Total pages in book: 203
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
“I don’t want to know,” I say and immediately regret the fact that I don’t sound as convinced as I mean to sound.
“All I’m gonna say, because this goes against girl code, but you do look interested…”
I’m not, but I don’t manage to get that out of my malfunctioning mouth before she finishes with, “It’s been eons since Jase, but it was memorable. Very. And I can’t imagine how much better it’d be with the extra perk of maturity not to mention being his fated mate.”
“Knotting,” Leona adds unnecessarily.
“Ugh,” I mutter. “Please. No more information.”
“Biting,” Leona tacks on with an eyebrow wiggle.
I give her the finger.
“You’re a virgin, right?” Roxy asks.
My face goes red. And then even redder because Jase is looking over here, tuned in to the conversation despite the twenty or thirty feet and the glass wall between us.
Linc is staring at the floor, amusement on his face. Jase is staring right at me. His eyes burn into me. Shit. He wants me to answer Roxy’s question.
Rox’s and the other girls backs are all to him so they don’t notice.
I give her my best death stare and say nothing.
She looks over her shoulder and when our eyes meet again, she mouths sorry.
The other girls look over their shoulders too.
Stacy is coming up behind Jase and Linc with Grey. She says hello and gives Jase a quick hug before Grey waves at us, opening the door for her.
She’s heading my way with a huge grin and a bakery box in hand.
I’m being showered with food. Leona and Audrey brought me a box of my favorite banana walnut muffins from Drowsy Hollow, my nose tells me Roxy’s banana chocolate chip pancakes and bacon are inside that other box, and now Stacy is bringing me something, too. I smell cookies as she approaches, looking about ready to burst with excitement. “Congratulations!” she pretty-much sings.
“Why are you all congratulating me? I reject this shit.”
Stacy blinks in surprise.
I feel immediately guilty.
“Sorry, that was bitchy, Stace. Please forgive me.”
“What’s wrong? Is it really that bad?” she asks.
“It’s a fucking disaster,” I whisper, looking over to the lobby where Jase and Grey are now in a huddle, Grey’s hand on Jase’s shoulder. Linc must have left.
“You’ll make up,” Leona whispers.
“He’ll make it up to you now that he knows who you are to him and knows how hurt you are,” Stacy adds, rubbing my shoulder.
“Don’t bet on it,” I deny.
But they’re all betting on it. In a pool!
Because they’re hoping that fairytales and wishes upon stars do come true. And I’m so glad that they did for Stacy after all she’s been through, but I have a new wish. A wish to spare frightened or repulsed females of the fear associated with a rut-hungry alpha bearing down on them with lust in his eyes.
“I’m going to need you all to sign my petition,” I tell them. “A petition that gives female shifters a chance to hit the pause button if an alpha is determined to mate her against her will. And please, tell everyone else, too. I need as many signatures as possible. As fast as possible.”
“Pause button?” Roxy asks.
“Yes. I want a process whereby she can reject him if she so wishes. Perhaps a mediation takes place where she can list why she wants the bond severed before it happens.”
“But it’s… biology,” Stacy says.
“The natural order,” Audrey adds.
“An alpha claims he can’t stop himself,” I say. “And that’s not fair to a frightened or repulsed female. So there needs to be a mechanism in place to stop him so she can state her case and maybe they can sever his urges the way a bond can be severed.”
“Brody’s stopped himself,” Leona puts in, and she’s right about that.
Her cousin has managed to keep his urges at bay. And he’s definitely alpha. But he’s put his mate’s needs first, which I didn’t even know was possible when an alpha identified his mate.
“Erica helped,” Stacy says. “His control began slipping the other day and Brody was about to hit the rut and he locked Addy in a room to keep her safe from him while he called Riley and asked for help. Addy was pretty scared. Erica gave him something and … well… he’s keeping his distance now.”
“That’s a shame,” Audrey remarks.
“Yeah,” Stacy says. “I think Addy’s ready for him to make a move and now he’s giving her too much space.”
“Shit,” Leona mutters, then looks at me. “How would he be stopped? If your petition goes through, I mean?”
“A witch would have to intervene, I suppose,” I say.
“There aren’t witches near every pack though, are there?” Stacy asks.
“No…” I say. “It’s a conundrum, but it certainly can’t go on like this. Look what just happened to Sherry! And nobody did anything to stop it.”
“Jase wanted it stopped,” Audrey says.