Chapter 43

Chapter Forty-Three

Now, I had seen him. In the selfie with my mate, prowling through the bar. I was dealing with some conflicting feelings that I knew I was going to need to take care of soon. Hopefully, meeting him in person would take care of that. Or it would make things worse, now that I had a face to put with the fantasy.

I could imagine him guiding her hips as she rode me, his tone firm and commanding. Saying the things she’d told me he said as she fucked me. Her pace quickened by him moving her.

My cock was hard at the thought. I needed to get myself under control, Sarah was mine and I didn’t want anyone else touching her. She was my mate. I expected my dragon to rumble at the fantasy, instead my pace quickened as if he was struggling to take control.

I stopped in front of a luxury hotel. His scent was stronger than before. More inviting, coiling in my body. Pulling me forward until I stood in front of his room. Lifting my hand I knocked and it pushed open easily.

It was like my body was on autopilot. I stepped inside of the room, the sound of running water turned off. It did little to hide that scent from before, woods and whiskey.

My dragon perked up and dread filled me.

The door to the bathroom opened and it was like the air was sucked from the room.

Mate.

Dom was my mate.

Dom POV

Standing outside of her apartment, I didn’t know what to do when I felt a sharp stab in the center of my chest. It knocked the air out of my lungs, making me fall to my knees. My wolf hurt. There was no other way to put it, I could feel him beneath the surface angry and ready for a fight. He knew what was going on, but I didn’t.

We were different sides to the same coin, but something was hurting him so much that for the moment he was blocking me from it as best as he could.

When I was able to stand upright, a howl burst through my lips, a sound of warning, of mourning. I didn’t know what had happened to Sarah, but I knew that it was something big.

Shaking my head, I turned away from her darkened apartment. Sirens sounded in the distance, and I knew that I needed to get out of here. Turning away, I shoved my hands into my pockets before stalking off. The letter was still in my pocket, along with the notes that I had made. I’d used everything that she’d said to me and the information that Derrick had given me to track her. Her apartment didn’t smell like shifters, or like she’d been home yet. I hoped that she was okay, that nothing had happened to her. That she was staying with a friend, not the ex.

I was afraid that she’d taken him back. Her letter had made me think that she wouldn’t, but when it came down to it. I really didn’t know her, and I doubted that she knew how things worked for wolves. If she knew about shifters, it would make things so much easier.

Her work was another story. The scent of shifters seemed to be embedded in the woodwork. Mixing with the scent of cigarettes, booze, and the undead. What type of bar was her boss running?

Did she know about us? About them?

Her boss had known what I was, just as I’d known what the dark-haired man was. What his lover was, they weren’t human and they’d tried to warn me off of my mate. I didn’t tell him what she was to me. He knew what it was like. He had to have known to have claimed another. I wanted to tell Sarah. To let her decide if she wanted to be with me.

Not just for the weekend, but forever. I wanted forever with her.

When I got to the hotel, I headed straight for my room. I needed a shower, then I was going to go online and try to find more about her. My wolf and I both longed for her to be with us again. Our time had been too short.

Opening the door to my room, I stepped inside. The cool air hitting my face as I kicked off my boots. Leaving a trail to the bathroom, I shed my clothing. Not bothering to pick it up. I would afterwards. I didn’t want to wash her scent away from my skin. It felt like I’d be washing her away if I did.

I knew that I needed to clean up, travel had left me feeling gross. Turning on the bathroom light, I made my way to the shower. Turning the taps to let the steam from the hot water fill the room. Stepping into the shower, I let the stream of water hit my face.

Rinsing not just the grime from my skin, but my tiredness with it. I picked up the fluffy white washcloth and the small round puck of soap. Lathering the cloth up, the smell of green tea and vanilla hit me. Making my mouth water. Maybe after my shower, I’d run down to the coffee shop down the street and get a green tea latte.

Dragging the wash cloth over my skin, scrubbing myself clean. I hated that I was scrubbing the smell of her from me, I’d find her then I was never going to let her go. After I claimed her, our scents would combine.

The smell of green tea got stronger. Soft undertones of chocolate made my mouth water. I picked up the puck of soap. Bringing it to my nose, it wasn’t the soap that I was smelling. I rinsed myself off, realizing that I wasn’t alone.

Someone was in my room, someone who had my wolf perking up as it had with Sarah. Someone who smelled like green tea and vanilla and with that the teasing scent of my mate.