I tried not to sound too pathetic when I asked it, but I sure as hellfeltpathetic.
Starry's whiskers twitched in amusement. "Oh. I told everyone you went on a quest to find your fated mate."
I gawked at her with my jaw dropped. "You did WHAT?"
Her tail flicked innocently. "Is that not okay?"
"I—I mean, I don't know," I stammered. I was blushing so furiously that it fried my brain and I couldn't think of a coherent reply.
Starry went on. "Isn't that usually what happens when one of the pack goes off on their own?"
She wasn't exactly wrong. I blew out a breath.
"That's because theywantto find their fated mate," I argued. "I stormed off because I had a stupid argument with Lupa. I don't give a crap about mates, fated or otherwise."
Starry didn't look convinced. I didn't blame her. The words tasted rubbery and fake on my tongue.
Would they have sounded real before I met Bear?
I didn't know. Either way, it didn't matter. He obviously had no interest in me. Hell, if the way he stormed out of the hollow earlier was any indication, he seemed repulsed by me.
And after all the progress I thought we'd made...
"You okay?" Starry signed when I spaced out.
I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. "Yeah, sorry."
"So, what do you want to do? Come home?"
I opened my mouth to reply but words wouldn't come. I didn't want to go home yet. That was the honest truth. But why stay if I was only going to be a nuisance to Bear? This way, I could go home safely with Starry. Bear wouldn't even need to lift a finger. My injuries were mostly healed anyway. Even without Bear's poultices, a few days of rest would patch up in no time.
Starry's offer was logical. What use would it be staying a few more days with Bear?
But feelings weren't logical, and my feelings told me to stay put.
"I don't know," I said, running a hand through my hair.
Starry's paws kneaded the ground. She usually did that when she wanted to communicate but was holding back, for whatever reason.
"What?" I asked.
Her nose wriggled mischievously. "You want to stay with him, don't you?"
The worst part was I couldn't even deny it, even though I really wanted to. Dammit.
I stared at the ground, too embarrassed to look at her. My one solace was that ifanymember of my family knew I was crushing on an alpha, I was glad it was Starry.
"Yes," I mumbled in defeat.
She purred loudly, happy with her sneaky deduction. "That means I wasn't lying to the pack after all."
I crossed my arms. "Technically, you did. I didn't run off for the sole purpose of finding my fated mate like you told everyone. And Bear isnotmy fated mate, all right?"
"Are you sure?"
I frowned, shutting my mouth. The truth was no, I wasn't sure. The warm, fuzzy way I felt about him was unlike any feeling I'd experienced before. But if Bear hadn't reciprocated, then it was impossible for us to be fated. Who the hell ever heard of unrequited fated mates? The idea was beyond depressing.
"No, but it doesn't matter," I said. "He doesn't like me that way."
