Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
How the hell was I supposed to explain that for some ungodly reason, I was also the mate of a Boucher brother? It didn’t make any logical sense. Vampires went hundreds of years without finding their mates. The chance of two siblings being the mates of two Vampires of the same family must’ve been astronomical. It would’ve been more believable to win the lottery twice.
The universe had a sick sense of humor. The only reason I’d even met Ambrose Boucher was because my brother’s mate had died. The whole situation was horrific.
“Charlie,” I wheezed, pushing myself up. “I’m sorry.”
“What the hell are you sorry for?” he warbled back with a hiccup.
My brother was bawling, and my heart was breaking.
“This isn’t fair,” I cried, tears filling my own eyes. “I didn’t—” I shoved Ambrose’s arm away. “Stop touching me.”
“Don’t stop touching her,” Charlie countered, glaring at Ambrose.
“Shut up, Charlie.”
“If he stops, you’re going to feel awful again,” Charlie sniffled.
“Then I’ll be in good company,” I replied softly, my breath hitching.
“I don’t want that for you,” he said, his words so garbled I could barely understand him. “I’d never want you to feel like this.”
“It’s different,” I tried to explain as I climbed awkwardly off the bed. Ambrose’s hands gripped my hips as I stumbled. I shoved them away. “You were…you were in love with Zeke.”
Charlie let out a sob.
“That’s not what this is.” I gestured between Ambrose and me. “This is some weird biological joke. I’m fine. I promise. It’ll pass.”
“No, it won’t,” Charlie countered, slapping away the tears on his cheeks. “No, it won’t. You think it will if you ignore it, but it won’t. He’s it for you.”
“Maybe not,” I argued. “Maybe he’s awful.”
Ambrose made a noise, but I ignored him, keeping my eyes on my brother.
“Don’t do that,” Charlie ordered, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Do what?”
“Don’t downplay it.”
“I’m not downplaying anything.”
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are, and it’s insulting!”
My mouth dropped open as I stared at my brother in surprise.
“Do you have any idea what you have?” he asked, his voice cracking. “I would give anything to have that back. Anything.”
“Bub,” I whispered. I had no idea what to say to him. I’d always been able to shield him. I’d always been able to cheer him up. Until Zeke, we’d never encountered a situation that we couldn’t handle together.
I couldn’t help him. I couldn’t even understand what he was going through. The loss of a partner was hard for me to grasp because I’d never really been in love with anyone. The loss of a mate? It was inconceivable.
“I’m fine,” Charlie said, using the shoulder of his shirt to wipe off his cheeks. “Really. I’m so happy for you.”
“That feels a little premature,” I replied with a scoff. “But thanks, I guess.”
“I’m not usually like this,” Charlie told Ambrose, lifting his chin a little like it would hide the fact that his eyes were bloodshot and his face was swollen from crying.
“He is,” I countered, looking over my shoulder at Ambrose.
“I am not,” Charlie shot back.
“You’re a little bitch baby, and you know it,” I joked, my laugh watery as I dodged the arm he swung at me.
“She can say it,” Charlie told Ambrose seriously. “But just saying, you better not.”
“Oh no,” I agreed with a sniffle. “I’d kill you. Dead.”
“Noted,” Ambrose replied.
Charlie dropped onto the other bed with a sigh. “So…mates. I didn’t see that coming.”
“Join the club,” I said as I sat down next to Ambrose.
I wouldn’t have asked him to start rubbing my back again, but I couldn’t hide the relieved slump of my shoulders when I felt his fingers sliding down my spine.
“It surprised me too,” Ambrose said with a smile. “My brothers and I have been waiting a very long time, and now suddenly three out of five of us have found our mates in the last few months.”
“Who else?” Charlie asked curiously.
“Beau,” Ambrose replied with a grin. “His mate’s name is Reese.”
“That’s great,” Charlie said. He smiled sadly.
“Zeke was first, though.” Ambrose nodded.
“Well, not really,” Charlie said softly. “Didn’t one of your brothers find his mate during the war?”
“Wait,” I interrupted. I hadn’t heard this story. “What war?”
“The Second World War,” Ambrose replied. “Yes, that was Beau.”
“But I thought you said—” I frowned. Something wasn’t adding up.
“When Beau met his mate, she was already married and had a baby on the way.”
Charlie visibly flinched.
“But I thought Vampires only have one mate,” I argued. “So how did he find another one?”
Ambrose smiled gently. “Only one soulmate,” he said slowly. “Same soul.”
“Oh, ew.” I grimaced. “You guys think that we’re reincarnated or something?”
“Yes.”
“So you could’ve met an earlier version of me and mated her up?”
Ambrose choked out a laugh. “Basically.”
“Huh.” I wondered what that version of me was like. Maybe I’d been a bombshell, gorgeous with long, flowing blond hair, huge boobs, and a tight ass. That version would’ve fit with Ambrose. Too bad he didn’t find her.