Page 3 of The Bear's Perfect Mate
It was as if the air had left his lungs. He turned a dazed expression on Finn.
“Is this your mystery man, Sophie?” a voice called out.
“Did you know he was going to propose?” asked another.
“It’s all a misunderstanding,” Finn was saying as he tried to calm the situation.
“No, it’s not,” Nero murmured.
“Oh yes, it is,” his mate was saying, her face like thunder over the mountains.
“This way,” Finn said, guiding Nero away from the growing crowd. People were pressing in, phones raised to capture what they thought was a romantic moment. Nero felt dizzy, overwhelmed by the scent of her, by her presence that called to his very core.
“Finn, you don’t understand,” Nero whispered urgently as his brother steered him toward a service corridor. “That’s her. My mate.”
“I got that,” Finn hissed back. “But that is Sophie Truro.”
“Who?” Nero asked.
Our mate,his bear said happily, but totally unhelpfully.
“Sophie Truro,” Finn repeated, his eyes narrowed. “She’s a chef… You know, the social media chef.Eat it simple with Sophie.”
Nero shook his head.
“Have you been living under a rock?” Finn asked.
Yes,his bear answered.A precious one—to make an engagement ring.
“So, she’s not about to get engaged?” Nero said with relief.
“No,” Finn said in exasperation. “You were supposed to take the ring to stall number twelve.”
“But you said to take the ring to stall number one.” Nero yanked his phone out of his pocket and tapped the screen. Afterscrolling through his messages, he turned the screen to Finn. “See?”
Finn’s face paled. He shook his head. “I don’t know how…”
As his voice trailed off, Nero shook his head. “Oh. My. Goodness.”
“Don’t say it!” Finn held up his hands and backed away.
“You did it!” Nero’s voice rose as he chuckled. “You made another matchmaking mix-up.”
“I didnot,” Finn insisted, looking around.
“You missed the two off the end of the message and sent me to stall number one. Where my mate was waiting for me,” Nero said. It seemed too far-fetched, too incredible. But the truth was there in the text.
“Just give me the ring and I’ll take it to Pete.” Finn held out his hand for the ring. It trembled slightly as Nero handed over the box. “Let’s just keep the…rest…you know, the text…between you and me.”
“Okay, if that’s what you want,” Nero said, even though he wanted to shout from the rooftops.
“It is,” Finn said, and turned on his heel and marched off.
Nero watched him go and then leaned back against the wall, his head down as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.
We found our mate,his bear reminded him.
Nero shook his head and then laughed, a sound of pure wonder escaping his lips. He had actually met his mate. After watching three of his brothers find their perfect matches, fate had finally led him to his own.
