Chapter 33

THIRTY-THREE

T he restaurant Lucas had chosen for their “emergency relocation dinner date” was surprisingly elegant. According to him, the safe house didn’t have the appropriate nutrition for his mate to keep up her strength. Not enough meat. Hell, she was happy eating a bowl of cereal for dinner.

While they waited for their food, the candlelight in the dining room cast soft shadows across Lucas’s face as he told Emma about his father, his usual predatory grace softening with remembered affection.

“He used to take me running under the full moon,” he murmured, absently tracing patterns on her hand. “Said a panther’s true nature comes alive in starlight. I was barely old enough to maintain my shift, but he’d wait patiently while I stumbled around on oversized paws, teaching me to move like shadow given form.”

Emma’s crystal pulsed gently, picking up the bittersweet warmth in his power signature. For once, she didn’t reach for her sensors, too caught up in this glimpse of the boy he’d been.

“The last time we ran together,” Lucas continued softly, “he told me that being alpha wasn’t about power or control. It was about protection - having the strength to shelter what you love, the wisdom to know when to use that strength, and the courage to be vulnerable with those who matter most.”

His eyes held ancient gold as they met hers. “I didn’t understand then. But watching you face danger with unshakeable enthusiasm, seeing how your brilliant mind lights up at every discovery... I finally get what he meant about the courage to be vulnerable.”

Emma’s breath caught at the depth of emotion in his voice. “I always approach everything through science,” she admitted, fingers tightening on his. “It’s safer, you know? Measuring and documenting instead of feeling. My grandmother was the one who taught me it’s okay to want both - to be passionate about research while still believing in love.”

“Tell me about her. I don’t remember her much. “ Lucas requested softly, his thumb brushing her pulse point in a way that made her crystal sing.

“She was the heart of our family,” Emma smiled, remembering childhood lessons. “This brilliant, fierce woman who taught me that the most fascinating discoveries came from following your heart as well as your mind. I used to hide in her library for hours, reading everything I could find about genetics while she snuck me cookies and told stories about falling in love with my grandfather.”

Her crystal warmed as she continued. “Grandma Mags was always a little quirky.”

Lucas smiled. “Aren’t most geniuses that way? All the ones I know are.”

“Ooh,” she said, “how many geniuses do you know?”

“One.”

Her smile lit up the room. “You are soooo funny.”

“Seriously,” she continued, “everyone thinks I’m just obsessed with science, that I don’t care about romance or family. But I’ve always wanted both - groundbreaking research and someone to share it with. Someone who understands that my enthusiasm isn’t just about data collection, it’s about the joy of discovery.”

“The way your eyes light up when you’re excited about something,” Lucas murmured, bringing their joined hands to his lips, “makes my panther purr with pride. You face everything with such wonder, such fearless curiosity. How could I not fall for someone who treats supernatural warfare like a fascinating experiment?”

Emma’s pulse jumped at the casual mention of falling for her. “I’ve never been good at relationships,” she confessed. “Too focused on research, too enthusiastic about weird things, too much everything. But with you... even when I’m babbling about supernatural frequencies or trying to document claiming behaviors, you look at me like I’m something precious instead of strange.”

“Because you are precious,” he assured her with heated tenderness that made her crystal flare. “My brilliant, beautiful mate who can shift from serious scientist to passionate woman and back again in heartbeats. Who makes me want to show off my panther’s grace just to see your eyes sparkle with curiosity. Who treats every moment with me like a fascinating discovery worth documenting.”

“Even when I’m trying to measure intimate contact patterns?” she teased, though her voice was suspiciously wobbly.

“Especially then,” he growled playfully, drawing her closer.

Emma’s laugh held equal parts joy and vulnerability. “I do want it all eventually,” she whispered. “The breakthrough discoveries and the lasting love. Family game nights and laboratory adventures. Someone to share both the science and the silence with.”

“We’ll have it,” Lucas promised with quiet certainty that made her heart clench. “After we deal with Malcolm. After we solve the fertility crisis. After I thoroughly distract you from documenting our next kiss...”

Her attempt at a scientific response dissolved into a soft sigh as his lips found hers, the kiss deep and tender and full of promise. For once, Emma didn’t think about readings or experiments or fascinating supernatural frequencies.

She just felt.

His kiss held equal parts heated promise and playful affection. “How about we continue our discussion about fascinating future experiments somewhere less public?”

“Like a bed?” she whispered against his lips, crystal pulsing with deeper emotions than just professional curiosity.

“A bed sounds perfect,” he agreed softly, eyes reflecting all the love she felt glowing in her heart.

“But what about our food?”

His grin was sinful. “I’ll have it delivered later.”

Emma’s answering smile was pure joy as she let him guide her through the restaurant and to the car.