Page 42 of Her Second-Hand Mate

“I do want it.”

“Doesn’t look that way.”

“It’s mine.”

“It’s not meant to be in a drawer.”

“It’s mine and it’s my business what I do with it.”

I gingerly set it back into its drawer and slammed said drawer shut. I then looked at Dominic with all the anger I could muster at him, at my father, at my wolf for still wanting him. My wolf didn’t care about the photo. She only cared about feeling his hand wrapped around my wrist. I yanked it away from him, and I know he let me do it.

Making all those mistakes on the budget form hadn't taught me anything, which I promptly proved by getting Wite-out all over my sleeves in the process of erasing them. I wasn’t too upset; Nana always said that most things came out in the wash and that soaking first helped.

She’d always said it with such a pointed look that I used to believe this particular piece of advice transcended the concept of laundry, but I couldn’t conceive a tub big enough to soak my mating in. Instead, I wished I had a huge bottle of Wite-out, which I could spill all over my life and start over.

???

“What do you get the male who has everything?” Lynn whined as we meandered through the mall, looking for holiday presents, before going back to the house for our sleepover weekend. Dominic was away again, and I didn’t even ask where to this time. Hank trailed behind us for protection. It was a huge human mall, and he said this was part of his job, so we let him.

“I told you, just get a set of lingerie,” Grace volunteered the same helpful advice she’d been doling out the entire afternoon.

“I see a certain pregnant she-wolf is experiencing one of the nicer side effects of pregnancy,” Charlotte teased, and Grace pressed her lips together, hiding her smile. “Don’t be embarrassed. Semen softens not only the cervix but also the heart.”

I whipped my head around to see whether Hank was close enough to hear and hissed, “Charlotte! Stop discussing semen in public!”

“I see which little prude will not be buying lingerie this Christmas,” she teased.

I indignantly replied, “I will not. I’m getting Dominic a mechanical puzzle set.”

“Well, that’s one way to blow his mind,” Lynn laughed, and I joined her.

I didn’t feel any pressure to change who I was with these females. They knew me, and they accepted me for who I was – and I did the same with them.

“God help your mate, Charlotte, you’re gonna suck the life out of him,” I said, and when they were wheezing with laughter, it hit me. “Not like that, oh my God, I didn’t mean it like that!”

“You’re not wrong,” Mira said as she wiped tears from her eyes, “but I’m just glad that I heard you talk about sucking something.”

“You're all shameless,” I mumbled, but there was no bite to it. “Change of topic. Have you all sent in your RSVPs for the Thanksgiving feast?”

“Yes,” they said in unison, and Charlotte tacked on a half-mocking “Luna” at the end of hers, and I stuck out my tongue at her.

“This is the biggest project I’ve undertaken as Luna so far, and I’m equal parts excited and terrified,” I admitted as we left yet another store.

“I can’t even imagine,” Lynn said. “You should know I’m watching you and taking notes for my future.”

“Well, I hope your notes will not saydo things differently from Penelope,” I grimaced.

“Are you kidding me?” she stopped in front of me, and so did all the other females. “You’re doing so many things, and you’re doing them so well, especially for someone so young. You should be proud of yourself, seriously!” Lynn said with the same conviction she used to argue with Prof. Bell in class.

I pulled her into a quick hug. Maybe Ishouldbe proud of myself.

“Is Anthony still meeting us for dinner?”

“Yes, he’s hanging out with Isaac and Rowan, so they’ll all be here at 6.”

“We better hurry up then.”

???

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