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I'm wearing sweatpants and a hoodie whilst I wait for my mate tonight. If he thinks I'm going to be hanging around in skimpy lingerie after what I found out today, he has another think coming.

Instead of hiding in the dark trees, I sit on the bench on the porch, my arms crossed and my expression set.

There's no point in meeting in the shadows of the trees anymore. I know who he is and what he looks like.

And oh, what he looks like...

How is he so handsome? I knew I would find my mate attractive, but I didn't know he would be the kind of man that the entire world finds attractive, too.

I was expecting handsome, not knock-out beauty. Not that kind of looks that make you forget what you're saying or thinking.

I chew on my bottom lip, wondering whether it would have been better to meet in the darkness. At least then, I can't be distracted by his looks.

Perhaps, this wasn't the best idea. If he comes out looking all handsome, I might lose my train of thought and not say everything I want to say.

I don't get a chance to change my mind. My mate comes out from the trees wearing a plain t-shirt and shorts. He approaches me with a sheepish expression.

I stand up from the bench and take the steps down the porch to meet him on the forest floor.

'Hello,' he says hesitantly.

My response is blunt. 'Hi.'

He rubs the back of his neck, looking sheepish and awkward.

'I owe you an explanation,' he states the obvious.

'And an apology,' I add.

He winces. 'Yes, and that, too.'

I take a seat on the porch steps and gesture with my hand. 'I'm listening.'

Remy looks awkward for a moment and shoves his hands into his pockets. He starts pacing slowly up and down in front of me.

'Yvette's parents and my parents have been friends for years. Since I was born, Yvette and I have been pushed together. I don't think I have a single childhood memory without her in it,' he starts to explain. 'As we got older, our parents started preparing us to take over the pack together.'

He sighs and runs his hands through his hair. i watch the movement, feeling jealous of his hands. My fingers twitch with the desire to touch the silky-looking, ebony strands.

'We didn't question us being mates. We were so used to being told that we were going to be. As the years have gone by, we've both dated other people without our parents knowing. We knew we weren't each other's mate at sixteen, but we daren't go against them, our parents were so invested in us.

'It's been hard of us both, growing up our parents dictating our lives and pressuring us to make the right choices. We both panicked when we realised we weren't mates, we've both been scared about finding our true mates, we didn't know what we would do. And then, four days ago, I stumbled across you in the forest.'

I feel like there is a lump in my throat that I can't swallow. He looks at me so intensely, so affectionately, it takes my breath away.

'I'm not cheating on Yvette by being with you, she knows about you and wants me to be happy,' he reassures me. 'I told her that I'd met you as soon as I saw her the next day. We've been trying to find a way to get out of the lives our parents chose for us.'

Relief fills me. All thoughts of him and Yvette disappear. I was making it worse than it was, it isn't what I think.

'And?' I ask quietly. 'What have you come up with?'

'We realised that, to go against my parents, we'd need a good reason. You were obviously a good reason, but we wanted to find Yvette's mate, too, to double our chances. She'd met her a week or two ago but hadn't been able to track her down again because she's human.

'Anyway, we've spent the last few days trying to track her down. We found her. Tomorrow, when we are named Alphas, we will announce that we've found our mates in other people and will be joining the packs as allies, but not merging them. We don't have the legal power to go against our parents at the moment, but, tomorrow, we will. We just need to become the Alphas first.'

He looks at me nervously, waiting for my response. He takes his hands from his pockets and runs them down his face.

'So, yeah, that's the plan so far,' he says awkwardly.

'Why haven't you just spoken to your parents?' I ask him. 'Why not explain that you're not mates?'

'We did tell them, but they were in denial. When we were sixteen, they thought we were trying to rebel and cause drama. We've been going along with the ploy to get both sets of parents to relinquish their titles over to us. The moment we're Alphas instead, we can make the rules.'

'And what will happen then?'

'Then, I will announce you as my mate to the pack, and Yvette will do the same with her mate to her pack.'

'And will the pack accept me? After years of thinking Yvette is your mate?'

Remy frowns. 'Of course. A lot of them already know that Yvette and I aren't true mates. They are well aware of the way our parents have engineered things the way they want them. They are loyal to me and will respect the fact you are my true mate.'

I stand up and approach him. 'And me? I'm supposed to believe all of this and blindly trust you?'

His brows furrow together as he regards me and then he smiles.

'You've been trusting me with your body the last few days, why not trust me with your heart, too?'

Well, shit.

I guess he has a point about that.

He closes the distance between us and gently cups my face in his hands. I try not to let his touch affect me, but it's difficult.

'I would never hurt or deceive you,' he says softly. 'I've been trying to protect you from all of this. I wanted to sort it out before you even found out who I am.'

'You didn't realise I was part of your pack?'

He lowers his hands from my face but doesn't step back.

'Yes, but I hoped you weren't coming to the ceremony. The first night I met you, I found out that you and Bridget live in this house and I asked my parents about you. They said you had been accepted to the pack recently but hadn't come to any of the events so far.'

My cheeks warm up as he unintentionally calls me out for not getting involved with pack life.

'I didn't think you'd come to the meeting, maybe the ceremony, but by then I would have renounced Yvette as a mate and claimed you, instead.'

He sighs and runs his hand through his hair again.

'Look, I'm sorry, I know this hasn't gone well at all. I've fucked up and not handled this well, but everything I've done was to try and protect you. I want to be with you.'

'Mark me then,' I tell him boldly and cross my arms over my chest. 'You were comfortable with sleeping with me, but didn't want to mark me. Do you know how used that makes me feel?'

Remy's face becomes pained.

'I'm so sorry, I never wanted you to feel that way. I would love to mark you, Imogen,' he says apologetically. 'But are you sure you want me to? I'm not worthy of you yet, I want to prove myself.'

'How are you going to do that?'

He smiles down at me. 'I'm going to start by announcing you as my mate to the pack tomorrow, if you will let me. Then, I will introduce you to my parents and I will give them the opportunity to accept our mating. If not, they can leave my territory until they are ready to.'

I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. I'm dreading meeting his parents. They want him with Yvette, they'll hate me.

Remy leans in closer, snapping me out of my panicked train of thought. His scent surrounds me and desire fills me. His lips brush across my cheek and then my ear lobe.

'And after that, I will take you back to my house and fuck you properly, in the light where I can see your face. I will bite your pretty little neck and claim you for the world to see.'

My lips part in surprise and my breathing hitches.

I hate myself for loving the sound of that.

I should be more angry at him. I should probably be mad and offended, but I'm not. I want him to do everything he's just talked about.

He leans back and gently runs his fingers over my neck, making me shiver.

'Please forgive me if I ever made you feel used or unworthy, Imogen,' he says sincerely. 'It is me who is unworthy. Let me prove myself to you tomorrow. Say you'll come.'

I blink up at him and slowly nod.

'Okay, I'll come.'

If only to watch him get his ass beat by his parents.

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I'm always so eager to post a new story, even when I've only written one chapter.

Me and my mind, impulsively wanting to post everything the second I write it:

My conscience, reminding me that it's not a good idea and I should write some more chapters and proof-read it first:

My and my mind, not liking this sensible way of thinking:

Me, realising that to be able to publish the books, I actually have to get round to writing them first: