He doesn’t seem surprised.“I’m sure Fern told her when I first explained about shifters and fated mates.Those two share everything.”
“She asked if I was like you, but you guys arrived before we could talk about it.”
“So she doesn’t know that you two are fated mates?”
I shake my head.“Not yet.”
“Good luck with that talk,” he says wryly.“I hope it goes better for you than it did for me.”
“I don’t know.It seemed to go pretty well for you.”I nod toward his mate in the living room.
He smiles, his whole face softening as he looks at Fern.Is that how I look when I stare at Roxie?
As I cook, I watch Roxie out of the corner of my eye.My mate laughs softly with her friend, her shoulders finally relaxed.
She’s still here, still breathing, and no matter how complicated things get from here on out, one thing is certain.I’m not letting anything take her from me again.
Not ever.
SIX
Roxie
Fern doesn’t let goof me for a long time.
We sit curled together on the couch, her arm wrapped tightly around my shoulders like she’s afraid I might disappear if she loosens her grip.I don’t mind.I lean into her warmth, breathing her in—lavender shampoo, coffee, and home.
“You scared the hell out of me,” she murmurs into my hair.“We’ve been looking for you for weeks!There was no trace of you.”
She sniffles, and I hug her tighter.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.“I was so scared, too.I didn’t know what would happen to me or even where I was.”
We cry together softly, both of us clinging to the other.
Eventually, she pulls back just enough to look at me properly, her sharp eyes scanning my face, my arms, my neck.“Are you really okay?”
“I think so,” I say.“I’m… better.”
Better than a few hours ago.Better than the last few days.Better than I thought I’d ever feel again.
Fern nods, satisfied for now.Then her expression tightens.“What happened?”
“I went to get your things from your apartment?—”
“Dad,” she practically snarls.
The word lands heavily between us.
“I know,” I say quietly.“I thought he’d be out at work.He wasn’t there when I first went in.”
I trail off as my body tenses, and I relive what happened.Fern squeezes my hand.
Abe rushes into the room as if sensing I’m upset.“What’s wrong?”he asks, making a beeline for me.
Jameson crosses the room and takes Fern into his arms.
“We were just talking about what happened,” I say, my voice still rusty from disuse.