Page 11 of Draven

I nodded, a lump forming in my throat at the thought of the immense sacrifice his father had made.

In our world, the loss of a mate had devastating consequences.

Shifters mated for life, and if one died, the other often followed soon after, unable to bear the pain of separation.

"Your dad stayed for you?" I asked.

I silently admired Draven’s dad for having the strength to go on living, despite the loss of his mate.

Draven nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"He knew I'd be lost without his guidance. Not many people know how to raise... my kind right," he admitted.

Draven cleared his throat. "Enough about me. I want to know more about you," he said.

My heart fluttered at his words, feeling a rush of warmth at the thought of sharing myself with him.

Despite my initial reservations, I found myself drawn to the idea of opening up to him.

"Shoot. I'm an open book, but let me give you a warning... My life is spectacularly boring," I confessed.

A nervous laugh escaped my lips as I tried to mask the sudden flutter of excitement in my chest.

Draven let out a low and sexy laugh that didn’t fail to stir my cock.

"I doubt that," Draven replied.

I began to recounting the ordinary details of my life—the quiet days spent at the library, my recent struggles with my brother, and the simple pleasures I found in my daily routines—I couldn't help but notice Draven's genuine interest.

He listened intently, asking questions and offering comments that made me feel as though my life held a significance I had never considered before.

Despite my initial reluctance to share, I found myself opening up to Draven in a way I hadn't with anyone else before.

And as the conversation flowed effortlessly between us, I realized that maybe, just maybe, my life was about to change.

Time flew by quickly. The cafe manager dropped by our table, her polite smile tinged with a hint of apology as she informed us that they would be closing in ten minutes.

I glanced sheepishly at Draven, realizing that we had lost track of time in our conversation.

Draven checked his watch, a look of surprise crossing his features.

"I didn't realize it was this late," he said, his tone filled with genuine regret.

"Do you have work in the morning?" he asked me.

I shrugged, trying to downplay the situation.

"It's fine," I assured him. "I sometimes stay up late, catching up with my TV shows."

We gathered our belongings and made our way out of the cafe, the cool night air washing over us as we stepped onto the sidewalk.

Draven turned to me, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Hey, I can drive you back to your place if you want," he offered, his voice gentle.

I hesitated for a moment, my mind racing with the thought of facing Tom and his date at home.

"Actually," I began slowly, "I don't really want to go home right now. Tom's probably still there with his date."

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