Chapter 220

If so, I should demand a T-bone steak or even spicy sushi rolls.

And my fated mate hadn’t shown his face or sent one single word. Maybe he was eagerly waiting to watch my head be chopped off.

Acid flooded my stomach, so much so that I almost stopped eating. But then, I told myself, what the fuck? I’d enjoy every good thing in my brief life until the last second.

I grabbed two chips and popped them into my mouth.

“Are these corn chips or potato chips?” I asked Shade.

“That’s what you’re worried about?”

“Princess Danielle said the same thing the other day,” I said with a

shrug. “I’m about to die, and you want me to think big? If I didn’t know you better, I’d call you an asshole.”

He shook his head. “Sorry that I couldn’t come earlier.” His voice was raw and rough, as if he blamed himself for my situation.

 I didn’t blame him at all. It counted for something that he hadn’t forgotten about me. I tossed a pickle into my mouth and moaned in pleasure.

His gaze landed on my lips.

“You’re not going to die, Catnip, not while I stand here,” he said fiercely. “If this was supposed to be your last meal, I’d have come a couple of days ago to bust you out and sneak you away from Shifter City.”

My eyes widened, and I sniffed in gratitude. “You’d do that for me?”

“Of course. Meanwhile, I’ve been petitioning to have your death sentence removed.” He ran a hand through his messy hair. Now that I stopped worrying about my weak, dirty state, I could tell he hadn’t had much rest. Twin dark circles had appeared below his eyes. He still looked ruggedly handsome, though. Some guys were truly blessed.

“Viviane finally agreed to drop the charge, persuaded by Jared,” he continued. “My father also agreed not to place a severe punishment on you, as both Jared and I pleaded with him.”

I blinked. “Sideburns doesn’t want me dead?”

Shade chuckled. “Only you’d dare to keep calling him that.” His face turned solemn. “It’s not in him to let you die. His wolf would rebel.” He paused for a second. “Jared might be a hard ass, as he has to constantly wade through political waters, but his wolf—all our wolves—think in a straightforward, primal way. His wolf would never allow my brother or anyone to kill his fated mate. And you, Pip, are Jared’s mate.”

He dropped the bomb and waited for me to jump, but I made no move other than eating another pickle. His brother had warned him not to tell me, but, under the circumstances, Shade ignored his orders, which only said how good he was to me.

He narrowed his eyes, not thrilled at my apathy. “Well?” “Yeah?” I asked before I swallowed the delicious pickle. “Aren’t you surprised?”

“Should I be?”

“Finding one’s fated mate is the biggest thing in life! It’s a once-in-a- lifetime, rare gift. Most shifters never find their mates.”