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I groan at the contact as our tongues press for dominance. I can’t stop my body from pressing closer to hers, spreading her knees and closing the distance between us. My hands find their way from the cushion to her hips, gripping tight and pulling her to me. The heat of her core radiates against my lower abdomen, and I groan again.

Lottie lets out a breathy whimper that nearly breaks my fragile control. It does, however, bring me back to my senses. Breaking off our kiss, I breathe heavily, pressing my forehead to hers, inhaling her air, and trying to calm the need to claim and rut her right here and now.

I can’t do that. She doesn’t know what I am, and what I would do to her would frighten her. Not to mention, human males don’t have knots.

She needs to know what I am before I can take this any further. But of course, I can’t tell her that either. Not until I know if this pull I feel towards her is real. If it’s even possible for a human to be a mate to a shifter. At this point, I don’t even fucking care anymore. I consider telling her exactly what I am—risks be damned—before I return to my senses.

Not like this. I can’t tell her like this. I have to figure a few things out before I can even consider telling her anything.

“I can’t,” I manage to get out between breaths.

Lottie flinches, and I hold her tighter before she can pull away. She manages to lean back enough to look me in the eye.

“Not that I don’t want to,” I clarify before she can jump to any conclusions. “I just can’t right now. Not tonight. There are things . . . it’s complicated.”

Lottie nods, her eyes softening, and the slight frown on her kiss-swollen lips eases.

“I understand complicated.”

For a long minute, we remain like this: holding on to one another, not willing to let go just yet. But I have to; if I don’t, I never will.

Disconnecting from her, I reluctantly pull farther back and slowly stand. I don’t want to leave her; my inner beast certainly doesn’t want to leave her.

I take another step away, and my beast threatens to take control and claim his female, the one he believes to be his mate. Fuck I really want to let him. Because he’s me, and I’m him.Iwant to claim her; I want to call her mine and see my mark on her flesh and feel her presence in my soul.

Not yet. Just a little longer, and I’ll get answers from Fynn, and then I can make a decision.Just wait a little longer, Nightingale. I’ll make you mine; I know I will.

“I should go. I’ll check on you tomorrow to make sure that ankle is healing.”

I don’t wait for a response. If I do, I may never leave, but I do hear her soft, lilting voice as I leave.

“Goodnight, Hunter.”

My resolve almost cracks, but I manage to make it outside and into the tree line before I allow the shift to take over.

Chapter 18 – Hunter

For the next few days, I keep my distance from Lottie. After that kiss and touching so much of her skin, I don’t think I can control myself around her. I have to wait until I can speak with Fynn, which needs to happen immediately because the throbbing in my balls is only growing with every passing hour I don’t go to Lottie.

My affection for her has escalated far faster than I expected. Not just from the possible mate pull and physical attraction but for her sassy humor and open friendliness. For the way she infuses so much emotion into her singing and her brazen courage befriending what she believes to be a wild wolf.

Discovering her hidden identity should put me off Lottie completely. Celebrity and fame are the opposite of the type of life I have or want, as a non-human and by personal preference. It seems so tiring and stressful to be a celebrity. The whole adoring fans and constant cameras on you bristles my fur.

As the alpha, I hold a position of leadership and command, sometimes adoration, but not celebrity. I still have my personal space and privacy. No one is trying to snap photos of me cleaning my truck from a hundred yards away with a telescopic lens—at least, I don’t think they are.

It's easy for me to understand her desire to escape all that. And part of me wants to ensure she has it. Has everything that she desires, both emotionally and physically.

My inner beast is becoming restless, and I don’t blame him. Luckily, Fynn texted me last night to inform me he has some information on the whole human/non-human possible mate situation. I made plans to meet him for lunch at Dottie’s today but first I have my weekly meeting with Ryder.

My brother seems particularly moody today. His frown more severe than normal. Instead of sitting motionless and calm across my desk from me, he’s fidgeting, something he never does. Tapping his heel on the floor, making his knee bounce in quiet agitation, he rolls his shoulder, and winces when he rotates it too far.

“Everything okay, Ryder?” I ask tentatively. He’s not likely to give an answer, but I try anyway.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why do you ask?” With that snippy, sharp tone in his voice, I don’t think he’s anywhere near fine.

“You seem on edge more than usual. Something wrong with your shoulder?”

He wrinkles his nose and frowns, shifting his shoulder again, trying to compensate for his perceived weakness.