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His.

When the waitress has gone, I dig into my sandwich. Cooper just sits there staring at me. I’ve given him my undivided attention, and suddenly he has nothing to say. That’s because there’s nothing to explain. I’m about to point out this fact when finally he does start to talk.

“So, that day in the cave, you didn’t believe me, and then once I shifted I couldn’t talk to you anymore…” he trails off.

“Okay, so you tell me I’m your mate, but surely there have been people who reject their mate. What happens then?”

He gets a very uncomfortable look on his face before finally looking away. And suddenly my imagination is going wild with the possibilities, none of them good.

“I just need you to give me a chance. I’ll wait as long as it takes.”

“For sex?”

He nods. “Sex, completing the claim, everything. I just need you in my house.”

Oh sure, that’s totally reasonable. I’ll just move in with a stranger who stalked me across the country and has decided I’m going to spend the next several centuries in his bed.

I shake my head. “It’s not that I don’t find you attractive, Cooper. It’s that I’m not interested in romance. With anyone. I havegoalsand you would be a distraction.”

Yeah he would.

I really need my internal monologue to just stop talking right now. She isn’t helping.

“What do you think I would prevent you from doing?” he asks, looking clearly confused.

“I don’t know. I don’tknowyou! But you would for sure slow me down.”

I take another bite of my sandwich and stand. “I’m sorry, but no.”

He grips my arm, and I just stare at him. “Let me ask you something.”

“Okay,” he says, not loosening his grip.

“Do you plan to keep me away from my family and friends?”

“Of course not.” To his credit he looks horrified by the suggestion.

“Well, then you’re going to have to let me go, because my sister isn’t going to just not notice if I disappear. How do you think family gatherings will go if you kidnap me?”

He can’t even deny it. He fully intended to just haul me out of here like a cave man. Finally he lets go of my arm and I get out of there. I text my sister and then arrange for a flight back home. I have an art show to prepare for, and if he can stalk me all the wayout to California, there’s no point in missing out on any more opportunities.

9

COOPER

One week later.

Everything inside me rebels against what I have to do, but I have to do it. I understand her perspective. It’s not her fault fate spun the wheel and picked her as my mate. My sadness is not her problem to solve, and I know how it will look to her. I don’t want her afraid of me, but she’s so closed off. She will never let me get close enough to her to prove myself. I see that now.

I followed her out to California as soon as my bear form melted away. I stayed near her sister’s house, watching, waiting, making sure she was safe and formulating my approach. When they went out to the club, I thought I could charm her or seduce her. But despite her attraction and the power of the mating link, she is the ice queen. She’s never letting me in.

And I can’t let her go.

Something will happen to her, and I won’t be able to stop it. Even if she dies of old age or some other natural cause like an illness—it won’t matter. As soon as she leaves this life, I won’t be far behind her.

Rowan was right… I do understand now. It’s all well and good to say romance doesn’t matter. Having a mate isn’t that important. After all, haven’t I been fine as a playboy up until now?

But time has now been split in two. Before Rosalie and After Rosalie. And even though I don’t truly know her, my soul knows her in a way so final and absolute that only a fool would try to deny it. I could try to go on with my life and let her go live hers, but I won’t be able to live if anything ever happens to her. I need her strong. I need her human frailties gone. I just… need her to give me a chance to prove to her that I’m not a mistake.