Page 18 of Lost Mate

That was an understatement. But from his mate’s snort of laughter which made his toes curl, he didn’t need to explain.

“Did you expect any different?”

“No,” Ross admitted. “But I don’t care. You’re the most important thing here, not them.”

“You’ve known me for less than twenty-four hours,” Dylan said softly.

“You’re my mate. What does time have to do with it?”

Dylan tilted his head and pressed a kiss under Ross’s chin. “I knew you were out there. I could feel you here.” He pressed a hand against his heart. My wolf knew it too.

Ross kissed him. “And I knew you were there. I didn’t know how I knew, I just did. That’s why I wanted to stay part of the pack even though I didn’t have a mate of my own.”

“Do you think they’ll let us stay together?”

Now Ross understood the reason for the pensive expression. He furrowed his brow. “Why wouldn’t they? Not that they have a choice. We’re mates and are destined to be together.”

“Every time you say that, it makes me shiver inside,” Dylan admitted. “My head is empty, but my mind is sure no one has ever cared for me as much as you do.”

“I hope not, because otherwise I’d have to fight them, and I don’t think I’d win against a shifter.”

Dylan chuckled and resumed staring out at the paddock. “What happens next, Ross? What are they gonna do to me?”

Ross pressed his lips together.

“Mate? What’s wrong? Why are you angry? I can feel it in here.” Dylan tapped his head.

“That was what the talk was about. Niles and Eli have a plan to find out exactly what happened to you. And they want me to do it.”

Dylan pulled out of his arms and turned to face him, leaning against the rail. He folded his arms across his chest and fixed his green gaze on Ross. “Tell me what they want you to do to me,” he ordered.

Where did Ross start?

Chapter Six

“Our mate link,” Dylan said flatly.

The conversation had started badly and now the ground was ready to swallow Ross whole.

“Yes,” Ross agreed.

“They want you to investigate me through our mate link.”

“Yes.”

Dylan had asked these questions on repeat. Ross didn’t know how else to answer him.

“They still think I’m a traitor.”

“They don’t know, Dylan. And they’re scared after what happened with Jake. We’re humans. We don’t have a shifter’s instincts. This is the only way they can think of delving into your mind.”

Ross reached out as the blood drained from Dylan’s face.

“No!” Dylan yanked away from his grip and backed away from Ross. “You have no right to do that. It’s assault. Even shifters don’t do that to each other.”

He slammed up a barrier in their link. It was as if he’d slammed a door shut and Ross gasped at the emptiness inside his mind. He couldn’t feel his mate anymore and it hurt more than he could say. “Please, Dylan.”

Dylan shook his head, his lips pressed in a thin line until they were barely visible. Ross knew Dylan was angry, but he was also scared too.

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