TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 10

Ten

Lisa POV

“This is so fucked up, Lisa.” Sasha dragged a breath through the phone. “You’re supposed to sleep with this guy while his mate’s portrait watches? Who even does that? Cover it with something. Turn it around. Anything.”

My pulse kicked harder.

“Do you know anything about their relationship?”

“Give me a bit. I’ll find out,” she said. “My mom works in the pack records office. Let me see what I can find.” –

The call ended. I stayed where I was, staring at the portrait across the room, not expecting her to reach out again so quickly.

My phone buzzed again.

“Lisa,” Sasha said the moment I answered. “They’re fated.”

The word landed heavily.

“She’s been sick for a while,” Sasha continued. “Something that comes and goes. Right now she’s in a fragile state.”

I closed my eyes.

Fated mates were rare. Maybe once in a generation. The Moon Goddess herself chose them.

Our world had chosen mates, couples who fell in love, marked each other, built lives the ordinary way.

Fated was different.

The goddess chose.

No breaking it.

No competing with it.

No escaping it.

“They’ve been together four years,” Sasha said. “Everyone says he’s obsessed with her. Like other women don’t even exist to him.”

She huffed out a breath.

“Women lose their minds over that man. It happens all the time. Luckily I’m a lesbian, so I’m immune to whatever spell he’s casting on the rest of you.”

Despite everything, a small laugh escaped me.

“And now you’re supposed to sleep with him?” she continued. “That could turn dangerous.”

“I need the money.”

The words came out flat.

Sasha launched into reasons this was a terrible idea. My mother wasn’t dying tomorrow. I could find another path. I didn’t have to trap myself inside a pack that wasn’t mine.

“What about her illness?” I cut in. “Do you know what’s wrong with her?”

On the other end of the call she crinkled something, probably a snack wrapper.

Stress eating.

“I don’t know more than that,” she said. “Her parents are keeping everything quiet. Could be something terminal.”

My stomach tightened.

Now the whole situation felt worse.

“Just be careful,” Sasha said. “If she recovers, they won’t need you anymore. And you need to guard your heart. Don’t fall for Alpha Cameron.”

Her words stuck in a place I didn’t want to examine.

I had no intention of falling for Cameron.

But the thought of being discarded halfway through a pregnancy, trapped inside his territory while his mate reclaimed him, tightened something in my chest.

“I know,” Sasha said. “I just don’t want you getting hurt.”

I would get hurt.

There was no version of this arrangement that didn’t hurt someone.

Before Sasha could spiral again, I shifted the conversation.

I told her about Kade.

Silence exploded on the other end,

“Are you serious?” Sasha snapped. “That disgusting prick suddenly cares about you now?”

A bitter laugh slipped out of me.

“At least he didn’t lie,” she added. “Imagine marrying someone who only sees you as convenient.”

I leaned back against the headboard.

“With this contract, I know exactly what I’m getting,” I said. “No pretending. No fake love story.”

“What if no one wants you after this?” Sasha asked.

“I don’t care.”

The answer came easily.

“I refuse to end up like my mother. Dependent on a man who can throw her away the second someone younger shows up.”

I moved to the window and looked over the unfamiliar grounds of Silver Creek.

“If I keep my head down and treat this like business, maybe it won’t be that bad.”

Sasha scoffed.

“How are you even going to cope? This isn’t just sleeping with someone. You have to get pregnant. Lycans are bigger, stronger. What if he hurts you?”

I crossed the room and lifted the painting from the wall. It weighed more than I expected. It wasn’t mounted permanently, just hung like any other decoration.

Franklin glanced toward me.

His expression didn’t change,

“Luna Evangeline requested the meeting personally.”

My thoughts stalled,

Cameron’s mate.

My stomach twisted.

The hospital rose ahead, a massive metropolitan facility, Glass towers caught the morning sun while cars streamed in and out of the circular drive.

Franklin parked.

He opened my door, but I hesitated before stepping out,

My pulse thudded louder with every step.

Inside, the halls smelled sterile and quiet.

A nurse guided us down a long corridor.

The farther we walked, the heavier my chest felt.

Finally we stopped outside a private room.

Franklin opened the door.

Cameron stood inside.

He leaned close to the bed, speaking softly to the woman lying there.

Evangeline.

She looked fragile. Still beautiful, but the color had drained from her skin.

Her hair spread across the pillow like silk.

My chest tightened.

Franklin spoke from behind me.

“Lisa”

His voice felt distant, already withdrawing.

I stepped into the room.

Cameron looked up.

Silence filled the space.

And suddenly I had no idea where to stand, what to say, or how I was supposed to exist in this moment.