Spectrum (Stone Society #14) - Faith Gibson Page 0,27
Don’t get me wrong, I love my mom, but she was more concerned with finding a husband than a good father figure.” Stella shrugged and took a bite of cornbread.
Zeke decide now was as good a time as any to test the waters. “Yes, Cyrus is like me, and no, you weren’t dreaming. Everything I told you was the truth. I didn’t know you could hear me, so I thought I would practice what I wanted to tell you.”
Stella held out the tray her food was on, and Zeke took it, placing it on the coffee table. “So both of you are these shapeshifters? What exactly do you turn into?”
Zeke had been sitting in the recliner next to the sofa in case Stella needed help. He knelt in front of her. “Do you remember what I said about meeting our mates? How that was the catalyst for shifting the first time?” Stella nodded. “Cyrus hasn’t met his mate yet. It’s why I went to visit him. When I told your mom I was a consultant, it wasn’t the truth. I am what is called a watcher. Me, my brother Sam, his daughter Sophia, and my niece Tessa, the four of us were tasked with watching over my siblings who had yet to transition. Our father knew what prompted the initial shift, and that was coming in contact with our mate. Cyrus is the last sibling who has yet to transition, and I went to meet him so he didn’t go through what some of the others have.
“Not aware there is a shifter inside you, then all of a sudden you become this thing you don’t understand… It’s alarming to say the least. I knew what our family was, so it didn’t surprise me when I shifted. But our father sent us out to help after the fact, not before. I didn’t want that for Cyrus.”
“If he’s the last one, then you’ve already met your mate?” Stella paled, and Zeke prayed she wouldn’t pull away from him. He took her hands in his and kissed her knuckles.
“You are my mate. I just didn’t know it until I met you in the airport.”
“So you hadn’t shifted until we met last week?”
Zeke didn’t want to lie to her. He couldn’t lie. “Not exactly. Once our Gargoyle surfaces, we stop aging. I’m actually older than Cyrus by four years.” Stella looked between the two brothers, her forehead wrinkling.
“But we just met… No. No, no, no. Please don’t tell me you’re my mother’s Ezekiel.”
“No, I am your Ezekiel. But yes, I met you when you were a toddler.”
“Oh, Bast. You didn’t… you and her, did you…?” Stella placed a hand over her mouth.
“No! No, we were never together like that. Stella, I didn’t date a lot, but once I transitioned, I never, I mean, it didn’t feel…” Zeke blew out a breath. “I haven’t been with anyone since before I transitioned.”
“Really?” Stella searched his eyes, and Zeke tried to smile. It was a long time to go without sex. Even though he didn’t know what caused his beast to come forth, Zeke never felt the urge to find a female. Not until Stella.
“Really. I don’t know why the fates made me wait all these years for you, why they put you in my path when you were so young. There are others who have dealt with the same thing – meeting their mate only not knowing who they are. I’m praying the gods will intervene with them the way they did for me. Knowing you have a mate yet not knowing who they are is a pain I don’t wish on anyone. Once we find our mate, there is no other for us. You were designed especially for me. If you decide you want to be my mate, you will never want another if you accept the mate bond.”
“What happens if I don’t accept the bond?”
“You will be free to date whomever you want.” It pained Zeke to admit those words.
“And will you be free as well?”
“No. My heart and soul belonged to you the moment we met, and that will never change.”
Chapter Seven
Stella had no intention of dating anyone else, but she had to ask. Knowing Zeke would never have anyone other than her, even if she refused the bond, hurt her heart for him and all the others of his kind. It shouldn’t have been so easy to believe what he was telling her, but Stella had always considered there were other beings