Page 6 of Allie

“What is it?”

He tucked my hair behind my ears and framed my face with his hands. “You’re my mate.”

My eyes widened. “Wow, that’s…unexpected. It’s good news, I think.”

He laughed. “I know witches don’t have mates, but shifters do. My wolf recognizes you as his. We’ll go as slow as you want.”

I nodded as he laced his fingers with mine and tugged me toward the elevators. "Any preferences for lunch?" he asked, as we stepped inside the elevator.

"Somewhere with an endless supply of comfort food," I joked, even as my stomach twisted with nerves rather than hunger.

"Comfort food it is," he chuckled, and the sound reverberated through the cramped space of the elevator as we descended. His arm brushed mine, sending a shiver up my spine. And not the kind brought on by cold, but the sort that danced along your nerves and settled somewhere deep inside you.

We were mates. I wasn’t 100 percent sure what they meant, but I knew wolves mated for life. At least that was what I heard, anyway. “Does this mean we’re officially dating?”

He smirked at me. “Yes, but we’ll go slow.”

We stepped out into the bustle of the midday streets, and the sounds of small-town life wrapped around us like a second skin. The sun was a bright orb above, casting a glare on the pavement, making the world seem sharper somehow, more real.

We entered a little diner that looked like it had been plucked from a postcard. The bell over the door jingled as we entered. Inside, the aroma of coffee and baking bread enveloped us. It was warm, inviting, and all too soon, we were seated in a red vinyl booth by the window.

"Is this okay?" Roan asked, his eyes scanning the menu.

"Perfect," I confirmed, trying to ignore the knot of anxiety that had taken residence in my chest. My fingers traced the edge of the laminated menu, the plastic cool and smooth against my skin.

Our conversation flowed easier than I expected, punctuated by light laughter and the clinking of cutlery. But beneath the casual banter, I sensed Roan's watchful gaze.

"Tell me something," Roan said, extending his arm across the table. I placed my hand in his as he asked, "Why Shadowbrook? What brought you here?"

“Well, Nat, of course. I lived in New York for years with my best friend. She got married and I just couldn’t afford our apartment on my own. I’m a freelance digital artist, so my job is completely mobile. So, Nat told me to come live with her. So here I am.”

Roan smiled but sat back when the server came over to take our order. When she left, I asked, “Tell me about what it means to be mates.”

“Some believe that we all have that one person who is fated to be ours. Like a soulmate. When you are ready, we’ll form a bond.” He took a drink of his water.

I wasn’t ready to be bonded with someone, but I wasn’t opposed to the idea either. Roan was hot, and I wanted to explore everything with him. That was out of the norm for me. “I confess, I haven’t had the best of luck when it comes to relationships. My last one was over a year ago and didn’t end well.”

Roan let out a growl. “Did he hurt you?”

“No. Not physically, so you can stop growling and plotting his death.” I laughed when the corners of his mouth twitched with humor.

He grunted and took a drink of his soda.

To change the subject, I asked, “What would I need to do to help find out who killed Doyle? I mean, since some residents seemed so quick to point a finger at me, I want to clear my name and prove to them I didn’t do. I couldn’t do anything so horrible. Not even to someone I disliked.”

The server came over with our food and set it down. When we were alone again, Roan said, “We need to research Doyle and find out who he hangs out with and how he spends his time. Maybe interview people in the building.”

“We?” I watched him as he nodded.

“Yes. I’m not letting you do this on your own. I’ve tracked down enough bad guys to know they don’t want to be caught, so whoever did this will come after you when they figure out you are investigating.” Roan plucked a fry from his plate and popped it in his mouth.

That made sense. I really didn’t want to the attention of the killer, but I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing.

3

ALLIE

After our lunch, we walked a block over to the pet store, Beastie Besties. I loved the name. Roan and I had fun picking out toys for Aspirin along with a bed, a climbing tree, food, and bowls.