The next morning, Tessa looked in the bathroom mirror and pressed her fingers to the spot on her neck. There were two scars, but no scabs. The marks looked like they were months old inside of eight hours.

"My saliva healed it," Drake spoke as he entered the bathroom. Tessa looked at him through the mirror. Drake was shirtless, but wore his denim jeans. Her eyes roamed his chest and traveled up to his eyes. "The scar tells other males you are mine."

"I remember you saying that." She paused to turn around. Drake took her hands into his as she approached, leaning down to kiss her softly.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you going to change me into what you are?" she asked.

"I don't want you to be in pain," he said, releasing her hand to stroke her cheek. "I also want you to be sure."

"Do you want me to be like you?" she pushed, capturing his hand as he continued to touch her skin.

The connection was stronger. She could feel the electricity more so now that Drake had bitten her. He wasn't lying to her. Everything he'd promised was happening. Even the thought of being in pain to be with him was at the forefront of her mind, but it didn't matter. She wanted to change.

She wanted to be a beast like him.

"I want you, little one," Drake said as he closed his eyes tight. "I know I hated humans. Well, I still do, but you've changed me. I didn't know I'd find a mate outside of my kind."

"But do you want me to be a bear?" she continued. "I have to know, Drake."

"I want you to be like me, but it kills me to know you will be in pain," he cursed, wiping a hand over his face. Tessa could see the indecision in his expression.

"How bad will it be for you?" she asked. "We will both survive," he answered.

"Drake," she growled, becoming agitated with his lack of answers. "You're skirting around what I'm asking you."

"I will be fine," he stated as he cleared his throat and grabbed a towel from the shelf behind the door. "I need to shower and get you to the diner."

"Okay," she softly said and dropped her head. He wasn't going to answer her.

Tessa busied herself as he stepped into the shower. The frosted glass hid him from her, but she could see his silhouette as he dipped his head under the spray. Oh, she wanted to undress and step in there with him, but she refrained.

She willed him to look at her...to talk to her, but he just pressed his palms to the cool tile and hung his head. Please, look at me. Tell me something.

"Tessa," he moaned, turning his head to the side. She couldn't see him looking at her through the glass, but she could feel his gaze, and it was intense. So much so, she touched the center of her chest as she waited for him to respond. "Please, go finish getting ready for work."

Tessa's breath rushed out of her lungs. His demand was followed by a rumbling from inside the shower. She wasn't afraid of Drake, but she knew if he and his bear were agitated, they felt strongly about whatever it was running through their minds.

She backed out of the bathroom and grabbed her shoes, sitting on the side of the bed to tie them. Drake emerged after several minutes and walked up to her before taking a knee at her feet.

"I will talk with a shifter doc today and get some answers on what we need to do to keep you comfortable," he promised. "My brothers will be here, too."

"For you or for me?" she asked.

"For both of us, because I don't know if I will be able to handle seeing you in pain without going insane."

"I don't want you to see me in pain if it will inflict pain on you, Drake," she worried.

"Let's get through our day, and I will have answers by dinner." He plastered on a smile, standing up to take her hand.

Tessa agreed with a nod and followed him out of his underground living quarters. Well, she guessed it'd be hers now too. She looked around the hallway as they made the slight incline toward the living room, and realized she liked being so tucked away.

"I could get used to this," she whispered, not realizing she'd said it loud enough for him to hear, when he stopped and turned around.

"Get used to what?" he asked, reaching back to take her hand. There was that connection again.

"Living here," she blushed.

"This is already yours, Tessa," he explained. "You are my forever mate."

"What about love, Drake?" she asked as soon as the thought popped in her head. Did she love this man? Maybe? Possibly?

"Our kind doesn't work quite the way humans do, Tessa," he said, leaning against the wall. He crossed his booted ankles, and she looked down at them when his spurs clinked at the action. God, she loved those spurs, and wouldn't mind if he wore them every single day. "We find our mates, and love follows."

"How do you know that you will fall in love with your mate?" she pressed, asking another twenty damned questions. Tessa couldn't help it...she was just curious.

"Because it always happens," he shrugged. "I've never met a couple who didn't fall in love."

She wouldn't admit it to him now, but she already had some major affection for him ever since he fed her that beef stew. He'd claimed to hate humans, had even been a major asshole to her, but when he realized she was hungry, the kind-hearted man he really was came out to provide for her. With Bradley showing up in town, and with Tulley calling in Drake to help Tessa out that night, she saw Drake Morgan for exactly who he was...passionate and caring. He loved his brothers, even if he wouldn't admit it, and he provided a home for them and their future mates.

"Come on, we're going to be late," he urged, and pushed away from the wall.

They left the house just as dark clouds were building in the skies toward town. She would be about five minutes late for work, but Drake assured her Gaia wouldn't mind.

When they pulled up, Gaia was already standing by the door to the diner. Tessa looked at the sky and ducked her head when she felt a raindrop hit her cheek. A rumble of thunder shook her spine as she stepped inside the diner. Her eyes landed on Gaia, and her boss looked relieved when they walked in the door. "I was getting a little worried about you."

"We had a delay," Tessa offered as a token of an excuse. "It won't happen again."

"Don't do that again," she scolded. "But if you do, a phone call would be nice."

"Gaia," Drake cleared his throat. "This was my fault. I had to talk to Tessa about something important this morning, and we were later than usual leaving my place."

"Understood," Gaia said, walking around the counter to start a pot of coffee. "Sit and let me make you some coffee, Drake. I'm sure this little rain cloud will disappear in a few minutes."

Tessa walked off to gather her things, and noticed her boss and Drake were talking quietly at the long bar by the kitchen. They didn't raise their voices, and Tessa was sure Gaia was worried for their safety and not really mad, but it did cause some unease seeing her boss act that way.

As she returned to the front of the diner, the clouds outside were gone with not a rain drop in sight and the sun was shining bright. Gaia smiled at Drake and walked away. A new customer came in and Tessa seated him at the end of the bar, as far away from Drake as possible.

The panthers entered only minutes later, taking to the corner booth in the back of the room. Drake lazily slid off his stool. Those spurs of his clanked as he crossed the floor to greet them. Savage, Noah, and Winter all stood and shook his hand. The four men spoke for a minute and Drake turned to leave. Tessa jutted her chin out, indicating he should follow her to the backroom.

"I'll be here by noon again," he promised as she closed the door to the breakroom.

"Okay," she smiled. "If you need to, you can leave me at your place while you help your brothers."

"We are back on schedule," he offered. "If they need me, I will help them in the afternoons."

"I don't want to take you away from your business, Drake," she scowled, leaning against a small table that was pushed against the wall opposite the door.

"Both you and my crops are the most important things in my world." He smiled as he cupped her face. "Your safety and comfort comes first, regardless. If I have to spend a few extra days in the fields to get the seeds in the ground, it'll be okay."

"Promise me it's okay?"

"Promise, little one," he swore as he nodded and kissed her softly. The hairs from his short beard tickled her face, but she didn't complain.

"I'll see you later today, then," she whispered.