Page 33 of This Mate Thing

"Trust me.He won't miss you until you're gone.Tell him you'll be gone for two days, and then we'll go for three."

"I don't want to lie to Simon."

"It's not a lie."

"Intentionally giving him the wrong information feels a lot like lying."

She chuckles."Give him your number if he doesn't have it already.Maybe he'll send you a text asking how you're doing."

I would like a text.If he sends me one, it means I can send a few hundred back to him."Fiiine."

"Awesome!You can model for me again, right?I need more photos of you in fur.People love you for some reason."

I groan, though I don't mind playing model for her.

"We'll tell them we're going out to look for the wolf pack, and he might worry about you."

"Again, I don't like lying to him."

"It's not a lie."

"Yes, it is.We are the pack.We're not looking for it, and we're not in any danger from it.I should come up with a way to tell him what I am, not deceive him."

She hums."Yeah, that's gonna be an interesting conversation.How do people tell their mates they can turn into wolves?"

"No idea."

"Cook something good, run over there and give it to him right before we're to leave.Then he can eat your food and miss you."

I nod."Okay, but I'm doing this under protest."

"Noted."

What should I cook?Running over there with a three-course dinner would be too obvious.It needs to be something I could've cooked for myself.I'm in the mood for savory crepes, but do children like those?I want Ira to miss me when I'm gone too.

"What's kid-friendly food?"

Zahrah is quiet for a moment."I'm sorry, did you ask me a food question?I fail at the kind of ramen you only need to add boiling water to."

"I was thinking savory crepes, but would Ira like those?"

"Maybe with a chicken--"

"No.I've fed them chicken twice in only a few days."

"Venison stew with rice.The one you make sometimes with carrots and celery with red wine in."

I nod.I doubt Simon has venison often."Okay, I'll make that."I drag myself off the couch and over to the freezer, where I bring out a big chunk of meat to thaw overnight.

"Great.I'll pick you up at three tomorrow."

I didn't like this plan.Three days without Simon.It will be torture.I need to be here to help him.

"Boris?"

"Yeah, yeah, see you at three."

"It'll be fine, good even.It'll make him realize what life would be like without you."