Chapter 8
EIGHT
Tucker
As soon as I wake up, I can feel it.
The mating heat.
It’s eight o’clock in the morning, nowhere near the full moon, and already, it’s hitting me like a drug.
Good thing I had the sense not to sleep in the cell with her last night, I think as I push to my feet and glance over at my mate.
Good thing? My wolf snarls at me, and I wince at his harsh tone.
We can’t claim her. Not until she chooses us, I remind him, and he growls so loud that I’m sure I’m going to have hearing loss.
She better choose us, he snarls, and I nod.
She will.
I hope.
Nori is still sleeping so I make my way quietly over to the duffle bag that I packed with my clean clothes and head into the men’s room. There’s a shower in here, and I hop in, soaping up and rinsing off quickly. I have to ignore my hard-on as I towel off and get dressed.
My mind is locked on Nori. How is she feeling? Can she feel the mating heat, too? Is she hungry? I should go get us breakfast before she wakes up so that I can spend as much time with her as possible today. Will she choose us?
I swallow hard as I head back out to check on her. She’s still fast asleep, so I grab my keys and wallet and head over to the diner to order us some food. I know that Crew will be in today. He’s on call tonight, and he promised to take anything that comes in so that I can be with my mate.
I grab Nori’s smoothie and my pancakes and eggs and head back across the street to the police station. Nori is up when I get back, and I pause in the doorway as a fresh wave of the mating heat rolls over me.
All of my senses are heightened right now, and I can feel my teeth elongate, ready to bite and mark her. My mouth waters, and I swallow hard.
“Morning,” I croak, sounding like a beast even to my own ears.
“Morning,” she says softly.
I can’t read her expression, but I can smell her desire.
Bite her and claim her now! My wolf howls, and I grit my teeth.
Not yet. Be patient.
He bares his teeth at that comment, and I hurry over to hand Nori her smoothie.
“How are you feeling?” I ask, trying to gauge where she’s at emotionally right now.
“Um… good,” she says, but she doesn’t sound like she means that.
“I got you a smoothie, but if you want something else, I can run back out and get it.”
“No, stay!” she shouts, then her face flushes. “I mean, this is good.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah,” she promises, and I nod, heading over to my desk with my own breakfast.
It kills me to put any distance between us, but I also know that I’m close to breaking and biting her.
She showered last night, and I’m grateful for that. I don’t think that there’s any way that I can let her out of her cell right now. Not unless she wants to be mine and is okay with me claiming her right here and now.
“Can I go to the bathroom now?” She asks.
“No!”
She blinks, frowning at me, and I wince.
“I just…don’t trust myself or my wolf not to bite you right now. When Crew gets here, I’ll have him let you out.”
“Crew?”
“The deputy,” I remind her, and she nods.
“Oh, right. He’s not at home with his mate all day today?”
“No, he hasn’t found his mate yet.”
“Oh,” she frowns. “So, what happens to him tonight?”
“He has to deal with listening to every other mated shifter have sex,” Crew answers her as he walks into the station.
“That sounds…” she starts, searching for the right word.
“Terrible. It’s terrible,” he finishes for her, and they both laugh.
I glare at him, telling him with my eyes to stay the fuck away from my mate, and he holds up his hands in surrender.
Crew sets his things down on his desk and I clear my throat.
“I’m going to step out for a minute. Can you let Nori out so she can use the bathroom?” I ask him and he nods.
“Sure thing.”
I head for the door, arguing with my wolf the entire way.
Don’t leave him alone with our mate!
We can trust Crew. It’s not like he’s fated to her. It will be okay.
No, it won’t, he growls.
You want our mate to be comfortable, right? Well, then she has to use the bathroom. Now calm down.
He paces inside of me as I head outside and lean against my police cruiser.
“Morning, Tucker! How’s it going?” Logan asks, dressed in his firefighter gear from the waist down.
“Good. What are you up to?” I ask him, grateful for the distraction.
“We’re about to run some drills at the firehouse. Want to come join us?” He asks, pointing over his shoulder to where Harris, Miles, and Jensen are setting up some hoses and other gear.
“No thanks. Crew might, though. I’ll ask him in a minute.”
“Sounds good,” he says with a nod. “How’s your mate?”
“She’s good.”
“Is she sticking around?” he asks, and I sigh.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “I hope so. I’ve been trying to woo her.”
“That has to be hard. What with her locked up in a cell and all.”
“Shut up,” I growl, and he laughs.
“Well, what’s the plan for tonight then?” He asks me, and I shrug.
“The ball is in her court. I’ve been trying to win her over, hopefully I have. She knows what will happen tonight if she chooses to be mine.”
“And if she doesn’t?” He asks softly.
“Then I guess I have to let her go. Maybe I can convince her to take things slow with me and can win her over down the line.”
I sound a lot more easygoing about that plan than I feel, though. I want Nori, and I want to make her mine tonight.
“Good luck, man. We’re all here if you need anything,” he says, clapping me on the shoulder.
“Thanks.”
“Send Crew over in a bit. That way you can have some more alone time with your mate.”
“Will do. Thanks.”
He nods, and I watch him jog back over to the guys at the firehouse.
“Tucker,” Crew calls, poking his head out the front door. “She’s back in her cell.”
“Thanks.”
I push off of my police cruiser and take a deep breath.
Everything is going to be okay.
It has to be.