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Elijah had been like that his entire life. Unable to keep a secret. He seemed to say things he shouldn’t, but in this case, Drake was downright curious. “Come again?” Drake asked.
“Nothing,” Ajax said, though he was staring daggers at Elijah.
Kenji just grinned. “Stay classy, Elijah.”
“Screw you, Kenji,” Elijah said. “I have no idea why that just burst out of me, but I wasn’t being trashy.”
“Is it true?” Drake wasn’t sure what was going on. Had Elijah said that Ajax was a wolf shifter? Like, could shift into a real-life wolf? Or was he speaking metaphorically? Wait. How would that be metaphorically? Ajax didn’t act like a wolf, so it wasn’t figurative.
“Don’t,” Ajax said with a snarl.
“Don’t what? The cat’s already out of the bag,” Elijah said. “Or should I say dog?” He turned to Drake. “The reason Ajax is digging on you is because he’s a wolf shifter, and he’s your mate. Preternatural only get one, and surprise, you’re it.”
“Only get one what?” Drake asked. “Wolf?”
“No, a mate,” Elijah said. “Fate handpicked you for him. He can shift into a wolf, too. So can Kenji. Have fun, kiddos. I’m going to Wild Tiger to be with my mate. Ajax looks like he’s about to turn me into a human rug. Peace out.”
Drake had never seen Elijah exit so quickly, not even when they were teenagers and some girl had asked Elijah to the dance. At the time, he’d run so fast that paper should have flown behind him.
Similar to now.
Drake watched Elijah run down the street. Was he going to run all the way to Wild Tiger? It was across town.
“Drake.”
He slowly turned to face Ajax and Kenji.
Kenji grabbed the cake stand and his coffee. “I’ll be on the patio if you need me. Try not to kill my boy, Drake.”
He watched the muscular man retreat.
“This isn’t how I wanted you to find out,” Ajax said as two women walked in. Ajax gave them a pleasant smile while Drake took a seat on one of the couches. A few months ago Elijah had said he’d seen two men shift into animals. A snow leopard and a wolf. Tido had sworn he’d seen a guy change into a lion.
At the time, Drake hadn’t thought much about it. His friends were always fantasizing about the bizarre. They would always invent scenarios where mysterious things took place. Figuratively, of course.
Now he realized they’d actually been telling the truth.
And Elijah had just run out after spilling the beans. And what was this about mates? Drake felt a headache coming on. As he sat there, he started putting the pieces together. If Elijah knew that Ajax and Kenji were wolves, did that mean his boyfriend was really an animal? Did that mean that Elijah and Mason were mates?
What about Gage? Was his boyfriend, Roman, a shifter, too? Were they mates?
Drake stole a glance at Ajax as he served the two women some coffee in paper cups and bagged up some cookies. As soon as they walked out, Ajax headed his way, but the door opened again and a few more customers came inside.
Ajax waited on them, too. He was polite and professional, but Drake could see the tenseness in his shoulders and the way he worked. He wanted to talk, but Drake wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what Ajax had to say.
His mind was too blown.
Finally, after a few more customers, the coffee shop was empty. Ajax locked the doors and turned the sign over saying the café was closed. He let out a long sigh before turning to Drake.
“You have questions.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
Drake nodded, wishing he had more control over his emotions. “We’re mates?”
Ajax took a few steps closer before sinking down onto the couch opposite Drake. “Yes.”
Drake blinked, trying to make sense of it all. “When did you discover I was your mate?”
“Last night when I sniffed you.”
