Page 80 of Finlay

“Like the loch.”

His nose wrinkled. “Ouch. That’s definitely not appealing.”

“It is to me.” I paused, trying to organise my thoughts in a way that Chester would understand. “You smell like the trees surrounding it. The clear air so far from any city. The earthy soil that makes up its banks. This loch…it’s always been special to me. It’s where I go when I’m upset, whenever I feel as though I’m unravelling. Something about this place…it puts me back together. It feels like home. Like where I’m supposed to be.”

“This loch?”

I hesitated before deciding to go all in. “Specifically, this spot. Before your house was built, this was where I’d come. The place I’d sit. Cry. Scream. Being here, it gave me a sense of calm. I’ve never experienced anywhere else like it. It was my sanctuary.”

“But then this house was built and you couldn’t come to this spot anymore?”

I nodded. “The loch was still my refuge, but it wasn’t the same. Not until you arrived, anyway.”

Chester’s throat bobbed. “And that’s what I smell like to you?”

“It is.” I slid my hand fully over his. “You smell like my refuge. My sanctuary.”

I stopped myself before adding the final one.My home.I thought he knew anyway though, from how his skin flushed.

“This is a lot,” he murmured. His hand twitched under mine, and for a heart-stopping moment, I thought he was going to pull away. But his hand relaxed and he continued speaking. “Is this some weird wolf thing? Are you going to tell me next that I’m your mate or something?”

He gave a disbelieving laugh before I could answer him. “God, I can’t believe I’m even asking that. What the fuck is happening?”

“It is a lot,” I said, keeping my voice calm and steady. Chester was exploring uncharted waters with all of this. Waters the rest of humanity would never even know existed, let alone immerse themselves in. I wanted him to know I was his safe port.Hisrefuge.

“Yer not my mate,” I said, ignoring how my wolf bristled and growled. “Wolves don’t have fated mates, we havechosen ones. Don’t worry, I’ve not made any type of claim on you.”

Fear flickered over his face. “But do you want to?”

I lifted his hand and pressed a kiss to it. “I want to date ye, Chester. To get to know you better. If that ends with us being mated, then I’d be thrilled. If it doesn’t, I’ll get over it.”

Liar. My wolf snarled, but I ignored him. If Chester decided he didn’t want to be with me, I’d find a way to deal with it. It was my problem, not Chester’s.

“Okay.” Chester blew out a breath and gave me a sheepish grin. “Sorry, you probably think I’m being ridiculous.”

“Nope.” I kissed his hand again, unable to stop myself. “I think you’ve been through a lot of hurt and it’s understandably made you cautious.”

“I do…” He swallowed and tried again. “I do like you. A lot, if I’m being honest.”

“Good.” Chester liked and cared for me. It wasn’t everything, but it was a start. A start I’d cling to until it was dragged from my claws. “Is there anything else you want to know?”

“Um…” He looked up at the ceiling. “You said there are more supes. Is that just shifters or are there others?”

“Lots of others. Most mythical creatures actually exist. Demons, angels, vampires, witches, mages…I’ve even heard rumours of a kraken, but I’m not sure I believe that. The demon who told me about it isn’t the most reliable storyteller.”

“Demon?” Chester said faintly.

I grinned at him. “Aye, but don’t worry. Despite their reputation, a lot of them aren’t that bad. Same goes for most supes.”

“Even vampires?”

“Well, there’s one I’ve met who’s a bit of a prick, but he’s mated and settled now. From what Danny’s told me, he’s been more tolerable to be around since.”

“Who’s Danny?”

The question caught me off guard momentarily. How had I not told him about Danny? It was like Chester had suddenly held up a mirror to our reality. For everything I knew about him, he truly didn’t know much about me. It was no wonder he was reluctant to take things further.

“Danny is my alpha,” I said. “Technically he’s the leader of our clan, but in name only. There was an incident last year that led to him parting ways with us permanently. He lives down in Southampton now, with his mate, Riley.”

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