Was I having an episode? Where I see things that were so real it was as if I lived them? Why would that vision come to me? How did my mind create these visions to begin with?
Mekhi Edwards, in my room? Did he even know my name? I didn’t understand how I had been dreaming of him for almost a whole year, and now I was seeing visions of him in my room. That was new, and I didn’t want Frankie to think I was going crazy. I was doing a good job of thinking that myself.
Once I gained back my sanity, I nodded.
“Sorry, I have no idea what happened. That’s never happened to me before.”
He wrapped his arms around me, and I relaxed into his warm body.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. It has been a long day. Whatever it was, it’s over now. I got you.”
But was it really over?
Chapter15
Frankie
Today we broke free. The anniversary party was this evening and I wasn’t looking forward to it. We were out for lunch in Watson, a town over from Port Willow. It reminded me a little of back home, except the smell of the ocean and the sound of the hypnotic waves. I couldn’t wait to go down there later and touch the water, maybe swim. Or drown… I’d never learned to swim as a child. My panther might have a better time swimming than me. But I didn’t think shifting in front of Clare to take a swim was a smart idea.
I wasn’t ready to show her that side of me yet. I didn’t want to scare her off. I was already worried about the other secrets I held from her. I needed to speak to her about college and who I really was. But that could wait until we got back. Her parents were giving her a hard time, I wouldn't put this on her too. It wouldn't be fair.
We had a late lunch and were headed towards Clare’s car when I sensed them.
A wolf shifter and something else. I couldn’t put my nose on it. I tensed for a moment, looking around to find the source.
“Hey, are you okay?” Clare looked up at me. I squeezed her hand and nodded just as a blonde girl came running towards her.
“Oh my god, Clare.” She was waving now, and Clare froze for a moment before moving toward the girl. I saw then a shifter was seated at the table the girl had come from. I didn’t want to get closer to the shifter. I could already feel his irritation and his wolf radiating off him. He wasn’t impressed to see me, and I wasn’t happy to see him either. But there was nothing I could do now. Clare pulled me closer to where they were all seated.
My eyes locked with the wolf shifter and my panther reared up. His wolf did too. I watched as his eyes flashed, something that happened right before you shifted. This wasn’t good. I held still. I didn't want to give him a reason to shift. I wasn't in his territory, this was neutral ground. I had permission to be here.
The shifter stood at his full height. He was taller than me. His human form was built; his wolf form would be too. I had never encountered a wolf shifter in their wolf form before. I wasn't sure how even the fight would be against my panther.
If he was to fight me, I didn’t want Clare being in the firing line. I dropped Clare’s hand and took a step back. I wanted him to know I was backing down. I didn't want to start anything. This wasn’t why I was here.
But as soon as his eyes landed on Clare, I could scent his change in emotions. He was happy to see her, more than happy as he seemed to forget me and approached my mate. He surprised me when he wrapped her in a bear hug, lifted her off the ground, and spun her around. My panther was so close to the edge.
My mate. Mine.
I took steadying breaths as he placed her down, his eyes flashing to me for a brief moment, and I growled low. Enough for him to be warned she was mine, not that he didn’t already know. He would have scented me all over her.
“Oh, hi?” Clare said as she patted the shifter’s back. She didn’t know this male well, I could tell from her reaction. This made the situation more intense with my panther. How dare this male touch what was his.
“Ah… you’re Jett’s brother, right?” Clare asked him. Who was Jett?
“What? Am I Jett’s brother?” He cracked up laughing as if it was some kind of joke. Clare clearly didn’t get it either as she directed her conversation back to the bubbly blonde.
My eyes were now on the female seated at the table. She had brown hair and her eyes were the color of amber. She watched me, her head cocked to the side as if she was trying to figure me out. She must have known I was a shifter but didn't know which type exactly. I could scent her confusion towards me. I knew she wasn’t just human. But I didn’t know what she was.
She wasn’t a shifter. Not one I had ever scented before anyway. Not a vampire either. Could she be a witch and suppressing her powers? I didn’t think so. I would have felt that after being so close to Vicki this past week. There was no mistaking a witch's powers.
“…This is my boyfriend, Frankie,” Clare introduced me, and I turned away from scenting the seated girl to greet the friend of Clare’s. I nodded to the blonde friend, Ada. But I couldn’t let my guard down with the wolf just there. The girl I couldn't figure out, spoke up.
“Hi, I’m Lexi. It’s nice meeting you. I think it’s time we were going.”
She stood up and took the shifter's arm. His eyes never strayed from mine as he was pulled away from the table. Lexi was clearly his mate and knew what I was and the tension between me and this wolf.
As they left, Ada called out to Clare that she would call her.
