Page 81 of His True Mate

“Wait, Sydney and Thomas?” I asked.

Sydney groaned. “Long story.”

“They were destined to be compatible mates until I came around and screwed it up,” Lily said.

I just stared at them in surprise unsure how to respond to that.

Sydney laughed. “It’s okay, Winnie. I love Thomas and love seeing him insanely head over heels for Lily. I would never come between true mates. And later I found my Luke. He was nothing I thought I wanted, but what is it you’re always saying Lily?”

“God doesn’t make mistakes when matching true mates. It’s what my mother always told us.”

“Right. So even though Luke was nothing like the mate I had envisioned myself with, he’s everything I needed most.”

“She’s insanely in love with her man, and their little family,” Lily said.

Sydney grinned from ear to ear. “Yeah, I really am. He’s the best.”

“How about the rest of you?” I asked suddenly wanting to hear all of their stories.

“Bran was trespassing in our territory, just passing through, or so I thought. We didn’t waste time sealing our bond.”

Lily held her side as she laughed. “I’m still not convinced you even knew his name at the time, Ruby.”

Ruby rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“Gage and I didn’t meet under normal circumstances. He was very sick and on the brink of death.”

“And you brought him back to life,” Lily reminded her.

Clara blushed and nodded. “Yeah, I did. He freaked out and tried to break our bond, but he also couldn’t seem to stay away. He followed me home and I haven’t been able to get rid of him since.”

“As if you’d even want to,” Peyton teased.

Clara just shrugged.

“Well, Wyatt and I met through my cousin, Austin. I was visiting his family at the time. Like I said, we were young, but we didn’t rush into things.”

“She made that boy suffer for a while before they finally claimed each other,” Sydney added. “Still, Wyatt was a super chill mating male. I’m not even sure he’s really semi-human. It was weird. Like he is far more protective now even.”

“Not like Clay,” Ruby insisted. “I’ve never even heard him growl at anyone before you came home with him, now he can barely formulate a full sentence without growling at something. He’s also been ridiculously regimented in his routine, so the fact that he was late for work this morning, still took lunch, and left early too is a big testament to how insane you’re making him.”

I scowled and realized I wanted him to claim me.

Lily poured me another glass of wine as I turned to Peyton.

“What about you?”

“I had to fight for my family. Oliver can be quite stubborn, and I wasn’t just mating him, but accepting his whole family.”

“Brady?” I asked.

“And Tim and Kenneth. He raised all three of his brothers, but he also had his daughter, Eve. She was so tiny back then. Oliver didn’t think he was good enough for me and really fought our bond.”

“But she took control of the situation and forced him to see he was wrong,” Lily said proudly.

“Huh. Do you think that’s what I’m going to have to do?”

“Yes!” Lily proclaimed. “You take control and you let him know he’s yours and you’re ready to claim what’s yours.”