Page 80 of Shifter's Homecoming

Rowan almost laughed at that. Trent was glad to see her mood lighten even if it was only a little.

Trent knew it was time to tell everything “I’ve got one more crazy story for you,” he said.

Rowan threw her pen down on the counter. “Great. I need a break anyway.”

***

They ended up in Rowan’s little apartment upstairs. Troy had been pissed that he wasn’t going to get to hear the story, but he would survive. Trent didn’t want Rowan to have to hear that he’d kissed the other Rowan in front of anyone else.

He told her a condensed version of what had happened to him in the other world. That he’d died. That he’d seen the afterlife. That he’d been pulled away and sent to another world, one that was a lot like this one, so much like this one that certain people existed in both worlds. That she had a counterpart there, that she’d had a vaccine that could cure a curse there, and that it had somehow traveled between worlds with him. At first she hadn’t believed him, but when he described the other Rowan’s laboratory in Tranquility, she held out her hand.

He put the vaccine and the ingredients list in her hands. She opened it. She smelled it. She even tasted it. Then she unfolded the piece of paper and read it, shaking her head slowly as she did so.

She held the paper up. “This is my handwriting.”

“I’m not surprised,” Trent said, guilt suffusing him suddenly. He should haveknown. He should have known he had his own mate in his own world and he never should have kissed that other Rowan. He dropped his eyes to the floor, “She could have been your identical twin. She smelled like you, she talked like you, she looked like you.”

“Did you sleep with her?”

The question was sharp, but her tone was not.

“No,” Trent said, meeting her gaze.

Rowan’s eyes narrowed. “Then why do you look so guilty?”

“I kissed her.”

Rowan laughed lightly.

Trent was surprised. “More than once,” he said quickly.

“Did you do anything else with her?”

“She, ah, she stroked me through my pants.”

Rowan laughed again, and her own tension seemed to disappear. “Ok, big boy, calm down,” she said. “I’m not upset. I don’t feel like you cheated on me. I didn’t even know you existed yet.”

“Are you sure?” Trent said, searching her face.

“Totally sure,” she said, already dismissing it. She scanned the list of ingredients in her hand. She put a finger to each line in turn and spoke silently, as if only to herself. “This won’t work. I’ve tried this. Definitely not this. I’ll have to look this up.”

Trent shook his head, feeling like he’d dodged a bullet.

52 - Waiting is the Worst for a Wolf

Trent stood on the porch while the moon rose, feeling it in his gut. Along with the moon, the first few stars appeared in the darkening night sky. All day his mate had worked. Graeme hadn’t shown up yet, neither had anyone else, not even Rex, Soren, or Grey. Trent and Troy had taken turns patrolling the forest, but not a twig had moved out of place. Reed was sleeping on the couch, a thin and troubled sleep that she seemed to need badly. Both females had their pendants in their pockets, just in case.

Rowan was still working, still running tests. He turned around to see her inside, behind her counter, her expression permanently troubled. Remington hadn’t shown up yet, but he was on his way, and he had called and talked to Rowan for a few minutes, which had breathed new life into her, turning her scent from hopeless and scared to a hesitant, nervous hopeful. Trent wanted to explain to her that this was just how it would be for her from now on, the world would always seem to be on the verge of ending, and she would get used to it, especially once she found a neutralizer for the poison she had strengthened. There was no doubt in Trent’s mind that she would find it. He’d only known her for a short time, but she was easily the smartest female he knew.

Troy loped out of the forest as a wolf and stared at Trent.

I can’t find them, he said, talking about thefelenthey knew had to be close by somewhere.They still won’t answer me.

Reed had been able to pinpoint their location a few times but they always moved as soon as Troy had gotten close, and they would not respond toruhiattempts by either wolf.

Come eat, then you can go back out. I got Honey Depot again.

Troy shifted right away and walked across the yard naked. “Perfect,” he called. “I’m starved.”

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