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Pain sliced through me. “Yes. It hurt like hell.”

“Then maybe this is a good thing? Maybe it’s a way to start fresh.” He climbed off the bed. “I’ll let you mull that over, and I’m gonna go check on my girl. I can hear her singing in her workroom. You know I love it when she does that.” He winked and walked through the door, heading down to be close to Else.

If there was ever proof of how strong the mating bond was, all I had to do was look at Stan. He’d stayed by Else’s side for over fifty years.

I shoved back the covers and strode to the shower. The mating bond was a powerful thing. Maybe this could work. Maybe all hope wasn’t lost. I wanted him still, I cared about him a lot. That was a good start, right? I didn’t want to live my life without my mate, and I didn’t want Ren to either, to suffer because of what I did. I had to at least try.

Asking Ren if he wanted to try to make this thing between us work wasn’t something you did over the phone, but when I came by the funeral home, there’d been a whole lot of cars parked out front. Someone was having a viewing or a service, which meant Ren would be busy.

I’d gone back to the house, and with no missing souls to hunt, I’d had the whole day to think about what I’d say when I saw Ren. I still wasn’t sure how to approach this. The only thing I could do was just lay it all out and see what he thought, but the nerves in my belly were off the charts.

When I finally walked back to his place, it was getting dark. He would’ve finished work a few hours ago. I’d wanted to come sooner, but Aunt Daisy needed some help at the cemetery harvesting.

My nerves were insane by the time I knocked on Ren’s door, but nothing but silence came from inside. I walked back up the stairs.

“Looking for Ren?” Mr. Macanroy was walking out of the funeral home. He was tall and lean with the same russet-colored hair as Ren.

“I am, yeah. Do you know when he’ll be back?”

He slid his hands in his pockets. “He went for a run a while ago, but I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll come back.”

“I was actually hoping I’d see you, Jasmine,” he said, stopping me. “I’ve been wanting to thank you for what you’ve been doing for Ren. He’s changed so much…we’re seeing glimpses, more than glimpses of our boy, the way he was before…” His amber eyes, so like Ren’s, softened. “Just seeing him smile again…thank you, Jasmine.”

“I’m glad I could help, but it wasn’t just me. He did the work.”

He pressed a key into my hand. “Go in and wait for him. He won’t mind.”

“No, I shouldn’t—”

“It’s fine.” He gave my hand a squeeze and left.

I stood there for a minute, not sure what to do, but then a fat, cold raindrop landed on my cheek, then another and another, then the sky opened up. I ran down the stairs to his front door, unlocked it, and rushed inside.

Ren’s scent filled the space, and I unconsciously breathed deep. I loved the way he smelled. It instantly made me think about him pressed against me, his weight, the sounds he’d made. I shivered. It’d been good, really good. Who was I kidding, it was amazing. I had no idea it’d be like that, that connection, that chemistry. That had to count for something, right?

I walked deeper into the living room and stood there, not sure what to do with myself. Yes, I’d been here a lot lately, but I didn’t want to invade his privacy. In the end, I sat on the couch.

I tried to busy myself by flicking through Nightscape, but I hadn’t slept after Ren left my room the night before, and as hard as I tried to stay awake, it didn’t take long for the tiredness to take over. I resisted, but something about being here, and Ren’s scent, being around his things, had me struggling to keep my eyes open.

I startled awake when something cold hit my arm.

I looked up.

Ren stood over me, hair wet, water dripping down his bare chest. He was wearing jeans that he must have just pulled on because they were dry, unlike the rest of him. He stared down at me, his chest heaving.

“You’re, ah…your dad let me in,” I said, suddenly feeling awkward and shy.

“I see that,” he said, glancing at the key on the coffee table.

“I was going to wait outside, but then it, uh…” My gaze dipped without my say-so, taking in his wet, bare chest, and for some reason seeing all the sigils on him, the ones I’d tattooed on his skin, had my skin flushing hot. “Started raining.”

“You can come here whenever you want, Jaz.” His gaze moved over me, and his nostrils flared. “My mate can come and go as she pleases.”

My mouth went dry. The way he was looking at me, the intensity, was something I’d never seen before. He looked wild, on edge, like he was holding himself back.

“We’re not mated yet,” I said, and it came out a husky whisper.