Page 205 of My Unexpected Mate

A bright smile spread across Aria’s face. “Deal.”

I smiled back at her and all of us left the kitchen to practice magic and train.

After sparring with Jacob, we took a well-deserved break. I grabbed a bottle of water and gulped it down.

“Can I ask you something?” Jacob said, panting hard.

“Sure,” I nodded.

“You and Aria are getting closer?” he asked and sat down on the ground.

“We are,” I smiled and looked down at him.

“Maybe you could help me then,” he said and looked away.

“With what?” I asked him and sat down on the ground opposite him.

Why does he need my help? He always claimed he was closer to her.

“Do you think I still have a chance?” he asked quietly as he picked a strain of grass from the ground.

I raised my eyebrows at him. “With Aria?”

He nodded, not looking at me.

Was he insane? Why was he asking me this? Nick was my friend. Even if I thought he had a chance, I could never tell him that. I could never betray Nick like that.

“She has a mate,” I said sternly.

“Mates can be rejected,” Jacob said and looked me in the eyes.

I narrowed my eyes on him. “She would never do that to Nick.”

“She loves me,” he said. “She never stopped loving me.”

“Maybe,” I nodded. “But Nick is her mate. She loves him more. She could never hurt him. You need to understand that and back away.”

“I can’t,” he said and clenched his fists. “I love her. She was taken away from me, and we never had a chance to be together. Now we do. I can’t back away from that.”

“Nick will rip you apart,” I said.

“He won’t,” Jacob shook his head. “He knows that would hurt her.”

“Maybe,” I sighed. “But his wolf doesn’t care about that. He is territorial and possessive. And if you touch his mate, Nick won’t be able to control his wolf.”

“What if she chooses to leave him?” he asked, raising his eyebrow. “What if she chooses me?”

“She won’t,” I said, shaking my head.

“We will see about that,” Jacob smirked and leaned back, supporting himself in his arms.

“Why are you even talking to me about this?” I asked, annoyed. “Aren’t you the one who always says you know her better than we do?”

“I do know her better,” he smiled. “But you spend more time with her and Nick than I do. You know more about their relationship than I do.”

“I do know more about them,” I nodded. “That is why I am telling you to leave them alone. Aria loves him and she would never hurt him.”

“I have to try,” he said, adamant. “I can’t lose her again.”

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