Before it lands, I see Heath walking toward me, along with Sally and Haven. Bane glares at the crowd, his presence commanding, as he joins them. I swallow hard, trying to stem the tears at their thoughtfulness.
“You’re late,” Heath rumbles once he stops in front of me.
“Give her a break,” Sally says, sliding to my side. “A girl needs time to look as good as she does.”
“Hey, Sally.” I grin, and she winks.
“You look stunning,” Haven says, stopping on the other side of me.
“Talk about stunning.” I motion to her body. Haven is shorter than me with subtle curves and blonde hair. She’s wearing a bright yellow dress, and it works for her.
“Thank you,” she replies.
“Ready?” Heath asks, and I nod.
Haven twines her arm with mine, and Sally does the same. Bane walks behind us. Heath cuts through the crowd, but stays close. His form is impressive, but it’s the air of danger and the scowl that make people move out of the way quickly. I concentrate on the back of Heath’s head as we progress through the room. I’ve come here by myself a few times, but I stay on the outside of the room, and I don’t have any problems. We came when Haven met her mates, and I was surrounded by thefamily. I don’t know why I’m more sensitive than usual tonight. I’m familiar with the place, but something is different. My skin feels like it’s vibrating, and if a stranger touches me, I’ll explode. I dim my senses, hoping it will help. The scents in the room are overwhelming.
“What’s wrong?” Haven whispers.
“I feel…off,” I mumble.
“It’s worse than usual,” Sally guesses.
“Yes, and I don’t know why.”
Sally is dressed in a short jean skirt and a silver top. Her stomach is slightly round. I think about the baby I’ll be able to hold to distract myself. She doesn’t know everything about my past, but I’ve shared a little of it. Rabbit shifters have the gift of premonition, so she may have seen something.
“Hmm…” She narrows her eyes.
Heath stops at the bottom of the stairs and glances at me. I nod, and he moves forward. There are several VIP rooms on the second level. I should feel better when we reach the room, yet I’m not confident about it.
Is this a side effect of the taco incident?
Perhaps, but I don’t believe so.
“The room is crowded,” Sally says.
“I’m good,” I lie.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Uh-huh,” she hums.
Heath rounds the corner and walks down the balcony. We follow him, and the closer we get to the room, the louder my heart beats. My hands start to sweat. The room is steps away, and my legs are heavy. He steps inside the room, and I freeze just before it.
“Rylee?” Haven asks.
I pull my arms away and wrap them around my stomach. Enhancing all my senses, my animal pushes me to walk forward,but the human side is cautious. I take a deep breath and smell something I want.
“I knew it,” Sally whispers.
Bane’s presence is close behind me. I need him to move away.
My mate is in the room. I know it. His scent is wild.
“Step away,” I say, and Sally quickly moves forward. Haven is slower to react, but follows the rabbit. The jaguar at my back won’t budge, so I slowly take a step. I don’t register anyone else in the room as my gaze clashes with a man. A fox. The noise from the club fades into the background.
He unfolds from the couch, his attention focused on my face. I walk far enough into the space that I can see him, and stop. Dropping my arms, I lick my lips and watch him move closer. He’s beautiful. His blonde hair is messy, and his frame is solid. His muscles stretch his long-sleeved, black shirt, but he’s more wiry than bulky. The cargo pants he wears are black, slightly baggy, and tucked into combat boots. As he gets closer, I stare into his yellow eyes. He moves with confidence, yet as if he is cornering a wild animal.
