"Are you...are you a...panther?" she asked, but her eyes widened when he bared his fangs at her. Drake felt bad for scaring her, but she needed to understand he was no panther. He was a bear, and bears were the strongest shifters out there as far as he was concerned. "I know about shifters, Drake. Don't lie to me."

"I am not," he snapped. How dare she think he was like those Shaw cats. "Those panthers are nothing like me."

"What are you?" she asked. Drake could see the wonder and questions in her eyes as she reached up to touch his face. Her touch was like an angel itself was consoling him, and his bear bucked inside when it scented honeysuckle on her skin. He had the sudden urge to taste her. "Your eyes..."

"Fuck," he growled, turning his head so she couldn't see his eyes.

"Don't hide from me," she whispered, turning his face when he started to look away. "I'm not oblivious, Drake. I know you are some sort of shifter. What are you?"

"My beast is present," Drake admitted, unsure of how much he should tell his human mate. Was she going to out him to the humans? Would she run away from him?

"Beast?" she gasped and jerked away. "What type of beast are you?"

"Drake?" Rex called out as he approached. Drake growled low in his throat at another male coming toward his mate. She wasn't marked by him, and that alone set his bear on edge. "What's going on? Is she your mate?"

"That's close enough," Drake warned, holding his hand out to stop his brother.

"Is she your mate?" Gunner repeated Rex's question, but his voice was laced with a sliver of hope.

"Mate? Why do you keep calling me that?" Tessa asked, narrowing her eyes on Drake. She placed her hands on her hips and waited for him to answer. She had sass, and he liked it.

"He's a bear shifter. And when he touched you, his beast claimed you for his own," Gunner, the youngest, yelled. Drake turned slowly, his eyes flashing gold as he watched his brother shrug. "I did it for you since you wouldn't tell her."

"A bear?" she chuckled, making Drake turn his head back in her direction. "Really?"

"Yes, really," he replied, gritting his teeth. The cat was out of the bag, so to speak, so he was left with being honest with her, hoping she wouldn't tell the other humans. "We are all bears, and this is our den. Humans aren't allowed here, but apparently, you're my mate. Our nature tells us when we touch the one we are destined to be with for eternity." If she knew how they mated, she'd probably deny him and run away screaming...maybe even run to the police.

"I don't think so," she scoffed, shaking her head. "Did that once...never happening again."

"You had a mate?" Drake asked. His beast was clawing at his skin to be set free. The bear inside him wanted to show her the shift. He wanted Tessa to forget all about her other mate.

"Well, a husband," she frowned. "I divorced him and ran far away from him. That's why I'm here in Olive Branch."

"You're hiding from your human?" Gunner asked with a frown.

"He's not my human anymore." She sighed dramatically. "Look, I didn't mean to come on your land again and upset you, and I won't tell anyone about you being a shifter, because it is none of my business. I need to be going."

"Why are you hiding from this human?" Drake growled, his eyes focused on her face. He needed to know more.

"Ahh, I really don't want to talk to you about this," she said, taking a step away. Drake's head tilted to the side when he heard her stomach rumble.

"You're hungry," he grunted. "I'll feed you before you leave. Come inside."

"Wow, you like telling me what to do, huh?"

"I do, and you will listen," he ordered, holding out his hand for the female to go ahead of him and enter the house. His two brothers turned and walked away first. Rex was the first one to reach the door, waiting for Drake and Tessa to follow. Gunner disappeared inside.

"You're a stranger to me," she scoffed. "I'm not going inside that house."

"Tulley can assure you I am not a threat to a female," Drake said, dropping his hand to his side. He reached into his back pocket and removed his phone, offering it to her. "You can call him if you'd like."

Tessa stared at the phone and raised her eyes to Drake. It was obvious she had trust issues as well. He stepped back when Tessa pushed away his phone. "Tulley already assured me you were an honest and fair man."

"I've known Tulley for many years," Drake explained. "Won't you join us for dinner?"

"I will stay for dinner, but then I must be going," she resigned, crossing her arms.

"Thank you," Drake said, holding out his hand for her to go first up the stairs to the porch.

The little hitch of breath she released when she walked inside made Drake's chest swell with pride. His home was made for his and his brothers' mates. The log cabin was much more grandiose inside with a large kitchen and living room. There were three hallways off the living room, and beyond those were each brother's rooms. The hallways had their own exits, but the rest of the bedrooms were hidden in the ground behind the main home for protection and the winter months when it was time to hibernate.

"This is beautiful," she sighed, placing her hand on her chest. She paused and inhaled deep, "What's that smell?"

"Beef stew," Drake said after clearing his throat. She was his mate, and if she didn't like it, he'd toss it out and make something she'd enjoy. "Do you not like it?"

"I'm not picky." She frowned, and Drake felt the sadness rolling off of her. "I'll eat anything."

"What's wrong?" he growled, immediately on the defensive.

"I haven't had a home cooked meal in a very long time," she admitted.

"Do you not cook?" he questioned as he brothers started filling bowls from the huge pot on the stove.

"I can, but since I work two jobs, I don't have time for more than what I can grab at the diner during my shift, and when I get home for the night, I just want to rest." She paused to shake her head as if she was expelling a bad memory. "I appreciate your hospitality, but after I eat, I must go."

She was his mate. There was no way he could let her go now. She needed to be marked so no other male would come around her.

"Promise me you'll let me show you something before you leave?" he asked, but his eyes were pleading with the female.

"I guess," she shrugged.

"Come eat," he said, without so much demand that time.

"See, you can be nice," she teased and took a seat at the kitchen table. Drake took a bowl from Rex and set it in front of Tessa with a spoon.

"I can be," he winked. "What would you like to drink?"

"Water is fine," she blushed. Drake froze behind her when he returned from getting her a glass of water. The sight of his mate sitting there with her back straight, hands on her lap, sent a thrill through his veins. Long blonde hair cascaded down her back in waves, touching her waist. She was full of sass, but something about her posture told him she was a bit submissive.

"You may eat," he whispered as he touched her shoulder. He felt a small shiver roll through her body, and he knew she felt the power of their connection too. She nodded, picked up the spoon that rested next to the bowl, and took her first bite. Drake's cock hardened when she moaned aloud.

"This is delicious," she gushed, taking two more bites before looking up at him. Her big blue eyes were glassy as if she were about to cry. "Thank you."

"What's wrong?" he growled, dropping to his knees next to her.

"I'm sorry." Tessa waved her hand in front of her face to dry the tears. "I don't know why I'm so emotional. Please forgive me, I must go."

Tessa began to stand, but Drake put his hand on her shoulder again, carefully pushing her back down into the seat. "You will eat a full meal before you leave our home. There will be no arguments."

"Um, okay," she stammered, turning back in her seat to continue eating. "Are you going to eat, too?"

"Our females eat first," he admitted, finally taking a seat next to her.

"That's very nice of you," she said, and smiled. "So, is that a bear thing?"

Drake's lip lifted into a smile and her eyes darkened with heat when he laughed. "It is. We cherish our mates."

"And I'm your mate?" she asked, a soft blush painting her cheeks.

"My bear has claimed you," he stated. "We are ruled by the animals that live inside us, and our world is different from the humans. They're ungrateful for the things they have and the people who love them."

"And you don't like humans?" she continued questioning, and took another bite of food. He didn't know what to think of the female. She was docile, but inquisitive. Tessa Ward was beautiful.

"We live a solitary life here, and we don't care for humans to know our secret." He paused to shake his head. Why the fuck was he telling her this?

"Oh, I won't tell a soul," she promised, holding up her hand as if to stop him from speaking. "I understand the need for secrecy, believe me. Plus, having a home like this would be the perfect place to escape. You're so far out from society."

"Do you like my home?" he asked, feeling hopeful he could convince her to stay tonight...and the next.

"It is everything I ever wanted in a home if I was able to build it myself." She sighed as she glanced around the living room. "It's perfect, and you have done an amazing job with it."

Drake's hand latched onto her wrist, and Tessa gasped when he pulled her out of the chair. She didn't struggle as his lips crashed down on hers. This woman was his mate, and he'd do anything to keep her...even if she was a human.