Page 81 of Her Second-Hand Mate

When she shot me a look, I added, “Don’t ask. And a holiday present for him and his mom. That’s all I have time for today. Gabriel still can’t do more than four hours without me, and that’s pushing it. What about you?”

“Luna!” Sophie interrupted us. “I haven’t seen you in a while. I was sorry to hear about your loss,” she said in a more subdued tone, and I appreciated the condolences. My wolf felt supported and loved by her pack.

“Thank you, Sophie. How are you?”

“I’m well. I heard a lot about your pup’s wonderful clothes that you made yourself,” she said slyly. “If you ever decide to start a clothing line, I want to be the first store to carry it.”

“Has Dominic been talking about me again?”

“Oh, Luna, but it’s so sweet! The male is smitten. Someone mentions a garden, and he goes on about your flowers, or anything he can.”

Charlotte joined in, but I knew for a fact she was teasing since she elongated words in an exaggerated way, “Penelope is sooo good with Gabriel, it’s like she knows what he needs even before he himself does! Penelope is soooo naturally talented in dealingwith our pack members,” she stopped abruptly when I pinched her, “Ouch! I’m telling Dominic.”

“He’ll probably say that I pinch better than anyone else in the world,” I said smugly, and we all laughed.

“Oh, my,” Sophie said when she recovered from the laughter. “I’m almost sad I have to go back to work. Please let me know if I can help you two with anything.”

“Thank you, Sophie,” I said and then turned to Charlotte. “So? What are we buying here?”

“Lingerie,” Charlotte said, more quietly than she normally would have.

“I don’t...”

“It’s for me,” she said, not meeting my eyes. “I’ll spend the night at Noah’s tonight. It’s his birthday tomorrow, and... well, I made my decision, and I hope, as my friend, you’ll respect that.”

“I can’t make you do anything, Charlotte, but I will also not celebrate your decision,” I said, and her face fell slightly. “I’m sorry, that’s not what a good friend does.”

“I understand.”

“Can I ask you something?” she nodded, so I continued, “Are you not freaked out by the story Margaret told?”

“I was,” she admitted as she touched a silky nightgown. “But then I realized that it’s not the same. She was a pup, and we're both grown wolves. Noah is older than I am; he should have met his mate by now. For all we know, she’s dead. This could turn into a real thing,” she said.

“What aboutyourmate?”

She turned to meet my eyes, and I could see she was on the verge of crying.

“Where is he, Pen? I’ve traveled, I’ve been a student here for years, and I’ve never met him. Sometimes, I worry that I never will. And I’m so lonely all the time, I have no family, when I leave the University next year I’ll be all alone in the world!” she was crying now in earnest and I hugged her tightly.

“Well, just be careful. My Nana,” I stopped to swallow that annoying lump in my throat that now accompanied her name, “always saidlust looks like love until it’s time to sacrifice, so just please keep your eyes open.”

“I will, Pen, don’t you worry about me.”

We left the store with both of our hands filled with bags, not a present for Dominic in sight, when she suddenly jerked and turned toward a couple on the street. The male stopped and widened his eyes at her. The female was too wrapped up in nuzzling his neck to notice us. They both reeked of sex.

“Noah,” Charlotte breathed, and I stiffened next to her.

“Hello, Charlotte,” Noah said, seeming completely unaffected by our presence.

His companion turned to us with a big smile. She was gorgeous – long-legged and tanned and too scantily dressed for the end of October in Massachusetts.

“Hi! I’m Jennifer, Noah’s mate,” she offered and when I saw Charlotte wasn’t going to say anything, I introduced myself.

“Hello. I’m Penelope, I’m Luna of Greylock and Charlotte’s friend. She and your mate work together.”

I looked Noah directly in the eyes and pushed a bit of my wolf into it, forcing him to look away.

“Great to meet you! My brother’s the Alpha of the Yosemite pack where we are both originally from. I flew in to surprise Noah for his birthday, and then we’ll both fly back for the holidays.”

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