Free Forever Is Not Enough [Council Enforcers 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Keyonna Davis

“I’ve wanted to do that since I first laid eyes on you.”
    “Why? After what I did to you, how could you be so forgiving? I don’t understand why you even tried to save my life in the first place.” Pulling away from him, Jacqueline sat up. She knew it wasn’t the time or place to get into the conversation they were about to have. She was ruining the mood, but she needed answers. She also needed to know what she was feeling wasn’t one-sided. “Also why do you keep calling me little mate?” The first time he had called her that, she had been able to ignore it. Not this time, though. There was no way she could brush it off as something said in the heat of the moment. From everything she had heard from her father and hearing his men talk, shifters didn’t just throw the word mate around at random.
    Ben sighed and propped his head on his hand. “I know you don’t know much about shifters, but do you know what mates are?”
    Jacqueline felt her stomach knot. “I’ve heard a few of my father’s men talking about them. They are supposed to be the one person fate chooses for each shifter. Once they meet, they won’t be able to live without each other. That is about all I know. “
    Ben nodded. “That’s close. Mates are chosen for each other by fate. They are perfect and complement each other in every way. Once a shifter meets their mate, they never want another for as long as they live. I’m sure you already know, but we don’t get sick. We can’t catch human diseases, and we heal pretty much instantly. Because of that, we can live for a really long time. We aren’t immortal, but barring a horrific accident or someone killing us, we can live practically forever. Knowing there is someone out there specifically meant for us gives shifters something to look forward to rather than the burden of living forever alone.” He paused before continuing, “The night I met you, I scented you before I ever even saw you. I knew then you were my mate. That’s why I saved your life that night.”
    Jacqueline was stunned silent. She didn’t know whether to jump for joy at him confirming she was his mate or to run from the room screaming and crying because of what she had done to him. “If what you say is true, then you should hate me.” If he didn’t hate her now, then he definitely would once he found out he was dying because of her. All his talk about not getting sick and shifters being hard to kill meant little because he would soon see just how untrue that was unless she found a way to cure him.
    “I don’t hate you, little mate. From what you’ve told me, you did what you had to do to stay alive. How can I be mad about that? Besides”—he brushed the hair back from her forehead—“you made the right decision when it counted the most. You went against your father to help me escape. You more than likely saved my life.”
    Jacqueline jumped from the bed and began pacing. She didn’t want or need Ben’s praise. “You say all of that now, but when you find out what I’ve done, I wouldn’t be surprised if you never wanted to see me again.” She wanted to scream at fate for being such a cruel bitch. It wasn’t fair. He was the first man she’d had a connection with in her life, and she had to go and try to kill him.
    She sat on the side of the bed and covered her face with her hands. Tears burned her eyes, and she didn’t want Ben to see them. The last thing she needed at the moment was his pity. Jacqueline bit her lip to keep from sobbing, when she felt Ben’s warm hand on her back trying to comfort her.
    “Tell me what’s bothering you, little mate. I can’t help you unless you tell me.”
    “There is nothing you can do to help,” she mumbled through her hands. She was the only one who could do something, and she was sitting on the side of the bed throwing herself a pity party.
    “Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.”
    Jacqueline couldn’t hold back the hysterical laugh. “Can’t be that