Page 14 of Mated By Twilight

Maize smiled, her eyes sparkling with happiness. “I know what you mean. Gideon’s been so patient with me, and now I can’t imagine life without him.”

They both had been through so much. Now, finally, they had found something—someone—who made it all worth it.

They were grinning like schoolgirls when the door to the office opened, drawing their attention. Liza looked up, her smile faltering slightly when she saw the woman standing in the doorway. She recognized her immediately—the same woman she’d seen at the festival, the one Elijah had bumped into and spilled a drink on. The memory of that moment, the spark she had felt between them, was still vivid in her mind.

“Hello, I’m Celine.”

“I remember you. We met at the festival.”

Celine cocked her head to the side as she regarded Liza.

"I was with Elijah."

Celine's features went on lockdown, like a key turning in a door. Her face went entirely blank.

"Oh no," Liza hurried to say. "There's nothing between me and Elijah. I'm Rylan's mate."

If Celine's features had been blank before, they were empty now. Her jaw clenched as though she was trying to hold something in. Her lips pursed as though she was trying to swallow something distasteful.

“Wait," said Maize. "Celine? The daughter of the Sequoia Pack Alpha?”

Celine’s eyes flicked to Maize. She didn't confirm it. She didn't need to. This was the woman Rylan was supposed to marry.

What was she doing here this morning? Was she here to challenge Liza to a fight for Rylan? Liza wasn't much of a brawler, but she would if she had to fight for her man. She looked Celine up and down. They were evenly matched, but if she fought dirty, she could take the woman. So long as Celine didn't shift into her wolf form.

“That’s off the table now,” Celine finally said, her voice steady but carrying a hint of something resigned. “I’m not marrying Rylan. I’m here to work instead.”

Relief was a cool breeze on Liza's skin. She wasn't going to have to fight. Maybe she and Celine could even be friends. Liza still hadn't forgotten that spark she'd felt between Celine and Elijah. Maybe Celine was denying the bond as Liza had at first. Maize had done the same with Gideon. Looked like the three of them already had something in common. And now they were all going to work together.

“Rylan assigned me to be the new interior designer for the housing development.”

The words hit Liza like a physical blow, her smile falling away completely. “That’s… that’s my job.”

Celine’s eyes widened slightly, a flash of surprise crossing her face, but she quickly masked it with a neutral expression. “I didn’t know,” she said, her tone almost apologetic but still distant. “It wasn’t my decision.”

Liza felt a rush of emotions—hurt, confusion, and a simmering anger that she struggled to keep in check. She turned to Maize, who looked just as shocked, her eyes full of concern for her sister.

“It’s going to be fine,” Maize said quickly, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “We’ll figure it out.”

Liza felt anything but fine. The bond she had just started to trust now felt fragile, threatened by the arrival of the woman who was supposed to take her place. First, at Rylan's side. Now at Liza's desk.

No. This was too much. And her fated mate was going to hear about it.

13

Rylan satin the large wooden chair, surrounded by the elders of his pack. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from the crackling fire in the stone hearth. Rylan could feel the tension in the room, the unspoken expectations that pressed down on him like a physical weight.

The elders were a mix of graying men and women. All had the weight of decades in their eyes. They watched him with expressions ranging from approval to concern.

“Alpha, we’re glad you’ve found your fated mate. It’s a blessing for the pack," one of the elder women began.

Her mate took up where she left off. “And it’s good that the Sequoia wolves have agreed to release you from the arranged marriage and still keep the alliance intact.”

There were murmurs of agreement around the room, nods and small smiles of approval. But Rylan knew what was coming next. The unspoken issue that had been weighing on him since he’d agreed to let Celine stay on as the interior designer for the new development.

“But”—another elder, a man with deep lines etched into his face, spoke up—“we must consider the pack’s needs above allelse. The Sequoia wolves are a strong ally, and Celine’s role in the project helps solidify that bond. It would be unwise to press too hard to have her removed.”

Rylan bristled at the implication. He understood the importance of the pack, of the alliance, but this was about more than politics. This was about Liza, his mate, the woman he had vowed to protect and support.