and well-being.
“I’m ready to go upstairs,” she told him.
Without waiting for a response, she turned and headed back towards the stairs that would take her up and out of the basement and onto the main floor. It was a huge house, and almost everyone seemed to be home, but it was late and quiet.
“Okay, let me grab your bag.” Liam didn’t pester her like most people would, including Chris. Instead, he grabbed her stuff and followed her upstairs like this was totally normal for them – as if they’d been doing it for years. “I can take you to one of the guest rooms.”
He wasn’t assuming she’d stay in his room even though they were mates either. Zoe gritted her teeth, annoyed that he was so fucking perfect. Was there anything wrong with this guy? Or was he literally made for her?
She eyed him as he passed her at the top of the stairs. There had to be something wrong with him.
“Whatever you’re thinking about is making you angry.” Liam flashed her that aggravating, heart-stopping grin. “I’m not ignoring it or unaware of it, just so you know. I figure you’ll tell me eventually.”
Zoe followed him into an empty and uninteresting guest room. Liam placed her backpack against the wall, and then turned to face her with his arms crossed over his chest. The man was stubborn, and it looked like he was settling in to wait for all of eternity if he had to.
She sighed and looked away, tugging at the shirt she wore. It felt like she needed another shower after hiking in the forest and dealing with the new wolf.
“Do you have any plans for the rest of the night?” she asked, avoiding the topic she didn’t quite feel ready for.
“Normally Noah and I would patrol, but they took me off the rotation for now.” His head tilted and his eyes narrowed. “We did the same for the others when they found their mate. It’s easier this way.”
“Why?” Zoe went over to her backpack, pretending to ignore just how close Liam was. She could feel the heat coming off his body. He was the sun, and she was a sunflower, always looking for that bright light.
It felt pathetic.
“Until the mate bond is rejected or accepted the wolf is always distracted no matter how hard they try not to be. It’s dangerous for them, and for those relying on them until things are…settled.”
It hadn’t escaped her notice that everyone had accepted the mate bond.
“So, does anyone reject the bond?” she asked as she went through her stuff to find some clean clothes. Would he reject her at some point when she least expected it?
Why was she so fucking insecure about this?
Zoe was the one who had the commitment issues, but she knew from all her years in therapy that it wasn’t because she didn’t want to be happy and secure with someone. It was because she didn’t want to give them the chance to leave her first.
“It happens, but I don’t know anyone who has. Most broken mate bonds I know about are due to tragedy.” Liam took the clothes from her shaking hands and set them neatly on the bed. “Why are you asking about this now?”
She turned to find him frowning down at her. Her gaze was drawn to his lips and she couldn’t help but stare at them. They looked so soft and sweet.
Zoe forced her eyes up to his.
It was all she could do to shrug one shoulder and act as nonchalant as possible. “I guess I was just trying to calculate the likelihood that it would happen to us.”
Some of that spark of life in those dark blue eyes disappeared. Liam shook his head and stood, offering her his hand. “If anyone is going to reject the mate bond, it’s going to be you.”
Zoe was so shocked she stumbled into him when he yanked her to her feet. “What?”
Liam’s one sassy eyebrow mocked her.
“How can you be so sure it’s not going to be you?” she demanded, pushing off of him. Zoe was so flustered she stumbled on her backpack and he caught her again.
“I’d say you’re not ready to hear that, but you don’t like me assuming things.” Liam slid his palm along her jaw until he was holding her face. His eyes softened and he looked down at her with such tenderness Zoe could barely process it.
He barely knew her. How the fuck could he feel so strongly?
“Just like magic, emotions