it true? Is that shifter really your mate?”
Her mother looked positively giddy, but why?
With a solemn face, Gale nodded confirmation.
Connie lay down on the bed on the other side
of Paul and propped her head on her hand to look directly at Gale. “Don’t you
get it?” Gale shook her head in response. Her mother reached over and cupped
her cheek. “A mate means he won’t ever hurt you, leave you, cheat on you, and
the mating will extend your life.” Her mother withdrew her hand. “Ever since I
mated with Tom, my only sorrow was that I was going to watch you and your
brother age and die, and most parents worry about their child when they’re in a
relationship. There are diseases. There’s abuse, and there’s betrayal. A
shifter can’t cheat on his mate. He can’t get it up for anyone else ever
again.”
Ok, so her mom had a strong argument. And
being mated to the hottest man on the planet was also a bonus. But Gale was
confused and nervous. She didn’t have a lot of experience with men. She’d actually
only slept with two guys.
“Mom,” she whispered, “what if I’m not good
enough? I’ve only been with two guys. I wouldn’t know what to do or how to
please him.”
Her mother wasn’t one to get uncomfortable
about this subject. She’d always believed an open relationship with her kids
would help them but a stricter one would put them at risk. She always wanted
her kids to be able to approach her or Tom about anything. “Fate wouldn’t do
that to you. You tell him you’re not very experienced. Always communicate with
your mate. Many issues could be resolved more easily or avoided completely if
there was better communication. He won’t know how to help you if you don’t let
him know what you need. Shifters are territorial, and more so of their mates
than anything else. He won’t turn you away or be disgusted in you for your
history, but the fewer the lovers in your past, the more pleased they are.
Don’t be afraid to tell him anything. He’s the one person you should be able to
go to for anything. It’s still a challenge. You’ll have to compromise and forgive,
but love will come fast and never lessen.”
“Do we date? Do we mate right away? I’m
having a problem figuring out what we do now.”
Her mother gave her a look of sympathy. “Think
about how you feel and what would be best for you. If you aren’t ready, you
need to tell him. He shouldn’t hurt you, Gale. I would bet he would wait for
you.”
Gale wasn’t so sure what was right for her.
She was still really young at nineteen, and she did have goals. Her mom must
have read her doubts. “Gale, what was he like when you first met him? How did
he make you feel?”
“Safe. Safe and happy. For the first time since the attack, I felt safe and happy.” She gave her
mother an apologetic look. “I know you and Tom are doing your best. I’m not
sorry for what he did.”
“I know, baby. I’m not sorry either. I love
him more than ever. If he wouldn’t have accepted you two when we first got
together, we wouldn’t have gotten together. Deep down, I thought maybe he was
just putting up a front, but over the last couple of years, I’ve shed almost
all doubts. I didn’t realize I still had doubts until the alpha ordered him to
get rid of Paul. I couldn’t be more proud of him for what he did or how he
handled it.” Her mother’s eyes welled up. Connie blinked the tears away and
shook herself of her mood, and she smiled at Gale. “I’m a believer in true
mates. Take the time you need, but don’t be afraid to take a chance.”
Tom appeared in the doorway, so her mother
got up and went to him. They stood in the doorway, holding each other, and the
look of intense love on Tom’s face when he looked at her mother made Gale long
for that with Alphy. She remembered Alphy had held her like that. She could
have what her parents had if she just got over her fears.
“Alphy wants us to move in with him. He lives
with his
Her mother looked positively giddy, but why?
With a solemn face, Gale nodded confirmation.
Connie lay down on the bed on the other side
of Paul and propped her head on her hand to look directly at Gale. “Don’t you
get it?” Gale shook her head in response. Her mother reached over and cupped
her cheek. “A mate means he won’t ever hurt you, leave you, cheat on you, and
the mating will extend your life.” Her mother withdrew her hand. “Ever since I
mated with Tom, my only sorrow was that I was going to watch you and your
brother age and die, and most parents worry about their child when they’re in a
relationship. There are diseases. There’s abuse, and there’s betrayal. A
shifter can’t cheat on his mate. He can’t get it up for anyone else ever
again.”
Ok, so her mom had a strong argument. And
being mated to the hottest man on the planet was also a bonus. But Gale was
confused and nervous. She didn’t have a lot of experience with men. She’d actually
only slept with two guys.
“Mom,” she whispered, “what if I’m not good
enough? I’ve only been with two guys. I wouldn’t know what to do or how to
please him.”
Her mother wasn’t one to get uncomfortable
about this subject. She’d always believed an open relationship with her kids
would help them but a stricter one would put them at risk. She always wanted
her kids to be able to approach her or Tom about anything. “Fate wouldn’t do
that to you. You tell him you’re not very experienced. Always communicate with
your mate. Many issues could be resolved more easily or avoided completely if
there was better communication. He won’t know how to help you if you don’t let
him know what you need. Shifters are territorial, and more so of their mates
than anything else. He won’t turn you away or be disgusted in you for your
history, but the fewer the lovers in your past, the more pleased they are.
Don’t be afraid to tell him anything. He’s the one person you should be able to
go to for anything. It’s still a challenge. You’ll have to compromise and forgive,
but love will come fast and never lessen.”
“Do we date? Do we mate right away? I’m
having a problem figuring out what we do now.”
Her mother gave her a look of sympathy. “Think
about how you feel and what would be best for you. If you aren’t ready, you
need to tell him. He shouldn’t hurt you, Gale. I would bet he would wait for
you.”
Gale wasn’t so sure what was right for her.
She was still really young at nineteen, and she did have goals. Her mom must
have read her doubts. “Gale, what was he like when you first met him? How did
he make you feel?”
“Safe. Safe and happy. For the first time since the attack, I felt safe and happy.” She gave her
mother an apologetic look. “I know you and Tom are doing your best. I’m not
sorry for what he did.”
“I know, baby. I’m not sorry either. I love
him more than ever. If he wouldn’t have accepted you two when we first got
together, we wouldn’t have gotten together. Deep down, I thought maybe he was
just putting up a front, but over the last couple of years, I’ve shed almost
all doubts. I didn’t realize I still had doubts until the alpha ordered him to
get rid of Paul. I couldn’t be more proud of him for what he did or how he
handled it.” Her mother’s eyes welled up. Connie blinked the tears away and
shook herself of her mood, and she smiled at Gale. “I’m a believer in true
mates. Take the time you need, but don’t be afraid to take a chance.”
Tom appeared in the doorway, so her mother
got up and went to him. They stood in the doorway, holding each other, and the
look of intense love on Tom’s face when he looked at her mother made Gale long
for that with Alphy. She remembered Alphy had held her like that. She could
have what her parents had if she just got over her fears.
“Alphy wants us to move in with him. He lives
with his
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