Cole helped himself to a glass of the amberliquid and settled into the chair across from his dad. The warmthof the fire helped soothe some of his lingering anxiety, but he wasimpatient to get back to Lexi.
“What happened out there?” his fatherinquired.
Cole had only given him scant details in hisletters, and now he filled him in on the rest of it.
“You were lucky to find the witch,” hisfather said.
“Luck had nothing to do with it. I knew shewas there.”
“And how is that?”
“It was Del’s mansion; his sister was thewitch.”
“I see. I recall her from the party. I alsorecall that his daughter is a beautiful woman.”
“Yes, she is.”
“You sound intrigued by the girl.”
“It’s more than that; she’s my mate.”
“Yourlycanmate?”
“Yes.”
Cole sipped his whiskey as he gazed over hisfather’s shoulder. One of the moons, Carpton, hung outside thewindow. The sight of it caused the lycan part of him to stir in away it never had before.
He’d never transformed because of the moon’spull, but now that Lexi had awakened his more primitive urges, theywere making themselves known more often than they had before.Lycans didn’t transform with every full moon, but they feltconnected to the moon’s cycles that often drew the beast out ofthem as the moon became fuller.
His need to shift grew as he imagined feelingthe earth beneath him and the wind in his hair while he raced backto her. The impulse was so strong his fangs lengthened, and thescent of the night air intensified as it filled his nose.
His fingers clenched on his glass. It wouldhave shattered in his grasp if his father didn’t lean across thedistance separating them to remove it from his hand.
“Easy, son,” he murmured as he set the glasson the table.
Cole took a steadying breath as he leashedthe lycan part of him once more.
“Have you claimed her?” his father asked.
“No. I didn’t have the chance to discuss itwith her before your last letter asking us to return.”
“It will be easier for you once you do. Itwas for your mother.”
He fucking hoped so. He’d never liked feelingout of control; it was why he’d always identified more with hisdark fae side, but the lycan was nowhere near as detached andcalculating. It was making that clearly known.
“Do you care for her?” his fatherinquired.
“More than I ever believed possible.”
Until he said the words, he hadn’t realizedhow much he cared for Lexi. Not only was she his mate, but he likedher and admired her determination to keep her manor going and theones she loved safe.
His father’s grin lit his eyes. “I’m so happyfor you!”
Cole didn’t know how to reply, and before hecould respond, the smile slid from his father’s face.
“Protect her, Colburn,” he said. “Don’t loseher like I lost your mother. It’s not something… it’s not somethingyou ever fully recover from.”
His father’s eyes flickered away as anguishbriefly replaced his joy. When he looked at Cole again, his smilewas back in place, but it no longer lit his eyes.
