2. Drew

Iglanced down at the mango in my hands before pulling it close to my chest and smiling. That had been my mate, and he was so incredibly handsome.

“Something you wish to share with me?”

I looked over at Monroe with wide eyes, quickly realizing what had just happened and right in front of my boss nonetheless.

“I’m sorry,” I said instinctively.

“For what? If you don’t wish for the warlock’s attentions, I’ll have a talk with the council and let them know he was being inappropriate.”

That was the absolute last thing I wished for. In fact, I wanted Sebastian to come back and talk to me some more, which was actually a first for me. After everything I’d been through, the fact that I wanted someone to talk to me had to mean something, right? He was my mate, after all.

“Drew?”

I glanced up from the mango I’d been holding against my chest. Monroe wasn’t nearly as intimidating as Roman was. But neither had ever made me feel threatened. “I don’t wish for you to get him into any trouble. He’s done nothing wrong.”

“All right. Is there anything you want to share with me, then?”

I looked toward the door where Sebastian had left. “Sebastian is my mate,” I whispered.

I saw Monroe tilt his head down toward me before his hand gently touched my shoulder. “Are you certain?”

I nodded. “He smelled so wonderful. And when his hand touched mine a little, there were tingles that went through my arm. I know it’s silly—”

“No, Drew, it’s not silly. If he’s your mate, you should react like that.”

I grinned. I was twenty-six years old, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I might be able to let someone touch me like that. I hadn’t been through nearly what some had, but it was more than enough to haunt my dreams at night. Some of the enforcers took a bit of time to get used to. It wasn’t that we feared them, but some of them were incredibly large, and that brought back memories that I wished to forget.

“I’m not sure what to do, Monroe.”

Monroe smiled. “Well, since your mate left without leaving his number, we have two options. One, you wait for him to return. Or two, I get in contact with the council and see if I can get his number for you. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find out Sebastian’s number. There might be more than one enforcer with that name, but the chances of both of them being a blond warlock are probably slim.”

I grinned at that before looking at the door again. “I’ll wait. He said he’d see me again soon. I have to believe him. He didn’t scent as if he was lying.”

Monroe smiled. “All right. I’ll let it be for now. But be sure to keep me up to date on things. You’ll need time off, or perhaps you’ll stop working altogether once you two claim one another?”

The sudden panic at Monroe’s words wasn’t exactly expected. Then again, nothing was. I hadn’t expected to find my mate here. I’d been under the impression that most, if not all, of the enforcers had been through the store at one point or another. Or that since I lived in a house not far from the council building, I would have scented my mate if he was someone from the council. Did that mean Sebastian was new?

“Take a deep breath,” Monroe said, suddenly right beside me. I felt his arm around my shoulders, and a sudden warmth surrounded me. I looked over at the fae and did my best to give him a smile. I was sure it didn’t exactly work, though, because Monroe winced. “Don’t try to force anything,” he told me. I nodded to that. That much I could do without issue.

I took several deep breaths, and after a moment, I felt calm again and looked up at Monroe. “Did you do something to me?”

Monroe grinned but shook his head. “No. I simply pushed out some calming magic. I didn’t want you to start freaking out about the fact that you scented your mate. What is it that you want me to do? How can I help?”

I took another deep breath before I shook my head. “I’m good. I guess I have a lot to think about.”

Monroe smiled again. “You do, yes. Let me first say congratulations. But also that you are always welcome here. If you choose to continue working, there is a place for you here, Drew. You are an asset, and the place wouldn’t be the same without your snarky wit.”

That relaxed me more. I’d developed that early on as a shield while in foster care. It was difficult to be a shifter growing up in a human world, not knowing who or what you were even.

“Would you like to have the day off? Or do you think it would be better to continue on here as you normally would?”

I was torn, and I was sure it showed. “I don’t know. If I leave, how will Sebastian find me?”

Monroe chuckled. “Do you honestly believe that your mate, a warlock, will return here later without knowing as much as he possibly can about you already? I would be quite shocked if he didn’t know where you lived and had your number, at the very least.”

Realization hit, and I felt my face flush. “What if…” I started. I felt panic rising again but closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Monroe’s hand went back to moving in comforting circles on my back. “What if he reads my file? The council has a file on me, right?” I opened my eyes and met Monroe’s. His were full of nothing but concern. “He’ll know what happened to me.”

“Do you think I love Oscar any less because of what happened to him?”

I sucked in a sharp breath, suddenly remembering that Monroe’s mate had been rescued by the council as well.

“I didn’t mean… I’m sorry,” I said.

Monroe shook his head. “You have nothing to apologize for. If Sebastian is your mate, your past won’t matter. Neither will his.”

I nodded. He was right, of course. “I am sorry,” I said again. “I hadn’t even thought about that.”

“There’s a lot to think about, Drew. If you would feel more comfortable going home for the day, I completely understand. In fact, it might be best.”

I knew Monroe was only looking out for me and not that he didn’t want me around the store. But the thought of no longer coming here was suddenly hitting me hard. I felt as if I belonged here. I had some purpose in life. I’d grown up without knowing anything about who I was, and there weren’t a whole lot of opportunities for foster kids once they aged out of the system.

“Would it be all right if I went home for a bit? I’ll come back later in case Sebastian comes back. He did say he’d see me later.” That meant he’d come here looking for me, didn’t it? He was going to come to the store, right? I needed to be here at the end of the day so Sebastian could at least talk to me again. I had to have a chance to see him again. My cheetah was pushing for it, and that meant something.

“Of course it would be all right if you went home. I’ll cover for you up here until I can get one of the others to come in.”

That instantly made me feel bad. Someone would have to come in and cover for me. Not just today but in the near future. I was letting others down.

“Hey now, what’s all of this? You seem upset. You should be thrilled. Finding your mate is a wonderful thing.”

I looked to Monroe, wondering if he’d understand. He’d just met his own mate back in December. They’d not been mated long and had an adorable little girl together. As well, they were raising Monroe’s youngest siblings, along with Oscar’s two teenage ones. They had a unique situation, but they were making it work.

“I don’t want to let anyone down. I have responsibilities here.”

I received another one of Monroe’s friendly smiles. That was the best way I could describe him. He was warm and friendly. Sure, Roman felt safe and protective. But so did Monroe. Only Monroe felt friendlier. I was sure it was because he was fae, whereas Roman was a tiger alpha.

“Yes, we all have responsibilities here. But that doesn’t mean we cannot help out when situations arise. When others have needed time off because they’ve had a rough day of things, you’ve stepped up.”

“Sure, but I’m not really having a bad day.”

Monroe chuckled. “True. You’re having a fantastic day. You’ve just met your mate. Now, go home. It’s recommended that you pack an overnight bag at a minimum. But I would also suggest you think about organizing things in preparation for a move. He is a warlock, and he is going to need to move things at a somewhat quicker pace than an alpha would.”

I was once again confused. “Why do you say that? Will he rush me?”

Monroe sighed. “Not because he’s being inconsiderate. Warlocks, like fae, our bodies react to our mates. There is a constant vibration that courses through our bodies once we meet our mate. As time goes on, the intensity increases, and eventually, it becomes incredibly painful.”

My mouth dropped open. “Seriously? That doesn’t seem fair. How long does he have until it hurts him?”

“It’s different for everyone, and there are several factors that will impact it. Age, family lineage, how much contact they have with their fated mate, things of that nature.”

“Why? What if I can’t?” I was sure I could. He was my mate and I knew he wouldn’t ever hurt me. And Sebastian looked nothing like the alphas that had held us captive. I loved the fact that he was slender. I had no doubt that he would still be protective, but he wasn’t overly muscular like some of the alphas I’d seen, nor did he look aggressive or intimidating.

“You and Sebastian will figure things out,” Monroe told me. “If you weren’t a good pair, you wouldn’t have been matched. I have no doubt that you and Sebastian won’t have any issues when it comes to things of that nature.” Monroe held out his hand. When I looked down at it, there was a small piece of paper. “This is Oscar’s number. He’s at home with the kids, but he can probably answer these questions you have better than I can. He’s been in your situation. I can share what things were like on my side, which would be more along with what Sebastian might be facing. But Oscar is who you would be able to relate to more, I think.”

I slowly took the piece of paper. “Thanks, Monroe. I don’t want to bother him though. He’s busy. You have three that are so young.”

Monroe grinned. Yes, but Mason and Maelie do go to the childcare center for half days three times a week to give him a break. Little Ella is still in the sleep-most-of-the day stage.”

I smiled, thinking about Ella. She was the sweetest. Monroe had brought her into the store several times now. It was wonderful to see him walking around with her strapped onto his chest in a carrier like it was a completely natural thing. Then again, it was. Ella was his daughter with Oscar. It made sense that Monroe helped with taking care of her.

“I still don’t want to disturb him. I’m sure he gets very little, if any, free time. The last thing he probably wants is me bothering him with a bunch of questions.”

Monroe shook his head. “He’s already said he’s more than happy to have you over. There are cookies that were baked this morning, apparently.”

I grinned at that. “All right. Is it okay if I go over now?” I asked. I assumed he was in contact with Oscar through their bond. Otherwise, how would Monroe know there were cookies?

Monroe gave me a warm smile. “Yes. Enjoy your day. If I see Sebastian, I’ll be sure to let him know where you are.”

I reached for the mango I’d placed on the counter. “Where will I be?” Was I supposed to wait for him somewhere?

“I assume you will go to mine, and after you have a chat with Oscar, you would head to your place. Did you not want Sebastian to know where you were staying?”

I did. “Oh. Yes, please. I thought I’d come back here to wait for him though.”

Monroe patted me on the shoulder now. “I can’t be certain, but I’d venture to say that Sebastian won’t work the rest of the day either. Go have a talk with Oscar, and hopefully, he can reassure you.”

“Thank you, Monroe. I appreciate you being so understanding.”

“You are most welcome, Drew. I hope you and Oscar have a good talk, and remember, if you need anything over the next several days, don’t hesitate to let us know. We’re all here for everyone.”

I nodded at Monroe. That was comforting to know. Then again, when hadn’t they been here for us? Since I’d been here, everyone had been nothing but nice and accommodating. Even Roman when he was still managing the store.

“Go on now.”

At Monroe’s words, I realized I’d stopped at the end of the counter. “Yeah. I’ll go see Oscar. Thanks again, Monroe.” I hugged the mango to my chest and hurried out of the store. I couldn’t help but glance at the council building as I walked past it. Sebastian was inside there somewhere. My mate was there. He was…here. My mind started wandering, wondering how long he’d been with the enforcers. Was he going to stay in this area? He had an accent, so that told me he wasn’t originally from here. I couldn’t quite place it though, so I had no way of knowing where he was from. I’d have to remember to ask.

I walked past the council building, heading down the paved pathway. It used to be gravel, but that was quickly changed once spring snows melted and everything became a mucky mess. I thought back to this past winter and recalled how no matter how much snow we had, the pathways were always cleared. I was sure there was magic involved, but I certainly wasn’t going to question anything.

I walked past the house I lived in with Roman, Tyler, and Abel. Roman used to live in it with his brothers, but they were both mated now and lived in their own houses with their mates and babies. I smiled at that thought. Was Sebastian going to be my chance to have a family of my own?

I never had a family. I didn’t even know if my parents were still alive. Were Sebastian’s? Would they be accepting of me? I had next to nothing to offer. I had worked hard from the time I’d run away at thirteen. It was literally life-changing when you woke up one morning and you were suddenly a cheetah. Luckily for me, I hadn’t been seen by my foster family. Not that they were that nice to begin with. They weren’t.

I found myself standing in front of Monroe’s house he shared with Oscar and their combined five kids. Although technically, four were their siblings, they were actually really their kids.

I didn’t even get a chance to knock on the front door before Oscar opened it. He had a huge grin on his face, and when he held his arms out and squealed at me, I didn’t have a choice but to hug him as he quickly pulled me into a tight hug. As we stood there, Oscar bounced around, making noises. I’d never known him to be like this and had to wonder what brought this on.

“Chase is on his way. He was waiting for Konrad to get to his place to watch the twins before he could leave.”

“Umm…why?” I asked as Oscar pulled me into the house. “Because Reinhold has been an enforcer since day one for the council. He was the acting alpha here on the mountain, and he will have more information about your mate than Monroe or I will.”

Oscar didn’t stop until we were in the back of the house, and I quickly saw why he’d pulled me into this room. There was a small basket in the middle of the coffee table, and inside was a precious sleeping Ella. I couldn’t help but peek in at her. She really was the sweetest.

“I know, right? I can’t even believe this is me. Eight months ago, I hated life because I was struggling every second of it to provide for my brother and sister. Now I’m mated, and I love being daddy to her, Mealie, and Mason.”

“How are they doing?” I asked, looking around for the other two.

“Good. They’re at the childcare center today for another hour. I’ll go pick them up in a little while.”

“I don’t want to keep you,” I said, trying to leave. The last thing I wanted to do was take up what little free time he had left.

“Nonsense,” Oscar said. He pulled me toward the couch, and I couldn’t help but sit beside him on the couch. “Monroe takes them with him in the mornings, and they play all morning with the other children. I’ll pick them up right after they have lunch there, and we walk back here. Once we’re home, they take their afternoon naps, and I finish up anything I need to around here. Mason wakes up first, and he and I will have some one-on-one time until the girls wake up, and then we spend the rest of the day doing things.”

“I’m here,” someone called out from the front of the house. I had to assume it was Chase because Oscar didn’t seem worried at all.

“Chase?” I asked quietly.

“Yes. He was held with me and Eli in New Orleans. His mate is Reinhold, like I said, and he’s a dragon shifter, so he might be able to answer any questions you have about certain things as well.”

“But Sebastian is a warlock. He’s not big and muscular at all. He’s tall, which I actually like, but he’s slender.”

“Oh, Sebastian, huh?” Oscar said, entering the room. “One of Master Edison’s warlocks?”

I nodded.

“Do you happen to speak Spanish?”

My eyes widened. “Umm…no. Should I?” I asked Chase.

“Naw. As far as I’ve seen, Sebastian is fluent in English as well. But maybe have him talk dirty to you in Spanish.” Chase wiggled his eyebrows. “I love it when Rein does it to me in German. Sometimes I know what he’s saying, sometimes not. Either way, it usually makes for a great evening.”

Spanish? I thought back about my encounter with Sebastian. That’s where the accent came from, I guess. “He’s from Spain?”

Chase nodded. “A lot of the warlocks are from Europe.” He plopped down beside me and leaned forward. “So what’s the questions you have?”

I looked from one side to the other at the other two omegas with me. They’d been held captive and were now mated. We could move past what had happened to us, right? They had.