Christopher (Green Hill Pride #11)

Chapter One

Chris felt out of place, but then how could he feel at home when he was surrounded by a bunch of tigers?

Part of him felt like he wasn’t supposed to be here. He was supposed to be back home with the pack, in the place where he’d been born. He would still be there if his family hadn’t had to move.

All because their alpha had kicked his brother out.

Chris scowled at the wall, since he couldn’t scowl at his old alpha. Alpha Davis had always been an asshole, but Chris had never realized just how threatened the man felt by Kyle. He wasn’t even right to have felt that, because Kyle couldn’t care less about being alpha. Kyle might have postured when he’d first arrived in Green Hill because he thought it was the only way for him and the rest of their family to be safe, but he didn’t want to be in charge of a bunch of people, be they wolves or tigers. He just wanted to be disgustingly happy with his mate, and now he was.

Chris had been looking for his brother, thinking they could spend time together. It had been a while since they’d done so, mostly because everything had been a mess after they’d arrived in town. Kyle had been an idiot and had tried to take the alpha position from the Green Hill pride alpha. He’d failed miserably.

Well, not miserably. He’d failed but had been glad for it because he didn’t actually want to be the alpha and because he’d met his mate.

Which was who Kyle was spending time with right now.

Chris eyed them. They were on the couch, the TV on, but neither of them was watching. He wasn’t sure what they’d been doing, but Kyle was stretched out against Dennis’s side, his head tucked under Dennis’s chin. His eyes were closed, and Dennis was cradling him close and watching him with a sappy expression.

It wasn’t like Kyle to fall asleep in the middle of the day, especially not in a spot where anyone could see him. For a while, he’d continued acting as if he was a strong tiger shifter who could be the alpha if he wanted to, and he was—he just didn’t want to be alpha. Now that he’d settled in, though, he’d relaxed and looked at home here.

Chris supposed he was. Kyle’s father was the previous alpha of the pride, and while the man was gone, the place kind of was Kyle’s ancestral home. But it had more to do with the fact that Kyle found his mate here than who his father was. Either way, Kyle had settled in, and it was like he’d always been here. He belonged.

Something Chris couldn’t say about himself.

He moved back into the hallway, not wanting to bother Dennis and Kyle. Dennis hadn’t noticed him yet, and he didn’t want to be seen at all. Dennis would insist on waking up Kyle, and that wasn’t what Chris wanted, even though he felt alone.

He looked right and left, but the hallway was empty. Kyle was busy, which meant Chris would have to find someone else to spend time with. He didn’t have friends here, which meant he was stuck spending time with his family. Jennifer was next on his list.

It took a while to find her. She wasn’t in her room or in any of the communal living areas in the house. That left the yard, but Jennifer didn’t usually spend a lot of time outside during fall and winter. She disliked the cold and rain.

But that was where Chris found her. It was the middle of November, and Jennifer was outside, willingly jumping in puddles. Chris watched her from the kitchen back door, wondering when his sister had been kidnapped by aliens and replaced by a pod person. There was no way this was the sister he’d grown up with.

Yet it was. There weren’t many wolves in the Green Hill pride. In fact, there were only three of them—Chris, Jennifer, and their grandfather.

Chris swallowed as he watched his sister pounce on a massive tiger. He didn’t recognize the tiger, but if he had to guess, it was Annabelle. She and Jennifer had become close friends, which made sense since Annabelle was Dennis’s sister, and Dennis was Kyle’s mate. They were like a big happy family.

Except for Chris.

He huffed and turned away from the back door. Kyle was busy with Dennis, and Jennifer was playing around with Annabelle. What was Chris’s grandfather up to?

Chris had seen him in the library earlier, so that was where he headed. Sure enough, his grandfather was still there, reading a book by the fireplace. It was cozy, and Chris was tempted to shift into his wolf form and curl up by his grandfather’s feet. He didn’t want to bother him, though. If Chris did that, his grandpa would get worried, and Chris didn’t want that.

His grandfather looked peaceful. He hadn’t had an easy life, especially after losing his only daughter. Chris remembered how much his grandfather had loved her. Their life had been a mess because she’d refused to marry the alpha, but they’d been happy until she died.

That seemed to be when everything had gone to shit. The pack had tolerated them before, but after she passed away, everyone had kept as much distance from them as they could. Kyle had been angry, but Chris didn’t blame them. They’d known the alpha would do something to them, and he had.

He’d kicked Kyle out.

Chris suspected that if the alpha could’ve gotten away with it, he would’ve kicked him and Jennifer out, too. He’d hated that the woman he wanted hadn’t wanted him, and he’d gotten his revenge on her children after she passed away. He hadn’t been able to do anything about Jennifer and Chris because they were wolves, but he had to have known that if he kicked Kyle out, the rest of his family would follow.

They had, and now here they were, sharing a house with a bunch of tiger shifters. They were only the tip of the iceberg. In the weeks since they’d moved there, Chris had been told about how both the alpha and the beta of the pride were bear shifters, about a fainting goat shifter and his friends, two deer shifters. There were Nix hanging around, and all of that mixed to form a pride that Chris had never suspected could exist. He still wasn’t sure he understood how everyone could be so welcoming to people who weren’t like them and who didn’t belong, but that was his upbringing. His mother and his grandfather had done their best, but their alpha had been an asshole who’d only wanted wolves in his pack, and as soon as he’d been able to get away with it, that was what he’d aimed for.

Watching his grandfather, Chris realized he didn’t want to interrupt him. For once, he was having a bit of time on his own without having to worry about his grandkids. Could Chris really bother him? His grandfather would welcome him and put down his book, but Chris didn’t have it in himself.

He turned and walked down the hallway. He needed to do something, but he wasn’t sure what. He should probably try making friends among the pride members, but he felt like an intruder. Everyone knew everyone, and he was a newcomer.

So the living room was out, as was the kitchen and the rest of the house. The yard and forest outside were out, too, because Jennifer was there. That only left the small town of Green Hill.

And Chris could do with a nice coffee.

Luckily, when they’d moved, he’d brought his car. That meant he didn’t have to wait for anyone or ask permission to leave the house. He just had to go up to his bedroom, grab the keys and his jacket, and leave the house.

He had the codes to the gate and the alarm, which should probably help him feel like he really was a pride member, but it was still awkward. He was relieved when he left the house behind, even though, technically, it was his home.

He’d get used to it. He’d always been a bit of a loner, mostly because people in his pack tended to stay away from him because of his family. He’d been fine with that, but it meant he didn’t know how to make friends. Should he just go up to people and start talking to them? That thought made him want to run the other way, so probably not.

Well, he could think about it while he got coffee. Maybe he’d even be generous and bring back something for the rest of his family. Jennifer had taken a liking to Dennis’s banana donuts, so Chris could check if they still had some at the bakery before going home.

But first, coffee.

* * * *

Drake wasn’t new to blind dates. In fact, a lot of dates he’d recently been on were blind dates. His friends, family, and colleagues wanted him to be paired off as much as he did, and they never missed an opportunity to help.

Right now, he wished Linda had missed the opportunity.

He wasn’t sure what she’d been thinking, but the guy sitting in front of him was awful. He was dressed well and looked clean, and when he’d walked in, Drake had been impressed, but not for long. The man’s personality was awful. If Drake could get away with it, he’d run out the door without looking back.

“Do you know how much sugar is in that coffee?” Karl asked, leaning closer to Drake.

Drake had been puzzled when Karl had dragged his chair to his side of the table instead of sitting in front of him like anyone else would have. It was easier to get to know each other when you could look each other in the eyes, but Karl didn’t seem to think so.

Or maybe he was trying to get to know Drake in an entirely different way that involved getting his hands on him.

Karl squeezed Drake’s knee, and Drake jerked his leg away. He bumped into one of the legs of the table, wincing when pain shot through his knee.

Karl didn’t seem bothered. He wasn’t touching Drake anymore, but that didn’t stop him from leaning into his personal space.

“All that sugar is going to kill you.”

Drake took a sip of his caramel latte, which was the only thing keeping him here at the moment. It was also the only thing keeping him from screaming at Karl to give him space. He didn’t want to alarm the people in the coffee shop, so it was better if he continued sipping and staying as far away from Karl as possible.

“Sugar doesn’t kill anyone,” Drake muttered.

“You can’t be serious. Do you know how many people in this country are obese?”

“I’m not,” Drake pointed out. He might be a little fluffy and slightly overweight, but not that much.

Karl looked him up and down. “Well, you could lose some weight. I could help you. We could have you in shape in just a few months. Imagine how much prettier you’d be.”

Karl didn’t seem to find Drake repulsive, no matter what he was saying. He stretched out his arm again, squeezing Drake’s thigh this time.

Drake made a sound deep in his throat that made him sound like he was dying. Maybe part of him was. His soul certainly felt like it was withering, although that possibly was to get away from Karl.

Drake looked up as he moved away from Karl, inadvertently making eye contact with the woman sitting at the table next to them. She grimaced, and while Drake was grateful for the silent support, there was unfortunately nothing she could do for him. He was the only one who could do anything about this, but it was always hard for him to tell people to fuck off. He wanted everyone to be happy, even if it meant that he wasn’t.

His obsession with pleasing people was going to be the death of him.

“I’m fine,” he muttered.

He could feel Karl’s gaze on him as intensely as if Karl were touching him, which made him want to scream.

“You really are,” Karl said with a smirk. “How about you show me how fine you are in a more private setting? Are you done with your coffee?”

Drake had been taking a sip, and it went down the wrong way. He coughed, relieved that he wasn’t spraying caramel latte everywhere. That might have been the best way to get rid of Karl, though. Maybe Drake could try drowning in his latte a second time if it meant kicking Karl to the curb.

“We just met fifteen minutes ago,” he pointed out.

Karl gave him a toothy smile. “So? People have sex when they barely know each other, and we’ve been talking for fifteen minutes.”

“What did Linda tell you I was looking for?” There was no way she would’ve wanted Drake to meet with Karl if Karl had behaved like this. She hadn’t said much about Karl, but she’d made it sound like he was a nice person, which was the opposite of the guy sitting next to Drake.

“She just mentioned a colleague. I asked to see a picture, and when I said you were hot, I decided we should go on a date.”

“You decided?”

“I mean, Linda is nice, but she was talking about love and relationships. We both know that’s not why we’re here.”

Karl had the balls to wink. Drake stared at him, unable to comprehend what was happening. He wasn’t even sure what was happening. He just knew he wanted to get as far away from Karl as he could, as quickly as possible. “Actually, it is why I’m here,” he said. “I’m looking for a relationship, not a one-night stand.” Or a one-afternoon stand. There was no way he was sleeping with Karl, though. He’d rather set himself on fire.

Karl blinked. “Who would want a relationship with you?”

Drake did not want to know what that meant. He didn’t care. Karl’s opinion didn’t matter, and it never would, because Karl was an asshole.

Drake clutched his latte, knowing he’d reached the end of his patience—and he had a lot of it. He got to his feet, ignoring the startled way Karl looked at him. “I have to go.”

“Already? But we’ve just started talking, and we haven’t even gotten to the best part of the date yet.”

“Like I said, I’m not looking for whatever you are looking for. I want to get to know someone, fall in love, and have a relationship that will last the rest of my life. It’s clear we’re not looking for the same thing, so it’s probably for the best if we end the date before it can get any more serious.” There was no way in hell anything would ever be serious between Drake and Karl, but even though Drake was dumping Karl, he didn’t want to be rude to him.

Maybe he should be, because Karl caught his wrist and pulled as if he wanted Drake to sit again.

“If you really want a relationship, we can discuss it,” he tried. “There will be boundaries, though.”

Drake was tempted to stay, because he was curious about what boundaries Karl was talking about. Karl was still holding his wrist, though, and the sensation of their skin touching made Drake want to rush home and shower. Karl’s hand was perfectly warm and dry, but it still felt slimy.

“No, thank you.”

Karl frowned as if he didn’t understand why Drake was saying no. “I’m offering you what you want. Why are you saying no?”

Drake should tell Karl it was because he was a creepy asshole, but he didn’t have it in him. He looked around the coffee shop, desperate to find a way out of the situation without making it messier. He didn’t know anyone here, which meant that if he wanted to get away from Karl, he’d have to act as if he did. Hopefully, whoever he latched onto would go along with it and not demand that Drake ask him what the fuck was happening and who he was.

The coffee shop door opened, catching Drake’s attention. A tall man came in, and for a moment, the world stopped. He was on the thin side, lanky, with fluffy brown hair and curious eyes. He looked around the coffee shop as if he’d never been in one, and for a second, Drake couldn’t breathe.

Then Karl squeezed his wrist again, and Drake snatched his hand away. “I’m sorry. I need to go.”

“What are you talking about? Sit down, Drake. We’re still on our date, and I’m not done with you.”

Karl clearly thought Drake was going to go along with this, but Drake wouldn’t stick around even if someone offered him a million dollars. “I’ll see you soon,” he promised Karl, even though he had no intention of seeing him ever again if he could avoid it.

He rushed toward the man who’d walked in, and as soon as he was close enough, he grabbed the man’s arm and squeezed. The man looked down at him, so Drake quickly explained, “Just go along with it, please. Free me from this awful blind date.” He sucked in a breath and almost stumbled back.

What were the odds of him latching onto his mate?

* * * *

Chris had no idea what was happening, but that was par for the course recently. He had no idea what was happening most of the time.

But it was the first time someone latched onto him like an octopus. Maybe the guy was an octopus shifter. Chris had no way to know, and he didn’t think he wanted to find out.

The man who’d latched onto him had wrapped both arms around Chris’s arm, almost spilling his coffee on Chris’s jacket. Chris was glad the guy had realized what he was doing before making a mess and that he’d been careful, but that still didn’t explain what was happening.

He shook his arm, but the man continued staring up at him with wide eyes.

Chris understood why seconds later.

The air was heavy with the scent of coffee and people, but under all of that—or maybe above it because it was the only thing Chris could smell now—was the scent of Chris’s mate. There was no doubt in Chris’s mind that the scent came from the man hanging on to him, and he didn’t know what to do with that revelation.

“What’s happening?” he asked, but he wasn’t sure what he was asking. Was he asking the guy to confirm they were mates? Was he asking for an explanation as to why the guy had latched onto him?

“That’s what I’d like to know,” a cool voice said.

Chris turned to find a blond man wearing a suit glaring at him. The man was handsome, with his hair slickly parted and a square jaw, but there was a coldness in his eyes that told Chris he didn’t want anything to do with the guy.

To be fair, he wasn’t sure he wanted anything to do with his mate, either. He still had no fucking idea what was happening.

“I’m sorry,” Drake said. “He’s a friend of a friend, and he needs my help.”

“What?” the snotty blond man asked.

Normally, Chris would stay out of whatever this was, but he didn’t like the blond. “I do need his help,” he confirmed.

His mate blinked up at him and smiled.

It went straight to Chris’s heart, making it race in his chest. He’d just met his mate.

The thought was enough to calm him down and freak him out at the same time. What was he supposed to do with a mate? He’d barely ever had relationships. He was only twenty-eight, which was young for a shifter.

He should have expected to meet his mate, considering the mess the rest of his life was. Of course this was when he’d meet the guy.

He didn’t know what to do with the man, but it was clear that his mate wanted nothing to do with the blond, and Chris agreed.

He gently shook off his mate and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. His mate squeaked, but he leaned closer almost instantly.

The blond didn’t seem happy. “What are you doing?” he demanded to know. “You’re on a date with me. Who is this guy, and why is he holding you like that?”

“Like he said, I’m a friend of a friend,” Chris said with more patience than he felt. “We talked a bit on the phone, but we’d never met. We would’ve realized we’re mates sooner if we had.”

Chris’s mate sucked in a breath while the blond continued staring. Normally, that would be enough to get anyone to step back, but clearly, Chris had found the one asshole who didn’t seem to care that someone had met their mate.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Do I look like I care what you believe? Because I don’t. He’s my mate, and that’s that.” Chris hoped he wouldn’t regret announcing that in the middle of the coffee shop. He didn’t think any of the tiger shifters from the pride were here, but it wasn’t like he knew all of them, and even those he did know, he might not recognize. He hadn’t been in Green Hill long enough to know people by sight.

“He’s right,” Chris’s mate said,

Chris really wished he could get his name. It would look weird since they were supposed to know each other, though.

“I’m really sorry,” Chris’s mate continued. “I didn’t expect him to be my mate, but he is, and I’m sure you can understand that means that our date is over.”

Chris wanted to ask his mate what he’d been thinking dating this guy, but now wasn’t the moment to do that, either. He was starting to have a list of questions, though, and he hoped to get answers soon.

He didn’t know what he wanted yet, but he would have time to find out. Chris’s first instinct was to push away his mate and close in on himself, but this wasn’t just a guy. This wasn’t someone he could abandon, and he didn’t want to abandon his mate.

That was the only thing he was sure of. Everything else, he had no idea how to deal with.

“You’re here with me,” the blond insisted.

How much trouble would Chris be in if he shifted in the middle of the coffee shop and tore the man’s suit off him? Would he risk getting kicked out of the pride? Or would the alpha find it funny? Chris would definitely find it funny, but that didn’t mean Gal would be on board, so he decided to keep his wolf under control.

For now.

“I think we can both admit that the date wasn’t going well,” Chris’s mate softly said. “I’m really sorry, Karl. I don’t want to hurt you, but I wanted to leave even before I bumped into my mate. It wouldn’t have worked between us.”

To Chris’s astonishment, Karl actually reached out to grab his mate’s wrist. He pulled, and since neither Chris nor his mate had expected it, Chris’s mate stumbled forward.

Chris caught him around the waist, and for a moment, he and Karl were engaged in a tug-of-war. Chris didn’t think his mate wanted to go with Karl. He’d been trying to put distance between them, but Karl didn’t take no for an answer. He was also touching Chris’s mate, which didn’t make Chris and his wolf happy.

He growled and showed Karl his teeth. He didn’t have fangs in his human form, but considering the growl, he was pretty sure Karl would understand he was a shifter and that he was ready to kick his ass for touching his mate.

Chris’s mate snatched his hand away from Karl and pressed closer to Chris. Chris hadn’t let go of him, and he pulled him back, wanting to make sure Karl wouldn’t be able to touch him again.

“I thought you were better than this, Drake,” Karl said.

Chris snorted. “Better than what? This was your first date, and he found his mate. What do you expect him to do? Finish his date with you and ignore me?”

“That would be the right thing to do,” Karl said.

Chris couldn’t believe it. Actually, he could believe it, but he was still surprised at how stupid some people could be. “I’m not letting my mate continue his date with you, especially because he told you he didn’t want to.” Chris looked down at Drake, happy to have a name and even happier to get Drake out of there. “Do you need to get anything?”

Drake shook his head. He’d set his drink on the counter earlier and gestured at it now. “I already got coffee. I’m set.”

Chris snatched the coffee from the counter and nodded. “All right. Let’s go, then.”

“You can’t just walk out on me,” Karl complained.

“Just let it go, Karl,” Drake said. “We weren’t meant to be.”

When Chris steered Drake toward the door, Drake came easily. Chris was still relieved they could leave, since everyone was staring at them. He rushed his mate out of the coffee shop, not minding at all that he hadn’t gotten anything to drink. He didn’t care about that. He just cared about Drake.

The door closed behind them, and for a moment, Chris just stared ahead. He had his mate, so now what? What did he do with him? What did he say?

And was there a way to ignore the panic swelling in his chest?

* * * *

Drake didn’t know what to say. He was relieved and grateful that his mate had gotten him out of the coffee shop and away from Karl, over the moon happy that he’d found his mate, and overwhelmed by all of it.

He took a sip of his coffee because his mouth was dry but wrinkled his nose when he found it cold. He’d wasted so much time with Karl that his coffee had gotten cold, dammit.

But that didn’t matter, because he had something more important to focus on. He turned to his mate, trying to choose the one question he should ask first. “What’s your name?”

His mate blinked down at him. He was taller than Drake, which Drake loved. “Christopher. Most people call me Chris.”

Drake nodded. “Do you want me to call you Chris?”

“Yeah.”

“Chris it is, then. I’m Drake.”

“I know. I heard your date call you that. He’s still staring, by the way.”

At the reminder that Karl was still in the coffee shop, Drake looked up. Sure enough, Karl was glaring at him and Chris. “Do you think we could walk away? I don’t really care about him, but I don’t feel comfortable with him glaring a hole in my forehead.”

Chris gestured down the sidewalk.

It was clear that now that they were away from Karl, he was a bit more hesitant, but that was okay. Drake didn’t have a problem taking the lead.

For years, he’d yearned to meet his mate. He’d always wanted to have that kind of relationship, that kind of person in his life. It had gotten worse after his friend Dennis had met his mate, and he’d seen how happy Dennis and Kyle were. He’d wanted the same thing, and now, he could have it.

Drake bounced on the balls of his feet, grabbed Chris’s hand, and pulled him down the sidewalk. “I have to thank you for stepping in when you did,” he said. “Karl was a blind date organized by one of my colleagues, but as much as I love Linda, I’m going to have to yell at her when I see her tomorrow. He was awful. I don’t know why she thought he’d be a good fit for me, but it almost feels as if he threatened her into organizing this date, you know? It’s not like her to ignore the signs. She wants me to be happy, and she had to know I wouldn’t be happy with Karl.”

Drake looked up to see that Chris was blinking at him. He understood why. He tended to overshare and talk too fast and too much when he was excited, and there was nothing more exciting than finding his mate. It was a lot for people who weren’t used to it, though.

“I’m sorry,” he quickly said. “Feel free to tell me to shut up if it’s too much for you, but I’m excited. I didn’t think I’d meet my mate while I was on a blind date with an asshole, but I couldn’t have asked for anyone better than you to rescue me. I’m just sorry you didn’t have the opportunity to get something to drink. We could go back when Karl leaves if you want.”

“I’m fine,” Chris said with a grunt.

That was all Drake got out of him. He wanted to draw Chris out of his shell, but that seemed to be easier said than done. Drake had to be careful, because he was known for steamrolling people. He talked a lot and generally took over conversations, but that wasn’t something he wanted to do right now.

Once they were far enough away from the coffee shop, he slowed down, but he didn’t let go of Chris’s hand.

Chris didn’t, either.

Drake beamed. They were already holding hands.

“So, as I said earlier, I’m Drake,” he explained. “I’m a shifter, which you probably already know from the smell. I’m pretty sure you’re a wolf shifter, but I’m not. I’m an aardwolf shifter.”

Chris blinked again. “I’ve never heard of that.”

Drake shrugged. He wasn’t offended, because a lot of people had never heard of it. Most humans expected shifters to be lions, tigers, wolves, or bears. That was what most shifters were in books and movies. They never considered smaller shifters that were less impressive, so most people didn’t, either. “I guess you can call me a small hyena, or as some say, the hyena’s weird cousin. Obviously I’m not actually one, but I look similar, just smaller. I don’t laugh, though.”

Chris nodded, but he looked more like he was going along with whatever Drake was saying than like he understood what was happening. It was sweet and made Drake want to cuddle him. He didn’t, because they were in public and he didn’t know if Chris would like that, but he made a mental note to ask once they were in a more private setting. He couldn’t wait to cuddle his mate.

“Are you a wolf, then?” Drake asked since Chris wasn’t volunteering any kind of information.

Chris nodded curtly. “I am. Is that a problem?”

“Why would it be a problem?” Drake asked with a frown. “I mean, it’s not like either of us can do anything about what kind of shifter we are. You’re a wolf, and I’m an aardwolf. That’s never going to change.”

“No, it’s not,” Chris murmured.

Drake wished he could read his mate’s mind. He desperately wanted to know what Chris was thinking about. Chris looked confused, which would be normal even if they weren’t mates because that was how most people felt when they were with Drake. The only people who didn’t tease Drake for it were his best friends, but they weren’t here right now.

They knew how much he’d wanted to meet his mate. He’d been talking their ears off for years, and it had only gotten worse after Dennis had met Kyle. They would have a field day with this, but Drake couldn’t find it in himself to care. He’d met his mate, and nothing could bring him down from the high of that.

“Anyway, I moved to Green Hill a few years ago,” Drake explained. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around, though. Does that mean you’re new here, too?”

Chris cleared his throat. “I just moved here with my family.” He looked down at their hands, which were still linked. He wiggled his fingers as if he wanted Drake to let go.

Even though Drake didn’t want to, he did. The last thing he wanted was for Chris to be uncomfortable with him. They were going to spend decades together. They needed to be comfortable around each other, and that had to start right from the beginning.

“That sounds great,” Drake said. “You have siblings? Who else moved with you?”

“My grandfather, my brother, and my sister.” Chris shook his head. “Look, Drake, I’m sure you’re a very nice guy, but I have to go.”

Drake frowned. “Oh, you’re busy. Of course. Well, I can give you my number, or you can give me yours, and we can text. That way, we’ll have each other’s number.”

Drake fumbled with his jacket to get his phone out, unlocked it, and raised it toward Chris. He frowned harder when he realized that Chris had stepped away, putting more distance between them.

“Chris?” he asked.

Chris shook his head. “I’m sorry. I have to go.”

“That’s fine, but give me your number first. That way, we can get in touch.”

Chris’s foot caught on a welcome mat in front of a store. He stumbled back and quickly turned to check what he’d stepped on. Drake rushed forward to help him if he needed to, but Chris turned around and rushed away, leaving Drake standing like an idiot in the middle of the sidewalk.

Had his mate just run away from him?

Drake sighed and put his phone back into his pocket. He knew he should’ve kept his mouth shut. He’d apologized for talking so much, but he knew how much people were bothered by it anyway. He should have done a better job keeping himself under control, but he’d been so excited, and he hadn’t thought his mate, of all people, would have a problem with that.

It looked like he was wrong.