“Did they say anything?”Fern asks.
“They were talking about some guy…uh, Michael.”I search my memories for anything else.“They talked about Michael a lot.What he wanted, what he said, what hewouldsay about something.They were pretty worried about him.They mentioned Fern and the ‘bastards who stole her from us.’”
Fern laughs as she turns to Jameson.“Apparently, you’re a bastard.”
He taps the end of her nose.“I’ll be anything for you.”
Fern melts at his words.It’s wonderful to see her so happy.She had to be so strong when her mom died and her dad started drinking.She’s always put on a brave face, but with Jameson, she can be softer.She can be herself.
“Then, they drugged me again, and we came here,” I conclude.
“Did you see Michael?Did you meet him?”Abe asks, looking fierce.
“No.They said they needed to get me ready for him, whatever that meant.He was preaching or something.Then you came in.”
I finish eating and sit back in my chair.
“We’ll clean up,” Abe says.
Fern stands, grabs my hand, and drags me back into the living room.
“How are you feeling now?”she asks as we sit on the couch.
“I’m fine,” I assure her.
We sit in silence for a moment before curiosity nudges its way forward.
“So,” I say hesitantly.“Shifters.”
Fern smiles faintly.“You want the crash course?”
“Yes,” I say quickly.“Please.”
“It’s like I said before.They can change from human to their animal in the blink of an eye.It’s kind of crazy to see… Okay, it’sreallycrazy to see.”She laughs.“Crazy but cool.”
“And fated mates?”I ask hesitantly.
“Shifters only fall in love with one person.They’ll only ever love that person, only ever want that person, and only ever sleep with that person.”
“And how do they know when they’ve found that person?”
“They sense it, I guess.”She leans back against the couch cushions and sighs.“Has Abe said anything to you?”
I chew on my lip.“He said some things.Last night.Before I fell asleep.”
Her brows lift.“Oh?”
“He said I was home,” I say.“And that he wasn’t letting me go.”
Fern doesn’t look alarmed.Instead, she smiles gently.“That sounds familiar.”
“You think that means?—”
“Fated mates.”
The words echo in my chest.
Fated.We’re fated to be together.