Page 69 of Chev's Mate

Chev huffs. “Yes, I am.”

I don’t know if he woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but Chev’s in a fucking mood today. We made plans to go to the shifter realm together over lunch, and maybe that’s making him antsy. I know he’s excited about it.

“No, you’re not,” I push.

My palms are sweating, and my heart is pounding, but I don’t back down. I’m standing my ground.

Chev shuts his laptop and turns entirely to face me. He cocks his head slightly to the side as he scans me, his angry expression not evoking any of the fear it once did. Despite how mad he gets, I know he won’t hurt me.

“You can’t carry your desk yourself,” he says. “And I’m not putting it back.”

I resist the urge to throw something at him. “There are plenty of other offices I can go to and plenty of strong men who I’m sure would be more than happy to carry my desk back for me.”

I know saying this will make Chev jealous. Maybe I’m in a bit of a mood today, too.

Chev’s eyes grow comically wide before narrowing. “I’ll crush any male you try to bring into our space.”

“Oh, I’ll crushyou,” I threaten him.

There’s a moment of silence before Chev begins laughing. I take great offense to it and throw a pencil across the room. It bounces off his forehead. Violence is never the answer, but it admittedly makes me feel better. I don’t appreciate Chev’s attitude.

He plucks the pencil off his desk, his laughter quieting.

“Please don’t leave,” he says. “I’ll be calm.”

I press my lips together, thinking it over. I honestly don’t want to leave. As annoying as Chev is, I enjoy working with him. His presence is comforting, and I’m surprisingly productive. I don’t waste time worrying about what he’s doing or where he is, and my compulsive need to look him up and read through news articles or community posts isn’t nearly as strong.

I nod. “I’ll stay.”

His tense muscles relax, and I return to work. The calm only lasts a few minutes before I hear the portal whirring to life. I glance at Chev, but he’s already watching the door. The muscle in his jaw twitches, and I can tell it’s killing him to remain seated.

I can’t hide my smile, and after several seconds, Chev returns to work.

Several hours pass in comfortable silence. Chev manages to refrain from checking the portal a little more than half the time, but he’s careful not to be so distracting when he does get up. Itonly helps a little, but it’s more than I thought he’d be able to do, so I don’t complain.

I count down the minutes until our agreed-upon lunchtime, my nerves growing with every quiet tick of the clock above the door. I’m going to visit the shifter realm with Chev. I’m trusting him to take me to his domain. I’ve never been so nervous.

“Are you ready?” Chev asks as the time nears.

I hope he can’t see my fear. It will make him feel bad.

“Yes,” I say. “I am.”

I’m scared of his demeanor changing once I’m trapped in his lands, but I shove that fear aside. Chev has been good to me, and I know he won’t hurt me. I rise from my desk and follow him to the portal, and I wring my hands together as he turns it on and sets the destination.

It lights up, the blackness shifting into a blue haze.

“Are you sure about this?” Chev asks. He must sense my nerves. “We don’t have to go.”

Yes, we do. I agreed to it, and behind all my anxiety is excitement. I want to see Chev’s lands and his home. I want to see how my mate lives.

“I’m sure,” I say.

I squeeze my eyes shut and step through the portal, and Chev quickly follows. It makes me dizzy—it always does—but the slight discomfort is quickly overshadowed by the feel of the forest. The energy that seeps from the trees is more than I’ve ever encountered, and I find myself holding my breath as I walk out of the cabin where the shifter portal is located.

Chev wasn’t lying about his lands having giant trees. They tower above me, casting a large shadow that blocks out the sun’s heat. It’s warm here, but not nearly as sweltering as Wrath. I quite enjoy it.

The nearest tree calls to me, and I press my forehead against the bark before sliding my hands down the trunk. This isoverwhelming, and I let myself fill up on the energy surrounding me as I try to settle my feelings.

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