“You can’t do that, Em. You’re going to get yourself killed,” he growled.
“Nah.”
He flipped the pancake somewhat violently, his entire body tense.
My stomach growled as my gaze tracked the chocolate chips in my breakfast through their journey to the other side of the pan.
“I’m not kidding.”
“Neither am I.”
Finn rumbled unhappily. “You can’t risk your life to chase a fucking squirrel.”
“My life was never at risk. And last I checked, I’m an adult. Pretty sure that means I can do whatever I want.”
“You’re mymate, Emmy.”
“So? We barely know each other, and we’re not even friends, Finn. I’m not going to change who I am just because we traded bites and had an insane amount of incredible sex.”
He stiffly pulled the pancake off the pan.
I continued frosting my cake.
“We should be friends,” he finally gritted out.
“You don’t want that. I gave you an out. Just stick with it.”
“I don’t want to stick with it.”
“Liar.”
He glared at me over his shoulder. “I wouldn’t be here making you pancakes if I was lying.”
“Then whyareyou here?”
He looked back at the pan and poured more batter in.
His motions were still stiff. Maybe even more than they had been.
He set the bowl down. “I think we should try to be friends.”
“Then maybe you should stop judging me for chasing squirrels.”
“I’m notjudgingyou. It’s healthy for you to accept your wolf wanting that and let her take over. I just need you to be safe.”
So it was another part of that possessive, protective werewolf thing.
“My wolf stayed away from the hiking trails, and there was no one anywhere nearby. I know how to be careful, and she does too.”
“You shouldn’t have to be careful. I should be with you when you shift.” The words almost sounded painful for him to get out.
Like he didn’t want them to be true, but they still were.
“Is that what most mated couples do? Shift together?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t know how that’s going to work if I’m living here and we’re just meeting at a bar once or twice a week.”
