I didn’t have to be told twice. I would hold my mate any chance I had. Only after I tossed my arms around his neck, he stood. My legs kicked out, and I gasped, but he was quick to grab onto my legs before wrapping them around his hips. Then he continued forward, his body moving with a rhythmic stride that quickly lulled me until I relaxed against him. Muscles rippled under my hands, and I closed my eyes, rubbing my fingers against his shoulder as I sniffed him. He smelled perfect—like a mate.
This human world with thesunlightwas odd. I’d never neared the tree portal, and I would never have done it if Mate hadn’t found me. Even if many Beasts did cross to this side, I never cared to join them. I closed my eyes, settling in to rest against Mate.
Griffin, my mate.
I liked hisname. All Beasts were birthed, and we stay with our progenitors as a cub until we’re able to survive, then we’re left alone.
Mates were revered. It was a fact that drove many Beasts to the human world. Now I understood since mine came to me, because I would follow him wherever he pleased. I pressed my nose against his neck, breathing him in.
I settled into the lulling stride, sniffing and holding him, wrapped up in him. When he slowed, it was a shock. I lifted my head.
“Here we are,” he grunted, releasing the grip on my thighs. My toes settled onto crunchy leaves. Before me was a sprawling ground made of some sort of dirt. I eyed it, hovering at the edge. “The sand won’t be uncomfortable.”
Gingerly, I put my toe in, and it sank inside. I yelped and sprang onto Mate, clawing to get away from the sinking dirt. I clung to his neck and lifted my feet. His arm curled under my legs, and he lifted me.
“It’s sand.” He chuckled. “That’s the ocean.”
I gawked, unable to say a word as he strode through thesandyet not sinking to his death. Their land was like nothing I’d ever seen, and even more confusing? In the distance, there was a largethingmade up of smooth lines.
“What is that?” I breathed.
“The hotel,” he answered as if it was a normal thing to see something like that. I swept my attention further down where it was another one of them. It looked tiny from this far away.
He squeezed my thighs where he gripped me to him. Sweat beaded on his temples. Now that my shock abated, I was becomingtoowarm. I blew a breath out and settled in his arms.
“I don’t like how I feel sticky.”
His mouth, the expressive line of his lips, twitched, and he grunted.
“You’ll be able to bathe in a few minutes.”
Would I bathe in that large water he called ocean?
The edge of the water crashed violently against land. He relentlessly continued through the sand, not nearing the ocean, and eventually, the sound of chatter neared. Humans played near the edge of the ocean—even children! It was odd to seethe dynamics humans had with each other. They were very communal, something I was not used to.
“Here we are,” he grunted, and the ground became a solid slab.
There was so much happening that my brain hurt. Another human structure to the left had humans sitting on one side while someone was on the other. He turned the opposite direction, which didn’t let me continue studying the rest.
The sunlight was suddenly no longer on me, and he strode through a narrow area blocked on one side by iron. He came to a stop, and I wiggled so he could let me go, but he stiffened his grip, hoisting me more on one arm. “Does time move differently in your . . . world?” He cleared his throat.
“What?”
“I only booked my room for the week—I guess we’ll find out together.” Reaching forward, he pressed buttons with odd symbols on them. The wood opened and released a wave of cold air mingling with the heightened scent of something bitter.
Griffin stepped inside, and I tightened my hold around his neck, stiff.
“What is this place?” I eyed the enclosed area. He tried to put me down, and I clung to him harder. His lips twitched at the corners again.
“A hotel room.” He walked and jerked his chin to things as he listed them off. “That’s a bed, that’s a nightstand, lamp . . .” he continued, then he had me in a differentroom. This one was much brighter. “Bathroom where you’ll shower.” He reached inside and tugged a lever. Water sputtered out of the top and rained down. I could only gawk.
“Where is it coming from?” I breathed. Instead of answering, he stepped inside with me in his arms. I stiffened, expecting the wave of icy water, but warmth fell over my skin and I became supine against him, my arms going limp around his neck.
Oh, that feels really good. I moaned and nuzzled my cheek against his chest.
“Let’s get us washed off,” he murmured and set me on my feet onto the smooth floor.
“What’s that?”
