Chosen Mate: Lion Shifter Romance (Cybermates Book 5), Candace Ayers [big screen ebook reader .TXT] 📗

that was new to me. I raced out the door and ran through the rain all the way back to my truck parked outside Latte Love.

I’d gone from Superman to archvillain in minutes.

I didn’t know how or why any of this happened, but I knew one thing for sure. My plans of forming a Pride were trashed.

7

Elin

I stepped under the hot water ugly crying as I soaped and lathered and scrubbed Dylan off me. I was trembling from anger, pain and disappointment. Not disappointment, devastation.

I scrubbed until my skin was red. Then I washed my hair three times to make sure it held no trace of his scent. I stayed under the hot water scrubbing and crying for a long time. I probably would have stayed all night curled up in the bottom of the shower trying to forget Dylan’s harsh retreat if I hadn’t run out of hot water.

Growing up, I’d been a square peg in a world of round holes. Lots of kids had divorced parents, but I seemed to be the only one without a family. There was money. There was my mother—when it suited her schedule. There were countless stepdads—they came and went through a revolving door. There was stuff—a closet bursting with designer clothes, a driver, maids.

But when I won the spelling bee in 5th grade, Mom was in Barbados with her fourth husband, Gregg. Or maybe it was Byron, her fifth. When I fell off the monkey bars and broke my collar bone, Mom was in Paris on one of her honeymoons.

I swore that one day I would have a family—a man who loved me and a house full of children. As hard as I tried, it just hadn’t happened.

But Dylan was my mate, I was sure of it. And shifters never abandoned a mate. Ever.

This didn’t make any sense.

That look in his eyes, though—clear regret.

Leaving the bathroom, my gaze landed on the rumpled bed sheets. A lump rose in my throat. I yanked everything off, carried it into the other room, and shoved it all into trash bags. I didn’t want to ever look at any of it again. I’d rather pretend none of this happened.

After throwing on my spare set of sheets, I fell into bed and buried my face in my pillow, heartbroken. Any sliver of hope that my mate would bring the happy family of my dreams was shattered. Story of my life.

A fresh batch of tears started and I cried myself to sleep.

I looked rough the next morning.

But, as I left for work at Jammie’s Salon, I hardly cared. I’d been meticulous about my appearance for so long that I probably looked like a zombie walking in with red-rimmed eyes and no makeup.

Laila was at her station perusing the two week schedule I’d made up before going home on Saturday. When she glanced up at me, her eyes went wide, she dropped the paper, and came toward me. “Are you okay?”

I rolled my lips between my teeth. “I’m fine.”

She groaned. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to say it like that. You look different, is all. It took me by surprise.”

Fern walked in, glanced at me, and her eyebrows rose. “What’s wrong, Elin?”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I busied myself doing the things I normally did in the morning. I started the coffee, rearranged last minute schedule changes, and ran through the voicemails.

Jammie and Kitty arrived together. Kitty looked at me, stopped, and did a double take.

Feeling like an idiot, I stood up from my desk and put my hands on my hips. “Just so we get this out of the way, I’m not bothering to dress up to impress a potential husband anymore. I don’t want one. Also, I’m giving my two week notice.”

Jammie dropped her bags and hurried over to me. “Oh, Elin. Why? What’s wrong?”

I almost broke down at the warmth and concern coming from her. “Nothing. Nothing’s wrong. I just… I don’t need this job anymore. I want to focus on my YouTube channel.”

Laila frowned. “Okay, but what’s got you down?”

The door opened again and Parker strolled in, Stella on her hip. “Hey all. What’s going on?”

Kitty shrugged. “Something’s wrong with Elin and she’s about to tell us what. Also, she’s quitting. We’ll miss you, honey.”

“Well, what is it?” Laila gestured for me to hurry up and spit it out.

I told them everything about my interaction with Dylan—well, almost everything. Right up to and including the humiliating way he ran away.

“I just don’t get it. Everything was incredible. Amazing. Every single second.” I straightened the bottles of Bubbles shampoos and conditioners on the display rack. “Right up until the moment he took off running like a bat out of hell.”

Jammie clucked her tongue in disproval.

Kitty patted my shoulder as she walked by. “That boy’s a fool, I know that much.”

What had I done wrong? I played the scene over and over in my head until it sliced my insides like a straight razor.

“The most puzzling part is we’re mates.”

Parker stared at me with a frown that twisted her lips. “What makes you think that?”

Heat scorched my cheeks. I patted my chest. “I felt it.”

With Stella on her hip, she wrapped her arm around me and rested her head on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Elin. I know you want a mate. I don’t think it’s Dylan, though. He wouldn’t have reacted to you that way.”

I bit my lip and dabbed under my eyes with a Kleenex. “He’s my mate, Parker.”

“Uh-huh.” She nodded but I could clearly tell she didn’t believe me.

Shame stained my cheeks, burning a path across my skin. Tears stung the backs of my eyes. I would not cry. No way. I gathered my emotions and plastered a firm smile on my face. No way would I break down at work in front of everyone.

“I don’t understand why he just ran out like that. I felt our connection instantly. He did too, I know it.” I gestured to my body. “I’m