“He’s my mate.”
“What?” I’d anticipated her reaction and held the phone away from my ear. “No.”
“Yes.” There was nothing else to say, and she knew aswell as I did that there was no mistake. Even if I didn’t recognize him, my wolf would have.
“Damn. That complicates things.”
“You think? My human mate assumes I’m afederal security contractor.”
“Well, you do provide security for shifters in trouble. It’s not so different.” She sighed. “The council's going to have a field day with this.”
Not wanting to think about it, I ended the call.
I spent a sleepless night because Indigo was in the other room, unaware he was my soul mate. Waking before dawn, I was disoriented until Indigo's scent hit me, and the previous day's events came rushing back.
Slipping outside, I breathed in the crisp air and did a perimeter run. I didn’t shift, though there was no chance Indigo would stumble out of the cabin and see me. But just in case, I stayed in my skin. There’d be a pack inquisition later, but for now, the world was as it should be.
But how was I going to handle this? The council would have strong opinions about a human mate for the future Alpha. Some would see it as weakening the pack. Others would worry about security risks.
And none of that addressed the immediate concern, which was Indigo himself. What would he think when he discovered the truth? That shifters existed and that I was one of them? And that he and I were destined for each other?
THREE
INDIGO
The scent of coffee drifted into the bedroom, its tantalizing aroma telling me to move. I sat up and stretched muscles that were stiff from yesterday's travel.
How long had I slept? A glance at my phone showed it was already past nine. But I had nowhere to be except to find the source of the coffee aroma.
The phone Jeff had given me buzzed. Agent Fairbanks was on the other end issuing an apology about not informing the lodge about the change of plans. I said it was no problem but wondered if he should be sidelined at work, because that was a serious mistake.
I pulled on jeans and a sweater, and when I walked into the kitchen, Riven was flipping pancakes. He wore a soft gray sweater and I focused my attention on it rather than checking out his butt.
“You didn't have to cook.” When I was bundled off to witness protection, I envisioned I’d be looking after myself. Not that I was complaining.
Riven grinned and waved the spatula at me. “Morning. I figured you might be hungry after yesterday.” He jerked his head at the pot of coffee. “Help yourself.”
I padded across the kitchen, aware that we were acting like roommates. But perhaps that was the idea. Creating a safe space for a special guest to take their mind off what had happened to bring them here.
“Sleep okay?” He flipped another pancake onto a growing stack.
“Mmmm,” I mumbled as I sipped my coffee.
Riven suggested a tour of the lodge and surroundings today.
“Is that safe? For me?” Though my boss, or former boss now, wasn’t involved with organized crime, I was wary of being too out in the open, preferring to hide away from prying eyes.
“Your situation is unique, I agree.” His back was to me. “But everyone here has been subjected to a background check.”
The confidence in his voice eased my fears.
After showering, we wandered along the path toward the main building. Riven said they had about twenty guests at the moment and they were people who booked here every Christmas.
“And how many of those are in my... situation?”
Riven gave me a sideways look. “Just you.”
“Lucky me.”
