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Alex barked out a laugh "You're allowed to have opinions, babycakes"

I groaned

"It's staying," he announced, "because it makes her turn red Look"

He was pointing at my cheeks I was sure they matched my dress I'd just yelled at an i

Mason reo, beautiful"

The attention, the compliments, the nicknames — they were too , it was like being made fun of Like I was naked for the class picture It was e told I was beautiful when I kneithout a shadow of a doubt, that I paled in coliest of immortals

"Did I say so toward don "You seem… upset"

My fingers slowly caressed the rich leather seats I don't knohat I expected him to drive, but a brand new GMC truck didn't really fit the ie I'd had of olves

"U"

"You seem sad"

"Just… in shock, still"

"It will fade," Mason said in a calm voice "It always does My own mate, well, she…" His voice cracked "She had a hard time at first"

"Was her number called?"

His eyes were black; it was hard to see where his pupils started and ended as he gazed at me then back at the road "Yes"

"And you loved her?"

"Of course" He said it so quickly I didn't doubt him for one second "With my entire life, my soul, my existence, I loved her"

"Loved"

"She simply…" His voice was hoarse "She si before we'd been talking about children The nextshe was cold"

"Mason…" I reached across the seat and grabbed his hand "I'm so sorry"

He clenched h kiss across my knuckles warmed me from the inside out

"It's not your fault"

"But…" My e that? I could make it so that doesn't happen anymore?"

He was quiet for a while "Possibly, but there's no way to know"

"So I live past a certain year, and what? We're home free?"

The truck pulled up to one of the hotels in don Seattle It was newer, a boutique hotel right on the water "Ethan wouldn't like s with you I'll allow him to explain"

"But—"

"That's all I'll say," he growled "Now, let's go show you off to your mate"

The ?

The mate who hadn't spoken to me all day?