Page 11 of Chaos At Second Sight

“Spend first time?” His head tilted, like he didn’t understand. “But you are my mate. Mark now. Talk later.”

I sighed, my neck throbbing under my palm. If things with Logan weren’t unfinished and his fangs were smaller, maybe I’d let him mark me…one day.

“True, we are mates, but Logan and I have…unresolved business. And there are procedures to follow.”

“But Lucien and Human love Mate forever.”

Catching my clenched hand, he flattened it against his hard chest. “Our heart belongs to Mate.” His voice was softer now. “Only to Mate.” Two careful fingers brushed my cheek, his claws angled away from my skin with painstaking precision.

His scent was like Logan’s, only muskier, like twin versions of the same fragrance. Lucien smelled of rain and wilderness; Logan carried the city version of it. They both emanated that same rich amber scent I was already addicted to, climbing straight onto the podium beside fresh heather honey and clean gauze.

“How did you find me?”

A plane or a ferry seemed unlikely. Airport security would’ve had a few concerns.

“Lucien ran, then swam, then more run.” A shrug of his mountainous shoulders, and the matter was closed.

I tried to calculate the hows. “What did you eat while you were swimming?” He had crossed an ocean for me. A burst of affection made my chest tingle, followed by anxiety. He could’ve died. Drowned. The ocean didn’t care who navigated it.

And a cruise ship needed around a week to make the trip. I wouldn’t have managed to cross, let alone so quickly, in wolf form. Most wolves I knew couldn’t.

But Lucien wasn’t a werewolf.

“A squishy thing with long tendrils.” He wrinkled his snout. “Didn’t want to go to stomach and it slapped Lucien.” Another nose twitch. “Made teeth black. Bleh.”

A giant squid?!

Was bleh his version of ew?

More affection swelled.

“Can I…can I see your hand, Lucien?” I smiled at him, holding my hand up. He ducked his head, all sheepish and shy now, but he eventually nodded and opened his palm for me. Before I touched it, he brushed it over his leg.

I traced my fingers over his hand and up his forearm. He wagged his tail like crazy, thumping the ground so hard they probably heard it down in England.

This whole thing felt surreal…

I stroked his fur, slowly, carefully. Sparks from the mate bond leapt between us, stealing my breath. The separation anxiety I had been feeling vaporized, and a soothing sensation cured all the loneliness I had accumulated over the years. Stephen, I needed this. It felt as though every nerve in my body had been asleep for weeks, months.

We could have had this all along if Logan had come forward. But he lied.

My throat clogged, but it dissolved the moment Lucien started purring.

My giant mate, a different species who crossed an ocean for me, also purred! Aww!

“You like cuddles?”

His rumble deepened. “What are…cuddles?”

My heart dropped. I stroked his ear and head, and he pressed into my hand as I explained, “An exchange of affection.”

“Lucien never got cuddles before.”

Before I could ask why not, a slick and raspy tongue dragged from my chin to my temple. Who needs facials anymore?

I jerked back, wiping my face with my sleeve. “Ew.” I wince-smiled at him.

He flashed me a toothy—or should I say fangy—grin.