Page 6 of Fetch Me A Mate (Shifter Mates of Hollow Oak #1)

ROWAN

R owan tucked Diana's project plan into his jacket and headed across the square toward the Hollow Oak Book Nook.

The afternoon sun slanted through the maple trees, casting long shadows on the cobblestones.

He needed a reference manual for the electrical work, something comprehensive enough to guide him through the inn's outdated wiring system.

The bookstore's windows gleamed in the golden light, hand-lettered signs advertising new arrivals and staff recommendations. Through the glass, he could see Lucien Vale behind the counter, dark hair falling across his forehead as he catalogued a stack of leather-bound volumes.

The bell above the door chimed as Rowan entered. Lucien looked up, his green eyes narrowing slightly when he recognized his visitor.

"Rowan." The greeting was neutral, carefully polite.

"Lucien." Rowan approached the counter, noting how the panther shifter's shoulders tensed. "Need a favor."

"That depends." Lucien set down his pen and leaned back against his chair. "What kind of favor?"

"Looking for an electrical manual. Something detailed enough for old building work." Rowan pulled out Diana's project plan, unfolding it on the counter. "Inn's got some complicated wiring situations."

Lucien's eyes flicked to the papers, then back to Rowan's face. "Working on the Hearth and Hollow?"

"Council assignment."

"Right." Lucien's tone suggested he had opinions about that arrangement. "Let me see what we've got."

He rose from his chair with fluid grace and disappeared into the stacks. Rowan heard the soft sound of footsteps on the upper level, books being shifted and examined. A few minutes later, Lucien returned carrying a thick volume bound in dark blue cloth.

"This what you're after?" He set the book on the counter. "Henderson's Guide to Historical Electrical Systems. Fourth edition, 1987. Out of print now, but it covers everything from knob-and-tube to early circuit breakers."

Rowan opened the book, scanning the detailed diagrams and technical specifications. "This'll work. What do I owe you?"

"It's a loan, not a purchase." Lucien's voice carried a warning. "I expect it to be back in the same condition."

"Course."

Lucien picked up Diana's project plan, studying the neat handwriting and careful measurements. "She drew this herself?"

"Yeah. Takes good notes."

"Miriam chose well, then." Lucien folded the papers carefully. "Human or not, the woman's got sense."

From the back room came the soft sound of movement. Moira Marsh appeared, her mahogany curls escaping from their loose bun, reading glasses perched on her nose.

"Rowan?" She smiled warmly, though he caught the subtle way she positioned herself beside Lucien. "How's the renovation going?"

"Moving along. Diana's got a good eye for what needs doing."

"I'm sure she does." Moira reached for the project plan. "May I?"

Rowan nodded. Moira spread the papers on a clear section of counter, her fingertips tracing the room layouts and repair schedules.

"Such careful work," she murmured. "You can see how much she cares about getting it right."

She closed her eyes, her hands hovering just above the papers. Rowan felt the subtle shift in the air that meant magic was being worked, gentle and protective.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Just a small charm," Moira said softly. "For clarity of purpose. Success in the work ahead." Her eyes opened, meeting his. "The inn deserves to thrive again."

Lucien watched his mate work, his expression softening. "How's Diana settling in? Town can be... particular about newcomers."

"She's handling it." Rowan thought about the way she'd stood up to Gerald Finch, polite but unshakeable. "Tougher than she looks."

"Good. She'll need to be." Lucien's mouth thinned. "Some folks still remember what happened before you left. They'll be watching to see if you stick around this time."

The words hit their mark, as Lucien had intended. Rowan's jaw tightened. "This is different."

"Is it?" Lucien leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like the same pattern. Take on a project, get people depending on you, then disappear when things get complicated."

"I'm not disappearing."

"No? Then what happens when Diana starts asking questions you don't want to answer? When the pack politics catch up with you again?" Lucien's green eyes were hard. "What happens when she needs you to be something more than just the guy fixing her roof?"

Rowan's hands curled into fists. "It's a job, Lucien. Nothing more."

"Right." Lucien's smile was sharp. "Keep telling yourself that."

Moira placed a gentle hand on Lucien's arm. "Enough." She looked at Rowan with understanding in her brown eyes. "People change, Rowan. Circumstances change. What matters is what you choose to do now."

She folded Diana's project plan and handed it back to him. "The charm will hold for the duration of the work. May it bring success and... clarity."

Rowan tucked the papers back into his jacket. "Thanks."

"Take care of the book," Lucien said, returning to his chair. "And take care of the inn. That place has been the heart of this town longer than most of us have been alive. It deserves better than half-measures."

"I know what it deserves."

"Do you?" Lucien picked up his pen, but his eyes remained fixed on Rowan. "Because that inn isn't just a building that needs fixing. It's a home. Diana's home now. She's putting everything she has into making it work."

The implication hung in the air between them. Rowan felt his wolf stir restlessly, responding to what sounded like a challenge to his mate's territory.

"I'll do right by her," he said quietly.

"See that you do." Lucien's voice carried the subtle authority of his panther. "Don't break the inn, Rowan. And don't break the woman who's trying to bring it back to life."

Rowan left the bookstore with Henderson's Guide under his arm and Lucien's warning echoing in his ears. The walk back to the inn gave him time to think about patterns and choices, about the difference between running away and standing still.

Diana was waiting in the lobby when he returned, her hair twisted up in a messy bun and dust on her green sweater. She looked up from the clipboard where she was sketching furniture arrangements.

"Find what you needed?" she asked.

He held up the book. "Should cover everything we're dealing with. Moira put a charm on your project plan too. For success."

"That was thoughtful of her." Diana's smile was bright. "I like them both. They really care about this place."

Rowan thought about Lucien's sharp words, the protectiveness beneath the challenge. "Yeah, they do."

"Coffee?" Diana gestured toward the kitchen. "I just made a fresh pot."

"Thanks."

She disappeared into the kitchen, returning with two steaming mugs. Rowan accepted his gratefully, the warmth seeping through the ceramic into his palms.

"How much more can we get done today?" Diana asked, settling into the chair across from him.

"Depends on what the electrical inspection shows us. Might be simple rewiring, might need a whole new panel." He opened Henderson's Guide to the section on circuit analysis. "This'll help us figure out what we're dealing with."

Diana leaned forward, studying the technical diagrams. Her shoulder brushed his as she pointed to a particular illustration.

"This looks complicated."

"It's not too bad once you understand the logic." He turned the page, acutely aware of her proximity. "Old systems just follow different rules."

She hummed that soft sound she made when she was thinking hard. The note seemed to resonate in his chest, his wolf stirring in response.

Caffeine, he told himself. Just caffeine making your pulse jump.

His wolf laughed at the lie, stretching languidly in the space behind his ribs. The animal knew better, had known from the moment their fingers first brushed over the tape measure. This wasn't caffeine or proximity or the simple pleasure of good company.

This was recognition. This was home.

This was exactly what Lucien had warned him about.

Rowan closed the book and stood abruptly. "I should check the exterior work while there's still light."

Diana looked up, surprised by the sudden movement. "Of course. Need help?"

"I've got it." He headed for the door, needing distance from her warmth and the way she hummed when she thought. "Thanks for the coffee."

Outside, he breathed in the cool autumn air and tried to convince himself that Lucien was wrong, that patterns could be broken, that maybe this time he could be the man who stayed instead of the wolf who ran.

But his hands were already shaking as he picked up his tools.