Their dad wasn’t particularly loving, but they’d been raised by his mom, and she’d been amazing. “When Mimi died, I was nineteen, and I think the alpha was waiting for her to pass away, because just a week after that, he mandated that all unmated males needed to mate and start having children to grow the pack. We wanted to wait for our truemates, so we said no.”
Their dad had tried to reason with them, then threatened them that the alpha would not be denied. He had a plan to grow the pack and they were either with him or against him. The alpha brought in females from other packs and arranged a mating between Dare and the daughter of another pack alpha, and when he flat out refused, he was exiled. They weren’t about to let their brother be on his own, so he and Sigh had accepted exile too.
“King Lake was originally a shifter town, but most of them moved on years ago and left it abandoned. The dragons came first and started their security company up on the ridge. The bears came about five years ago and based their Five Pines Construction Company here. Then three years ago, we showed up, fixed up an old restaurant into The Amber Howl, and took over the empty homes behind it.”
She pushed aside their empty plates and reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze. “I’m sorry for what happened to you and your brothers, but I’m glad you’re in King Lake. Isn’t it wild? We were separated by a bridge, but it took my best friend going to The Howl for a burger for me to meet you.”
“Fate’s got an interesting sense of humor.”
“Fate is a bitch,” she said, lowering her voice. “Because it makes us wait. I’m glad I’m here now too, though. You’re the best guy I’ve ever known.”
His heart swelled. He looked across the table into her pretty hazel eyes, shining with the first bloom of early love and affection, her cheeks pink and her lips curved into a sweet smile.
He’d never fallen for a female before. Never said I love you to one.
He knew now he was saving all of that for Cassidy.
“Ready to get out of here?” he asked.
“You bet.”
With their hands clasped on his thigh, they drove back to his place. He opened her door for her, and they stood under the moonlight.
She stepped closer.
He inhaled, picking up the sweet scent of her.
She tilted her chin up and he met her lips with his own.
The kiss was soft at first, the sort of kiss a male and female would share on a first date.
But while this was their actual first date, the feelings swirling inside him were anything but first-date worthy.
Her fingers curled into his shirt, and she made a small sound in the back of her throat. He pressed his hand to her lower back, drawing her close, and the kiss went hotter, deeper.
Far sweeter.
She was everything he’d ever wanted, wrapped up in a beautiful female with warm eyes, soft skin, and the most kissable lips.
“Cass,” he said, his voice rough.
“Yeah?” she asked, resting her head on his chest.
“Stay with me tonight.”
She eased back a little to meet his gaze and smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”
He was so damn happy that his wolf howled in his head.
They walked into the house, and when he shut the door, they just stared at each other for a long moment.
Then he drew her close.
Everything in his world narrowed down to her, and all the things he wanted to say but wasn’t quite ready to hovered just under the surface.
How much he liked her.
How much he enjoyed her company.
