“Somebody managed to hit you?” Jerry asks dubiously, while Lou is all about raising arms.
“We should tell Austin! You’re his ma—"
I raise my hand, stopping him in mid-sentence. “Okay, this clearly needs to be addressed. I am not Austin’s mate. He has also told you guys in front of me that he has rejected me. So, I just don’t understand your insistence—"
“But you’re fated mates!”
Jerry’s brows are drawn together, and for a moment, I think he’s frustrated until I see his hands wringing. Confusion is rampant within me, and I finally ask the more reasonable question. “Why is it so important to you guys for me to be with Austin?”
There is silence, and then it’s Lou who speaks hesitantly. “You can’t just reject your fated mate. It’s your chosen partner.”
The rest of the boys nod thei
