Page 32 of Castings & Curses

“Hey! Your cat attacked me,” Corwin scrambled to his feet, not even worried about the lack of grace involved now that his mate wasn’t watching. “And frankly, she was eyeing my balls like they were full of catnip.”

Natalie froze mid-step, her shoulders trembling for a moment.

Corwin narrowed his eyes.

Was she crying or was shelaughing?

“I’m certain Moonbeam would have zero interest in your mangy wolf-balls.”

Oh, yeah, she was laughing, all right.

After delivering that cutting remark, Natalie stalked away, leaving Corwin speechless and aggravated as hell that he’d once again managed to piss off his mate.

“I think I figured out who his mate is,” Rocco said, laughter in his voice.

“Don’t even say it,” Sal said. “No onecould be that stupid.Orthat unlucky.”

Corwin groaned and retook his seat at the picnic table. “Apparently, I can.” Seriously. He had theworstluck.

“I don’t get it,” Mallory said. “How can finding your mate be unlucky?”

“Because it’s the witch,” Sal said.

Her eyes widened in horror. “Which one? Tell me your mate isn’t the one whose familiar you just threatened.”

“I’m doomed,” Corwin groaned.

“No way!” Clarissa’s voice rang out across the field.

Corwin whirled and glared at his sister. “Rissa, don’t you dare—”

But it was too late.

She was already making a beeline for the nearest group of wolves.

He groaned and banged his head down on the picnic table.

Every single member of the pack would know in about fifteen minutes and then he’d never hear the end of it.

How he’d screwed up his own mating by—

“Corwin Anthony O’Neill!” The shout cut through the evening air and made his shout earlier seem like a whisper.

Corwin groaned and lifted his head just in time to see all his packmates scatter.

“Cowards!” He hissed after them, vowing vengeance the next time he saw them.

Rissa would be the first one to feel his wrath.

He couldn’tbelieveshe’d gone to their mother.

“Tell me it isn’t true, young man.” His mother settled across from him and glared.

“What isn’t true?”

“Tell me that you didn’t just ruin your chances with your fated mate!”

Corwin sighed. “First of all, could you please keep your voice down? No sense in making things worse than they already are, is there?”

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