Made in Moonlight

Three

Mate.

When he says it, I picture David Attenborough in some documentary, guiding me through the wolf mating process. The image switches to birds, ruffling their feathers to impress a female.

What could Blake mean by that? He's not about to show off his fur coat, is he? Pee on the floor and stake his territory?

Suddenly, a word hitches in my mind. Soulmates. Somehow, the context of the word mate becomes clear. Between the shimmering rope and the idea that werewolves apparently exist, I know this is what he means by mate.

And somehow, it's almost less believable than the whole transforming-into-a-literal-wolf thing.

I snort, laughter rolling off my tongue before I can help it.

"Okay," I say. "Now I really know you're joking. How did you do it? Special effects? Is this one of those joke TV shows? Because you got me."

"Clover," Blake says. My name on his tongue makes me immediately shut up. "You know we're not joking. You saw it. You can feel it. I know you can."

I frown. He's right. Logically, it makes no sense, but somehow, I know he's right.

There's something unexplainable about it all. About the way I feel when Blake looks at me. About how badly I want to touch his skin. About this feeling inside of me—like something has changed.

Something has grown.

"When I saw you in that diner," he begins, "I felt it, but I didn't realize what it was. Not until you were bleeding out in my hands. Your heart had stopped, and I felt the bond. The soulmate bond. I did the only thing I could think of. I bit you and brought you here."

"You saved me," I say, blinking.

He looks away. "Saved? Or changed you, against your will?"

"My heart had stopped. I would have died without you," I say. "I can't even believe I'm alive right now."

He still refuses to meet my eye. Leyla steps forward and rests a hand against my forehead.

"Werewolves heal faster," she explains, "but the transformation from human to wolf is tough. Many die from it. You'll have to get your strength back up before the next moon. I should know. I was human, too."

"You were?" I ask. She nods, a soft smile on her lips.

"Thomas and I both were," she explains. I look at Thomas who nods with a gentle look on his face, though it's hard to take him seriously with him standing there naked.

"We'll help you," he says, smiling. "Right, Blake?"

Blake glances at me, those blue eyes sharp as always. I feel my pulse quicken under his gaze. The string between us hums to life, shining a bright silver.

And then he looks away.

"No," he says. "I'm busy."

And with that, he leaves the room, taking the glittering string with him.

The room is silent for a tense moment.

Something about Blake leaving the room makes my heart sink. No, worse. It feels like my heart has been crushed into pieces.

I want to crawl out of bed and follow after him.

I almost scoff at myself. Get a grip, Clover. Just because he's my mate doesn't mean I have to grovel over him like this.

"Don't worry," Leyla says, disrupting the silence. "He'll come around. He's just upset that he had to bite you."

"But he saved my life," I say, frowning. "Why would he feel bad about that?"