Graham:
“What?” I asked her in bewilderment. I wanted her to repeat herself because I swore I had heard her wrong.
“Graham, I don’t want anyone to find out,” she repeated, louder and clearer this time, shocking me.
“You don’t want anyone to find out that I’m mates with you?” I asked, trying to be sure, trying to understand if she was really that embarrassed to be my mate.
“You don’t understand, Graham. I don’t want anyone to talk about us. And neither do I want—” She paused, looking away.
“No, say it. You don’t want me as your mate. Is that it?” I asked, my heart pounding in my chest. It stung deeply that she didn’t want to be with me.
“Think whatever you want,” she replied. “But the truth is, we need to make sure this whole thing just ends and…” She gasped suddenly, slapping her for
