Page 14 of Broken Trust

“But you knew I was only looking for a hookup, Atlas,” he said in his most sincere voice, because it was the truth. “I thought that’s what you wanted, too.”

Kellen’s chest tightened when Atlas looked up, unshed tears in his eyes. “My ex used to flirt with everyone. I thought that was just who he was, until I busted him in a corner at Fearless Fox, kissing on some guy’s neck and groping his junk. I thought all I wanted last night was a hookup, but I’m just not built that way.”

“You were using me to screw your ex out of your system.” Kellen took the spoon from Atlas’s hand and ate some ice cream. “But you caught feelings.”

Atlas shoved the container at Kellen. “That’s not on you. What is on you is not telling me you’re a wolfman.”

Kellen choked on the bite he’d been eating. “Wolfman?”

“What else would you call what you are?” Atlas snatched the container and spoon back.

“I’m a shifter, babe. A wolf shifter.”

“A massive wolf.” Atlas had the spoon turned upside down and slid it between his lips. The guy was making it hard to think.

“My kind is larger than our wild counterpart.”

“There are more like you?” Atlas stabbed the spoon into the ice cream, leaving it to stand erect. “The guy in the parking lot didn’t change into a wolf, so what was he?”

“A vampire.” Kellen got up and grabbed two bottles of orange from the refrigerator. He snagged another spoon from a drawer before he went back to the table and sat back down.

“They’re real?” Atlas took the offered bottle and twisted the cap off, taking a drink.

“Yep, and I pissed off four of them. Now there are two.” Kellen moved his chair closer so they could share the cold treat. “I had no idea they would track me down so quickly or that one of them would come after you. I really am sorry you were attacked. I never meant to put you in harm’s way.”

“The guy said he could smell you all over me. Is that because we had sex?” Atlas set his spoon on the table. “He said a nose never lies.”

“While you were away from me, did you feel my absence?”

Because Kellen had felt like tearing up Midnight Falls to find Atlas. His wolf had been restless all night, and Kellen hadn’t gotten any sleep. It had been over eight decades since he’d caught feelings for anyone, and it hadn’t been this strong. Knowing how strong their bond was going to deepen scared the hell out of him.

When you cared, you gave that person power over you. The last person who had that much power over Kellen manipulated him for one hundred and fifty years.

“Are you trying to get an ego stroke?” Atlas asked. “Don’t be an ass and use what I feel against me.”

Kellen set his spoon aside. “I’m trying to explain something to you. Can you indulge me and be honest?”

His mate sighed. “The center of my chest ached so badly that I wanted to bawl my eyes out. Happy now?”

“It’s called the pull. Every preternatural has a mate but not everyone finds theirs. Last night, the smell of jasmines filled your car.”

“I remember you saying you smelled them.”

“Each mate has a unique scent only their other half can smell. Whether it’s fair or not, since your human and your senses aren’t heightened, you don’t have the ability to detect it.”

Atlas’s gaze grew wary. “What are you saying, Kellen?”

“I not only smelled jasmines, which is your unique scent only I can smell, but I felt our connection, too.”

“Please elaborate.” Atlas set his bottle on the table. “What exactly is a mate?”

Kellen stood, tugged Atlas to him, and set his mate on the island in the center of the room. He stood between Atlas’s legs, resting his hands on his mate’s hips.

“A mate is someone fate thought would be a perfect other half, someone to complete us, not to quote a certain movie. We had the phrase coined since our ancestors drew on cave walls.”

“You’re saying I’m your other half?” Atlas’s brows were furrowed, as if he still wasn’t convinced. “That’s why I felt the way I did when we were apart?”

“My night was just as bad.” He traced his finger over the area he’d bitten Atlas last night. “I’m going to be honest with you. I suck when it comes to relationships. After my last one that ended pretty badly eighty years ago, I swore I would never let another guy get under my skin.”

---