Oddly, Zara wasn’t offended by Fin’s behavior. He was genuinely frustrated and she thought it was kind of cute. She probably wouldn’t tell him it was cute, but nevertheless, it was.

She was serious when she had said that they should sleep together. She’d been thinking about him a lot more than she liked to admit. Mostly at night. He’d slipped into her dreams in a way that even made her question her subconscious. She had dreamed they were in the woods together. Large evergreens were standing all around them. Sunlight straining to break through the canopy overhead.

In her dream, Zara could almost smell the wet earth beneath their feet, the sounds of small animals rustling in the brush. They were holding hands, walking together. It felt like they had been there before. Not that it was possible since she wasn’t much of a hiker or camper.

She had felt safe in the dream, protected. It had the strangest feeling of home, and the woods didn’t scare her because he was there. It was like he was part of the woods. Their walk flashed to them lying naked on that ground, a bed of moss under them. The sounds of a river mixing with her moans as he made love to her.

She woke up scratching her head over that one. She had also woken up happy that she was in her room alone and her parent’s room was on the other side of the house.

Now he was marching her down the street in a desperate attempt to avoid talking about sex. Maybe he was a virgin? That would be a rational explanation. But then after the digging Viv had done, it was safe to say that was highly unlikely. She knew that he found her attractive. She wasn’t joking when she said she’d noticed his erections when he was around.

It was flattering; she didn’t find it weird or gross. He was sexually attracted to her, and she was very much attracted to him. They could easily get together and it wouldn’t be a big deal.

Then again, Finley seemed to think it was a bigger deal than she did. She liked him a lot and had feelings for him. He was sweet to her and was always polite. There was something about him that drew her to him, but she really couldn’t quantify it with the level of feelings she should have after such a brief relationship. Maybe that was the problem, they didn’t have a relationship, they’d only had a few dates and maybe he wasn’t ready to commit.

She was pursuing him and he wasn’t ready. Well hell, that made her feel bad. Here she was trying to get in his pants and he was protecting his pretend virtue.

Finley kept them walking until he stopped in front of a Pho restaurant and raised an eyebrow at her. She nodded and they went in and were seated at a table by the large window so they could look out on the street.

“Fin, I’m sorry if I came across as pushy earlier. I don’t mean to be. I like you. You’re handsome and sexy and I think we would be compatible in bed.”

Zara replayed that in her head and it sounded okay to her.

“Zara, babe, I don’t know what to do with you,” he said with a shake of his head.

“Why?”

“Because you are offering up exactly what I want on a silver platter and I’m doing my best to resist. It’s actually kind of messed up. No man in my position, at least that I know of, would do such a thing.”

Zara couldn’t help but take a moment to really look at Finley. His hair was a little ruffled over his forehead; he was wearing a thin black leather jacket over a gray t-shirt and jeans. His eyes had a shiny quality and when he smiled the corners crinkled in.

“Finley, I don’t think you’re like other men. If I was sitting across from those other guys, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I’ll be honest, the last person I slept with was two years ago and that was because we’d been dating for a few months and we just hadn’t gotten around to it. I’ve been too busy and focused on my schoolwork. Plus, he didn’t like it that I wasn’t always available. That’s why we broke up. But it’s not like I’m a virgin. Are you? A virgin, I mean?”

Finley shook his head and reached across the table and waited for her to put her hand in his. She did it because she liked touching him. It was easy to touch him.

“No, not a virgin. I wish to god I was now that I’ve met you.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that if I’d just trusted that the universe would put the perfect woman in front of me, I’d have only been with you. That there would be no history to worry about, no one before. I’m regretting that right now. It hurts me to think that I was so close to you all this time and I didn’t know. I didn’t wait. I was so afraid I was missing out on something, that I jumped in without thinking.”

Zara felt her mouth drop open and then she snapped it shut. Most young people didn’t look back after their first sexual encounters. Finley was wishing he was a virgin so that his first time could be with her? It was deep. Freaking deep.

“Fin, I’m a little shocked. I mean I don’t care that you have had previous partners. It’s the twenty-first century. As long as you were safe and have been tested then I’m not worried. I’ve been tested too. We’ll be careful if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“No, Zara, that’s not my worry. I’m just a little regretful. What if I assured you that I absolutely want to make love to you?” He leaned further over the table towards her, his voice silky smooth. “I’ve been dreaming up all sorts of things I want to do. Ways to rock your world, and I’m more than eager to try them all out.”

Zara couldn’t help but lean over the table towards him, “Then let’s give it a go,” she whispered conspiratorially.

Finley shook his head at her. “You have to know the real me. I admit my past might not represent how I feel today. Those women were part of my past that I can’t change. But you, you’re my future. And I know that the first time we’re together, it will change things for me.”

“Change how?”

“I won’t be able to walk away from you.”

Zara frowned at him. “I don’t understand. Finley, I’m not saying we have to commit to each other for forever. I’m talking about here and now.”

“And I’m talking about forever, Zara. Convincing you that you are my one and only has been the only thing on my mind since I met you. I’ve been waiting for you my whole life and I just didn’t know it. You are my One. There will never be anyone else in my life. Those aren’t just words, it’s the truth. My entire future happiness is wrapped up in these fingers,” he said looking down at her hand.

“Farking hell, that is kinda crazy, Fin. You realize that, don’t you? We met this week. Literally for the first time this week. You’re telling me that within that amount of time you’ve decided that I’m the love of your life?”

“Exactly right.”

Zara pulled her hand from his. “Are you making fun of me? Is this some kind of sick joke? A frat bet or something?”

“It’s none of those things. Zara, people like me and my family, we have one soul mate out there in the world. Just one to complete us. Sometimes we don’t find them until we’re old and gray, sometimes we never find them. But when we do? Our lives change. Our priorities, goals, and aspirations all change. Nothing matters more than our mates.”

“Mates? Like animals?”

“You said it yourself; we all have animals inside us that are seeking a partner.”

“Yes, and not all animals are monogamous. In fact, there are some species of monkeys that are downright sluts. Don’t get me started on dolphins, total pervs.”

“My animal is monogamous. Shockingly so.”

“So, your animal wants a mate. What’s your animal’s name?” Zara still wasn’t sure if he was messing with her and just in case he was, she was going to play along so she didn’t look like an idiot.

“He doesn’t have a name. Funny, I’ve never even thought about his name. He’s been with me so long he’s just there, nameless but part of me.”

“What is your inner animal? Tiger, Lion?”

“A bear, just like the rest of my family.”

“Your family all have inner animals too?” Zara was starting to think she might need to go into psychiatry if this was the level of delusion out there. She was also feeling a little sad because she really liked Finley Rochon and it was turning out that he was crackers.

“Everyone that is a shifter anyway, not their human mates.”

Zara raised her eyebrows. “Shifters?”

“Yes, my whole family.”

“You think you’re animals?”

“No, we have the soul of an animal living inside us. We can be both human and bear. I can change anytime I want to, I’m in control. But that’s why I say we only get one shot at our One. Our one bonded mate that we will love and cherish for the rest of our lives. You’re mine.”

“Huh, okay…”

“I’m serious, Zara. I shouldn’t have told you this way, and now I’m wishing I could take it all back. It’s not that I don’t want to be with you. It’s really the only thing I want. I’m just saying that if I get a taste of you in that way, I’m sunk and there is no turning back. Not that there is even now. I’m saying that my animal needs you, I need you, and we both want you to be happy. If that means waiting until you get to know us, then we’ll wait.”

Zara was going to get an earful from Viv on dating crazy guys. She could almost hear her now.

“I don’t know whether I should call an Uber or Google the number for the mental health clinic. You’re sounding crazy right now, Fin,” she hissed.

“I’m not crazy. I love you, I want to be with you, I want to bond with you and I want to make babies with you. It’s not that hard to understand,” he growled.

He actually growled. It was a weird rumbling sound that came from the back of his throat. Zara’s eyes scanned down his neck like she was looking for the source. As her eyes came back to his she gasped. His normally hazel eyes had a yellow glow around the edges. It wasn’t a reflection of a neon light outside, wasn’t anything to do with a play of lighting. It was coming from within him.

“Holy shit,” she whispered.

Finley stood up and grabbed her hand. He walked her through the restaurant weaving through the tables and for some asinine reason she followed him.

His eyes had been glowing. He growled and his eyes had been glowing. Her brain was desperately trying to rationalize it and nothing was making any sense. Radioactive poisoning was the only possible explanation for the other-worldly glow that was emanating from behind his eyes.

Sure, he probably had some spent uranium in his pocket. That was perfectly reasonable.

They reached the back of the restaurant and passed by the kitchen and she watched as he reached out quickly for something on a counter as they walked down the hallway to the unisex bathrooms.

He pulled her into one and closed the door. Letting go of her hand he walked to the sink, set something down, and then moved to the opposite side of the room squatting down with his back against the wall. His arms crossed against his chest.

Zara’s eyes scanned over to the sink and saw a large chef’s knife laying on the edge of the counter.