"Did he change his mind?" Cassie asked, folding her legs under her as she sat on Luke's couch.

"He's probably just caught up in other things at the moment, but when Dane says he'll be somewhere, he'll be there." Luke picked up the remote from the center console and turned off the TV. "While we're waiting on him, I picked up something for you while I was at the market."

Cassie smiled. "I like presents."

He got up, walked over to the fireplace, and removed something from the mantle. He returned to the seat beside her and handed her something wrapped in a brown wrapper and tied with a thick white ribbon.

"Thank you." She opened the package and pulled out two leather handmade journals with linen threads and a white button seal. "Very nice. I love to collect these. I put the prettiest ones on display on my bookcase which is where these will go." She traced the outline of the journal. "You didn't have to get me these, after all, I owe you so much with you allowing me to stay in your cabin."

"You don't owe me anything at all. I'm glad you came. I was getting lonely in these mountains. While you've been here you've reminded me that life isn't always about working endlessly but pursuing what matters the most."

"Then we're helping each other," she replied.

"Cassie, I don't want any more secrets between us. I know I wasn't open about what I was in the beginning. I'm not the kind of guy that just walks right up to folks and reveals that I'm a shifter. If a person knows, they just know. Plus, I really didn't know how you'd react. You came here for safety and I didn't want to run you off."

"I'm in the safest place right now. With you. I'd never run away from you."

"I didn't mean to hurt you last night. We both know that I'm very attracted to you. But eight years ago you were…" He chuckled under his breath and ran his hands through his hair.

"You don't even have to say anything. I know what you're thinking. I'm too young. I was just a tween when you first saw me." She shrugged. "Well, guess what? I'm now a grown ass woman. A woman who does what she pleases and knows what she wants."

"I've learned that about you."

"I'm not bothered by any age difference. Actually, I'm quite pleased that you're not the average run of the mill playboy. I don't like playing games."

"I'm flattered that you're pleased with me," he commented.

"Tell me about what happens if we had ended up in bed with each other last night," she requested.

"I would have fucked you thoroughly."

She blushed and her sex clenched just thinking about it. "I bet. What I meant was…if we do have sex, where would that leave us?"

"I can't predict the future, but I know I want you. And not just for one night. You're wearing my mark for a reason."

"Your mark?"

He reached out and caressed the "love mark" near her collarbone. "Do you remember seeing my birthmark?"

She nodded. "Yeah, the one I thought was a tattoo at first. I couldn't make out what it was."

"All shifters have birthmarks somewhere on their body. Mine happens to be shaped like a pineapple with stems and all. I have no idea what it means, that's just what it looks like to everyone who's seen it." His gaze dropped again to her neck. "My birthmark looks just like that."

"But that's impossible."

"Shifters have certain abilities. We know when we've found our true mate when she wears our mark. Sometimes the mark isn't visible on a human mate unless she comes in close contact with her mate."

"So when we kissed…?"

"When we kissed, your birthmark revealed itself."

"That's fascinating but very surreal," she said. "Has this happened before with other couples?"

"Oh yeah. Hundreds and thousands of times before."

"So what are you saying…?"

"You and I are what they call true mates. If we come together and have sex, the process will complete itself and there's nothing that you or I can do about it. We'll be mated naturally."

"Wow, really? No dating? No marriage?"

Luke chuckled. "If you'd like to do all that stuff before we have sex and the mating occurs naturally, I'm more than willing to do that for you. We have all the time in the world."

"You're so honorable. And I like it, but I could barely contain myself when we kissed last night. I'm not exactly a saint and you knew I wanted you and you left anyway. Did you know this before last night?"

"Not entirely. I had a feeling but it was confirmed when I saw the mark on your body for the first time today. I guess I was in denial that someone so pure and beautiful could be mine."

"So, what if you're wrong? What if I'm not your mate and we ended up having sex?"

"I know I'm right, but let's just say you and I weren't mates," he said. "When a shifter has sex with someone, doesn't matter if he or she is a shifter or human, they imprint on that person. It's when a wolf's essence is transferred to his or her lover. Kind of like a chemical imbalance in the body. An adult shifter will have developed enough willpower to counteract the effects, but, in a human, it'll cause the person to have increased sexual drives that only his or her shifter lover can satisfy. If they continue to have sex, the chemical imbalance will remain. If they never have sex again, the imprint will eventually fade. There is an exception to that."

"What's that?"

"If the lovers are true mates, the imprinting will never fade. In that case, you'll find that the couple wears each other's marks. We don't even have to have sex. If you keep kissing me, eventually we will be mated naturally."

"Do you mean like this?" She leaned in closer and kissed him deeply.

Luke never got the chance to answer her because she covered his reply with her mouth. His mouth tasted just the way she remembered it and she slipped her tongue between his lips where they came together in heated bliss.

Cassie propped herself up on her knees and swung a leg over his thigh and positioned herself so that she was straddling him on the couch. Her sundress inched all the way up her thighs and she pressed her hot sex right against his thick erection. She moaned into his mouth when he grabbed her waist and pulled her closer.

Their lips parted.

"You're so beautiful," he said.

He kissed along her face and across her skin. She lifted her chin, giving him easy access to her most sensitive parts.

"You will be mine, Cassie. No matter how long it takes,” he whispered against her throat.

A hard knock at the door jolted them violently from their make out session. They'd gotten so heated in the moment that they had forgotten about the guest scheduled to arrive.

"Ah damn," Luke mumbled. He stood with her legs still wrapped around him and held her steady until her feet hit the floor.

"Well…" she exclaimed, using her fingers to comb her hair and her palms to straighten her dress.

Luke glanced at her to make sure she was decent and then said, "Ready to meet my Alpha."

"Been ready. I just hope I make a good first impression."

"You have nothing to worry about," he reassured her.

When Luke opened the door, a dark, tall figure filled the frame. The Alpha's back was turned as it looked like he was buttoning up his shirt. When he turned around, Cassie was met with smoky gray eyes and a welcoming grin. He looked so young considering that he was the Alpha.

"Good evening," the Alpha said. "I'm Dane Magnus, Alpha of the Aspen Valley Wolf Pack. It's nice to meet you, Cassie Grey."

He already knew her name?

He held out his hand to her. Cassie looked to Luke, who gave a nod of approval. She shook the Alpha's hand.

"Lovely," the Alpha said. His nose flared when his gaze landed on the mark on Cassie's neck.

Her hand went up automatically to cover it.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything," the Alpha said, giving Luke a sly wink.

Luke cleared his throat. "Come on in."

The Alpha was bare footed when he stepped into the home. He must have been putting on some clothes before he knocked on the door. She recalled Luke’s comment earlier about how it was uncomfortable to shift in their clothes, and then she realized why there was a rectangular-shaped wooden box on Luke’s front porch filled with men’s clothing.

"Dane, can I grab you a beer or anything like that?" Luke asked.

"No thanks, I'm good. I just left Roger's Inn to sort out an issue and I had a few there," the Alpha said.

They sat on the chair. Luke and Cassie on one end and the Alpha on the other.

"You're a journalist with the Aspen Valley Times, right?" the Alpha asked.

"Yes…Alpha."

"Call me Dane. I anticipate I'll be seeing a lot of you in the future," Dane said, his gaze sweeping between her and Luke. "So, I think it's best that you and I are on a first-name basis."

"I finished my intern not too long ago and I'm only about half a year into my new job."

"Must be exciting working on some of the juiciest stories of the town," he replied.

"I love it. Most of all, I just love writing."

Dane fished his wallet out of his pocket, flipped it open, and passed it to her. "That's my wife in the picture. Her name’s Trina. We've been married for less than a year."

"She's beautiful. Her skin is so flawless."

Dane grinned. "Yes. She's human, like you."

"Oh…" Cassie exclaimed. "This is all so new to me."

"I figured this much. I just want you to know that you're in good hands with Luke…and with our Pack. What's happening between you and Luke is pretty normal…in a sense."

"That's good to know. Luke has been great about not rushing things. Me, on the other hand…" She blushed.

Dane laughed. "That's normal too. The only way to get through it is to let it happen. You did tell her why she's wearing your mark, right?"

"I just did."

"Good." Dane rubbed his hands together. "Now that we've established that you're essentially part of our Pack through Luke, let's move on to the reason why I'm here. I regret that the conversation has to go this route."

"So do I, but the murders have to stop," she stated.

"Then you've anticipated what will happen when you reveal to me what you know?"

"I don't know what kind of man you are," she said.

"I'm the type of man that serves justice to those that would threaten his Pack. There are certain clues that have been held back from us all this time and now I know there is a reason for that. Luke tells me that you've connected the murders to a company here in Aspen Valley."

"Yes. They're out of business now, but yes, I did."

"When you tell me what you know, I can't promise that I'll uphold the law. The human laws, that is."

"Trust me when I say this…I'm concerned about the safety of the citizens of Aspen Valley. I don't care if they're humans or shifters. Whatever your Pack has to do to get these killers off the streets and to stop the man who threatened my life, do it."

Dane settled back in his chair. "Well then…let's begin."