Chapter Thirteen

Audrey

My project loomed in the back of my mind, but my focus completely lay with the three humans who had not only messaged me back but managed to make me laugh.

More than laughing, my animal was now involved. If I was in front of them and in my cat form, she would be exposing her belly to them and purring her little ass off. She reached out from that bond I could feel but could never explain and told me to talk to them.

Go to them. Let them be our mates.

But they were human, and I wasn't sure they got the full scope of shifter mates. Once I attached to them and knew they were my mates, there was no going back. No breakups, cheating, or divorces like humans. I hated to admit it, but other than what humans did to my mother, there was another aspect to them that made me trepidatious about being mated to them. They changed partners and wives and husbands more than some people changed jobs and underwear.

Humans didn't understand the meaning of a mate. Of someone who, shifters believed, was created to be with you until death did you part. Or longer. I believed the goddess would allow us to be with our mate or mates through the ages both in life and afterlife. If my cat were to bond with these males and have them leave us or abuse us, it would be like a slow death for my animal and so, me.

But I was tired of fear running my life.

And these three men, Idris, Lachlan, and Hale, well, they made me want to take the chance.

My latest message from them was from Lachlan, the one who had messaged me first. He asked if we could speak over the phone.

I bit down on my lip—hard. Speaking to them and hearing their voices would make this feel real.

Okay, I replied and sent them my phone number. My stomach rolled. Goddess, I hadn't been this nervous on my first date at thirteen.

When my phone rang, under ten minutes later, I screamed so loudly my neighbor banged on the wall a few times. "Hello," I answered in a raspy tone, since my soul had temporarily detached from my body in those moments.

"Are you okay?" a bass, warm blanket of a voice spoke, making my body break out in shivers.

"I'm okay, but I don't know who I'm talking to."

A chorus of masculine chuckles filled the air.

"I'm Idris."

"I'm Hale." A smooth operator, that one. Something about his tone made me feel like he left wakes of swooning women behind him. I was one of them now.

"And I'm Lachlan." Another heartbreaker of a voice.

My core tightened, and my thighs rubbed together. These humans were sexy as hell and handsome and their voices matched.

I was in big trouble.

"Hello, everyone," I answered.

"Your voice is beautiful, just like you." Hale. The sweet talker.

"Thank you. You guys aren't too bad yourselves."

"Sorry we took so long to call you. We live in separate cabins, and Hale is still at work so we started a three-way call." Idris had no business using the word three-way with that purring voice.

If I didn't know better, I would think he was some kind of cat shifter.

"Poor Hale," I said. "It's late for you to be working. I'm not sure about the time difference though. It's ten at night here."

"It's eleven here, Audrey," Hale responded, and I heard him doing something in the background.

"You have patients who stay overnight?"

I already knew that Idris and Lachlan were vets and Hale was a vet tech but didn't know they kept animals overnight. "Yeah. Tonight is a bit off our routine. Usually, we have another tech for nights, but he called in sick, so I'm here."

"Are you always so chipper? Even at night?" I asked but then regretted it. Was that too personal too soon? I was awkward at this but at the same time had no desire to end the call. My cat craved any scrap of knowledge about them she could get.

"He is," Idris and Lachlan both said at the same time, but it was Lachlan who continued speaking. "What about you, Audrey? We know us. We want to get to know you better."

"Something not on the profile?" I asked. It had been so extensive.

"Anything," Idris responded, and my thighs caught fire. My cat pushed her paws into me, making biscuits some would call it. I called it needing to exert pent-up energy. And all their voices were giving me ideas.

"I love brunch," I blurted. "Breakfast food of any kind, but especially brunch."

"Hale is the main cook around here, and he makes some mean crepes." Lachlan. I could discern their voices now.

"Crepes are one of my favorite things," I purred. My cheeks burned.

"Good thing I can make them, then," Hale said.

Idris and Lachlan asked me more questions, and I answered and volleyed back some of my own.

My cat didn't need to learn anything more, sassy girl that she was. She wanted me to pack my bags and head straight for…wherever they lived. An hour time difference…not too far probably.

I let out a yawn and tried to cover it, but Idris asked, "Audrey, I'm sorry. Are we keeping you up?"

"A little. Oh, it's midnight. I'd better get to bed."

We said our goodbyes, but Lachlan cleared his throat. "Audrey, is it too soon to ask you if you want to video chat with us? We'd love to see you and talk at the same time."

Nerves bundled in my belly. My cat wanted nothing more than to take this step and, the truth was, so did I.

"When?" I prompted. Hell yeah, I was ready to see more than just their pictures. I needed to see how they moved. How they smiled. Their gestures that made them unique and special. To see how they looked at me. Their eyes would tell me everything I needed to know about their sincerity.

"Tomorrow," Hale stated.

"After work?" I asked.

"Of course." Idris hummed and the sound warmed me from the inside out.

"It's a date.

I never even thought of using this connection for my channel.