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All Chapters of The Counterfeit Mate: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

96 Chapters

Chapter 31

Florence POV: Accused By The Pack Council The door opens, Heap Lasher and my dad comes out. I get out of the car and I'm instantly assaulted by the cold wind, and pelted by sleets of rain. "Who's that?" Councilman Lasher's voice cuts through the quiet night air. His suspicious glare is directed at the idling car. "Is that . . . Alpha Jason?"I look back at the car. Then I turn back to the councilman. "Yes, it's the Alpha."Lasher's brows furrow. He looks at my dad, and then back to me. His face is falling right before my eyes and I kind of like it. The window slowly rolls down, and Jason leans his elbow on the frame.“Hello, everyone,” he calls out, “Fine night, isn't it? The rain and all.” “Fine night, alpha,” my dad says, lamely. Lasher says, “Yes, alpha. Fine night.” The door swings further in. Shawn, Tony, Todd and three other councilmen are staring with gaping mouths at me and then at Jason in the car. He gives them a little wave. I clear my throat, not sure what to do. I

Chapter 32

Florence POV: Irene Knows About Last Night It is like meeting Jason all over again, and it is a bittersweet feeling. The emotion is jarring, chaotic, and exciting. I want him to touch me again. But Irene is sitting beside him across the table, watching me with suspicious eyes. What is she even doing here?"We are tight on funds," Jason announces. "I want every single dollar going where it's most needed. I also want a small, efficient staff on this project. I need to know we are all on the same page."He looks around the conference table at Foreman Claus, Beta Lucio, former accountant Tessie, and three other men dressed in brown canvas jumpsuits. Masonry workers, I assume.Everyone around the table nods in unison."Alright," Jason continues. "Everyone, meet my new accountant, Florence Patton. She will be handling all financial disbursements for this build, taking over for Tessie, who has done a fantastic job for us over the years. I’m moving Tessie to head the purchasing department. I

Chapter 33

Florence POV: A Clash With Lucio I arrive at the construction site where the new administration building is supposed to be going up, but to my surprise, there's no one there.The foundations have already been dug. Nearby sits a pile of crushed granite, and mountain-like heaps of excavated earth. There's also stacks of iron rebar, and various other heavy materials needed to begin framing. Off to the side, a large dump truck sits, its cabin occupied.I trek through the loose dirt and walk up to the dust-coated truck. The man inside the cabin pushes his worn bucket cap back off his forehead. He squints through the glass at me. His face clouds over, his brow contorts into a harsh scowl. "What?" he barks.I narrow my eyes at him and step back a pace. Why the hostility? I don't even know who this man is."Where is everyone?" I ask. "It's almost eleven in the morning and no one is on site."“I'm here.” The driver sits back, one arm on the window frame. "Who are you?""I'm Florence. The ne

Chapter 34

Florence POV: The Old Man And The Cafeteria I stare at the line of desperate faces, then look down at the rigid budget spreadsheet on my tablet screen. I shake my head.There has to be a way to make this work for everyone standing here today. The recruiter sitting behind the wooden folding table is a young guy about my brother Todd's age. A mop of messy yellow hair falls over his eyes as he scribbles down names in a book."Hey," I say, stepping up beside his chair. "What's your name?"The young man raises his head, pushes his hair back, and squints up at me. "Who's asking?""I'm Florence Patton," I say. "The project accountant."The young man’s eyes widen in immediate recognition. "Oh, shit. You're the Luna's stepsister. I've heard all about you. Shouldn't you be off managing your family's mill or farm or something?"I narrow my eyes at him. "Answer my question."He clears his throat. "William.""William," I say, leaning over the table to look at his ledger. "What is the official st

Chapter 35

Jason POV: At The Doctor "The brain scans show no damage, Alpha," Dr. Bruce says as he peers with his reading glasses at his charts. "It appears your memory lag was just a temporary scare."I begin buttoning up my shirt, still feeling unsettled inside. Dr. Bruce gives me a long, grave stare from his desk."When exactly did you start noticing these gaps in your memory?" he asks."The week before the Unification Ball," I reply as I buckle my belt."And you remember virtually nothing before that period?" Dr. Bruce asks, tilting his head.I shake my head, a dull ache throbbing behind my eyes.Bruce sighs, tapping his pen on his desk before pulling out a prescription pad. "I am going to prescribe a mild sedative to help you sleep. I know, I know. You told me earlier that your sleep quality feels fine. But the overwhelming weight and expectations of stepping into the Alpha role may be impairing the deep restorative sleep your brain actually requires. You might just need more rest."Bullshi

Chapter 36

Jason POV: He Can't Take His Eyes Off Florence Florence is sitting on the front porch, resting her chin in the heels of her hands. Her oval face shines brighter than the warm lamp illuminating the porch overhang. Her hair is cut just as I saw it in my dream from last night—fiery red, short, and wildly attractive.Her skin has a soft, peachy glow even under the night sky. I’ve caught myself noticing it constantly lately. And every single time I get anywhere near her, a terrifying, magnetic pull makes me want to reach out and touch her."What is she doing sitting out there?" Irene hisses beside me, her tone brittle. "Always doing something completely out of the ordinary just to embarrass me!"I glance sideways at her. "Be cool, Luna. That's your sister.""Stepsister," she snaps defensively, folding her arms. "I don't even like her.""No," I say softly, my eyes fixed on the porch. "I think you do. I think you like her so much you just don't know how to express it."Irene colors a littl

Chapter 37

Jason POV: Florence Is My Fated Mate"I don't want you to be close to my sister," Irene says.I pause, my shirt open halfway. I look over at her in the mirror, my fingers lingering on the buttons. "What did you just say?"Irene rises from the vanity table and walks over to me, her posture rigid. "I said, I don't want you to be too close to my sister. In fact, I forbid it."I frown and utter a disbelieving laugh. "Irene, you're my wife, but you don't dictate who I can or cannot speak to. Don't do that."She steps in front of me. She takes my hand. She squeezes slightly. She locks eyes with me, her lips moving as she mutters something under her breath. It doesn't sound like English. It sounds like a strange, low chant, a foreign cadence that vibrates in the air between us."What?" I ask, shaking my head as my vision begins to swim."I said," Irene repeats, her voice gurgling, "don't be too close to my sister."Inside my head suddenly erupts with a high-pitched humming. My heart rate p

Chapter 38

Florence POV: A Glass Of Milk For Alpha Jason"What the hell?" Jason whispers, the sound barely carrying over the air in the dining room.Irene isn't looking at him. Her eyes dart past him and glues on Bessie. A sudden, tense changes comes over Bessie’s expression. Her face seems to darken, drawing tight over her cheekbones. I watch the silently traded glare with a mounting sense of horror. What is going on? Is Bessie fighting back? Is she trying to protect her son?Beside Irene, Penny is glaring at Bessie too, her hands are fists on the table clutching a napkin tightly. The tense moment is interrupted as my dad lumbers in, harried and disheveled. The stink of cheap alcohol wafts out from him and I sigh, feeling my face burn with embarrassment."I'm sorry for arriving late," he mutters and gives the room a lopsided smile. "Had to sort something out at the farm."He clears his throat, the sound rough and wet, and pulls out a chair. It scrapes loudly in the tense silence. He looks ar

Chapter 39

Florence POV: Bessie Tells The TruthBessie leads the way to her summerhouse. The house is lit by dim lamps that casts long, swaying shadows over everything inside. Three omegas who were putting things in order quickly leave when they see us coming. Behind us, Alpha Trevor and my dad are talking about some realm matters, something about a council election happening tomorrow in a pack nearby. Their voices drift lazily through the cool evening air. Jason and Irene have both left the dining room, walking with about ten feet of space between them, a cold, silent chasm. Penny has mysteriously disappeared.Bessie grabs my hand and pulls me into the summerhouse. She shuts the door firmly behind us."Florence, I have no pottery collection," she hisses, her eyes big and afraid. “What is this about?” "I know you don't have a pottery collection," I say with the same urgency. "I just wanted to get us away from there. What's going on, Bessie? What's in that milk?""Sit," she says.I sit, my eye

Chapter 40

Florence POV: A Coup Is Coming I leave the Alpha's house with a heavy heart. The cool night air does nothing to clear the haze in my mind. I just learned the devastating truth about why I lost Jason to my stepsister.Yet, oddly enough, knowing the truth feels so much worse than being kept in the dark. As I walk away down the dimly lit street, the remaining illusions I held about my life shatter slowly, piece by piece.I debate going straight home or calling Susie for a listening ear and some sound counsel. In the end, exhaustion wins out, and I choose home instead.It's almost midnight when I unlock the front door and walk into the quiet house. Tony is at the kitchen counter, waxing his leather combat boots. Todd is sprawled lazily on the couch in the living room. He is reading an old Archie comic book through droppy eyes. Tony pauses his work and comes out of the kitchen with a rag over his shoulder. "We thought you'd be sleeping over at the Alpha's estate."I walk over and sit on

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