The She-Wolf’s Mate (Book 2 She-Wolf Series)
Chapter 23

Samantha

Ivar and I had agreed to one more night, but neither of us seemed keen on rushing the decision. It helped that Ivar was busy tiptoeing around my baby sister who clearly made him uncomfortable. If you didn’t know her, Kate could come off as rather intimidating. For the king who so rarely appeared unsure of himself, it kept me quite entertained to watch him try and manage her.

“Sam,” Kate approached me after breakfast. “We need to talk.”

“Okay,” I agreed. “What about?”

“Not here,” she said, glancing around. “Too much superhuman hearing.”

I smiled and shook my head.

“I’ll grab my keys,” I told her. “We can go for a coffee or something.”

“Sounds good,” she said, grabbing her purse and immediately heading to the door. “Your coffee maker is shit anyways. I mean seriously, how do you drink that?”

I ignored her remarks and turned to the rest of the room.

“Kate and I are going to the coffee shop down the road for a bit,” I told them. “Text me your order if you would like anything.”

Ivar gave me a confused look. I walked over to give him a peck on the cheek.

“Girl talk,” I explained.

He frowned, but nodded.

“I’ll be here when you get back,” he promised, gently.

“I hope so,” I told him, gazing directly into his ice blue stare.

He nodded again before I turned and followed my spit-fire sibling. She was already in my SUV when I opened the driver side door.

Before I could even start the engine she got right to the point, “Why’s he back?”

I took a deep breath before giving her the rundown of events as we headed to the coffee shop. She nodded along, her pout deepening as I continued with the tale. I finished up as we parked.

“I get that you’re like ‘connected’ or whatever,” she said, slowly. “But why keep putting yourself through this? He left you. Why not just call it quits? Or if you want him that bad, just do the whole ‘mating thing’ like he wants?”

I hadn’t told her the reason that I didn’t leave with Ivar originally was Luke. She didn’t have children, and although she was a very loving aunt, I was afraid she wouldn’t understand.

Since she wasn’t a part of the pack, there were certain things I - even as Alpha - was expected to keep secret from her. Although I confided a lot, I hadn’t told her that Luke would be the pack's next alpha or that rejecting Ivar was a permanent, lifelong decision. She also didn’t know that the unfinished mate bond was affecting me physically and keeping me from healing.

I shook my head. “It’s kind of complicated.”

“You’re going to have to give me more than that, Sam,” she said, seriously. “I get that you have secrets, but you’re my sister. All you’ve told me is that this guy walked out moments after finding out you’re destined to wind up together and has ignored you for the last year. Then he shows just up as a wolf and looking like shit on your doorstep? What the hell?”

“Alright. You want the truth,” I snapped. “Ivar wanted me to go with him the night we met. I didn’t go because of Luke. If I mate him, I’ll be Queen and the alpha seat for my pack will be open. It’ll fall to the next in my line.”

“Luke would be Alpha?”

I nodded.

“Shit, Sam,” she murmured looking out the front windshield.

I nodded again and sighed.

“No wonder the hottie king looks so sad,” she said after a moment.

I snorted.

“What? You can’t tell me he’s not gorgeous,” she said, incredulously.

“He is,” I agreed. “And strong, protective, loving - he’s everything. But I don’t know if I can leave Luke in charge of a werewolf pack at sixteen. I took the alpha call last year so he wouldn’t have to.”

“What does Luke have to say about it?” She asked.

I pursed my lips.

“That he was born for it,” I said. “And that I’m missing out on my one chance with my soulmate if I walk away.”

“Do you believe him?”

“Yeah, I do,” I told her, honestly.

“That’s heavy,” she commented.

Then, she pushed the door open to get out of the car. I followed suit, falling into stride next to her. She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and I leaned in. Kate was seven years my junior, but we had always been close. Over the years, we were in very different stages of life but our relationship remained strong.

We each ordered a latte and found a cozy table in the corner. It was a work day so most of the patrons were grabbing their orders to go, but we were still on pack lands. Every customer recognized me and issued their greeting. I faced away from the door, hoping for some anonymity.

“What are you going to do, Sam?” Kate asked after we settled in.

“Honestly? I don’t know,” I admitted. “Ivar gave me an ultimatum. I asked him for one more night.”

“I don’t understand,” she frowned. “If he’s Mr. Perfect, why not wait until Luke’s a little older? Werewolves live like a super long time. What’s the difference?”

I shifted uneasily, not sure how much I should tell her. In the end, I decided I needed to get it off my chest.

“I’m not healing,” I said, quietly. “That’s why I almost died.” Her eyes widened. “I’m also… immortal. So is Ivar. But we might not be much longer.”

“Well,” Kate said, clearly trying to figure out what to say. “That’s… not good? Fuck, Samantha. You need to figure this out.”

“Uh, I’m trying, Kaitlyn,” I snapped back.

“Are you? This is bad. I’m not even a werewolf and I know it’s bad.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “You could be challenged again.”

“Hence Ivar's ultimatum,” I said drily.

Kate sat back, looking at me thoughtfully.

“I’ll move here,” she said after a moment.

“What?” I asked. “What would that accomplish?”

“If you marry the king, I’ll move here,” she said, no hint of her usual sarcasm. “I’ll look out for Luke. If he’s the alpha, none of the other wolves would really be able to tell him no or control him, right? I’m not a wolf, so I don’t answer to him. I’ll be his moderator.”

“I can’t ask you to do that, Kate,” I told her. “You love your job. Your life. That’s too much.”

Kate was a corporate lawyer in Chicago and lived for her work. She had quickly climbed the ranks at a major law firm and was on her way to becoming their youngest partner ever.

“Sam,” she said, her voice dead serious, “You’re not asking, I’m offering. I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t sure. You have lived to serve others, and you have always put your family first. This time, you need to put yourself first.”

I stayed quiet, not sure how to respond.

“I know I’m not the most nurturing person to leave your son with -"

“Kate, that’s not -“

“Let me finish,” she cut me off. “I’m not the most nurturing person, but I do love my nephew more than anything in the world. I will take care of him.”

“You’re the best aunt I could’ve asked for for Luke,” I told her. “I’m just worried about what that means for your life.”

“You gave up everything to be Alpha. I can give up a job,” she pointed out. “Besides, if anyone can control a teenage, alpha werewolf, it’s me.”

She wasn’t joking and I believed her.

“That’s true,” I agreed, grinning at the thought.

“Good. Then it’s decided,” she said, standing up.

“Hang on -"

“Come on, Sam,” she shrugged. “It’s pretty clear what you need to do. It’s destiny or whatever, right?”

“I’ll think about it,” I told her, standing to join her.

She rolled her eyes.

“Fine, let’s go home.”

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