“Handle it? She’s surprisingly uninterested. Not because she’s forgiven Joel but because she no longer considers him worthy of the energy it took to hate him.” Mila rang the bell and blew out a breath. “Let me lead here. I know Adele better than you. We need to go easy at first, okay?”
“Lull her into a false sense of security?”
“We have to slowly lead up to the point and—” Mila cut off as the door swung open.
Adele blinked. “Mila, hi.” Her shock was understandable, since Mila had never visited before. Adele’s eyes cut to Dominic, and she forced a polite smile. “Hello. Um . . . come in, come in.” She stepped aside for them to pass. “How are you doing after the shooting, Mila?”
“I’m good, thanks,” Mila told her, her nose wrinkling at the scents of citrus cleaner and freshly cut flowers.
“That’s a relief. I would have called you, but your mom told everyone to give you space.”
“I figured she would.”
Adele rubbed her hands down the sides of her shirt. “If you’re here to see Joel—”
“We wanted to speak with you.”
“Oh. Okay. Sure. We could—” Her eyes dropped to Mila’s neck and then widened with excitement. That excitement bloomed when her gaze snapped to Dominic’s neck. “Oh wow! You claimed each other? This is amazing news. Congrats! I mean, I can sense that the bond hasn’t formed yet, but I don’t doubt that it will. You two suit each other so well.”
“Thank you. I agree.” Dominic also sensed a large dose of relief mingled with Adele’s excitement. If Mila was taken, she’d hardly want Joel.
“Would you guys like some coffee?” Oh, Adele was all grace and courtesy now.
“Coffee would be good,” replied Mila. She followed the female down the hall, her footsteps muffled by the lush carpet.
Coats hung neatly on the hooks near the door. Shoes tidily tucked in the nook beneath the stairs. No clutter anywhere to be seen. The large mirror gleamed, possessing not a single smear or fingerprint. Damn, the couple liked their home spotless.
Mila had never believed she’d ever step foot in their home. But seeing the life the couple had made together didn’t hurt the way it once would have. In fact, Mila felt a smile curve her mouth as she took in the cute portraits adorning the magnolia walls. Pictures of Adele and Joel laughing, hiking, partying, and dancing at what appeared to be their mating ceremony. Yeah, he was happy.
Mila had never begrudged him that, but she hadn’t exactly been happy for him. Not until right then. Now that she’d found that same happiness with Dominic, Mila could be truly glad that Joel had it with Adele.
In the kitchen, Adele waved a hand at the table. “Take a seat.”
Mila almost hesitated. Seriously, everything was so clean and orderly that it was somewhat off-putting.
“So what brings you here?”
“Actually, I just have some questions about the imprinting process,” Mila told her, gingerly perching herself on one of the cushioned dining chairs. “And well, I figured you’d be a good person to ask.”
Adele’s smile widened. “I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you have. Fire away.”
Feeling a little less tense when her mate took the seat beside her, Mila braced an elbow on the table. “How long did it take for you and Joel to fully imprint?”
“A few months, but I heard that it differs from couple to couple.”
As Adele made the coffees, Mila asked a few other inane questions. She needed Adele to relax, lower her guard, and open up. That wouldn’t happen if she was tense or on the defensive.
The whole time, Dominic kept his hand on Mila’s nape, circling the same spot with his thumb over and over. Keeping himself calm, she thought.
While Adele was distracted pouring the coffees, Mila turned to him and whispered, “You okay?”
“I want this over with,” said Dominic, his voice equally low. He didn’t like being in Joel’s house. Didn’t like that Mila was in Joel’s house. His wolf really didn’t fucking like that his mate was on the asshole’s territory.
Dominic had worried that she’d find it hard to see the life her predestined mate had built with someone else—he’d have understood, would have comforted her even though it would have hurt him to see that this pained her. But she was fine, albeit tired. Likewise, her cat wasn’t tense or edgy. And that showed him that neither she nor Mila felt any regrets at the way things had turned out. Dominic had needed to know that.
“Here we go.” Adele placed three steaming mugs on the table and then settled on the chair opposite Mila. “Anything else you want to ask?”
Mila cocked her head. “Do you ever feel guilty for choosing Joel over your true mate?”
Her smile dimming, Adele froze with her cup halfway to her mouth. “Guilty? Well, um, I’d like to think that our predestined mates wouldn’t begrudge us happiness.” Her gaze dropped to the table. “It would be natural for them to be unhappy because we’d chosen another over them, but they could still want us to be happy.”
Dominic picked up his mug. “Mila stupidly feels guilty that she’s ‘stolen’ someone else’s mate. I keep telling her I’m with her because I want to be, but she still feels bad about it.”
Adele gave a wry smile. “That’s the thing about imprinting. It’s special, but it’s easy to feel guilty for renouncing your mate or claiming someone else’s.”
“Yeah.” Mila sighed. “But I guess life’s too short for torturing yourself.”
“Something Rosemary proved today when she shot you in the chest,” Dominic rumbled. His throat tightened at the memory. “Thank God for Helena. And for Evander, since he tackled Rosemary to the floor after you kicked the gun out of her hand. And for Dean, since he dived for the gun.”
Adele stiffened. “Dean?”
“He’s one of my clients,” Mila told her. “A bobcat shifter. It turns out, he’s also a friend of one of Dominic’s past flings. Charlene told us his story and . . . wow.”
“His story?” Adele echoed, swallowing hard.
“He has premonitions, and he once had a vision of his true mate; saw her imprinted on another,” said Mila. “He tried to find her before that future could come to pass, but he was too late. Although Dean was able to convince her that she’s his true mate, she won’t leave the guy she imprinted on. But then, neither would I. It’s a shame he can’t respect that. Isn’t it, Adele? Shame he won’t just let you enjoy the happiness you’ve found with Joel.”
Panic flitted across her face. “I don’t—”
“He named you to Charlene; he told her about Joel too.”
Adele shot to her feet. “I need you both to leave.”
“He told her how you suspected that Joel was the predestined mate of your cousin.”
Adele paled. “Mila—”
“I already knew.”
Her lips parting, Adele stared at her, incredulous. “What?”
“I knew it the second I saw him when you first brought him to meet the pride.”
As if the shock of that was too much, Adele plopped back onto the chair. “But . . . you . . . you didn’t say anything.”