TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 347

Three hundred and forty seven

car ride back stayed silent. Too many thoughts pushed against each other in my head.

Luna Lisa’s reaction to the bond kept coming back. I thought she wouldn’t believe me, might even laugh at the absurdity of my confession. But the desperation for her son’s healing made her believe me.

Then there was the bond itself. I could either stay and take whatever torture came with it or walk away.

Neither choice had a clean edge.

I wanted Wesley. The pull I felt toward him was precious. Being with him felt like a step out of the shithole life! had been living into something I could love. I wanted a better life for Maverick. But with Wesley, it came at a cost.

What answers would come with being his mate? And what events would follow that could leave me worse off than before?

I stared out the window. The unfamiliar roads faded behind us. Spending the night with the daughters had been smart. If I had come back last night, Harrison and Iris would have drilled me with questions before I had time to understand what had happened myself.

My phone lit up. Iris: Dropped Maverick at daycare.

Then another from Harrison: Anita went for a short trip. Emma says you can go back to work when you’re ready.

I got back to the lodge while everyone was out at work. For once, the building was quiet, and I had space to decompress.

I took a hot bath. The water scalded the top layer of cold off my skin. I was grateful for the solitude because my body had spent most of the night tossing and turning.

I fell asleep after the bath and woke later that afternoon. It was time to pick up Maverick.

I pulled on sweats and a T-shirt and walked the five minutes to daycare. The walk cleared my head. Maverick saw me from the gate. He gasped and ran so fast his sneakers slapped the pavement. He hit me hard enough to knock me back a step.

“Where were you? I woke up and you weren’t there. I asked and asked,” he said, his face pressed into my stomach.

I hugged him, my hand cupping the back of his head.

“I had to go see someone. I’m back now. I have all afternoon for you,” I said.

His lunch pack was still full when I lifted it. I unzipped it and stared at a mountain of cookies, juice boxes, and chocolate bars.

“Why do you have a whole store in here?”

He grinned.

“Iris woke up late. She couldn’t make breakfast,” he said. “Harrison said I need a lot of food to grow into a big and strong wolf.” He flexed his nonexistent muscles.

I laughed.

We walked back to the lodge. The afternoon passed quickly. I fed Maverick and made him take a nap. When the staff buses rumbled back into the compound, my stomach tightened. Voices in the stairwell filled the space. Iris and Harrison would come with questions. I needed to decide what to tell them before they started.

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I had barely turned the lock when Iris appeared in my doorway.

There she is,” she announced down the hall, like she was calling a search party off.

Harrison stood behind her with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, as though he were waiting for the bad news.

I let them in. Maverick was awake and wanted to play, so I sent him to the corridor.

We sat on the bed. The mattress dipped.

Iris didn’t wait.

“How did it go? Did they confirm the bond?”

I told them about the preliminary test and how Luna Lisa found out yesterday.

Iris’s eyes widened.

“How did she react?”

I shrugged, twisting the hem of my shirt.

Iris exchanged a glance with Harrison.

“Well, you’re not locked up,” she said. “So it couldn’t have been a disaster.”

“The final results will decide that,” I said. “She took it well. She said she misjudged me.”

Harrison scoffed and stood. He went to the table fridge and took a bottle of water, then cracked it open.

“She cares now because you might be her son’s mate,” he said. “Last weekend, you were a problem. Now you’re a potential daughter-in-law. How convenient.”

Iris glared at him. He was unfazed.

“Don’t let them use you, Isabella. If you weren’t Wesley’s mate, they wouldn’t care this much.”

“That’s too harsh,” Iris cut in. “You can’t reduce everything Luna Lisa has done to politics. She got Bella the job, opened her home to her, helped pay for Maverick’s hospital bill, and fired someone because of her. You can’t pretend none of that happened just because Luna now knows about the bond.”

Harrison shrugged and took a sip of water.

“I’m not saying she’s evil,” he said. “I’m saying be careful.”

“Oh, please. You would’ve done the same or even worse if you were in her shoes. Isabella was decent enough to stay silent about the bond because she was confused.”

After silencing Harrison, her eyes lit up. The serious talk was replaced by the gossip.

“Did she tell Wesley?”

I shook my head.

“We have to wait until the results are out,” I said.

“What about Barbara and Anita? I can’t wait to see their faces if they find out. Now that Luna Lisa is on your side, they’ll be furious.”

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Iris laughed and shook my shoulders.

his is a huge tevel-up for you. You’re on your way to becoming Luna.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” I said. “A lot still has to happen.”

She dismissed me with a flick of her wrist.

“Don’t forget me when you start enjoying the luxuries. Don’t forget who babysat Maverick. Make me your assistant for life, and you won’t regret it.”

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