Chapter Fifteen

Audrey

My human mind and my cat instincts were at war, all night, in fact. I tried to sleep but gave up right after dawn.

She had become angry with me, and my animal and I were not often at odds. She had become demanding since the video chat the night before. Sending images to me both tame and not of the three men who had captured her heart.

According to her, I should be packing for a move to them instead of a trip to the climbing gym. I had to burn off some of this extraneous energy so I could think straight. My cat needed to calm the hell down.

Charlotte decided to join me, mostly because she wanted to hear all about my match.

I smelled my friend before I saw her. Wolves always scented of power and danger. She would never hurt me, but my baser instincts were always there, in the back of my head.

"Ready?" I pulled on my shoes.

She sat next to me and did the same. "How did the video chat go?"

I sighed. "I'm fine. Thank you. How are you?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "Give me the details while we're climbing."

We took the less intense course because she wasn't as practiced as I was and wanted to talk more than climb.

"They are amazing," I admitted once we got into a groove.

"Were they your first match?" she asked.

"No. Not even the first five. I think seventh or eighth. I don't know."

Charlotte grumbled, trying to find her next hold. "Doesn't matter. Tell me about them. More than one? Tell me everything."

I explained that there were three males. I called them males because I was saving the detail of them being human for last, not knowing how she would react.

"And they are vets? All three?"

We finished one course and took a break. "Idris and Lachlan are vets and Hale is a vet tech."

"Hale is the sweet talker who can cook."

"Yes," I answered. My cat purred inside me even talking about them. I didn't know why I was still resisting. My animal would win in the end. She'd been sending me the word mate since the video chat, but there was no way I would accept that without at least seeing them in person.

"And Idris is the one with the orgasm voice."

I snorted, almost spitting out my water. "Yes. He's also very serious. He doesn't talk as much as the others."

"And Lachlan?"

I sighed and heard the way I sounded like a fool in love. "Lachlan is a bit shy, and he reads all the romance novels. Shifter ones."

Her eyes widened. "A shifter male who reads shifter novels? That's…unique. Maybe he learned some things."

Sucking in a breath, I steeled myself. I had to tell her the truth. "I never said they were shifters, Charlotte."

"What are they?" She turned her body toward me. "Monsters? Wait, are you about to be mated to humans, Audrey? I mean, I support you, no matter what, but I know how you feel about the animal-less type."

That was one way of putting it. "They are human."

The fact hung between us. No one spoke. Some of the motion and commotion in the gym stagnated, though no one could hear us.

"And you're okay with that?" she asked. "Your cat is?"

"She knows," I said, rubbing my fist into my chest. Charlotte would know what that meant. "She's already laying a claim on them, and we haven't even met in person. I never thought I would date or mate with a human, but these three…"

"They're yours."

I forced back tears as the raw truth hit me in the gut. I'd played with the notion, but hearing it out loud changed things. "Yes. They're mine."

"So why are you telling me about them in a gym instead of going over there and getting your males? I love you and love our time together, but I also know how hard this must be to stay away. Is it because they are human? Letting that human brain of yours make the decisions?"

"I don't know."

"I can't stay away from Jack. We're different species but a shifter is a shifter. Once you found your mates…haven't they asked you to come see them or they come here?"

"They did. They asked me to come out and see them." I swiped at my eyes before I embarrassed myself.

"Audrey…are they worth risking your heart?"

I let out a long breath. "Yes."

"Then get your ass out of here and call those men. Or, better yet, call them right now so I can hear Idris' voice."

A snarl came from my mouth. "He's mine."

She nodded. "I knew that would light a fire under your ass. Go on."

On the way home, I called Hale and asked if they could all get on speaker. I had to wait a few minutes as the others were with patients, but soon they all greeted me.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your day but I have something to say."

My belly quivered as nervousness threatened to take over.

"What is it, Audrey? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. Does the offer still stand? Can I come there and meet you? Stay with you? Give this a chance?"

All three of them gave me undeniable yeses.

"I'm on my way home and booking a ticket."