Page 80 of The Secret Mate Society

The Elder Council had to be notified immediately.I knew that as I stood there withfartoo much evidence of my secret world in my hands.But what was I supposed to do?If I demanded Ethan hand over the box and then all his hard-won evidence disappeared… well, he’d never fucking forgive me.I wouldn’t, if I were him.No… I was gonna need to be more subtle about this, more careful.

“Should we take all this back to my place?”I offered, looking up at Ethan as I attempted to hide the growing worry in my belly.“Maybe we can pick up some food on the way before we start going through it all?”

Ethan stared at me for a long moment, a question lingering in his eyes.I stared back, hoping he wouldn’t ask.He already knew too much.I knew that before this entire thing started.But now I saw just how uneducated I’d been.Ethan wasn’t just informed, he wasdangerouslyclose to discovering my world.And if he did… Well, there would be nothing I could do to save him.

“Yeah,” he said at last, not asking the questions I knew were burning inside him.“Sure.Food sounds good.”

Ethan started gathering his materials, carefully placing the photos back into their protective sleeves before returning them to the box.I watched him, trying to keep my expression neutral despite the panic building inside me.This collection was unprecedented.There were decades of sightings, evidence, and encounters that my kind had worked tirelessly to suppress.The Elder Council had no idea such a thing existed.

"I've been thinking about getting takeout from that Thai place near your shop," Ethan said as he closed the lid on the box."The one with the red door?Jake mentioned it was good."

I bristled at Jake's name but tried not to show it."Yeah, their pad thai is decent.We can grab some on the way."

As Ethan lifted the box, I fought the urge to take it from him, to claim it as my own.The wolf inside me was snarling, demanding I protect our secrets at any cost.But I couldn't.Not without betraying the man I loved.Or without giving myself away.

"You okay?"Ethan asked, pausing at the bedroom doorway."You look like you're about to be sick."

"I'm fine," I lied, forcing a smile."Just...overwhelmed by how much research you've done.It's impressive."

His face lit up at the compliment, and guilt twisted in my gut."Thanks.Sometimes I thought I was crazy for collecting all this.My therapist definitely told me not to look at it again.”

We made our way out of the apartment, the box clutched tightly in Ethan's arms.I kept scanning our surroundings, alert for any threat, whether it be from the rogue wolf or, increasingly likely, from my own kind.If the Council discovered what Ethan had collected before I could figure out how to handle this...he’d be hunted by every wolf, demon, and witch within a hundred miles.

"Do you think any of this will actually help?"Ethan asked as we reached my bike."Or am I just a crazy person with a box of nightmares?"

I secured the box to the back of my motorcycle with bungee cords, making sure it was tight."This is the furthest thing from crazy, pup.You've collected more evidence than anyone I've ever known."

He just had no idea how dangerous that was.

As we rode back toward my place, stopping briefly for food, I couldn't stop thinking about Trevor's warning.The Council would use Ethan as bait if they had to.And if they discovered his collection?They might decide he was too dangerous to keep alive, mate bond or no mate bond.

By the time we arrived home, night had fallen, the Halloween decorations in my neighborhood casting eerie shadows across the yard.Ethan carried the food while I brought in the box, setting it carefully on my dining table.

"So," Ethan said as he unpacked the Thai containers, "where do we start?"

I stared at the box, mind racing."Let's eat first.Then we can relax for a bit before we start.It’s been a long day.”

Ethan nodded.“Yeah.I wouldn’t mind a littlenormaltime for a moment.”

I smiled back at him, scoffing internally.Normal.As if I’d know anything about that.

We ate in silence for a while, both lost in our own thoughts.I picked at my pad thai, appetite diminished by the weight of my predicament.The fragrant spices that would normally have my mouth watering barely registered as I watched Ethan eat across from me.He seemed more relaxed than he had been at his apartment, his shoulders less tense, his movements less hurried.

"This is really good," he said, breaking the silence."We should get takeout from there more often."

"More often," I echoed, warming at the casual way he assumed a future together.Despite everything, that thought still made my wolf rumble with satisfaction."Sounds like a plan."

Ethan set down his fork, studying my face."What’s wrong, Calder?”He leaned closer, his brows furrowed.“Why are you so far away right now?”

For half a second I played with the idea of telling him the truth.But I knew I couldn’t do that.If I told him I was a werewolf, he’d run.I had no doubt about that.But I didn’t want to keep talking about the box and dancing around the subject either.Maybe what I needed was a…distraction.

“Honestly,” I lied as I put my food down.“I know things are hectic right now, but I can’t stop thinking about…you.”

His eyes lit up.“Me?What about me?”

I stood up, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him close to me in one swift motion.“I can’t stop thinking about how much I want tofuckyou again.”

Ethan smiled, clearly some small doubt swept away by my partially true words.“I thought for half a second that you were pulling away from me again.”