Page 43 of Samuel
Especially predatory shifters—they were wild, unpredictable, and dangerous.
But now…now I was bound to one, tied in a way that went beyond anything I’d ever known.
“It’s complicated, Finn,” I began, shifting from foot to foot. “Samuel, he…he saved my life. More than once.”
I hesitated, but Finn’s expression was unyielding.
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. Finn’s gaze moved to the mate mark there.
“And he’s my mate,” I finally said.
Finn’s eyes went wide, shock crossing his face, followed swiftly by a deep frown.
“Your mate? Since when do hunters take shifters as mates?” Finn demanded.
“I didn’t exactly get a choice in the matter,” I replied, half-smiling. “It just…happened.”
Finn’s expression softened a fraction, but I could still see the wariness, the doubt.
"Blake, you know what the Guild says about shifters. They’re volatile, unstable?—"
“You don’t think I know that?” I interrupted, frustration creeping into my voice. “But there’s more to it than that. Samuel isn’t like the ones we were trained to hunt. He’s saved people, he’s protected me, and…”
I hesitated, trying to find the right words. “And he’s taken me as his. It means something to him, Finn. And… it means something to me too,” I said.
Finn looked away, shaking his head.
“I just don’t get it, Blake. You were the one always saying we had to protect humans from these kinds of threats. And now you’retelling me you’re with a dragon, that you’re…in love with one?” Finn asked.
I exhaled, my shoulders dropping.
“Look, I know it’s not easy to understand. But I don’t expect you to. I just need you to trust me. This isn’t like before. He’s… he’s different. I feel it,” I pointed out.
Finn’s gaze softened, a trace of the friend I’d grown up with peeking through.
“I trust you, Blake. I do. But I can’t pretend this doesn’t worry me. I don’t want to lose you, not to a dragon or anything else. And if there are more rogue wolves out there?—”
“There’s something more deadly than a pack of rogue wolves,” I said, cutting him off, “and it’s deadly. But Samuel’s here to take it down. I’m part of this now. We’re going to handle it together.”
I gave him a hard look, hoping he’d see I was completely serious.
Finn sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“Alright. If you say so. Just…promise me you’ll be careful, yeah?” Finn asked.
I nodded, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “Always, Finn.”
CHAPTER TEN
SAMUEL
I raisedthe phone to my ear, feeling a wave of dread settle over me as Sheriff Davidson’s name flashed across the screen.
It wasn’t hard to guess what he’d want this early in the morning.
I kept my eyes on Blake and Finn, who were standing by the window, their expressions tense but slowly softening.
At least it looked like they were sorting things out; maybe they’d come to some understanding while I was gone.
