Sebastian leans in over me. His breath wafts against my cheek, and I hate that my body reacts to him like he’s the most desirable alpha in Sunshine Cove. I get hot, and a tug between my legs has me swaying towards him. I catch myself and stiffen, staring back, refusing to back down.
“I’m absolutely not going to give it back, Lake. Who knows when I might need it.”
I growl and try to step away from him, but he grabs my upper arm and swings me back around.
“So, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but anything that can make you glare at me the way you do is not something I can pass up, and I have something that might make you scream.”
I narrow my eyes. “The fact that you get so much pleasure out of seeing me mad is sick, Sebastian.”
“I can’t help it; old habits die hard. Besides, you’re like a little sister to me,” he mocks, repeating the words people have said to us about fighting like siblings.
I flinch. “We are not related.”
Sebastian makes a face. “Aww, I’m hurt. That’s not what Dougie thinks.”
“There’s a point for me. And stop calling him Dougie, it’s Doug, and he’s probably on the other side of the continent by now.”
I stalk away from him.
“Mum matched you with a pack. For Light Knot Night.” His voice throbs with some unnamed emotion. “Go and tell her to unmatch you.”
I freeze, trying to register those words. “As long as I’m not matched with you, all is well.”
Sebastian laughs. “Oh, you would love to be matched to me.”
“Did you hit your head? Are you sick? Has someone finally broken your teeny-tiny brain?”
Sebastian reaches out, I flinch, but he pulls a leaf from my hair. My reaction has just given him all the answers this big-headed buffoon needs. He affects me. I might hate it, he might not care for it, and I can hide it everywhere else, just not when he touches me.
“I’m just going to be so happy to see you find love,” he purrs, but that sound doesn’t sit quite right, and for one second, I think he’s angry.
I turn towards him and let out a growl. We’re about to throw down, I can feel it.
“Awww, you two are going to have the most adorable babies in the world.”
My face heats up, and I have no doubt it turns scarlet. “MUM!”
“When is the bonding ceremony?”
Sebastian, the traitor, smiles and puts an arm over my mum’s shoulder and guides her back into the house. “I haven’t convinced her yet.”
“Well, then, young alpha, you need to work harder.”
I close my eyes. Mum’s favourite fantasy is this one, where she ‘remembers’ Sebastian and me being together when we were teens. She is convinced we’ll just wake up one day and be lovers.
“I’ll do so,” Sebastian says, winking at her.
“When I think of all the years she pined for you.”
I close my eyes, my mortification complete.
“I knew you two would end up together.”
There is no point in trying to get her to stop. She will just get upset with me for not being able to take a joke or lighten up. Sebastian gets her to sit down, while I go and turn on the kettle, watching the pair of them with resignation.
Sebastian looks at me, and there’s a strange expression on his face. Almost concern.
“Mum wants to talk to you, Cordie. I’ll stay here with Julia. We can catch up and plan how to get you to agree to my proposal.”
