Page 64 of Brock’s Mate

Something opened up in the middle of her chest, blossoming like a flower. She’d never learned how to accept things, because she’d never trusted anyone to give to her. She and Brock were the same.

But he was trying so hard. And maybe if she just took that first step, and let him do it—maybe this thing between them could work out after all.

Brock went a little nuts with the giving, ordering a crap-ton of stuff off the internet, expedited delivery.

And he was the one who talked to Titan about the studio space. To Desi’s surprise, Titan agreed right away. He even gave her some clay to start out with,

“I sometimes make test sculptures out of clay,” he explained in his deep, rumbling voice. “So I keep some around.”

“Um. Do you think I could start tonight?” she asked. “There’s… something I want to make for Brock. For Valentine’s Day.”

Titan got a little smile on his face—the kind he got when he was thinking about his mate. “Sure,” he said. “Whenever you want. The studio’s always open.”

When Desi first went up to the studio to get started, Kitty was there with Mari. Titan was nowhere to be found.

She hoped they’d leave her alone to work. She’d already had a hell of a time getting rid of Brock—she’d told him she had to experiment in private, and she couldn’t have people looking over her shoulder the whole time.

He’d looked a little pouty, so she said that when she had something, he’d be the first to see it, and that seemed to satisfy him.

Mari showed her around the studio, where everything was. Titan had left her a big can of clay with some tools, and a wooden slab to work on.

They got her set up, but then they kind of hung around, like they had something to say.

Desi sucked at social shit. Especially girl shit. “Okay, spit it out,” she said, looking from one to the other. “Does Titan really not want me here? Or what?”

“It’s not that,” Kitty said. “We just… oh, hell. We just want you to understand what’s going on with Brock.”

Fuck. “Is this the sisterly ‘break his heart and we’ll kill you’ talk?”

Kitty shrugged. “From me it is. I’m half jaguar on my mother’s side, and she’ll kill you for way less than that. Mari will just guilt you to death.”

Mari said, “I can’t help it if I’m a peace-loving bear.”

“Don’t worry.” Kitty patted her on the shoulder. “I’ll kill anyone you need me to.”

“Including me?” Desi asked dryly.

Kitty sighed. “I just want you to understand about wolves and mates,” she said. “Because if you’re Brock’s true mate—his wolf’s true mate—that’s a huge deal.”

“I know,” she said.

“But do you? Because it means this is different from Brock’s other relationships. You’re it for him. Your wolf is it. Even if things don’t work out—if your wolf can’t bond with him—he’ll never love anyone else. As long as he lives. And if you leave, he’ll never get over it. His wolf will never get over it.”

Desi felt cold inside. “That’s a lot of responsibility,” she said slowly.

“For him, too,” Mari said. “Because he will do anything for you. Lay down his life without thinking twice.”

“He already tried that,” Desi said.

“He’ll do it again.”

Kitty said, “We like you and we’re willing to love you like a sister. But please, don’t hurt Brock. Okay?”

What else could she say? “I don’t want to. I hope I don’t.”

They both touched her gently on the shoulder, and left her to her clay.

After they were gone, Brock walked in from the other doorway. None of them had realized he was there, but from the look on his face, Desi could tell he’d heard the whole conversation.