Unravel Me (Fate’s Choice #7)

Chapter 1 JARED

Present day

Holding my son in my arms, I stare at the door behind which the matchmaker, Storm Nolan, has his office.

This matchmaking agency is one of those places people come to when they want to find a partner, a husband, a father for their children…

But I’m not here to find some random guy who checked the same boxes I did under ‘hobbies’ on a form and happens to have the same zodiac sign.

I’m here because this particular matchmaker has a certain… reputation. According to the people who know him, Storm Nolan can find people’s fated mates, their other half, their perfect match.

And it so happens I’m desperately in need of finding a man who can bring some kind of change to my catastrophe-of-a-life. I’ve truly reached a crossroads, and my whole world has fallen apart.

My gaze fixes on the nameplate.

So much depends on this. I can't live like this anymore, I’m at my limit. A deep trembling travels through my bones, my breathing is short and ragged, and my mouth is dry.

Next to me stands my cousin Alex, looking at me attentively.

"Do you really think he can do it?" I whisper to him, and kiss Tommy’s pale-golden curls as he clings tightly to me.

My son is tired; this day was hellish. I packed our things just minutes before the agents arrived to secure the property under the court order.

My ex-husband's assets had been placed under a pretrial restraining order.

Because of my prenuptial agreement, I had almost no claim to his property, and it was best for me to simply get out of there.

Alex offered me a place to stay and, seeing my desperation, almost immediately suggested we come here. I agreed, wanting to start dealing with my problems as soon as possible instead of just torturing myself over them.

But the longer we stay in front of Storm Nolan’s door, staring mindlessly, the stronger my doubts grow.

"My case is different from the ones he usually deals with, isn’t it?" I ask gloomily.

Alex’s amethyst eyes shift away, as if he were trying to hide his uncertainty. Well, no wonder. The outcome of this meeting is a big question mark.

The idea of being able to find someone’s fated mate from a distance… it sounds like magic.

I’ve never heard of anyone who could do that. As desperately as I want to believe it, the doubts gnaw at me hard. The only problem is… I’ve reached the point where I’m willing to give this madness a try.

"Let's stay positive," Alex whispers. "He’s helped four people find their True Mates lately." His small hand touches my son’s back, stroking it lightly. "The winds in your life have to change direction eventually, right?"

I stay silent. Tommy plays with my ear, gently tugging at it as if he wants to turn it into an elf ear. For a moment, we simply stand there, lost in our thoughts. Finally, Alex lets out a sigh and straightens up.

"So. Ready?"

Well, do I have any other options? I nod slowly. Too much is at stake, and I’m gonna fight for a better life for myself and my child.

Alex knocks, then presses down on the handle, and we walk into the office.

It’s a small, cramped space, and from what I know, it’s Storm’s temporary office.

After the Fate’s Choice matchmaking agency ran into some problems, the employees had to move into little rooms like this one.

It doesn’t exactly scream spectacular, top-notch service, but I try not to let it put me off.

Alex greets Storm with a wide smile.

They know each other well. Alex used to date Storm’s brother, Bay, and spent a lot of time at their house, but that was a few years ago.

As they exchange handshakes, I quietly stand just behind Alex, holding Tommy close.

The matchmaker is an absolute giant of a man, a purple alpha whose head almost brushes the ceiling. He’s classically handsome, and there’s an intense aura surrounding him.

Besides Storm, there’s one more young man in the room, an omega sitting silently on the couch, but I pay him no attention at the moment.

"This is Jared Ferguson…" Alex gestures toward me.

"Jared Daniels," I correct him, introducing myself with my biological father’s last name as I shake Storm’s big hand.

Alex's eyes practically bulge with shock when he hears that.

Yeah, I’d rather use the surname of a man who never wanted anything to do with me than the surname of my ex-husband who turned out to be a serial rapist…

The matchmaker’s face breaks into a grin.

"Oh, I guess I’m lucky with that surname," he says, his laugh carrying a hint of arrogance. "Three weeks ago, I found a True Mate for someone with the same last name. He even looked a bit like you. Maybe it’s good fortune?"

Saying this, Storm looks like a puffed-up peacock, crossing his arms over his chest as he leans back slightly against the chair.

‘Oh, I found a True Mate for some other guy.’

Well, great. But can he do it for me?

Not wanting him to start bragging about how many pairs of True Mates he’s already matched, I quickly move the conversation along.

"So. About my case…" I start, and Alex, probably seeing my furrowed brow and determined energy, walks over to me and says, "Jared, I’ll take Tommy to the cafeteria so you two can talk," while holding out his arms for my son.

I nod because it’s a good idea.

Thankfully, Tommy lets Alex take him. My cousin slips out, leaving me at the mercy of… well, fate. After all, this matchmaking agency is called Fate’s Choice.

A bit hesitantly, I sit down in the chair across from Storm Nolan’s desk.

This is the moment.

My throat constricts, and my stomach twists with nerves. My fingers curl around my golden leaf pendant, just as they always do whenever I hope my future is about to change for the better.

Storm’s broad frame looks almost comical behind the tiny desk. Swallowing with some difficulty, I watch him push some papers aside, making room in front of him, then lace his fingers together and turn his attention to me.

His eyes are an unnatural color, seeming to glow faintly with a turquoise, almost phosphorescent sheen, something that looks downright magical.

I’m really hoping the things people say about him are true, that he possesses a rare gift that allows him to find someone’s fated mate the moment he looks at them, and that it will work in my peculiar case.

"I desperately need to find my True Mate," I blurt out, but my voice comes out almost squeaky.

Storm's handsome face, like that of a salesman, remains calm, friendly, and expectant.

All this time, I’ve been watched by the silent, young omega sitting on the couch against the wall.

My nose tells me he’s mated to Storm, and Storm is mated to him.

Their scent leaves no doubt. Alex also gave me his name, Damien.

Seeing me glance at him, the omega raises a hand and gives me a little wave.

I awkwardly return the gesture. He’s a slightly chubby guy around twenty years of age, and he just…

perches there with his fingers laced over his knees, an open curiosity in his gaze.

It’s a bit strange to me that Storm brings his boyfriend to work, but from what Alex told me during our ride here, they’re True Mates, so I guess the law makes an exception for couples like them, treating them as practically inseparable.

"You know," Storm says slowly, drawing out the words, "Plenty of people desperately want to find their fated. The question is whether it's possible for everyone."

Oh-ho! Where did all that cocky confidence go? I can already hear a note of caution slipping into his voice.

My eyes narrow. "I've heard it is for you. You helped four people, correct?"

Something flickers across Storm's face, a hint of nervous fluster, and a stab of unease settles in my chest.

"Yes, well… but you have to understand something," he mutters.

"Their cases were very different. My gift works when I actually see two potential mates.

I observe their auras, and if they shine with the same color, I know they're meant for each other.

But I need to have them in front of me, either in person or at least in a photograph. "

My throat is so dry it feels like I have sawdust stuck in it. I try to say something, but nothing comes out.

Seeing that I remain silent, Storm lowers his voice and adds, "The problem is I've never tried to find someone's perfect match without seeing the other person first."

My fingers curl into fists so tightly that my nails dig into my palms, as I try to ease the rising panic. Finally, I force the words out.

"You don't understand… my situation is desperate! My marriage—" The confession catches in my throat, and suddenly it feels impossible to take a full breath. I'm ashamed to say it out loud.

Storm tilts his head, then takes pity on me and says, "Yes, I've heard about it. The scandal. Mark Ferguson, your husband—"

He cuts himself off as if searching for the right word. Is it difficult for him to say it too, or does he just not want to offend me?

A scandal on that scale had almost never shaken this city.

The leading candidate for the state senate, admired and trusted by thousands, had turned out to be a sexual predator who had coerced and assaulted multiple members of his own staff.

And yeah, I was his trophy husband, blind to the life he had been living behind my back, naively assuming he was just having affairs whenever I smelled another omega on him. It never even crossed my mind that what he was doing was so horrible.

"He turned out to be a monster," I whisper so quietly that anyone without a purple alpha's hearing probably wouldn't catch it.

"But for all the evil he did… there was one thing he provided.

He protected me from the people of my past. Very dangerous people.

Now that he's in jail, they may come looking for me again. "

Especially one of them, the worst.

Rocco Ferro.

His name alone sends a chill through me, so I squeeze my eyes shut as the plea finally escapes my lips.

"If I don't find my True Mate… someone who can protect me and my son—" My voice cracks. "It’s over for me."