Page 40 of Castings & Curses

“I’m telling you, guys, therehadto be a mix-up at the hospital.”

Okay.

Notfair.

What had he ever done to deserve this?

Corwin whirled and glared at his sister, who stood just behind their parents, smirking at him.

“Well, what are you waiting for, boy?”

“Huh?”

“Go after her, you idiot,” his mother exclaimed.

“I don’t think—”

“Good,” she snapped. “Don’t think, justdo.”

He groaned. “Fine. I’ll go track her down.” Making a concerted effort not to slam the door behind him, he left the den and headed for the parking lot. “Not that it’ll do me any good,” he muttered.

By the time he made it off pack lands, he was convinced that approaching his mate right now would be a mistake, so instead, he headed downtown.

He’d see if maybe he could track down some of the other mated wolves in town.

Maybe they could give him some tips on winning over his mate.

Honestly, Jared would be best, seeing as he was mated to a witch already, but he was back at the den and Corwin wasn’t risking running into his parents again.

Orhis sister, seeing as she’d just rat him out to their parents.

Maybe he could lure Jared to town though. There was an idea.

* * *

“I’m starving.”Pippa lunged to her feet and clapped her hands. “I vote for lunch at the diner.”

Natalie just stared at her. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing. I’m just super-duper hungry, so let’s go. I’ll have better advice on a full stomach.”

Tempest suddenly lurched forward from where she was sprawled on the couch and just barely managed to catch herself before she face planted on the coffee table. “What the hell?”

“Come on!” Pippa exclaimed. “Let’s go, let’s go.”

Natalie was getting an ominous feeling about Pippa’s over-the-top enthusiasm.

“You know,” Morana said, standing up slowly. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were preggers or something.”

“That is so frigging not funny, Morana,” Pippa scowled. “Donotput that shit out into the universe or Iwillburn your entire thigh-high collection to ash.”

Morana gasped. “How rude!”

Thirty minutes later, the coven walked into the diner and Natalie immediately tried to put the brakes on, but Pippa was right behind her, shoving her forward.

Natalie threw a scowl over her shoulder, threatening death and dismemberment with her eyes.

Pippa just grinned back.

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