They Took Turns Pretending to Be My Mate Chapter 01

They Took Turns Pretending to Be My Mate Chapter 01

Southridge Pack had a rule written into pack law.

A widowed she-wolf could remain without a new mate for no more than three years after her mate died.

Once that deadline passed, if she still had not sealed a new mate bond, the Pack Council would forcibly assign her a new mate.

I had been dropping hints to Kane for three full years.

But every time he climbed out of my bed, he lazily pulled on his clothes as though nothing had happened and never said a word about sealing the mate bond or marking me.

Then the final day before my three-year deadline arrived.

I finally lost patience and stormed over to his house. Even if it meant an ugly confrontation, I needed an answer.

But just as I reached the door, I heard two men talking inside.

One of them sounded exactly like Kane.

“Kane, Ella’s three-year deadline is almost up, isn’t it? Are you really not going to seal the mate bond with her and just let another wolf do it instead?”

Kane scoffed, sounding completely unconcerned.

“Why would I ever take a widowed she-wolf as my mate?”

“If you want her, seal the mate bond with her yourself.”

The other man clicked his tongue in irritation.

“Forget everything else. When it’s your turn, could you stop being so rough with her?”

“You left her so sore I barely got to enjoy myself last night.”

Kane gave a lazy laugh.

“You’ve got some nerve blaming me. You’re no different.”

Standing outside the door, I felt the blood in my veins slowly turn to ice.

For the past three years, it had not always been Kane coming and going from my bedroom.

The other man was his twin brother, Kyle.

They had the same face, the same black-wolf bloodline, and the same pine scent. To make sure I could not tell them apart, they had even used the same scent-masking salve to completely hide their individual scents.

My face drained of color, and I turned and ran home.

When I pushed open the door, Lola was lying on the rug, clutching an old stuffed animal and staring blankly ahead.

She was not even five yet. Her eyes were still round with innocence, and she understood none of it.

I looked at my little pup, my eyes burning with tears.

I had truly believed Lola and I were finally going to have a real home.

It had all been nothing but wishful thinking.

To keep the Pack Council from handing me over to some stranger, I dug up every bit of savings I had hidden beneath the floorboards and paid a convoy bound for Northreach to take us away.

I was never coming back to Southridge Pack.

…

“This is only enough to get you as far as Northreach’s border outpost.”

The grizzled convoy leader leaned against a truck with a pipe between his teeth, slowly counting the cash in his hand.

When he finished, he looked me over.

“Anything farther will cost extra.”

“I can’t guarantee your safety on the road either.”

“Northreach is cold enough to freeze you to the bone. The wolves up there aren’t exactly welcoming to outsiders either.”

“You’re a lone she-wolf traveling with a pup. Are you sure about this?”

I did not hesitate. I merely gave him a bitter smile and nodded.

“That’s fine.”

“Just take us as far as this money will get us. Reaching Northreach is enough”

The convoy leader exhaled a stream of smoke.

“All right.”

“The convoy leaves tonight. If you’re late, we leave without you.”

I thanked him and trudged home, exhausted.

The moment I opened the door, I saw a tall werewolf standing with his back to me.

He was holding a tiny rabbit braided from scarlet cord, smiling as he played with Lola.

At the sound of the door, Lola reluctantly tore her gaze away from the rabbit.

The moment she saw me, she stretched out both arms.

“Mom!”

The unfamiliar male turned around as well.

A lingering smile softened his naturally downturned eyes.

“Ella? Where did you go?”

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“Why did you leave Lola here by herself?”

I said nothing.

I simply stared at the face that looked exactly like Kane’s and lost myself in thought.

Now that I looked closely, they were not truly identical.

Unlike Kane, who was always lazy and bad-tempered, Kyle was far more open and straightforward.

There was a gentler warmth in his eyes, and his smile came more easily.

Other than their faces, they had almost nothing else in common.

How had it taken me all these years to finally see that?

My throat tightened.

I held out my arms to Lola.

“Lola, come here.”

My pup immediately squirmed free of Kyle’s arms and launched herself into mine.

She excitedly held up the rabbit braided from scarlet cord.

“Mom, Kane gave this to me.”

“I love it!”

As soon as she finished, she glanced at me nervously.

Then she asked in a small voice, “Mom, when is Kane going to be my daddy?”

“Tyler from next door told me that if you don’t seal the mate bond with Kane soon, the Alpha is going to choose another wolf to be my daddy…”

I pressed my lips together and gently stroked her cheek.

“You like Kane that much?”

Lola nodded without hesitation.

My gaze flickered toward Kyle, who was still standing inside the house.

I steeled myself, ready to finally say everything out loud.

“Ella, there’s something I came to talk to you about.”

Kyle’s expression suddenly turned serious.

I froze, and my heart skipped a beat.

Lola looked back and forth between us, then obediently let go of my waist and scampered into the next room.

The curtain fell back into place behind her.

I instinctively clenched the hem of my shirt, my palm growing damp with sweat.

Then Kyle finally spoke.

“Ella, I’ve been thinking.”

“I think we should end things.”