Cal winced, rubbing the back of his neck. "It wasn't like that. Not exactly."
"Then what was it like, exactly?" I demanded, suddenly aware of how vulnerable I was in his apartment, wearing his clothes, after having sex with his werewolf form. The absurdity of the situation hit me all at once, and I had to sit back down as my legs went weak.
"When I caught your scent that day," Cal said carefully, "I knew immediately what you were to me. But I didn't approach you. I didn't want to scare you off."
"So instead you moved into my building and waited for me to... what? Fall into your lap?"
"I moved here to be close to you," he admitted. "To protect you. But I never planned to reveal myself without explaining everything first. Without giving you a choice."
I laughed bitterly. "A choice about being your 'fated mate'? Is that even something I get a say in?"
Cal's eyes, tired and sad, met mine. "The connection was already there. But the bond wasn't supposed to happen like this." He gestured to the bed where we'd just been tangled together. "Not until you knew what it meant. Not until you'd chosen it. That’s why I locked the door.”
But I’d opened it, even when he told me not to. "And now?"
"Now it's done," he said simply. "The physical joining during a full moon... it sealed the bond. We're connected now, in ways that can't be undone."
I stood up again, pacing the small space between the bed and the window. "This is insane. You can't just tell me I'm magically bound to you for life because we had sex. That's not how things work."
"It is in my world," Cal said. "In the world you've just become part of, whether you wanted to or not."
"Your world? What, like there's some secret werewolf society I'm now part of?" The question was meant to be sarcastic, but Cal's silence was answer enough. "Oh my god, there is?!"
"It's complicated," he sighed. "But yes. And being my mate puts you in a... position."
"What kind of position?" I asked, suddenly wary.
"A protected one, for one thing." Cal stood, moving closer to me but stopping when I tensed. "But also a potentiallydangerous one. There are others like me out there, Evan. Some of them aren't as careful as I try to be."
"Like whatever was attacking pets around here?"
He nodded grimly. "A rogue. Someone who's lost control or chosen to give in to the more violent aspects of our nature. I've been tracking them for weeks."
My head was spinning. "So there's a killer werewolf on the loose, and now I'm what? Werewolf married to you because we had sex during a full moon? This is a lot to process, Cal.” I slumped down on the bed next to him, burying my face in my hands. “Fuck… I think I might’ve just lost my job too…”
And yet, despite all the confusion, surprise, and dismay, I felt better than I had in my entire life. I was positively vibrating with energy. It didn’t feel like I’d stayed up all night, or that I’d been working myself to death for weeks. In that moment I felt…alive. And as I looked up at Cal, I felt… dare I say…loved.
“I feel crazy,” I murmured, afraid it might be true. “This is insane and yet… all I feel is…good.”
Cal nodded. “That’s the mate bond. You have some of my power now.” He reached out tentatively, only wrapping his arm around my waist when I didn’t pull away. “And don’t worry about your job. I have plenty of money. I’ll protect youandtake care of you.”
“So what… you’re like… asugar wolfor something?”
His smile was crooked in the most adorable way. “Old money mostly, but yes. I’ll take care of you.”
“In exchange for sex?” I asked.
“Only if that’s what you want.” He moved closer, pulling me into his arms. “I still want to get to know you, to court you properly. I won’t force myself on you just because we’re mates.”
I found that familiar sensation stirring low in my belly. “But what… what if Iaskyou to?”
A low growl rumbled through his chest, vibrating against my skin. “Then I will do anything to make you happy.”
It was such a cliche statement, but I believed him. I’d seen the beast inside him, felt it gently use my body, taking care to make sure that I wasn’t hurt in the process. If Cal wanted to hurt me, totakewhat he wanted, he would’ve done it already. I believed him and believed he wanted to treat me right, even if he was a werewolf.
“I only have one question for you then,” I said, looking up at those gorgeous brown eyes of his.
He nodded. “What’s that?”
“Where are we going on our first date?”
