Page 70 of The Secret Mate Society

I don’t know if this is a costume or not, but if it’s real, it is some of the most compelling photo evidence I have ever seen.This little picture has given me nightmares for weeks.It looks so much like the creature that killed my dad…

-Ethan

Chapter30

Calder

“I’m all right,” Ethan protested as I continued to hold him.I could still smell the fear on him, the panic like he was a rabbit chased by a… Well,wolf.“Seriously, Calder.I’m fine.I just got a little spooked is all.”

“I’m sorry,” I replied.It was all I could think to say.“I didn’t mean to lose you in the corn.I just… I didn’t want him to get to you and then I lost you…” I was wracked with guilt at leaving my mate behind.“I’m such a bad protector…”

“Calder,” Ethan cooed, his hand on the back of my neck.“You’ve done a great job protecting me.”

“Not today, I didn’t.”

Ethan finally pulled back, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look him in the eye.“Was thatthingeven here?”he asked in a whisper.“Or did we just get freaked out about nothing?”

I shook my head again.“I don’t know.Everything just smells like corn and cinnamon.”

Ethan’s brows furrowed and my heart sank.The words had just slipped out without any thought.He thought I was just a regular human and I was so worried about him that I didn’t think before I spoke.

“You… can smell it?”Ethan asked, his eyes darting over me.“Are you like a super human or something?”

“No, no!It’s not that… it’s just…” Fuck I was terrible at backpedaling.“I mean, that night I came to your place and the heart was there… Well, there was a really distinct smell.Like a wet animal of some kind.”

“Okay…” He didn’t look like he believed me.“Well, it’s not raining right now, so why would it smell like that?”

“You’re right,” I admitted, even though it was a lie.“That’s dumb.I… I didn’t even think about that.”

Ethan’s mouth lifted into a half-grin.“It’s alright.We were both panicked.Brains are weird when they don’t have time to think things through.”

“Yeah.My bad.”Disaster avoided.“But I didn’t see anything weird either.Maybe it was just a kid running around or something.”

“A really heavy one,” Ethan chuckled.“With giant boots.”

“I think I saw a couple like in the donut line,” I lied again, shooting him a smile.“Look at us, getting worked up over nothing.I feel dumb.”

Ethan was laughing now.“Me too,” he added.Then he took my hand, squeezing it tight.“But it’s really romantic that you wanted to protect me.And that you came back for me.”He leaned close, pressing a kiss to my neck where my skin instantly began to burn with delight.“That means a lot to me.”

I pulled him closer, breathing in his scent to calm my racing heart.The terror I'd felt when I realized we'd been separated had nearly driven my wolf completely feral.Every instinct had screamed at me to tear through the maze until I found him, consequences be damned.

"Let's get out of here," I murmured against his hair."I think we've had enough adventure for one day."

Ethan nodded, his fingers still trembling slightly as they intertwined with mine."Which way?

I lifted my head, letting my enhanced senses guide us without being too obvious.The scent of car exhaust and fried food from the main area was faint but detectable to the northeast.

"This way," I said, leading him down a path that would take us toward the entrance.

As we walked, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were still being watched.My wolf paced restlessly beneath my skin, every nerve ending on high alert.Something had been in that maze with us.I was certain of it.The scent had been too familiar, too predatory to dismiss as my imagination.But I didn’t want to worry Ethan.The creature was long gone now, scared off by the hoards of people coming to the cider mill now that it was getting close to dark.I was certain it didn’t want to risk exposure, especially when the Elder Council and my pack were hot on its tail.

"Hey," Ethan said softly, squeezing my forearm as we exited the maze at last.“You doing okay?You’re still pretty tense.”

I forced my shoulders to relax, trying to project the calm confidence he needed from me."Yeah.Sorry.Just a little wound up I guess.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

I glanced over at him, catching a hint of that coy smile.I knewexactlywhat he meant.In fact, I’d already caught the scent of his arousal as we left the maze.He wanted me again.It was surprising how insatiable this little human could be.