SAMANTHA POV "It seems Hazel didn't want anyone reading these," Marcie huffs as we finish searching the last draw in her bedroom. Finding Hazel's diaries hadn't been hard, but finding them locked was definitely disappointing. Marcie had immediately begun searching the dresser draws, and I had followed suit. "Well, guess we will never know," I whisper, and Marcie laughs. "Oh, don't worry, honey. She might have made sure the latches were made of silver to deter a wolf shifter, but you are a cougar. Before you left the ranch the other day, you kicked Lauren hard enough to send her flying...a normal human can't do that, my dear. You are tapping into your shifter strength. Probably because you have met your mate, so don't worry, here one day soon, you will be able to pop those heavy latches yourself and get the answers you seek," Marcie says, and confusion hits me."My mate? I met my mate," I ask, completely bewildered by her statement. "Yes, my dear, you have. Why do you thi
DANIEL POV My cellphone rings for maybe half a second before I have it pressed against my ear. "How did it go," I ask, and my mother chuckles at my eagerness. "She said she will come over. She wants only you and Lauren in the house, though. She isn't ready for everyone. I don't know if she will want to talk. I tempted her over by mentioning shopping with Lauren. Your pregnant mate is out of food," Mom says, and I immediately growl. "I should have had one of us pick her up some supplies. I didn't even think about her food situation...But...she is willing to come over," I ask as my mind returns to the fact that she agreed to come see me. "Yes, but you need to keep calm and give her space. I have a feeling she wants the company but doesn't want a clingy mate jumping on her when she returns," mom says, and I groan slightly. "I know that. It will just be hard. I mean, I haven't seen my mate in three days, Ma. My bond is fresh and screaming for me to go to her," I growl, and
SAMANTHA POV I can feel his eyes on me...studying me and observing me...They are like heated laser beams on the side of my face and body. It's as if he is relearning what I look like. "You had food, right? You haven't been without this whole time, have you," Lauren asks me, and I raise my eyes to her's cautiously. She gives me a small smile paired with pleading eyes, and I instantly feel guilty. I remember the kick I gave her to the stomach, and I feel even worse before finally answering. "No. No, I had the cleaning service stock my kitchen with the basics before I arrived. But they didn't last me too long. Between pregnant snacking and bored kitchen raiding, I picked over what I had pretty..." I say before Daniel's sharp voice cuts in. "Are you hungry," he basically yells and my cheeks redden as I'm forced to look at him. "Umm, yes. I was just saying the meager supplies I had the maid service bring dried up yesterday," I reply, trying to sound calm before glancing at
SAMANTHA POV It's been two days, and I still don't feel any better. I don't know if I want to pursue learning more about this untouched side of myself. I have always had a powerful sense of who I am. Now, all that confidence has been shaken, and I am questioning who Samantha Layne is exactly. I stretch my arms and sigh before climbing to my feet. Spending more than an hour on the floor is too rough for my growing belly. "Geez, why couldn't she hide the keys under her pillow," I mumble as a muscle in my back pulls from the strain of getting up.I have searched every nook and cranny of this massive house for the keys to my grandmother's diaries. But I have only managed to find dust bunnies and some old financial documents. My latest search was underneath the old antique bed in my grandparent's bedroom, which was really my last hope. I stand up straight a little too quickly, and my head spins a bit. I place my hand on the side table to steady myself, and as I do, I feel a cr
DANIEL POV I sigh as I check my phone for the millionth time today. I have made sure the volume is all the way up probably twice an hour for the past two days. But still nothing. I had hoped when Sam went back home after shopping with Lauren, she would get in contact with me, but that hasn't been the case. I have been trying to give her space and let her adjust just like mom told me to before leaving, but a man can only be patient for so long. "You keep frowning like that you aren't going to age very well," Fin says as he enters the kitchen through the back door. I grunt in response, and Boyd slightly chuckles while following right behind him. "You would be just as bummed if your mate wasn't giving you the time of day," Boyd says before plopping down beside me. His words don't help the growing hole in my chest, but they make Fin shutup. "Alright. Alright. I will stop picking on our Alpha. What do you want for dinner, big brother? We put in a good day's work toda
SAMANTHA POV "I really will be fine, Dan," I say again as he follows me to the car after feeding me to the brim. "I need to do a run around your land, Sam. I want to make sure no one is getting close to my mate or her unborn cub," Dan tells while shooting me a crooked smile that makes me want to blush. "Okay fine," I reply, a little breathlessly, and Dan's smile grows. He knows what he is doing to me when he does that; I know it. I climb into the passenger seat of my car, and he drops into the drivers' seat immediately after. My nerves grow higher and higher as the silence seems to become a thick fog within my small car. He pulls out of his drive and I slide my hands under my legs to keep them from fidgeting. During dinner the conversation was light and smooth between all of us, but now that I am alone with Dan, I'm nervous. I don't know how to go about bringing up our "mate" relationship. I had told him I was ready when I arrived this evening, but I honestly don't know wh
SAMANTHA POV "So what are we doing," I ask as he closes his door and starts the truck with a secretive little smile on his face. "You will see. I don't want to ruin the surprise. But first, we will grab something to eat. I'm starving... Now I didn't plan the food part out. I honestly don't know what you like, and I know that growing baby girl inside your tummy might be changing what you want at the moment, so I didn't want to guess," Daniel says while giving me a hopeful yet apologetic smile. Almost as if he hopes I don't think he was being lazy or forgot about the food part of the date. "Okay...well, if we are going by cravings. I would really love some fries," I admit, and he nods. "Fries coming right up. Curly, straight, seasoned...does it matter," he asks as he pulls out of my long drive, and I laugh. "Those all sound good," I say as I continue laughing, and he joins me. "Okay. Anything to with that variety choice of fries," he asks after a minute of laughing, and I
SAMANTHA POV I rub my stomach calmly as I wait for Lauren to ask whatever question is on her mind. After two months of knowing Lauren, I quickly learned she is only quiet when something is on her mind. And considering the fact, she hasn't spoken for seven minutes; it must be pretty big. I sigh as I watch her eyes glance towards my phone yet again. "What," I finally ask, and Lauren's beautiful deep brown eyes meet mine. She looks surprised for only a second before she realizes I know she is curious about something. "Nothing...I... I mean, it's none of business," she sputters before blushing and lifting her coffee mug to her lips. "Lauren, you are killing me here. I came over to relax for a few hours and get Daniel off my back about spending so much time alone. You could at least talk to me," I say, only half kidding. "Okay. Okay, I know I am being weird. I was just wondering if your ex has contacted you about your approaching due date. I know you are taking things