All Chapters of The Counterfeit Mate: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Florence POV: Look At Me, JasonQuirrel is nowhere to be found.Foreman Claus wipes his brow and says, "Beta Lucio had the shaman's name removed from the payroll."I ask, "Did he say why?""Are you kidding?" Claus scoffs. "He's the Beta. If you ask me, I'm glad Beta Lucio did that. The shaman is too old to work anyway. I hope the Alpha put him in a home. Shamans would never work if I was in charge. But . . . I'm not in charge. I'm just a foreman.""Thank you, Claus," I say. I walk across the street to the diner. I take a seat by the wide front window. Off to the left, the Alpha's mansion sits quiet and imposing. Todd had walked through the gates about twenty minutes earlier without seeing me.My breath shorts with desperation. I need to find Quirrel. If the Council finds his name listed on the petition form I just filed, they might try to intimidate the old man. He needs to know I'm seeing this through to the very end. And if Todd managed to deliver my letter to Isobel, it could chan

Florence POV: Isobel's Deal"I say we go somewhere," Isobel says, her gaze jumping from me to Jason and back. "What do you say, Alpha Jason? Florence?"I stare at her for a long, silent moment, unsure if I trust stepping a single foot anywhere with her. At first, I was relieved to see her come out of the sedan as I watch from the diner. I had started over, happy to see Jason hadn't gone back to the house with Irene. But then I watched her pull Jason into a kiss, and my heart dropped straight into a ravine. Right now, the only thing I really want to do is deliver a backhand slap across her narrow face."Before you get mad, Florence,”she says, “you have to understand.""Understand what?" I ask, choking a little."Shall we?" Isobel gestures toward the road, where her car sits. I grab Jason's hand, and fit my fingers through his. "We are not going anywhere with you!"Isobel smiles and peers at our intertwined hands. "Hmm. Love, and those who find it. It's a sort of madness, don't you th

Florence POV: Penny Makes A Strong Allegation"What the hell is this, Florence?" my dad asks, waving a piece of paper in the air.I wipe the stickiness of sleep from my eyes and squint against the harsh morning light coming in through the windows. "Dad? Where did you get that?" I ask. "You think I wouldn't find out about it?" he demands, his voice rising. "What are you doing writing a petition to the Council?"I look past my dad to Penny, who looks as though she slept in her full face of makeup. It's barely seven in the morning, how does she already have a fresh layer applied?Irene is standing beside her. Her breasts are noticeably forcing against her black leather jacket. Are her breasts getting bigger? Is she pregnant? That thought terrifies me and my heart stops for a second. If she's pregnant, it's Jason's. Oh, Jason better pray to the heavens that isn't true, or I will strangle him with my bare hands.I reach out to snatch the letter from my dad's hand. Penny's hand is lightn

Jason POV: Penny Swore It Was Harmless Magic"Dad . . . what is Mom talking about?" I say through a tight throat.My father lets out a sigh. He leans back in his chair. He takes a slow sip of his bourbon. My hands are shaking and the urge to throw the glass of alcohol out into the street is an overwhelming one. But I'm unable to move. I'm alpha. I must control myself. Yet, my mother just told me I'm mateless and it's the most unbelievable words that ever entered my ears. Dad says, "Yes, son. Your mother is right."Every drop of rage in my veins begins to dilute into more dizzying confusion. I sit frozen, not knowing whether to tear the balcony apart or scream at my own parents until my lungs give out.Alpha Trevor sets his glass down with on the table that separates us. "All these deals, these agreements . . . they all come down to what you are, and what you aren't, son. We did everything in our power, but nothing worked. You simply weren't getting mated to any woman in the pack.""

Florence POV: Penny Loses It I am pacing the floor of my room, worrying about my situation when Penny’s shrieking voice shatters the morning quiet downstairs, screaming my name at the top of her lungs.I stop, my eyes wide and stare at the closed bedroom door. What is she doing back here?I crack the door open just as angry footsteps reach the top of the landing. Penny is marching down the hallway toward my room, her face contorted in rage. My father is hurrying after her, his face white, his eyes big. I quickly shut the door and place my weight against it, wedging myself firmly in place. My eyes are wide, and searching the room for some weapon, should things escalate."Florence! Open this door this minute!" Penny bawls and pounds her fist. "Open this door!""Why?" I scream. "What did I do?""Penny, talk to me!" my dad pleads out in the hall, out of breath. "What happened? What is going on?""Jason threw me out, and it's because of this little brat!" she screeches."Wait . . . what?