Page 8 of Rehabilitated

“What do I smell like?” she asks, looking slightly horrified.

“Like peaches and cream. Like heaven. It’s amazing.”

“Couldn’t that just be my soap or something? What if you smell someone who uses the same products, and⁠—”

“It’s not that. It’s you. No one else will ever smell like you to me,” I promise her.

She nods, looking slightly skeptical, slightly lost. When her stomach growls, I know it’s time to take a break and let her process everything.

“I’ll go grab you something to eat. Be right back.”

I take the stairs down to the kitchen, pulling out my phone and dialing Ansel as I open the fridge and root around for something to make for my mate.

“Hey, how’s your mate?” Ansel asks, answering on the second ring.

“Good. Awake. Confused.”

“She doesn’t know what happened?”

“She does. It was her adoptive parents. They’ve been abusing her for years. Maybe her whole life.”

“Motherfuckers,” he snarls.

“Couldn’t agree more. She’s got so many bruises and old scars, man.”

“Well, they’re not chasing her. Not yet, anyway. There’s been no sign or scent of anyone new around town. We followed your mate’s trail back as far as we could, but it disappeared a few miles south of the Night Grove Falls land.”

“Good. Keep an eye out, will you?”

“Of course,” he agrees. “The whole pack knows. If anyone sketchy steps foot in this town, you’ll know.”

“Thanks, brother.”

“Always. You guys need anything else?”

“I… I’m trying to explain shifters to her,” I whisper, staring up at the ceiling.

“Explain shifters? Why?”

“She doesn’t know she’s a bear shifter.”

“How is that possible?”

“She was adopted. She’s never shifted. I don’t know.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah.”

“How’s that talk going?”

“Good. I think?” I sigh. “It’s got to be a lot.”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Well, just tell her the important parts. You have forever to fill in all the little details.”

“That’s true.”

“So, tell her about shifters, fated mates, the mating heat, marking. Shift for her, if you don’t think that will scare the shit out of her. Then let her think it over and come to you with questions.”