Bait And Switch--SAMPLE (Book 4 of The Claimed Series)

Book 4 of The Claimed Series
Lena and Webb planned a life together.
When Lena's mate passed after a short courtship, Webb had taken it upon himself to pick up the pieces and stitch her back together.
Years later, Webb and Lena are together and wanting to start a family of their own, but when a new member returns to their community, all their hopes of forever together are dashed and Lena is left to make a terrifying and heartbreaking decision.

"Hey."
I turned around, not to see someone young, just barely out of his teens, but a grown man.
A grown man looking at my Webb like he could lick him all over like a dripping soft-serve ice cream cone. My smile faded as I took in Webb's serious countenance.
Dead serious.
No.
No.
Not now.
I slipped the test into my back pocket.
"Hi," I said.
"Listen-" he started to say.
"No," I interrupted. "I get it." I looked over at the strange man - my man's true mate - and stuck a hand out. "I'm Helena. Nice to meet you." Not.
"Hugo," he said, taking my hand gently. "Hugo Fallon. Webb told me about your circumstances, and I'm so sorry-"
"No need," I said, voice sounding stronger than I thought it would. I must be in shock. I'm numb. "I understood this could happen, so there's no apology necessary."
I looked to Webb whose face was a mirror of my own. Sad. Regretful.
If he only knew how regretful mine was.