A Mate of Convenience SAMPLE ONLY

2 Giving up

"Lystra?" Noella spoke softly as she entered my room.

She had been out all night; I knew because I didn't sleep one bit. I laid there on my bed waiting for her to come home and then confess she didn't know, hoping to hear she made him understand his choice was wrong. It was wishful thinking at its best.

"Lys please..." she knew I was ignoring her.

She climbed onto the bed next to me. The only thing that registered to me, was her wet hair. I was numb to every other sense. I cried so much, blowing my nose into tissues, then my bedspread, my nose lost the ability to smell. My throat was sore and I was sure my body was experiencing dehydration.

Perhaps not being able to smell was a good thing, as I imagined Jordan's smell lingering all over her. Thank the goddess I couldn't smell any activities they may have done. What kind of life would that be if I could smell that foul activity on them? But knowing was enough... She showered for a reason, right?

"Go away." Bitter and horse words.

"I love him. He loves me too. He doesn't feel the connection to you Lys, I think he feels a stronger bond to me. Doesn't that make him my mate? I swear Lys, I feel the connection to him. I can't walk away." She babbled on.

I didn't speak, only because I lacked words. She was my sister and I didn't want to hate her.

After the entire night of thinking, I decided to let Jordan come to his senses on his own. Noella was a phase. I was his mate, they wouldn't last. Now that I could feel the bond, I would act like a mate. Give him the attention I didn't in the past.

In the past, I was always focused on Noella, when I should have been seeking to find my mate. I didn't mature sooner because my mind was focused on matters that didn't concern me.

"Noella, you are not his mate. You must understand this. Don't you see it? You will never be able to claim him as yours, therefore he will never be yours."

"But he can mark me." She snorted.

"Do you hate me?" I asked with a new stream of tears flowing off my face.

"No. But do you hate me? Can't you let us be happy? Are you going to be trouble for me?"

"Yes! He is my mate!"

"Noella you shouldn't be in here." Dad's concerned voice captured my attention.

"Dad I just wanted to-" she tried to justify.

"No Noella. You aren't safe with her; she can do a lot of damage to you. Please leave."

And there it was, his concern as always, was only for his precious human Noella. She left, but the wet pillow kept her in my head. I knew she showered to remove his smell. It violated my soul, the image my brain created of them cuddling, kissing, and loving each other.

"Sweetie, you need to accept this. I know you think it hurts, but he is Noella's mate. Not yours." Firm words I noted. I was sure, dad was more trying to convince himself than me, that this was the truth.

How many more times would I have to say it? He was my mate. Only my mate.

"Dad,"

"Yeah, baby?"

"Has this ever happened in our family before?" I questioned.

I knew my great, great, great grandma had a twin sister. Twins weren't uncommon in my family. For all I knew, my kids could be twins.

"It has. A long time ago,"

"How did it end?"

"After enough time, your great, I don't know how many generations ago, settled with his mate, his real mate," Dad's words gave me hope.