Page 27 of Chomp's Challenge

She sighs in her sleep and her palm slides across my stomach. Her cheek rests close to my heart. If there was ever a moment I wanted to remember forever, this is it.

Wow. I’ve fallen hard for Ariel. Within days of meeting, I’m all fucking in.

Even if we never sleep together and she tells me she only wants to be friends, I’ll be content. She’s my heartbeat, my mate, and holy shit, I’m getting sappy as fuck right now. My gator chumpfs. He thinks it’s hilarious but he’s just as smitten. We can’t get enough of our Ariel.

We make her want us, Chomp, my gator insists. More than friends, even! He’s a pushy fucker, that’s for sure. She’s comfortable with us, he brags.

I don’t know how long she rests on me. Hours. I don’t check my phone even when I hear it vibrate. It’s probably Spike or Kodiak. My pres will wait because he knows I’m with Ariel. Kodiak can fuck off. I’ll get back to him later.

The caller is persistent. I finally decide it must be important because whoever it is isn’t giving up. I’m aggravated as I slip from the bed and lower my mate gently onto the mattress, ensuring her head is comfortably resting on a pillow. I cover her with a blanket and hate to leave her side. When I glance at my screen, I mumble a curse.

Fucking Kodiak. I don’t remember being such a cockblocker toward him when it came to him being with his mate. Not that Ariel and I are anywhere near that kind of a relationship whatsoever.

Yet, my gator whispers as I glance around her room once again. I don’t want to leave her but he’s my VP, so I need to see what’s going on. Leaning down, I ghost a kiss across her forehead, grinning when I hear her mumble something as she snuggles closer into the bed. I don’t know if she sleeps with the television on or not, so I set the timer for several hours just in case she wakes up, then I check the windows in her room to make sure they’re locked. Finding a piece of paper, I write her a quick note, place it where she’ll find it, then leave her room.

My phone vibrates again but Kodiak needs to fucking wait. I have to check the rest of the house before I leave her alone. Once I’m positive all the windows and doors are secure, I step outside then head into the woods which will allow me to watch over her until morning. Before I shift, of course, I decide to see what the nosey fucker wants.

Me: You rang?

Kodiak: Did you read any of my texts?

Me: No, I was making sure Ariel was safe and secure. Hold on.

He’s been blowing me up, but now that I’m reading them, I see why. At Ariel’s old place, there were a few scents we noticed. Not neighbors but people who frequently came into that house. They were males. I remember every one of them. Kodiak picked up one of the odors in town.

Me: How fresh?

Kodiak: No more than a day old if that.

Fuck. Me. My mate is still in danger, then.

Me: Which scent?

There was one that smelled a lot like Perry, but not exactly, then the other asshole I ripped to pieces, plus two more, but those last two scents were a lot fainter than the other three. Since two of the three are now fish food, I can only presume that it’s someone related to Perry.

Kodiak: Smelled like the fucker you demolished.

My gator immediately pushes to the surface. He wants to hunt this threat down and eliminate it as quickly as possible. There can’t be any chance that Perry’s relation will show up and try to harm or threaten my mate.

Let’s go! Now! He bellows in my head.

I send one more text and then I’m running into the woods, already letting my gator have his way.

Me: Hunting season is open.

Chapter

Twelve

ARIEL

I startle awake and immediately realize I’m alone. My head rests on my pillow and I’m hugging another one, not the big gator shifter. He’s gone.

Blinking, I sit up, and rub the sleep from my eyes. I feel groggy and judging by the darkness beyond my window, I haven’t been asleep for long. I’m tired, but not exhausted. It’s too early to rise for the day so I decide to lay back against the sheets and just relax.

That’s what I intend, but it doesn’t happen. For one, I wonder where Chomp went and why he left. It seemed out of character for him to scamper off after how often he finds a way to integrate himself into my life since he’s found me. Maybe I’m overthinking this and I need more rest.

The truth? I thought he’d stay with me.

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