Page 2 of Her Second-Hand Mate

Evangeline stormed out of the kitchen and stomped her feet as she climbed the stairs up to her room. It was an assault on the senses, in true dramatic Evangeline fashion.

“I know you hid that brush, Penelope.”

“It's my brush. She kept using it without asking permission.”

“You're as prickly as a cactus. You won't be able to behave like that once you're mated, you know that, right?”

When I didn't respond, she continued.

“You see how your father is. You don't remember your grandfather, God rest his soul, but he was the same. Males are,” she seemed to be searching for the right word, “differentfrom us. You will have to swallow your complaints sometimes. Least said, soonest mended.”

I sighed.

“I know, Nana. How many more of these potatoes do you need?”

“About four more should be fine and then you can go shower and change while I finish up here.”

“Sure you don't need more help?”

“Not here. I will need you to serve tonight.”

“No problem.”

It was only in the shower that I finally allowed my mind to wander. I closed my eyes as the hot water washed the day off my body. I liked my life. It was okay. But I was ready for something else.

Being in this pack, in this family, was draining all the color from my life. There was always some delegation or other visiting,always someone gawking at us, always meals to prepare and serve.

Father liked me to be seen and not heard at these dinners, so at least that was a blessing in disguise. As was shifting for the first time and discovering my mate wasn't in the Uinta pack.

Just thinking about that faceless male made my wolf want to burst out of my skin. For a while, I'd looked for him in every delegation that came to visit. But it's been four years since my first shift and I was less hopeful these days.

???

“What should I serve first?”

“Eden served the soup a while ago, so you can take the funeral potatoes out now.”

As I approached the big dining room, my wolf kept growing more restless. She was almost pulling me towards the room. Before I could process what was happening, I started feeling almost intoxicated by the smell of wild thyme. It felt like I was standing in a beautiful meadow somewhere.

Through my daze, I heard something breaking, something scraping on the floor, and then something falling. I was suddenly clutching some cloth with my claws before Father's strong hands gripped and shook me.

“What in Heaven's name has gotten into you, Penelope?” he boomed.

“She's my mate,” the delicious-smelling male said in a deep, subdued voice.

I opened my eyes to meet his, and they took my breath away.

“I need to have a word with my daughter,” Father spoke as my mate and I just stood there, staring at each other.

Wild Thyme nodded and left the room. He just left. Father dragged me into his study. I still hadn't fully recovered from the unexpected encounter.

“Close the door, Penelope,” he ordered, and I obeyed.

Some things never changed, dazed or not. I closed my eyes and inhaled the familiar scent of the room. Paper, tobacco, and Father.

“Do you know who that male is?”

I shook my head.

---