“Finley, are you insane?”

Finley had met her after class the next day. The time away from her, especially over night was grating on him.

“Not really. We’ll be downtown. Your parents can meet me on neutral ground.”

“I’d have to get them there. Do you know a good kidnapper?”

“No, but I’m sure I could contact some security that would do the trick.”

They were walking to the café to chat before Fin’s class. Finley was holding her hand making sure he wasn’t squeezing it too hard because his emotions were running high.

After he got his mom on the housing hunt, his brain had shifted into overdrive. The overwhelming feeling of being out of control was making him, and his bear, crazy. He’d spent the night thinking about chartering a plane and flying them to Vegas to get her to marry him. Her parents would have to accept him then.

He thought about knocking on her door and making a grand declaration of his love for her. Although, that played out in his head as a little too romantic-comedy of a gesture and probably wouldn’t work on her parents.

All of his plans were based on his actions, when really it was Zara that needed to choose to be with him.

“Fine, let me come meet them. Just a quick pop by. Let’s go see a movie tonight and I’ll pick you up.”

“So you can get a face full of frowns? Because that’s how they will react. My mother is already trying to set me up again just knowing you exist.”

Finley stopped in his tracks. “Set you up?” He didn’t want to sound angry, but fuck it. She told him that she explained to her mom that she was seeing him and that was her decision. Her mom trying to lure her away with other men made his bear want to tear something apart.

Zara’s eyes got big. “Fin, your bear,” she whispered.

Finley knew his bear was close to the surface, but he was going to have to fight to push him back.

“She’s just that way. She thinks an Indian man would be better for me. She’s wrong, Fin. I know that. But it’s not going to stop her from doing what she thinks is best for me. Any parent would do the same.”

Fin wanted to argue that, but he knew his mother would kill for her cubs even if they were grown.

“You are mine,” he growled.

Zara smiled when she should have frowned. “Don’t get all grumpy bear on me. I’m not denying that. I’m ignoring her matchmaking like I always have. It’s fine.”

Finley turned and kept walking. Pushing his animal back down while they were alone. He didn’t need his eyes glowing in the café.

Opening the door for her they walked up and ordered at the counter.

When their drinks came they sat in silence, sipping for a moment.

Fin got distracted by the amazing aroma coming from her cup. Reaching across before she could take a sip, he brought it to his nose.

“You could have just asked, I’d be happy to share,” she said with a smile.

“No, it’s the scent. I remember it from the first time I saw you in class. I couldn’t figure out what smelled so amazing.”

“I’m not surprised that I smell like Chai. I drink it pretty often.”

Fin shook his head. “It’s not a surface scent. It’s you, sweet and spicy, it fills my senses.”

“I’m glad it was the tea and not something else,” she said taking her cup back.

He took a deep breath, controlling his animal. His spicy mate made him want to pull her across the table and kiss the hell out of her.

“Back to your mother the matchmaker.”

“I already told you. I’m going to ignore her like I always do, Fin. Well, I don’t ignore her. I listen to her then decide whether to agree. I’m here. I’m with you. I don’t know what else I can do to assure you about my feelings.”

Fin ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it. It was frustrating to even have to engage in this conversation. He didn’t doubt his mate’s affections, but to the outsider it would sound that way. He knew that she’d chosen him. He was made for her. But there were forces trying to keep them apart, and that made him want to stake his claim.

“You could bond with me,” he said and knew by the grate in his voice it was more his bear speaking than him.

“Bond? More than being… mates?” she said this last word on a whisper, her eyes darting around the café.

There were only two other students in the room and both had earphones on and were staring at their laptops.

“There’s something I haven’t told you about being with me.”

Zara raised her eyebrow at him and waited, sipping her drink much too calmly. It put him on edge and made him nervous to tell her the truth.

“No lies, Fin.”

“I would never lie and I haven’t. I’ve just kept somethings back until I needed to share them. Like bonding.”

“Which entails?”

“Me biting you and introducing my DNA into your system. Changing you so you are more compatible to have our children. Also, that you will age more slowly, like I do.” He realized he said that all in one breath and rushed the explanation. Her response wasn’t unexpected.

Zara slowly put her cup down and stared at him. He couldn’t quite get a read on her emotions.

“Zara? It’s not really as bad as it sounds. The bite really isn’t bad. It’s supposed to be good since we do it when we’re together,” he said, throwing up air quotes.

She still didn’t say anything.

“It’s the final step to being bonded mates. It’s forever. I mean, it is before that, but once we are bonded we will literally be a part of each other. I’ll have your blood and you will have part of me. Our children will have both their parents for a long time. Some couples have different experiences. Some in my clan can hear each other’s thoughts. Some say they can feel what their mates are feeling. It’s closer than just being together by choice.”

Zara’s eyes squinted a little, but still he got nothing from her.

“You’re killing me, baby. Give me something.”

She took a deep breath before she started, “Sorry, I had to try and process all of that. I’m not sure I did actually. So what you are saying is that I would become an animal hybrid simply by fluid transfer?”

“I guess, yes.”

“That is freaking amazing! How does it work? Has anyone studied it at the molecular level at which the DNA strains change? Is it instantaneous or does it take time? What about disease resistance or physical alterations to speed, vision, or agility?”

“That’s it? You want to know the science of it. You aren’t worried it’s weird or you won’t be the same person. Just how it actually works?”

Zara gave a shrug. “Although almost every bite from a human becomes infected, I’m not worried about that because you aren’t altogether human. But altering DNA is fascinating!”

Finley started chuckling then he couldn’t hold back the bark of laughter that had him throwing his head back to stare into the heavens that gave him such a mate.