A substitute

I stared at my mate, the same man whom I thought was dead. He was the same. Everything about him was exactly how he was before his death.

'Mate!'

Chels seemed like she was about to leap out of my chest, to get to him. For eight months, we have stayed without our mates. We missed him more than anything else. And there he stood, in front of me, looking like he just returned from work.

“Excuse me, who are you? Why are you standing by my door? Who is Jayden? Where is Steph?” He asked, frowning at me.

Even his voice sounded the same. However, the coldness in his eyes wasn't there when I last saw him. My mate was staring at me as if I were a stranger.

“Have you forgotten me, Jayden? We —”

“Manuel!” Steph interrupted. “You are back. I was just wondering what kept Chrysalis.” She walked past me and hugged my mate, pecking him on his right cheek.

'Remove your dirty claws off, my mate!' Chels growled. I also got this urge to slap her hands off him, but I was too shocked to move.

“Who is