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“Raincheck.” I held out my hand, happy when she took it. “Let’s go the long way into town. It’s a scenic walk.”
She smiled, and it stirred something inside me. How she looked at me, trusted me, all the while knowing my true self. This wasn’t the mate magic making me feel this way—not this time. That felt different, confusing as if the feelings didn’t quite belong to me. But not his. These feelings were mine alone to unpack, and it gave me back my control.
Taking her the back way to the town through the trail in the woods, I told her about Gideon. “Would you like to know why Gideon is after me?”
“He’s going to great lengths to hunt you down, that’s for sure.”
“And he won’t stop.” I sighed. “Wolves live for a long time, and Gideon is a tiresome son of a bitch.”
“Wait.” She thought about it. “How long do wolves live?”
“Why?”
“When I checked the papers in the library, your name was on every one of them. I thought you had a grandfather with the same name. But are you saying …?”
“It was me who signed those papers?” I tried to hold back a smile but failed. “Yes. It was.”
“But that would make you—”
“Ninety-two. However, my driver’s license says thirty-two. It always will. I get it changed every few years. You’re not the only one with a fake ID.”
“Oh,” she replied, and I looked over to see her disappointment.
“What’s wrong? Don’t you like dating an older man?”
“What’s the average life of a wolf?”
“A few hundred years or so,” I replied. Then I realized. “You don’t have to worry about it.”
“I know.” She looked at me with slight panic in her eyes. “I know that. I’m not looking for anything long-term here, it’s just—”
“Don’t,” I growled, drawing her to a stop. “Don’t say that.”
“Say what?” Confusion flitted across her face. “Don’t say that I’m looking for anything long-term with a wolf who is only into a third of his life cycle? Who still looks in his thirties at ninety-two?”
Hooking my hand behind her neck, I forced her gaze to mine, brushing her cheek with my thumb. “You engaged something in me called mate magic. That’s why I freaked out when I saw the drawing you did. The mate magic engaged at that moment, throwing me off guard.”
“What’s mate magic?”
“It’s something that connects a wolf to his ideal mate. A wolf can’t truly claim a mate without it. Should I claim you, you’ll live as long as I do.”
“What?”
“You will always have a choice, Savannah. One of those choices would be to mate with me and live a longer life than a human. But either way, I’d still like a lifetime with you. I want you in my life for more than a few days. More than a week. I see this going somewhere. Don’t you?”
“Shit.” She shook her hand free from mine and stalked off ahead. I caught up, falling into step beside her.
“What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” She threw up her hands. “A few things. I live in Idaho. You live here. We’ve known each other for a few days, and now you’re talking about claiming. Magic that means I could get to live to be a few hundred years old. You’re a wolf. A wolf! And one who could get a lot better than a bounty hunter from Idaho who was going to sell out your ass to an old enemy!”
“Stop.” I took hold of her arm. “I get that this is a lot to take in.”
“Do you?” she demanded.
“Stop overthinking. A lot of shit has happened over the past couple of weeks for you. And I understand you need to catch up. But I’m in this. I want you. I want you here, with me, as selfish as that sounds. But I do. I want you in my cabin. To wake up with you every morning. And if you ever say you’re not good enough for me again, then, woman, you had better be ready for the consequences.”
Her lips curved, but she held it back. “Are you threatening me?”
