Chapter 3
Cooper
My mate hasn’t said a word for over a minute. She almost fainted when I told her we were fated mates. I stand here, holding her against me, and wonder what the heck I should do now.
She’s not happy to be our mate, my wolf howls.
I swallow hard, ashamed and embarrassed. She doesn’t know us. Once we show her we can take care of her and make her happy, she’ll be glad we’re fated mates.
He doesn’t seem to believe me, and I don’t blame him. I can barely believe it myself.
“I know this is sudden for you, but you’ve seen how it works. It will be the same between us as it is for your sister and Reyes,” I say in a rush, desperate to make her see that this is a good thing. “I’ll be good to you. No one will treat you better than me and my wolf. No one. I swear I—”
“Cooper, stop,” she cuts me off. “I know you’ll treat me right. I don’t doubt that or you. I’m just shocked. I never imagined I would be fated to a shifter too.”
I can still feel the tension in her body. She’s on edge, worried about something. If it’s not being mated to me, what could it be?
I don’t know how to handle this situation. I’ve never given much thought to comforting someone. Dating and girls haven’t been on my mind because they’re not how shifters do things. I haven’t needed to worry about all this until now, and I’m out of my depth.
I decide to trust my gut. Before I can overthink it, I lift Landry into my arms, carry her to the couch, and sit down with her in my lap. I rock us gently, forward and back, my hand flexing against her hip.
“What’s upsetting you, mate?” I ask softly.
Landry takes a deep breath, shifting in my lap. I grind my teeth as my cock reacts to her wiggling on top of me.
“I’m worried,” she admits.
“About what? I’ll fix it.”
“About the cult,” she whispers. “I’ve been anxious about them since I escaped.”
“They kidnapped you and Taylor,” I say, my heart thudding as I suddenly remember that detail.
I was out on a different assignment when she was rescued. I hate that I wasn’t there for her, that it wasn’t me who saved her, but I’m glad that she’s safe and in my arms now.
“I don’t want to go back there, Cooper. I can’t.”
“You won’t,” I promise. “I won’t ever let that happen. I won’t ever let anything bad happen to you.”
She looks into my eyes. I want to close the distance between us. I want to kiss, bite, and mark her. My wolf screams at me to claim her, but it’s not the right time.
Not yet. Soon, I tell him.
My wolf growls, pacing restlessly inside me.
Landry’s phone rings, shattering the moment. She shifts on my lap, pulling her cellphone out of her back pocket.
“It’s Taylor,” she says as she swipes her finger across the screen to answer it.
“Hey,” Landry greets her sister.
I’m close enough to hear Taylor’s reply, though I try not to be obvious that I’m listening.
“Where are you? It’s getting late. Do you want us to come pick you up?” Taylor asks, sounding worried.
“I’m fine. I’m headed home now. I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay, see you in a few.”
Landry ends the call, and I notice that she doesn’t exactly look happy to be leaving. My wolf preens inside me, and hope grows in me too.
“You don’t have to go,” I tell her.
She smiles slightly. “Taylor will worry if I don’t go back.”
“It’s just… it doesn’t seem like you want to go back there.”
“Yeah, I’m not exactly thrilled to be living there right now,” she admits. “Taylor and Reyes are still in that honeymoon phase, you know? And I’ve walked in on them one too many times. I’ve started knocking on every door and stomping around whenever we’re all home together.”
I stifle a laugh at her grossed-out expression, but she sees the mirth in my eyes. When she shudders, I burst out laughing.
“Well, you can stay here.”
She blinks. “What?”
“It will be good for us. Give us a chance to get to know each other. I have more than enough room.”
She hesitates, and my wolf paces impatiently.
“Are you sure?” she finally asks.
“Of course.”
Landry bites her lip. “They think the cult is still after me. It might not be safe for me to stay here.”
“This is the safest place for you,” I promise. “My wolf and I won’t let anything happen to you. We’ll keep you safe.”
Some of the tension leaves her, and she smiles. “Okay, roomie. Let’s give it a shot.”
I feel like I’ve just won the world as we share a smile.
My mate is moving in with me.
Now I need to figure out a way to get her to stay forever.