Page 30 of Pledge Of A Bobcat

This felt light. It felt easy. And I didn’t want it to end.

My gaze drifted back to Rachel. Something flitted across her face, but it was gone before I could name it.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned that memories of her late husband might be making her feel we were moving too quickly.

“I just wish all days could be like this,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Relief worked its way through me.

“They can be.” I turned to her, hoping she could see how much I meant it. “The pledge of a bobcat is already carved into my soul for you—both of you. It’s a vow of loyalty and love that will outlast the stars.”

Her eyes widened, filling with a mix of surprise and tenderness, as if she were holding onto each word, letting their meaning sink in.

“Even if you want to keep things strictly platonic between us,” I added when she didn’t say anything.

She reached out, her fingers curling around mine, and I felt myself relax.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, her gaze never wavering from mine. “But, I think I’m finally ready to open my heart again.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket, interrupting our moment. I fished it out and saw a message from Dean. He’d finally responded to the text I sent earlier about meeting up. Apparently, he’d been covering shifts at the diner all day, but he confirmed he could meet at Last Drop at seven tonight along with the others.

I typed a reply, then turned to Rachel. “That was Dean. He wants to meet tonight at Last Drop. I was planning to update the others on everything that happened. Would you like to come?”

“Sure. I’ll see if Aunt Maribel can watch Serenity,” she said, wiping at some ice cream Serenity had dripped on the table top.

I smiled, glad she’d agreed to come. After all, she was my mate, and it was time to introduce her to my crew—the Misfit Shifters.

11

RACHEL

Istood in the living room, leaning against the back of the couch while Aunt Maribel bustled around, dusting with a feather duster. It was clear she was trying to keep busy to avoid talking to me.

Why?

I watched her for a moment, hoping to get an intuitive ping about what was going on but nothing came to me. There was a real possibility it was because she was blocking me out.

“So, where were you earlier?” I tried to keep my tone light, but I couldn’t keep the edge of curiosity at bay. “You left early this morning, and you didn’t say much about where you were going.”

She didn’t glance up from dusting the shelf she’d been standing at.

“Oh, it was just a few errands I needed to tend to,” she said, her voice as airy as ever.

It was clear I wasn’t going to get much out of her. She was adamant about hiding something, and I knew no amount of prodding would get her to let me in on her secret.

As though she knew what I was thinking, she finally shifted to lock eyes with me. “Not everything is meant to be known right away, dear. The wind has its reasons for keeping secrets, and so do I.”

I pursed my lips, feeling a flicker of annoyance at her vague answer. It was typical of her, though. She always spoke in riddles about the wind, never giving a straight response.

“Right,” I said. “Well, if the wind—or you—decides to spill the beans, let me know.”

The sound of a vehicle pulling up out front met my ears. Ellis was here to pick me up so we could meet with his crew at Last Drop. My heart did a little flip-flop and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been so excited to see someone. Which was crazy because I’d spent the day with him. He’d only left a few hours ago to check in on a few things at work.

This wholehaving a matething was intense.

Even so, I loved it.

I turned to Serenity. She’d been quietly coloring at the coffee table, and I crouched down to give her a hug.

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