Page 98 of Her Second-Hand Mate

I looked at her again. She’d gotten even bigger since she’d had the pup. Her dress was a tent, like always. God, I hated the sight of her.

I felt my upper lip being pulled up in a sneer. What an unlikely couple they made. She was such a dowdy female and so dull. He had such depth to him, such strength.

I remembered how I'd recognized the pain in his eyes the first time I met him. His wounded soul called to mine. We would soon be one, and we would heal each other. My wolf would have a mate again, and she’d heal from whatever I’d inadvertently done to her. I would finally feel whole again. No more pretending. No more tinctures. No more loneliness. Dom would finallyseeme.Me.

“Now, let me get Hank, and then you two lovebirds can have your grand finale.”

She frowned, and I knew the wheels in her head were turning, so I helped her out.

“I’m planning to make it seem like Hank and you had a little lovers’ spat gone wrong right here in your pup’s room. Now, I can’t guarantee that’s how others will see it. Maybe they’ll think Hank was obsessed with you, all these months alone in the car, maybe he approached you, and you shot him down? I’d be happy with either, as long as the outcome remains the same.”

“The outcome being my death?”

“Bingo. But don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Dom. We’re meant to be, you know?”

“I actually don’t, Heather,” she shrugged and moved to sit on the bed.

I let her. She might as well get comfortable before I cut the tendons in her legs to prevent her from running. I took a step toward her, and to her credit, she didn’t flinch.

“Have you ever heard of the Clearheart legend?” I asked, and she shook her head no. “Some of the European packs believed that if a pair of fated mates had an awful relationship because one of them was terrible, true love between one of the mates and a third party could break the bond and forge a new one between the lovers if they are both pure of heart.”

“I’m sorry, Heather, but Dominic and I don’t have an awful relationship.”

“Please,” I made a face at her. “He was ignoring you for the longest time; he even left for three months. And when he finally came back, I never smelled you on him again! What would you call that?”

Penelope’s mouth tightened in anger and disapproval, but she knew I was right. I made it my life’s mission to observe that male.

“Do you think you’re pure of heart, Heather? Do you think you fulfill the conditions of the legend?” she tried reasoning with me.

The throbbing became stronger.

“My heart beats only for Dom. Everything I did was for him! If that isn’t pure I don’t know what is. That whore cheated on him! I could smell Alpha Anderson all over her. I almost vomited. I couldn’t believe it,” my eyes filled with tears. “How could she do that to Dom? How could she cheat on her mate?”

Penelope’s gaze was soft when she asked, “What happened when you picked Cassie up that night?”

“We argued,” I wiped my eyes with my sleeve.

I wore sweatpants and a long-sleeved tee today. None of my clothes fit right anymore. I was slowly wasting away without a mate.

“I confronted her about the cheating, and she claimed she just needed closure with an ex, and we got into it. I ran us off the road when I attacked her as she was driving.”

“How did no one notice you were lying about the accident?”

I puffed out my chest proudly.

“First of all, I’m an accomplished faker,” I said, a hint of the old bitterness creeping in.

“I had you all fooled, didn’t I?” I looked at her pointedly, and I think she would’ve laughed if it wasn’t for the knife in my hand.

“I took a swig from Cassie’s flask. She usually laced her drinks with wolfsbane when she partied. Together with the kava mixture that I take for anxiety, it left me calm and composed, and with no wolf to show my unease. Messed with my leg, though,” I grimaced.

“Please, just don’t hurt my pup,” she suddenly fell to her knees in front of me and put her face in her hands.

Finally, she was in her rightful place, below me.

“Don’t be stupid. He’s not even here. And I need him. After your death, Dom will need someone to help him with the pup,” I said as I leaned down to yank her from the floor when I felt a sharp burn in my chest.

I looked down and saw blood blooming on my shirt as the bitch yanked the dagger out of the wound.

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