“No, but Tempest knew it was on my mind. She told me to be patient, that it would happen in time, that my mate was out there waiting for me.”
Boon smiled. “She told me the same thing.”
“Were you patient after she told you I was out there?” she asked.
Boon’s gaze snapped to hers at her implying that she was the mate Tempest had told him about, but didn’t seem aware of it, so, he didn’t point it out. “Not really. But I’ll be honest with you. I thought I’d found the one a long time ago. I was wrong.”
“What made you think you’d found the one? Did she feel like your mate?” Angelle asked, her mood suddenly cautious.
“Yes and no. I think I was attracted to her, and I was only a boy, mind you. But for some reason, I settled on Saige. Turns out that my sister and later on, Tempest, were both right. They kept saying that I was focusing so hard that I’d convinced myself that she was it.”
“So, what happened?”
“She said her life was going to be exciting and extravagant, not lived on the edges of a swamp in a cabin surrounded by wildlife that would later serve as dinner. She said that I would never be able to take her everywhere she wanted to go, and share the experiences she wanted to have, so there was no way I could possibly be her mate.”
“That’s horrible.”
“The life?” he asked, suddenly concerned.
“No! That she’d say such a thing to you! A good male, a beautiful male, fully capable and willing to take care of her, provide for her, protect her, offering himself for just that, she belittles him.”
“Saige was always a little high-maintenance.”
“Sounds like she was more than that, but I’ll be diplomatic about it.”
“I think I just wanted to be a part of something bigger than I was so badly, that I wished it into my head. In fact, now that I know what it feels like to actually come face-to-face with your mate, I know it wasn’t her.”
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Absolutely. You’re so much more than I ever imagined. I don’t know how I could have been so stupid to think she was — for so long, too.”
“It was a long time?” Angelle asked.
“We knew each other as children. I used to bring her family meat from my hunts. I gave food to others, too, but especially them. I still do, but not as blatantly as before.”
“Because you thought she was yours and you were providing for her.”
Boon nodded. “Her parents are my Uncle Destroy and Aunt Rowan. I still take them meat even though she’s no longer there. It’s just the way I do it for everyone, now. But maybe not as much as I do for the older people in our community.”
Angelle smiled, and reeled in her line.
“Are we done fishing?” he asked.
“I think so,” she said. “You can keep fishing if you’d like to.”
“I’m just here because you are. If you’re ready to go, then let’s go.”
“I’m not ready to go yet, I’m just done with fishing for now.”
Boon nodded again as he, too, began to reel in his line. “So, you smiled when I was telling you about giving food to our community…”
“You’re a good male,” Angelle said. “I was just pleased that I was right. I don’t have the instincts that you or most of my family have, so when I’m right, I get a little excited.”
“Oh, I see,” he said with a small smile.
“Plus, like I said, you’re a good male. As good as I thought.”
“Oh, yeah?” he asked.
