smells delicious.” Curt's voice sent a thrill down my spine.
“Thanks,” I said.
“Awww, aren't you two too cute for words?” Mia said as she walked away laughing.
“How are you feeling?” Curt asked.
“Fine,” I said.
“That's it?”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, what did you expect?”
Curt shrugged. “I don't know. Is it too soon to get a test from Lissy?”
I shook my head. “Probably not. But I think we should wait.”
“For what?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I don't know. I mean—”
“I spoke with Byrom briefly yesterday. There's still no matings on the cold noon,” Curt said.
I raised eyebrow and my jaw dropped. “Is that—? Was that—? Are you—?” I shook my head. “For real Curt? I mean, I didn't need romance and flowers and any sort of crazy display but I guess I didn't expect someone to ask me to mate them with by saying ‘no one else is doing it on that day, so it's free.’” I took a step back from him, suddenly we were too close and I was annoyed. “I am going to finish this meal. I'll see you at the run.”
“You’re going to sit with me at the dinner, right?” he called after me.
“I think I'm going to be busy,” I said. “I've got to go.” I turned on my heel and walked away.
6. Curt
I watched my fated mate stomp away, the acrid smell of sadness coming off him in waves. I'd never been so in tune with his emotions or anyone’s for that matter. Was that a mate thing? Or were we just special? I liked to think that we were special.
“Boy, you have got a lot to learn about having a mate,” Mia said.
“Weren't you supposed to give us our space?” I said.
“I can eavesdrop,” she said. “Now, actually taste the soup and tell me if it's any good.”
I took a sip of the soup. The taste exploding on my tongue. My mate sure knew how to make a meal. He had always been talented with baking and cooking, but he’d clearly learned a ton of new techniques while in Ashcliff. I couldn’t wait to taste all of his new dishes. “It's delicious,” I said.
“Your mate is talented. Now, go sit down and think about the conversation you just had and where you might have gone wrong.”
“Can I have a hint?”
She rolled her eyes. “Haven't you ever dreamed about what your mating would be like?”
“Well, sure. But—”
“But nothing. He deserves a little more than ‘no one else is getting mated on that day.’” She made her voice deep as if to mock me.
“It's only practical, especially if we have a pup on the way, to get mated as soon possible.”
She rolled her eyes hard. “Practical. There's nothing practical about being mated. Just because fate brought you together doesn't mean everything gets to be easy peasy.”
“Okay,” I said, still very confused.
She pushed me out of the kitchen. “Go on now. I'm sure there's some work for you alphas to do?”
“I guess,” I said and walked away.
Did he want a more romantic proposal? Like what? Maybe it was time I visited his parents to see what they thought. They kept going on about the cold moon and how it was good luck for mating. And it was a family tradition. It seemed only practical that we would continue it.
I thought about asking my brothers, but goodness, I didn't want to hear what their advice might be.
7. Tyson
I blinked back tears as I helped set the buffet table. Soon pack members would arrive for the feast, I needed to get a grip.
It wasn’t Curt’s fault. He had no way of knowing what I wanted, the two of us hadn’t spoken much about a future. For him, it made logical sense for us to jump right into a mating ceremony and probably move in together or whatever. That was what his siblings had done.
But was it so wrong to want a little romance? A little fanfare?
Just because we were fated didn’t mean we were a done deal. I mean, we sort of were, because I had no intention of denying my mate. But that didn’t let him off the hook for a least a little bit of wooing or courting. Something!
I took a deep breath, clamped back my personal issues and focused on the task at hand. Before I knew it, the buffet table was set and we were ready for the pack members to arrive. It didn’t take long and their wolf noses lead them to the pavilions.
A hand landed on