Page 11

“Oh. Shit.” I hurry to loosen the blankets.

Elsie giggles at my flustered movements, and the sound makes me pause.

I meet her eyes, smiling as she laughs. “How’s that?”

She nods. “Perfect.”

“Yeah,” I agree softly, staring at her in my bed.

Mark her, my wolf growls.

I clear my throat. “Okay, I’ll be back in a little bit. Get some rest.”

I slip from the room as her eyes drift shut and head outside, making sure the front door is locked behind me before climbing into my car.

Once I get to town, I hit up a few stores. Clothes first. A few pairs of jeans, shirts, sweaters, underwear, pajamas—anything else I think Elsie might need. Then shoes, because there’s no way in hell I’m letting my mate walk around in ones held together by duct tape.

My wolf purrs as I bag everything up.

Better, he says.

I grab toiletries next, probably buying way more than she needs because I have no clue what half this stuff does.

My last stop is the market for ingredients for dinner.

I’m heading toward the checkout when I spot Abe and Julian coming through the doors. They notice me at the same time and wander over.

“Hey, how’s it going?” Abe asks.

Of everyone in the pack, Abe and I have the most in common. We were both raised alone in the wilderness, with parents who thought that packs made wolves weak. We both found our way to Night Grove Falls after our parents had passed.

“Good. Just grabbing a few things,” I say, nodding at my cart.

“Congratulations. We heard you found your mate.” Julian’s smile comes easily, but there’s a flicker of longing in his eyes that I recognize all too well.

He’s one of the few members of the pack who still hasn’t found his fated mate, and I know it’s killing him slowly. Until yesterday, I was right there with him, wondering if mine was even out there.

“Thanks.” I shake my head, not quite believing it myself. “What are the chances, huh?”

Julian frowns. “Oh? What happened? I didn’t hear how you found her, just that you had.”

I shift uncomfortably on my feet. “She, uh, knocked on my door. Lost and exhausted.”

I know Elsie wouldn’t want anyone to know how guilty and self-conscious she felt about having to steal food when she was a kid, so I’m not about to tell anyone that she broke in.

I don’t care how she came into our life. I only care that we found her, my wolf growls.

“She’s human, right?” Abe asks. “Have you told her everything?”

I glance around, making sure we’re not overheard. “Not yet. I know I need to tell her about shifters, fated mates, the mating heat… all of it. But I wanted her to get used to me first before I broached that subject.”

“Good luck,” Abe says, nodding. “Be prepared for questions. And you’ll probably need to shift to prove it to her.”

I nod. “Yeah, I figured.”

“We’ll let you go,” Abe says. “Call if you need anything.”

I smile. “Thanks. I will.”