Page 39 of Entering a New World

“Sorry.”

He chuckled. “Just go. We can talk later.”

I didn’t need to be told twice.

Stopping in front of the Balwood Inn, my tongue lolling out of my snout, my breath coming in short pants, I remembered I’d never gotten around to answering my mate. After Gray had excused me, I’d just taken off, grabbed my backpack, stripped bare, shifted, and started running straight to the Inn, my wolf’s and my own excitement spurring me on.

I hadn’t been willing to wait a single second longer to see my mate’s face again, but in my haste, I’d never confirmed I was coming.

Howling low in my throat, I longingly stared at the big wooden building. I was still hidden between the trees since I couldn’t very well just trot over the lawn right up to the front door. There were humans staying in the Inn. Unsuspecting humans.

Movement made me focus back on the Inn. The back door had opened, and… my mate’s scent wafted over to me. Petrichor and apples.

My wolf yipped in excitement, my ears perking up as he stepped out of the door. Warmth filled me upon seeing him wearing the boots and coat I’d bought him. He was wearing what we’d provided for him. My chest puffed out, a wave of pride rushing through my body. He looked good in his new clothes. They fit him. We’d chosen good.

For a moment, Levi’s gaze wandered along the tree line, searching for something. Me? Did he know I was here? He was human, so he couldn’t know, right? It wasn’t as if he could scent me like I was scenting him.

But then his eyes focused on the tree I was hiding behind, focused right on me, and he started walking over with so much conviction in his steps, I didn’t doubt for even a second he knew I was here.

My tail wagged excitedly, heart beating faster the closer he came, the more intense his tantalizing scent got. It surrounded me like a blanket, and while my nerves and excitement spiked, I felt calmer than I had in a week.

He was coming right up to me. He wanted to talk to me.

“Hi, Wolfie,” his melodic voice greeted me, a bit of amusement lacing his words as he stepped between the trees and looked right at me. “Thank you for coming.”

His smile punched the air out of my lungs. So radiant, so happy, so… all-encompassing.

I let go of the backpack in my mouth, crossed the distance between us and nudged him, burying my nose at the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply. It was kind of embarrassing to admit, even to myself, but I desperately wanted to lick him.

Do it, my wolf said, mark him.

Everyone should know he was ours. No, everyone needed to know he was ours. Every single person who’d messaged me yesterday to rave about my mate needed to know he was taken. It didn’t matter that they definitely did know and them knowing was the sole reason they’d been messaging me in the first place.

Levi laughed, his hands finding their way around my neck and then he hugged me, just like he’d done back in the woods. My head was resting on his shoulder, while he was hanging on to my neck, his fingers scratching me, making shivers run down my spine.

I didn’t know how long we were standing just like this, and I didn’t care. I was drinking up every second, letting this tiny gesture chip away at the anxiety and doubts that had been filling my mind.

No matter what everyone else had said, I’d been so fucking afraid he’d just up and leave. I’d been so worried he’d decide that having a fated mate wasn’t for him. That he didn’t want to have anything to do with the paranormal world. That he didn’t want a mate, didn’t want to be part of a pack, didn’t want… well, me.

But the way he was clinging to me, the way his heart rate calmed down, his shoulders relaxed, the way his breathing turned slow and even, it gave me hope.

“Sorry,” he finally mumbled as he took a step back. Rubbing a hand over his face, he shook his head. As he lowered his hand, confusion was written all over his face, uncertainty clouding his eyes. “I don’t know what came over me.” He let out a laugh that sounded a bit desperate.

I flattened my ears. Damn, I really hated seeing even the barest hint of negative emotions on his face.

“That’s a common theme for me at the moment. And… I guess it’s one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you. Actually, I have a whole list, but I guess you need to change to be able to answer, huh? I should’ve probably just waited for you to come inside, but once Mave told me you were getting close, it was just like… I don’t know. I couldn’t wait any longer.”

I wanted to ask him how he’d known where I was, but realized I needed to change first.

Picking up the backpack, I nodded towards a couple of trees and huffed, hoping he’d understand. I would have no problem with changing right in front of him, but Levi was a human and new to the shifter world. Yes, he was my mate and yes, he’d also seen me naked after a shift before, but this was different.

Ridiculous, my wolf said, but I ignored him.

This was no life-or-death situation where every single second counted. This was just my wolf being impatient… or wanting to show off in front of my mate. I wasn’t entirely sure.

“Oh, yes, please go change.” Levi’s cheeks turned an adorable shade of red. “I’ll uh… I’ll wait here.”

Hastily, I jumped behind the next big tree and shifted. It took merely a few seconds to rearrange my body, then I found myself crouching on the moist forest floor, urgency crashing into me, making me scramble for the backpack and my clothes.

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