Chapter 3

EBONY 

I walked up the steps.

Drew’s hands were on my waist as I moved, sending a tingling sensation throughout my body. Cleo has pestered me to mark and claim him, just like the couple downstairs. I didn’t know whether to take her seriously or not.

As we approached the top of the stairs, a door was right in front of me.

“Open it, sweetheart,” Drew said.

I placed my hand on the door handle and turned the door, which opened.

As I stepped inside, I stood rooted as I took his place. It was out of this world. It was laid out and had huge, spacious rooms.

Drew’s hands left my waist, making me cold. His heat warmed me, but I missed the tingles that rippled through me.

I stared at him as he sidestepped to the side.

I looked around and met his eyes.

He smiled.

“You like,” he said as he looked around his home. Pride was there. I could sense it.

I looked toward the couch, walked over to it, and said nothing. I left Drew standing there. I could feel his eyes on me until I sat down.

I looked toward him and tapped the couch next to me.

Drew smiled and walked over.

He sat next to me and placed his hand on my knee.

“I have to admit,” I said, staring at him. “This is all crazy to me. I never thought I would find my mate. I thought I didn’t have one.”

Drew frowned.

“Why would you think that?” He asked. “You are gorgeous.”

I blushed. I wasn’t used to compliments, especially from men.

Drew was handsome with his chiseled chin. His green eyes were something else, with his hair was pulled back with gel.

I looked at him but cleared my throat. “I... I don’t know,” I said. “There are not many of my kind left, so I thought my mate died.”

Drew nodded but looked hurt.

“I didn’t mean...” I started to say, but my nerves got the better of me, and that’s when I blurted everything out to him about part of my life.

“I have been alone since seventeen,” I said. “My parents died in a car crash when I was fifteen, leaving me looking after my sister, who died from a hunter last year.”

Sadness swept in as an image of Phoebe flooded my mind like a hurricane.

“I’m sorry,” Drew says as he squeezes my hand.

I smiled at him.

“I don’t usually talk about my family,” I said weakly.

I cleared my throat and changed the subject.

“I had moved around all my life, even when my family was alive, but when they died, I had to be on my own,” I said. “I have traveled everywhere and have little to my name.”

I stared at Drew, whose eyes showed sadness but understanding.

“Why to keep moving around?” he asked.

I stare at him for a moment and looked at our joined hands.

“Hunters mainly,” I said. “Hunters have sought my kind for years. I keep one step ahead of them all the time.”

A growl rumbles through the room.

I looked at Drew, who looked like he wanted to kill.

“Hunters,” he gritted as I noticed his eyes flicker from his too black, then back to his again.

Cleo moves close but stays out of sight. “His wolf is angry,” she whispered. “He doesn’t like what we’ve been through.”

I stare at him.

“It’s okay,” I say, comforting him. “I always leave when they are in town or close by.” Drew looks at me and stares.

“You won’t be leaving here,” he muttered.

My eyes widen.

Drew shook his head.

“I didn’t mean to sound creepy,” he said as he squeezed my hand again. ’Hunters never come here. We do have some rogue wolves who slip past, who may want a bed for the night, but no hunters. How did you get here? I know that you picked the place on the map with your finger, but how did your travel here?”

“Bus,” I said. “The bus driver was a werewolf and was even stunned to figure out who I was.” Drew smiled.

“Uncle Burt,” he said. “Uncle Burt is one of the council members in the town below us. They are full of all kinds of beings, even humans. Uncle Buck always susses out the hunters, and no one gets into town till they have been vetted by the council.’

I looked at him stunned.

“Did I walk into a werewolf pack?” I asked, worried.

Drew shook his head.

“No,” he said. “The town is where we get our food. I live here and own the bar. Bess and Wilson, the couple who gave the show, run the motel, and my brother, Brock runs the store.”

“You have a brother?” I asked.

Drew nodded.

“He was the one on the right,” he muttered. “The other one is my younger brother, Toby. They are leaving for a few days to find their mates. I was supposed to go with them, but now my plans have changed since you walked through those doors tonight.”

I stared at him.

“You were leaving,” I said.

Drew nodded.

“I was,” he said. “I have waited seven years for you to walk into my life, and I am not willing to let you go now.”

I stared at him, shocked.

He has been waiting for me to come into his life for seven years.

My mind raced, but something dawned on me.”

“Seven years,” I said. “I have been waiting for nine years. How old are you? Drew stared at me with wide eyes.

“I’m twenty-six,” he said. “We werewolves find their mates at nineteen.”

My eyes grew wide.

Fuck.

I’m older than him.

“What about you Ebony?” Drew called out. “How old are you?”

I stared at him.

“I’m...” I say, but stop as I look at him.

He looks older than he is, but twenty-six.

I didn’t know whether to be happy about having a young man, or feel weirded out by it. “Ebony,” he asked. His eyes bore into mine, full of concern. “What’s wrong?” I stared at him.

I take a breath and look at our hands again.

I couldn’t look him in the eye.

“As Panther shifters, we look for our mate at twenty-one,” I said. “I have been waiting for nine years.” I was met with silence.

I closed my eyes as I told him how old I am.

“I’m thirty,” I muttered.

I stayed still for a few moments but opened one eye to see what Drew was doing. Drew stared at me. A grin appeared on his face.

“Thirty,” he said.

I opened my eyes and looked at him confused.

“Yeah,” I said. “I will be thirty-one in a few weeks.”

Drew nodded, and his grin widened.

“I have to admit something,” he said. “I like older women. I mean, I think they have more experience and know how to treat a man, don’t you think?”

My eyes rounded.

“You don’t mind that I am...” I say, but Drew moves and turns to face me. He removes his hand from mine and places both hands on each side of my face.

Drew moves closer and smiles.

“I don’t mind,” he says as he looks at me. His eyes dart to my mouth, but back to my eyes. “I think having an older woman is something I could get used to,” he said and moved toward me. I stared as his mouth moved to mine, and he placed a tender kiss on my lips.

I stare back shocked.

Drew smiled.

“Can I kiss you?” He asked.

I cleared my throat.

“You just did,” I muttered.

Drew frowned.

“You have never been kissed properly,” he said. “That wasn’t a kiss, this is a kiss.”

Drew slams his mouth on mine, making me freeze slightly. However, his tongue glides over my bottom lip and I give him access as he slipped his tongue into my mouth.

Tingles erupt as we kiss.

I tried to control every fiber of my body, but my body had a mind of its own.