The questions are endless. I’ll know in time.
I creep closer to the house, hoping to catch sight of her through the shutters.
Magic hums to life in my veins as I shift my ears back into my normal form. The wooden wall brushes my webbed ear as I focus on what lies beyond. The faint thrum of electricity, gurgle of plumbing, a low whine from one of my mates’ machines, but nothing from her. Her scent and the bike are the only indication she’s home.
My eyes drift shut, listening to the sounds within the den, my feet faltering beneath a window when soft snores seep through. My instincts run rampant. I need to see my mate. I must find out if my suckers would leave marks on her supple human flesh. I yearn to lay my eyes on her and memorize every curve.
I summon my magic to the surface to partially shift, tentacles unfurling, raising me higher to peer through the window, but I can’t see anything through the shutters.
A frustrated growl builds in the back of my throat. My mate’s intelligence is a hindrance to me.
An ant begins crawling up my arm, and I squash it before it can make it any higher.Vermin.
I slide my fingers along the corners of the shutter, nails elongating into claws as I shed my human form. The tips dig beneath the old wood. It slowly lifts away from the wall with a loud groan that silences the creatures of the forest.
I shift back to two legs. Excitement purrs to life at the prospect of interacting with my future bride. My hand flattensagainst the rough wall to listen to any sounds coming from inside. The elation dwindles away with the passing minutes.
She’s not coming out.
It’s for the best. Our den should be prepared before she realizes I am her mate and she leaves the island to spend the rest of her days with me. A few days is nothing to a lifetime.
I continue my perusal of the house. Blades of grass rustle beneath my feet before changing to wood. The steps leading up to the front door creak. I falter, but no sounds follow from inside.
My molars grind together. Any predator could come to harm my mate, and she wouldn’t wake at their approach.
That is not acceptable.
As long as she is home, I will be here, protecting her. It is my duty. I will never leave her side.
My hand wraps around the door handle, and my head tips to the side. How odd. I’ve never seen such technology before. There is no hole where a key is inserted to unlock it. Instead, it’s… What is the term? Digital?
I push the handle down. A loud, sudden beeping blares through the forest, and I jump back, shifting in an instant to destroy the threat. Yet the area remains desolate save for the sounds of frantic footsteps coming from inside the?—
I leap from the porch, darting past the line of trees until I’m certain her human eyes will not see me in the distance. My skin morphs, shifting colors to blend into my surroundings.
The front door never opens. The curtains behind the shutters never flicker. The beeping stops after several long minutes.
A purr rumbles to life in my chest. I was wrong to doubt my smart mate. She wouldn’t leave herself exposed to predators—not that it matters anymore.
From this day forth, I vow she will never again worry about her safety. She is my mate. My bride. She belongs to me.
3
Cindi
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
The gun trembles in my grip.
They’re here.
The Gallaghers are here.
They’re at my door. They’ve come to kill me.
If not the Gallaghers, then the pirates.
“Come on. Come on,” I whisper, willing my phone to work faster as the alarm blares.
