Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 85616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
“Okay, so that does sound a little complicated, but… I don’t think it’s something you need to spiral over. At least not yet. It sounds like he’s open to how you’re feeling and he’s getting to the same destination as you, it’s just taking him a little longer. And that’s understandable, especially with what he said about his job.”
“Yeah, but Chris, what about the whole fated mates thing? Look at Eli and Gabe. Eli’s said he felt that fated kind of spark from the jump. And he’s a human. Why wouldn’t Miles feel the same about me?”
“Maybe he does and can’t recognize it for some reason? Sometimes the signs aren’t always there, for better or worse. I mean, I can relate honestly. You know I’ve been having a hard time lately. I came out of a six-year relationship that I was sure was fated, until I realized it wasn’t when she broke up with me completely out of the blue. On my birthday. If you had asked me back then, even though she wasn’t a shifter, I would have said we were fated mates.” Chris scratched the back of his neck. “Emotions and connections aren’t always super easy to pick up on. And sometimes we can trick ourselves when those connections aren’t very clear. My dumb ass was oblivious to the signs that the spark had died out a long time before the break-up. Maybe he can’t feel the spark that’s started between you two? He could be covering his eyes while you’ve got yours wide open.”
“Maybe…”
“No seriously, though, your eyes are bugging. It’s creeping me out a little.”
I looked to Chris and opened my eyes even wider. “What do you mean, darling?” I asked in a creepy Victorian doll voice.
Chris cracked up at that. I leaned back on the couch, returning my eyes to their normal size. “So what do you think I should do?” Chris may not have been the alpha of the Burlington pack, but he was the first one I went to for advice. He had an air about him, a cool and unshakable confidence that I was sometimes envious of.
“What you’re doing. Being honest and open with him. And give it some time.”
“There is one other thing…” I hadn’t brought up Miles’ stalker yet. I didn’t think it had much to do with how we felt for each other but maybe that was wrong? I told Chris the entire story and then it was his turn to have bug eyes.
“Holy fuck. Seriously?”
“As serious as a dead doornail or whatever the saying is. Dead hangnail?”
“That changes things, Dyl.” His big, brown—almost golden—eyes filled with concern. I could see the twitch of his jaw underneath the dark scruff covering it. “You have to be careful. We’re shifters, but we aren’t invincible. A silver bullet in the back and you’d be done.”
That was something that’d been keeping me up at night. I was on high alert. I didn’t even sleep with my usual ambient jungle noises because I wanted to be able to hear if anyone somehow got past my alarms and was coming to end me. “We went to see Hunter—remember him? He dated Yuni for a bit. He couldn’t really tell us much, though.”
“But this person clearly knows about you and Miles.” He seemed thoughtful for a moment. “And honestly, that could be a reason why Miles has been trying to put up a barrier. Maybe he doesn’t want to put you in danger.”
“I get that, but I’m a grown man. I can handle it.”
At least, I hoped I could handle it. The only fights I usually got into were on the ice. And even then, we were wearing helmets and gear, and could be yanked off each other by referees if things got too out of hand. I thought back to being taken by that rival pack, how the iron collar felt locked around my neck, how powerless I was. I couldn’t defend myself then, why did I think I could defend myself now?
Except this time I had Miles. Back then, I honestly didn’t have much. I felt unmoored. Drifting around with only some vague goals and milestones to keep me going.
But the second Miles entered my orbit was the second the sun flared back to life. I had a reason to fight now. I would kick and snarl and claw anyone who threatened to hurt him or me.
“Have you talked to Emmy about this?”
I shook my head. “Only you. Miles isn’t part of the pack, I didn’t think it was something I needed to bring to him.”
“You’re part of the pack, and if Miles is your fated mate, then that brings him in as well. I think you should talk to him.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I grabbed my forgotten beer and took a few chugs. “I guess I also haven’t wanted to think about it much. It does freak me out. But fuck, I also don’t want this psycho keeping me apart from Miles.”