Page 11 of The Griffin, the Tiger, and Their House Cat Omega

“Calm down.” I spoke softly, under my breath. “We’ll get in.”

Another poke. My fingers burned. I curled them into fists and kept them pressed to the sides of my thighs. Why was he so nervous?

A soft breeze wafted through my short hair. My skin tingled. And then I scented it.

Warm sugar melting in coffee.

Orange blossoms ripe with bees.

My favorite scents. Aromas that always made me want long, want, desire. What could it be?

Mate.

That one word was all my beast said, and then I knew. Someone was inside that building who naturally exuded that amazing perfume. Maybe it was only me who could smell it. But it was strong and real and very close.

Finally, I made it inside.

My beast pushed and pressed against my skin.

“Patience,” I whispered.

The scent came and went. I walked through the crowd rapidly glancing left to right. I probably looked like some sort of strange predator hunting its prey. I didn’t care. I needed to find whoever smelled so heavenly.

I still couldn’t believe it. Was my fated mate really here?

My beast shuddered.

Let me out. I will find him.

“Hold back.” I must have spoken a little too loudly.

The crowd broke for me, and people were staring.

A man wearing a black suit and tie came up to me. “I’m the manager here. You appear to be a little restless. Would you like to get a breath of fresh air outside? We have fantastic shifting facilities outside, too, if that’s what you need.”

“I’m sorry.” My heart beat faster. “But can’t you smell that? Sugar and coffee and orange; it’s so different. Amazing. I need to find out what it is.”

“What scent?” He took a step closer to me, peering into my eyes. Then nodded. “I see.”

“What?” I couldn’t read his face.

“I think I know what’s going on. Maybe if you come with me we can straighten all this out.”

“Are you kicking me out? I’m sorry for my behavior if it startled anyone. But my beast is very restless.”

“I’m not kicking you out.” He smiled and held out his hand in a gesture as if to say, “I got you.” Then he turned and started moving effortlessly through the crowd.

I followed him without a second thought. Instinctively, I knew this man was taking me somewhere that would change my life forever.

Chapter Eight

River

This weekend had gone from fantastic to horrible to weird and almost dreamlike.

Who walks into a place to take their little one to use the bathroom and leaves not only with a job but with housing? Although we didn’t leave, we moved in. It didn’t take long to get everything inside, and the apartment was furnished, making it doubly awesome.

And then, on top of that, Flora found a random cat shifter and decide I needed to be friends with him? A hot cat shifter, who turned out to be not only nice and adorable, but also great with kids.

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