Page 7 of Love & Violence

I unlock the door expecting a maid, but I am pleasantly surprised to find Isabel. Grabbing her arm, I yank her into my room.

“What the hell happened to you?” Isabel asked.

I pull her further from the door before sitting on my bed.

“God, Isabel…”

“What? You’re scaring me.”

She sits beside me, and I hold onto her hands. I’m afraid to say anything, but if I don’t, I’ll go crazy.

“The shifter we smelled?”

“Yeah, you told your brother and father it was a bobcat.”

I nod. “I did tell them that. But, Isabel, it was a panther.”

My friend’s eyes widen. “Did you get hurt?”

“No.” I take a breath. “It was my mate.” Saying it out loud made it even more real.

I laugh when Isabel’s mouth drops open in shock.

“But … how?”

“It had to be fated because we would never have met if not for him coming to our woods.”

“Who is he? Where is he from?” Isabel whispers excitedly.

But all I want to do is cry at the unfairness of the situation.

“This is the scary part. My mate is Draven West.”

Isabel’s brows snapped together. “I’ve heard that name before.”

“Probably. He’s the son of the president of the Fallen Legion MC.”

Isabel looks like she might be choking. “God, your families hate each other.”

I nod and can’t help the tears that finally fall from my eyes.

“I know. I have no idea what we’ll do, but he’s my only chance at love and having a family. And I know it’s the same with him.”

Isabel stares down at our hands. “What was he like?”

Every shifter dreams of one day meeting the fated mate, and I understand the excitement and curiosity she is trying so hard to hide. A smile crosses my face, and I feel myself light up from within as his face appears in my mind.

“Beautiful. He’s everything I’ve always dreamed of. He is huge, and his skin is darker than mine. He’s got thick dark hair that I wanted to run my fingers through. His eyes, God, his eyes were a beautiful marble gray and seemed to stare into my soul. I had the strongest urge to climb onto his lap and let him protect me against the hostile world we were both born into. I know in my heart he’d do whatever it took to take care of me and keep me safe.”

Isabel fans her face. “Holy shit. I’m terrified for you both, and at the same time, envious.”

Our gazes jerk toward the bedroom door when we hear someone approach.

“Quickly, hide,” I said.

Isabel races into my closet. I make sure she is hidden before opening the door. I instantly calm down when I see it’s only one of the maids with the meal my father sent up.

“Thank you, Melly,” I say as I take the tray from her.

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