’s too much to ask of you,” Natalie said. The words seemed right, but the bite to her tone told Corwin all was not well in his world.

“In fact,” she went on, “I think perhaps I should notasksuch a terrible sacrifice of my mate.”

For one moment, Corwin’s heart leapt, thinking maybe he could have itall—his mateandhis apartment at the den.

Then, she shattered that illusion. “Perhaps,” she said, “my mate should stay in his den and I will stay here at coven house and neither of us will need to makesacrificesfor the other.”

Shit.

He’d somehow messed this up and he had no idea how to fix it.

Wait.

Yes, he did.

“Did I say sacrifice? I meant honor.Honor.It is my honor and privilege to move into coven house to be with you, my beautiful, sweet, witchy mate.”

She scowled at him.

“Please? Love of my life?”

She folded her arms and tapped her foot.

He leapt to his feet, then crossed toward her. “Please, sweet mate of mine. Have mercy on your idiot wolf who doesn’t know any better.”

She rolled her eyes.

He was contemplating getting down on one knee—talk about a sacrifice—when a flash of white landed on Natalie’s shoulder, sending her stumbling forward.

Corwin caught her in his arms and immediately took advantage with a kiss.

* * *

“It worked!”Soraya cheered. “I told you Moonbeam could do it. Good job, Moonbeam!”

“What are you talking about?” Tivali asked impatiently. “They’ve kissed before. I thought the whole point was to get the wolf to seem like a hero in Natalie’s eyes.”

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