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I managed to get my breathing under control and glanced up. “I've got three children. Three. And he's also legally my husband. Mate, whatever. Same thing, and I don't even know him!”

“I understand why that feels overwhelming,” Pellan said. “Humans don't generally mate this way, unlike our species. But you don't have to understand everything at once. The treaty has established your legal status. The rest of your life will still be lived one day at a time.”

I rubbed my palms over my face, embarrassed by how badly I was shaking. “I thought I'd come here, take a stupid test, get told there was no match, and carry on with my plans. I wasn't looking for a husband. I wasn't even looking for a boyfriend. I just wanted a job, a place to live, and somewhere my children could grow up without everyone knowing what happened to their family.”

“And that is still what you want,” Rhovan said. “A safe home, meaningful work, and a good future for your children. A mate doesn't have to take any of that away from you.”

I lifted my head enough to look at him. “You make it sound so simple.”

“No,” he replied, his expression kind. “I make it sound possible. There is a difference.”

That was annoyingly reasonable, and I couldn't think of anything to say in response.

The voice from the overhead speaker spoke up, gentler than it had been when announcing my match. “May I make a suggestion?”

I glanced around the room. “I suppose.”

“Please sit back, take a drink of water, and let your nervous system catch up with the news. You don't need to make a decision about your feelings for Tarek Korvak today. You don't even need to decide what you want your relationship to look like six months from now. You only need to decide what the next sensible step is.”

I eased back into the chair. Skye rested her head on my lap, looking up at me with concern and pure love shining from her dark brown eyes. I stroked her head automatically, grateful for the simple, familiar comfort of her warm fur.

“I should probably explain why I'm reacting like this,” I said eventually. “You have the right to know what you're getting into, even if the person you're getting is only a legal mate for now.”

“There's no requirement for you to tell us anything you're uncomfortable sharing,” Pellan assured me.

“I know. But if I'm going to be expected to meet this man and possibly build a life with him, then I should probably start by being honest.”

I took another breath and stared down at the glass between my hands.

“I am only very recently divorced. My ex-husband was called Philip, and for years, I thought we had a good marriage. We adopted our children, built a home, and made plans for our future. I stayed home with the children for a while, finished my degree, and did everything I thought a good husband and father was supposed to do. I thought Philip was doing the same.”

My throat tightened, but I forced myself to continue.

“Then everything came apart. Philip had been having affairs. More than one. Some of the things I thought were business trips were excuses to spend time with other people. He was also involved in financial crimes that destroyed our lives. He was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to prison. The house and cars were gone, our accounts were frozen, and the government seized what was left of our assets. The money raised by selling everything is being used to settle the debt before either of us gets anything back.”

I stopped to take a breath. Even now, explaining it aloud made me feel as though I were confessing to something I'd done myself.

“The worst part was realizing how much of my marriage had been a lie. I loved him. I trusted him. I thought we were raising our children together because we both wanted the same family. I didn't know him at all.”

Pellan's expression had grown very serious. Rhovan's hand rested on the back of his chair, his posture quiet and attentive.

“And now you're also feeling embarrassed because we know what happened,” Rhovan observed.

I looked at him sharply. “Is it that obvious?”

“Only because you look as though you're expecting us to judge you.”

Heat crept up my neck. “I suppose I am. I know it wasn't my fault, but there are days when I still feel stupid for not seeing what was happening. I don't want to make another mistake. I don't want my children to get attached to someone and have their world torn apart again. And I definitely don't want to discover that I've somehow managed to choose another man who -”

I couldn't finish the sentence.

“You didn't choose Philip's dishonesty,” Pellan said firmly. “And you didn't cause his crimes. You trusted the person you married, as people should be able to trust their mates. His choices belong to him.”

I nodded, but the words didn't quite reach the part of me that needed them most.

The voice from the overhead speaker spoke again. “For what it's worth, Darren, I already knew about Philip.”

I stared in the direction of the speaker. “You what?”