“Is he your mate?” she asked, softly.
Unable to look away from his mother, Kahn nodded slowly, then said, “I found out this morning…and I was going to tell you, but…well with everything going on, I thought it would be better if I waited.”
Squeezing her son’s hand, she smiled. “Congratulations! That’s the best news I’ve heard in a very long time. After we see thecondo, let’s stop at a supermarket so I can get everything we’ll need for a very special dinner tonight to celebrate finding your Fated Mate!”
It took Kahn a moment before a smile appeared on his face at his mother’s excitement. “Boy, is Reeve gonna be surprised when he gets home. We have to swear his men to secrecy…I don’t want him to suspect anything’s afoot.”
“Mum’s the word,” Kahn’s mother whispered, grinning at her son.
Nodding, Kahn stood up. “Are you ready to go? Suddenly, there’s a lot to do today.”
~/~/~/~/~
After driving for hours, Tristan thought about checking into a motel, but his inner voice told him to keep going. His muscles, though, were rebelling at the restriction forced on them by his small car, and the growing hunger in his gut finally convinced him to stop. Seeing a sign advertising food and gas, he turned off the highway and drove to a truck stop that promised to handle both his needs. Parking in front of the diner, he climbed out of his car, ignoring the painful cramps in his legs. Raising his arms above his head, he twisted his upper torso while discreetly surveying the parking lot where a group of truckers were chatting. No one struck him as dangerous, but then, humans never did.
Closing his eyes, Tristan raised his face to the overhead sun, inhaling deeply, trying to identify the scents around him.Ahh…not all human after all.There were shifters in the group—wolves, bears and several other species he couldn’t identify. He wasn’t surprised, though; his mother had told him Californiawas filled with shifters, but he was puzzled because the humans appeared to be in charge.
Filing that piece of information away for later, Tristan hurried into the diner, placed an order to go, and then headed for the restroom. After washing his hands and dousing his face with cold water, he returned to the counter. Paying quickly, he grabbed the container of food and hoofed it back to his car. It would’ve been nice to eat at one of the tables outside the diner, but he couldn’t risk it; his animal was pacing which he took as a sign they were in danger.
Climbing into his car, he set his drink in the cup holder and took out the burger and fries from the bag; the aroma of fried food filled the tiny space, causing the growling in his stomach to grow ever louder. Chuckling to himself, he popped a fry into his mouth, moaning at the greasy, goodness of truck-stop fries. It was just luck that he happened to glance over at the humans and shifters as he took a bite of his burger.
“Shit!” Tossing his food onto the passenger seat, Tristan turned the key in the ignition, holding his breath as the motor turned over several times before it finally rumbled to life. Putting the car in reverse, he backed it out of the parking spot and then shifted into drive. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw one of the shifters, his hands now claws, closing in on him and reaching for his door handle.
“Fuck!” Stomping on the gas pedal, Tristan exhaled in relief as the car shot forward, the frustrated shifter’s claws etching a trail of deep scratches on the outside of the door. He didn’t dare look back, afraid of what he’d see. Shifting—even a partial shift—was forbidden by the High Council, according to what his mother had told him.So what the hell was that all about?
Finally, once again on the highway, Tristan glanced back and was relieved to see no one following him. Retrieving his burger, he took a bite, chewing slowly while thinking about his narrow escape—and wondering what he’d done to offend the shifter. Nothing came to mind, but even if he had pissed him off, it would not have warranted shifting. Slowly finishing his food, Tristan decided the whole incident needed further research on his part when he got to his father’s home, because it appeared the rules had changed.
~/~/~/~/~
Noting the address at which they had stopped, Kahn burst out laughing. “The condo you want to buy is in the same building as mine?”
“I said it was close to you.”
“That you did, Mom,” Kahn replied. Taking his mother’s hand, he helped her out of the car, before escorting her into the building and over to the elevator. “Which floor is it on?” he asked.
Looking down at the email on her phone, she said, “The top floor…Patty’s waiting to show us around.”
“You mean the penthouse?” Kahn asked, not sure he’d heard his mother correctly.
“Yes, that’s it. I wanted the top floor so I would have the best view of my new city.”
Chuckling, Kahn shook his head. “Promise you’ll never change, Mom.” After ushering her into the elevator, he pushed the ‘PH’ button and then, as the door closed asked, “Patty’s your real estate agent?”
“Yes, I found her online last night and I liked how she looked…honest, you know…so I knew I could trust her to get me the very best deal.”
Grimacing, Kahn was glad he’d come along so he could protect his mother from herself. Glancing at her, he said, “Promise you won’t agree to anything until we talk about it first.”
“If I like it, why do we have to talk about it before I buy it? I’m the one that’s going to live here, not you.”
“Because I don’t want you to be taken advantage of, Mom.”
“Thank you, sweetie, but it’s not necessary. You’ll see when you meet Patty. I can trust her.”
Inwardly groaning at his mother’s naiveté, Kahn wasn’t going to let Patty push his mother into buying a condo until he was convinced it was perfect for her. When the elevator stopped and the door opened, he expected to meet a fast-talking real estate agent, but instead, there stood an older lady with a kind smile—who also happened to be a shifter.Fuck and be dammed!
Holding out her hand to his mother, the lady said, “Hi, I’m Patty…and you must be Mrs. Silverpoint. I’m so sorry for your recent loss.”
“Thank you...and please, call me Elenor,” Kahn’s mother replied, shaking Patty’s hand. “This is my son, Kahn. As I explained last night, he already lives in the building.”
