Page 19 of A Nest of Maple & Mist

When I was younger, I’d survived on a series of bad choices. I didn’t deserve any of the happiness I had.

But I wouldn’t squander it.

I would spend the rest of my life making up for my mistakes if it meant I got to keep Mia. And I knew of the perfect courting gift for my omega.

Tomorrow I would start the long road toward being worthy of her forgiveness.

SEVEN

MIA

It tasted like batted cotton in my mouth as the door to the suite rattled behind me. I leaned back against the oak, sliding down until my butt hit the floor. Ragged breaths shook my frame, each one stinging my chest.

The heels of my palms dug into my eyes.

Shane Hemlock.

Biology had a cruel sense of humor.

Of course, the universe wasn’t done torching the last remnants of my sanity. It wouldn’t be satisfied until only ashes remained. Not only was my childhood home in ruins, but now fate thought it’d be entertaining to bring a ghost back to haunt me.

And that ghost was Shane.

I buried my face in my knees, rocking gently. Salted caramel and fresh apples lingered on my skin. I couldn’t escape it. It swirled through the vents, coated my tongue, and made my omega purr like the traitorous bitch she was.

She hadn’t been there when he broke our heart.

She didn’t know better and refused to listen to reason.

All she knew was that he was our alpha.

Our scent-matched mate.

Fuck.

The legendary, once-in-a-lifetime, fairy tale bond that movies and books used like a trope. I never thought I’d find it, assuming it only existed in exaggerated romance books.

And now there I was, forced to face reality.

The soul-crushing knowledge that my “fairy tale” included a prince who was a villain.

I closed my eyes, squeezing them so hard that they started to water. The memory of that text message flashed behind my eyelids like a recurring nightmare.

Mia. We aren’t right for each other. We’re too different. I need to end this. Please don’t contact me again.

Twenty words. That was all he deemed me worthy of. After a year of “I love yous” and promises of forever, he tossed me aside like I never mattered.

It happened only a few weeks before his eighteenth birthday.

Based on the growth spurt he had, we assumed he’d designate as an alpha. I had planned a picnic by the lake. An evening alone for the two of us by a bonfire, stargazing. He loved spending time outdoors, away from his oppressive parents and all their ridiculous expectations.

I was still floating on the high of my own birthday—having just turned seventeen—dreaming of a future where we spent a life together, finding a pack to make ours.

For two weeks, I cried nonstop, clutching my pillow while I heaved. My mother stroked my back, telling me that first loves hurt the most and it would be okay. I didn’t believe her, but she and Dad stayed close, doing anything in their power to cheer me up.

Which included a trip into the city for dinner at my favorite restaurant. That night was the first time I had smiled since Shane’s text. On the way home, we spun out on an icy bridge.

I sat alone in the hospital, the sterile lights beating on my numb skin. Miraculously, I made it out without a scratch.