Page 26 of Drive me Wild (South Island Shifters)

Once the shower is ready, I step into the hot water, allowing it to wash over me, though I already regret washing the smell of Winter off my skin. I don’t ever want her away from me. Hell, I’m not afraid to admit that I want more than sex with her.

Twisting within the hot water, I decide I might catch up on some work, and another pang of guilt washes through me. I should go and see my Nana. I haven’t been for a while, and I know I should tell her about Winter. Maybe she could shed light on this whole mate business, more importantly, why my emotions are so heavy toward a human of all species.

I’ll go tomorrow.

My guilt only gets stronger because my gut tells me I should be going today.

Reaching up to grab the shampoo bottle, I go to squirt some onto the open palm of my left hand when something catches my eyes: it’s an intricate black design with a paw print overlapping an infinity symbol and encased in a heart. I’m not a man for something so girly, but this is more than a mark. It’s a mate’s bonding. Brushing my finger over the design, I believe it’s a mate’s mark because it sure as fuck wasn’t there yesterday. I didn’t even know I’d done it. Didn’t feel a thing. I always believed I’d feel it happen—a question that is possibly for my Nana as well. I was obviously having too much fun with Winter to even notice what I was doing. I’m suddenly struck by the realisation that I have marked Winter as my mate.

A human.

What the fuck have I done?

How do I tell her?

How do I tell the clan?

I need advice from an elder in our ways, someone who has mated before, and who is better than my Nana. She’ll have advice on how to tell Winter and the clan for sure. I decide I’ll work this weekend to take a day off during the week to go see Nana. Usually, everyone wants to see her when she’s here at the housing estate. They adore her, and why wouldn’t they? She is the best Nana around. But I’m not ready for the clan to know I’ve marked Winter, which means I need to go to her or else risk being found out before I’m ready to tell anyone else.

Winter is my mate.

We were both wrong if we thought this would be a one, two or three-time thing.

We’re meant to be together.

There’s no more disputing that fact.

* * *

WINTER

“Put the LEGO down! You need to tell me everything about last night,” Liliana hollers as she enters my house. I’m sitting on the floor of my lounge. In one hand, I have the building instructions for my latest LEGO creation. In the other, a glass of wine. “I can’t believe you started without me.” Liliana pouts.

“Honestly, I started this wine and build a couple of hours ago, and I’ve barely done anything with both,” I say, putting the booklet down. “You’ll have to pour yourself a wine. I can’t move.”

She laughs. “Why? Does your pussy have a cramp from all the hot sex?”

I feel my face redden with heat. “No, that’s not it. I’ve been here in the same position for hours, and I’m stiff.”

Liliana laughs harder. “That’s what he said.” I look at her and find her pouring a glass of wine. She takes a sip before walking over to the couch with the bottle in one hand and glass in the other. “Start talking, and don’t leave out a single detail.”

“What’s to tell? He was good in bed and stayed the night. We almost used an entire box of condoms, and it was fun.” I lift my glass to my lips and take a sip.

Her jaw drops open. “You let him stay the night?”

“I let him make me come on his car before the night even began.” I give her a look out my peripheral.

She chokes on her wine. “What! Where?”

“In the car park with full knowledge that everyone could walk out of the winery at any time. In fact, we were caught at the end of it. It was exhilarating. He made me feel so sexy last night, especially when I was the one on top.”

“So when are you seeing him again?” Liliana asks.

“I’m not.”

“I beg your pardon? You’re not seeing him again?”

I sigh. “Lily, I don’t do the dating thing. I vowed it would only be one night.”

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