“I love to look at the sky, asshole. That doesn’t make me stuck-up.”

He glared at her. “Who does that? Who stares at the sky for most of the day? It’s weird.”

“Five-year-olds do. Go for your walk. I can’t believe I even felt sorry for making you upset. The only reason you care right now is because of the mating. We don’t have feelings for us. It’s purely physical, but we can end this. Both of us can demand to have this mating severed. You hate me, and I can’t stand you. Why prolong the inevitable?”

Lucas advanced toward her. She sat down in her chair. There was nowhere else for her to go. The look in his eyes sent a shiver down her spine. There were no other words for it. He gripped the handles and moved in close to her face.

“I don’t hate you, Mabel. I never have. Far from it.” He stood up, and without another word, he was gone.

She stayed in her chair and growled. “Fuck!”

This was the last thing she wanted.

Running a hand down her face, she tried to think of all the reasons she should hate him, but at that moment, she was only pissed off with herself. There was no one else to blame. She’d done this.

She placed a hand on her neck, right where he’d kissed her last night. It still felt a little sensitive, but the pleasure had been out of this world.

Get a grip.

Standing up, she hobbled toward the door and opened it. Lucas was at the edge of the water, staring up at the sky. She heard the growls and angry cries falling from his lips.

The wolf inside her stirred.

Their mate was in pain.

Go to him.

Mabel held on to the door, refusing to go any further.

Go to him.

He needs us.

She watched Lucas a little more. The feelings stirring within her were too great to ignore.

Leaving the door open, she hobbled down toward the beach. The angle she held her foot made it very awkward.

He tensed up the moment she was close to him.

“I’m sorry. I don’t … I don’t know how I feel about you.”

Lucas spun around to her. “I don’t hate you.”

“I don’t hate you completely, but I don’t love you either,” she said, looking down at the ground. “I’m willing to make this work. To see where this goes.” She pressed her lips together.

“Mabel, I can promise you two things. One, I will always take care of you from here on out, and second, I will never do anything you don’t want me to do.” He walked toward her, grabbing her face. “Please believe that.”

“I do.” She couldn’t resist glancing at his lips. Was he going to kiss her?