Page 11 of The Wolf's Bullied Mate
“Mother asked him if he would like to get back together with me.” My voice was weak and worn out from crying.
“Shit,” Cherry said. “That bad?”
“It gets worse. He said he could do better than me for a mate,” I added.
A string of loud curses flowed from my best friend.
My lips turned up in a small smile. I could always trust her to get angry on my behalf.
“How are you feeling?” Cherry asked. “Wait, that’s a stupid question. Should I come over? I have a shift until 8 pm, but after that…”
My friend worked irregular hours, seeing her clients whenever they had time for her to work on their tattoos.
I pondered her question for a moment. After a pause, I said, “Not this time, Cherry. I want to be alone tonight.”
“Are you sure?” She sounded worried.
I nodded, then I realized she wouldn’t be able to see the action. “Yeah, I think I’m just going to go to sleep. I’m dead tired.”
“You really need to get away from your parents’ house,” Cherry said quickly. Her voice was firm.
I sighed. “I don’t have any way to do so. They take most of my money or I spend it on Ray’s needs.”
“Yes, I know. But what would you say if I told you I’d found a way for you to finally get out of this shitty situation?” Her normal cheerfulness seeped back into her voice.
I arched my eyebrows. “What do you mean?”
“In Lone Bite, abuse is commonplace. You need to move to another pack, where the atmosphere is different,” my best friend said.
I huffed. “It’s not easy to switch packs. My father only managed it because he’s a powerful wolf, and Lone Bite values strength. What can someone as weak as me offer another pack?”
“You’re not weak,” Cherry groaned. “You’re the strongest person I know. You live your life despite all the shit people throw at you. But it doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve discovered a way for you to change your fate—if you’re brave enough to try it.”
I frowned. “What exactly are you up to?”
“Nothing illegal, I assure you,” she chuckled. “There’s this agency I learned about called Twin Tails. It arranges marriages for people across different packs across the state.”
“What?” My mouth gaped open. “An arranged marriage agency? Are you out of your mind?”
“What do you mean?” She sounded genuinely confused. “You can specify in the survey they have you fill out that you don’t want a mate from your own pack. Then, they do all the paperwork and discuss the match with the alphas of both packs. They really have you covered in terms of the legal stuff. You can get out of this shitty place and not be a rogue, a packless wolf.”
“But who would want to mate with a single mother?” I thought about Ray. What if the mate the agency found for me wouldn’t accept my son?
“You can specify in the application that you only want a man who will accept you and your child. You really should sign up, Pauline. It’s free for women to join right now, and if you don’t like your match, they will keep finding new ones for you until you tell them you’re not interested anymore. No strings attached,” Cherry explained. “I’m interested myself, but the firstperson that came to mind when I learned about Twin Tails was you. It’s a great opportunity for you to find love and peace.”
“Love?” I laughed without joy. “I won’t find love in an arranged marriage.”
“Why would you say that? What if the agency helps you get together with your fated mate? You never met your fated partner, after all. What if he’s not from our pack?”
I thought about that idea for a moment. I couldn’t ignore the possibility that the man the Moon Goddess had chosen for me to spend the rest of my life with did exist after all. Maybe it was also true that a man who didn’t mind me having a son could match with me, fated mate or not. What if we could create a family together? What if Ray could have a father, and we could go to another pack where nobody would hurt us ever again?
“But what if I end up with someone as abusive as my parents or Jeffrey?” Fear rose in my heart.
Cherry sighed. “I doubt the agency would try to pair you with someone abusive. Even if they did, though, your new home couldn’t be worse than your current situation, and at least you’d have tried to change your fate.”
I couldn’t deny the logic behind her words. “You’re right. I’ll give it a shot.”
“Yay, I’ll send you the link to their website via a text message. You can apply on your computer, and then you’ll need to download an app to your phone.” My best friend’s tone was cheerful, and I thought I heard a touch of relief in her voice, too.
