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I nod, unable to keep the smile from my face. “See you tonight?”
“Yes, my precious mate. Tonight,” Ryker murmurs before kissing the side of my neck. I get a wicked tingling sensation all throughout my body that lands between my thighs. My core throbs when he scrapes his teeth over the same spot.
“Tonight,” I barely whisper as I melt against the wall. Ryker growls and then tears out of my cabin. I would normally think he’s playing his hot and cold game again, but this time, I know he wants me as much as I want him. I can’t wait for tonight.
CHAPTER TEN
RYKER
The timer on the oven goes off, and I curse under my breath as I open the door to black smoke billowing out. Seconds later, the damn fire alarm goes off, and I slam the oven door shut before setting down the charred dish of what was supposed to be chicken and rice.
Opening the kitchen window, I let in the cool night air before shutting off the alarm. I lean against the kitchen counter, crossing my arms over my chest. What was I thinking, offering to cook for Eden? I can hardly make toast without burning it. Griffin finally admitted he usually gets to City Hall so much earlier than I do so he can make the coffee instead of having to choke down the junk I make.
So why on earth did I think I could make a meal that would impress my mate? Phoenix gave me a super simple recipe to follow, even calling it “fool-proof.” Apparently, Griffin didn’t prepare her for how foolish I can be.
A quick look at the clock lets me know I don’t have time for a plan B, so I decide to keep airing out the place and pick up pizza before getting Eden.
Fifteen minutes later, and I have pizza warming in the oven as I open the door for my mate. She’s been in my cabin before, even spent the night. But this is different. Everything is different. Now, she’s mine. I’m not trying to fight the mating pull or hide behind my curse. I want her to see me, to know me, and if I’m really fucking lucky, she’ll even love me.
“What’s for dinner?” she asks as I help her take her coat off. “It smells…” Eden trails off, her cute little nose scrunching up slightly at the lingering burnt casserole scent.
"It smells like I tried and failed to impress you with a meal only to ruin it and grab a frozen pizza at the last minute?" I finish for her, smiling when she nods.
“Not a great chef, then, I take it?”
"Not even close. Griffin still says I tried poisoning him one time, but it was my honest attempt at beef wellington."
Eden laughs, the sound making me feel light and warm. My wolf rolls over on his back, loving the fact that our mate is here in our space. “That’s an ambitious undertaking,” she says, following me into the kitchen as I pull out the pizza.
My mate helps set the table while I cut the pizza and pour our drinks. Everything feels so domestic, so normal and familiar like we do this every night. We sit next to each other, the heat from her body making my wolf lick his lips. My happily ever after is so close I can taste it, I just need to make sure Eden is on the same page.
"So, when did you find out you were a shifter? Were you born that way or were you turned? Can I be a shifter? Are you immortal? Will our kids be shifters?" Eden's questions come tumbling out of her mouth, one right after the other before she's even taken one bite of her dinner. She stops short after her last question, her big brown eyes going wide as her cheeks turn the most adorable shade of pink. "Not that I'm thinking about kids already or anything, I just…"
“I am,” I tell her with all the confidence in the world, loving the way her eyebrows fly up to her hairline. I like surprising my mate. I think she likes it, too. “But I’ll start with the first questions. Shifters are born, not turned. My parents were both wolf shifters, so I became a wolf shifter, too. I grew up in a pack, so shifters were the norm. I first transitioned to my wolf form when I was around seven, but it varies for every shifter.”
Eden nods her head, listening intently to every word.
“Any children we have would be wolf shifters, too,” I say with a wink. “I’m not immortal,” I continue, “but shifters heal faster than humans and can take more damage for sure. We’re faster and have heightened senses. You’ll get some of that too once we…” I clear my throat, not sure how to bring up the mating process.
“Will it hurt?” she whispers, those eyes peering up into mine and tugging at my very soul. “The mating process?”
“I’m told it’s the most blissful experience one can have,” I murmur, leaning over to brush my lips against the shell of her ear. “Fated mates are only ever attracted to each other. You’ll be my first, my last, my only love.” Eden gasps as a shiver runs down her spine. My mate sways toward me, and I dip my head down to press a kiss to the side of her neck. “The first time we’re together, I’m going to mark you right here,” I rasp, nipping at her sensitive flesh. “I’m going to sink every part of me into you and claim you as my mate once and for all.”
Eden nods and lets out a trembling breath. “W-when c-can we do that?” she whispers.
I groan, knowing the mating moon will be here tomorrow. “Soon,” I tell her, giving her one last kiss on her neck. “The mating moon is tomorrow night. For now, eat up.”
My mate pouts at me while I just grin. She's perfect in every way and doesn't seem fazed by the whole shifter lore. Ifanything, she's curious, which just makes her that much more amazing.
After several slices of pizza and a glass of wine each, I lead Eden over to the couch. I won’t claim her tonight. Not yet. But I can give us something we both need.
“Now, what do you want to watch? This might look like a humble, rustic cabin, but I have Netflix and Hulu all queued up.”
Eden’s eyes light up with excitement, and my chest nearly caves in from how stunning she is. “You may regret giving me control of the remote,” she teases as she reaches out for the remote sitting on the coffee table in front of us. I also reach for it, grabbing it before she does.
“Who said I’m giving you control?”
She narrows her amber eyes at me and purses her full lips in a challenge. I feel her winding up to lunge for the remote, but I keep it in my hand, right next to me, within easy reaching distance. Eden licks her bottom lip, making my cock swell up in my jeans.
