Page 1 of His True Mate

Clay

Chapter 1

“Hello ladies. How are you today?”

The only response I received was a loud “Moo!”

“Bessie, my best girl. You always have something to say, don’t you?”

Yeah, I was talking to cows on a Friday night. That’s what my life had resorted to, but I didn’t mind. I loved working with the animals in the dairy barn. My partner, Ruby, and I had doubled production over the last three years. It was something we were both proud of.

Hard work and long days were what I lived for.

“Clay! Can I pet Bessie?” my favorite four-year-old squealed as she ran downstairs. Ruby, her mate Bran, and their daughter Opal lived on the top floor of the barn.

“Does your mama know you’re down here?”

“Yeah, I’m right behind her. We’re running late for dinner at Peyton’s. Do you want to join us?”

“Nah. I’m good.”

This was a normal routine for us. Ruby always invited me to family meals, but I just didn’t feel right accepting. I knew it would be okay. Hell, I practically grew up with her family, it just didn’t feel the same anymore.

Ruby’s brother Thomas was Alpha of our Pack now. He was also one of my very best friends, a brother of the heart really. There were six of us and, for as long as I could remember, people called us the Six Pack.

We were still close and there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do if those boys asked, but we were growing up and things were changing.

First, Wyatt had taken Kate as his mate. She was cool but she was his priority now, as it should be. Wyatt was great about making time for the rest of us, but I knew it wasn’t always easy on him.

Next came Thomas. We always knew Thomas would break away from the group first. He was raised as the Alpha heir and once he found his mate, Lily, they assumed the throne as Pack Alpha and Pack Mother, settled down and started spitting out babies. Lily just gave birth to their second daughter. Cammie and Audrey sure kept him busy, so it was rare that we got to spend time with him

I rounded out the last of the group along with Emmett, Austin, and James. None of us had settled down yet. Emmett and Austin both worked around the ranch, so I still saw them often enough, but James was now Sheriff of Collier and that kept him pretty busy.

I missed the days we would all hang out together every day.

“Bye Bessie,” the little girl said as I passed her to Ruby.

Opal blew me a kiss over her mother’s shoulder and waved as they left.

“See you later gator,” I told her.

“After a while, crocodile,” she replied with a giggle.

“Well Bess, it looks like it’s just you and me.”

She mooed back in response.

“Still talking to the heifers?” Austin teased from the door on his way in.

“Don’t you listen to him, Bessie. You’re my best girl,” I told her, giving the cow a kiss on the nose.

“Gross. Dude, we have got to get you out of this place. I’ve come to rescue you, so let’s go already.”

“I don’t need rescuing, Austin.”

“Like hell you don’t. Instead of the crazy cat lady, you’re going to grow up to be the weird cow guy at this rate. It might even be too late at this point, but I’m not giving up hope.”

I rolled my eyes and didn’t bother to respond. It would only provoke him.