Hunny exchanged a look with Tank, who sighed in resignation. “That’s actually why we’re here.”
Nessa stiffened, her heart picking up a frantic beat. This time, it wasn’t out of fear for Tank himself, but at what he’d come here to say. It had to be about Murphy.
“How much do you remember about the night you were attacked?” Tank asked.
Nessa shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “If you’re asking if I remember the part about Murphy shouting at someone that I was his mate, then yes. I do.” She ran an unsteady hand through her hair, hoping to at least appear unphased by the sudden onslaught of memories now bouncing around in her head.
“A mate is like a spouse in the supernatural community, only it’s more permanent than that. There are no rings exchanged, nor a marriage contract to bind us. Each mate bites the other, igniting a bond that cements their union. We call that a matingbond,” Hunny added. “Henry and I are mates, so I have a mating mark and so does he.”
That’s right; Nessa remembered seeing a bite mark on Tank’s neck that day in her teahouse, and she’d joked to Hunny about getting carried away during sex. She hadn’t known she’d been teasing them about being mated.
Her cheeks heated. What if that was some kind of fauxpaw? Her lips twitched at the terrible pun, though she schooled her expression easily enough.
“There are two kinds of mates,” Hunny continued, unperturbed. “Those that are true or ‘fated,’ and those that are chosen. For Henry and I, we are chosen mates, which means that we fell in love and decided that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. So we formed a mating bond, which eventually becomes just as strong as a bond between true mates, though sometimes it takes a while to get there.”
Nessa cocked her head to the side. “What’s the difference between a true mate and a fated one then?”
“Semantics, really. Some shifters prefer the term ‘fated’ because they feel the pull to their mate is mystical. Others use ‘true’ because they feel it’s more of a physical thing, their body recognizing their perfect match on a sensory level.”
“Okay,” Nessa drawled slowly, leaning back in her seat. She drummed her fingers on the tabletop, unable to control the urge to fidget. “I assume that means you’ll tell me that Murphy and I are true mates.”
Her right foot began slowly tapping on the ground, matching the imperceptible beat of her fingers.
“Yes,” Tank answered, his eyes narrowing. “Will you knock off your little musical production? This is serious.”
Immediately, Nessa stilled, bristling at his tone. “I’m sorry that my coping mechanism after a tragic and horrific experience is upsetting you,” she snapped back.
“It’s not,” Hunny cut in abruptly. She reached out, taking Tank’s hand in hers. He calmed immediately, some of the tension draining from his shoulders. “Henry is just worried about Murphy. We both are, which is why we’re here.”
Nessa’s gaze shot to Hunny’s. It was then that she noticed just how troubled she looked, the worry in her emerald green gaze unmistakable. Her heart skipped a beat. How could she have missed it? “What’s wrong? Is he okay?”
“No,” Tank answered tiredly, running a hand down his beard. “We didn’t realize it at first, but he’s got a lot of symptoms of mating sickness.”
“Mating sickness?” A heavy weight settled in her stomach, even though she had no idea what Tank meant. Regardless, it sounded ominous. “Did I give him a cold or something?” As soon as she asked the question, she felt like an idiot.
A cold, really?
Okay, so not a cold. But what had she done? Had she hurt him somehow, and she hadn’t even known? The thought made her absolutely sick to her stomach.
The urge to check on Murphy was suddenly so strong, she nearly leaped out of her seat and rushed to her car to find him. The feeling was so intense, she didn’t even realize she’d actually risen until she was standing on shaky legs that threatened to buckle at any second.
Did she only feel like this because they were mates? Or was there a deeper reason she refused to acknowledge that compelled her into action? She honestly had no clue, but asking something like that right now seemed callous and cruel. Not to mention, how would she even voice her concerns? The idea of being mates with anyone should have been absurd.
But it didn’t feel absurd. It felt like the truth. God help her, it feltright.
Reluctantly, she returned to her seat, sending an apologetic look to the couple still sitting across from her. “Please continue,” she stated politely.
“Mating sickness is like a disease or an addiction,” Tank explained, as if that was all the information she needed.
Unfortunately, it only confused her more.
Nessa shook her head. “I’m sorry, Tank, but I don’t understand.”
“It’s rare, but sometimes when true mates meet, they can imprint on each other before the bond is actually established. It’s a subconscious thing that happens, and usually you have to at least touch for it to even be possible,” Hunny answered solemnly. “But sometimes the pull to one another is so great, that imprinting begins after even the briefest of interactions. When true mates imprint on one another like that, being separated without completing the mating bond can cause withdrawal-like symptoms.”
“Wouldn’t I be suffering from withdrawal, too, though?”
Hunny shrugged. “I don’t know, Nessa. You’re human. I don’t think you’d really have symptoms at all. Not like Murphy’s been having. He’s cranky, easily irritable. He’s having trouble sleeping, and lately, he’s been prone to fits of rage.”
