I had no idea what to think about Xander. One moment he nearly sounded as though he actually might have feelings for me, while other times it was as if I was almost a burden. Both ideas confused the hell out of me. He was my friend. Neither of us had ever thought of the other in any romantic way, or at least I didn’t think we did.

Before I could dive into the mixed and tumultuous emotions Xander gave me, Brandi spoke up. “So, ready to go meet the pack?”

Captain Young coughed. “You are still on shift…” she let out a low growl in his direction.

Before either of them could do or say anything, Ginger spoke up. “How about I take her out to get a few more things?” A few more things? Like what? Didn’t we just finish shopping? I shot her a confused glance. My eyes followed her pointed gaze to my feet. Both of which were still bare.

“Fine,” the werewolf huffed. To my surprise, the captain looked almost happy to see the werewolf all huffy. “Just meet me at the Adventurer Guild and we can head over.”

Captain Young gestured for Brandi to lead the way as they started down the hall. I turned to Ginger only to spin right back around. Her shirt was lifted past her belly as Pendragon’s hand reached under it. My hands balled up in the fur of my tail as I squeaked out, “I will just….go this way,” before I took off in a random direction in a fast jog.

I would have moved faster if not for my tail. With the thing curled around me and in my hands, I was forced to walk rather than run like I wanted. “Kyren?!” Ginger called from behind me. She sounded a bit out of breath.

I didn’t turn around as I spoke, “You both need some time to yourselves. While I thank you for the help, I will find my way from here.”

“Would you let me go, you big oaf!” Her voice sounded annoyed. Thankfully I was fairly sure her feelings were not directed at me. “Kyren, wait up.” Given that she would catch up to me eventually, I gripped my tail tight enough that my nails dug into the fleshy center as I slowly turned to face her.

While the beast of a man had let the foxy lady go, it was for show. I don’t know how he did it but I could have sworn that there was barely enough room between their bodies for a piece of paper, yet he didn’t touch her. Ginger, annoyed, spun around and pointed into his face. “Stop it. I told you we will talk tonight. Now go do whatever it is you do until then.”

“I took time off the moment I heard you were in town,” he said with a wide grin.

“And I have been in the city for a few days. Where have you been?”

“Waiting for you to come find me first.”

“And here I am, now go away.”

“Nope.” He looked like he moved closer to her. Given how close they had been, I had no clue how that was possible. “Not now that I have you here.”

“You won't have a pair of balls for much longer if you don’t BACK OFF!” Ginger’s growl was deep and had me scrambling to protect my lower half. As soon as my hands reached my crotch and felt the emptiness, I burned in embarrassment as I recalled the lack of equipment.

“Fine,” he huffed out a small ring of what looked like smoke into her face. “I will go wait for you both outside the structure as you talk about whatever it is you don’t want me privy to.” Pendragon kissed her forehead before he pivoted and took off at a jog that ate up the ground. His speed reminded me just how slow I was compared to every one of these people.

She turned to face me and held her hand out for me. “What is this?” I asked as I reached out to take whatever she wanted to give me.

“Your ball.” Ginger’s voice was a bit reproachful as she tsked before she continued. “You need to be more careful with this thing. Xander said that you left it in his bathroom when you got changed.”

My eyes widened as I cupped the cursed thing. I hadn't even realized it was gone. That was not a good thing. Not with how much power it gave to someone. “Where can I put this damned thing so I don’t lose it?” I whined, more to myself than anyone else.

To my surprise, she answered. “There are a few options. Some of which are better than others.”

“Like what?”

“Spatial bags.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Do I want to know how much one of those costs?”

“Not really,” she waved off the idea. “Maybe we could talk to a jeweler about some sort of pendant or something. Something that you can wear no matter what.”

At first, I was excited at the prospect of getting some sort of ring or necklace that might be enchanted, but then I realized I was too poor to buy my own clothes, how would I ever pay for such equipment? “And how am I going to pay for that? While I know I need it, I doubt my meager wallet can handle paying for food, a room, let alone a piece of custom jewelry.”

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She held up a shimmery silver coin for me to see. “In case he didn’t have time to give you this himself, Xander gave this to me when he handed me the orb. Then again, knowing my brother, he would have just forgotten.”

“What is a silver coin going to do?” Hell, I had a number of them in my inventory.

“Not silver, platinum. It should be enough to pay for some of what you need, at least until you are able to do so yourself.”

I felt overwhelmed at the thought of Xander giving Ginger something so valuable to help me. Distracted as she was with her rambling, I lowered my head and wiped the tears from them. Thankfully she didn’t notice. Hell, she didn’t stop speaking until I interrupted her. “Let's get everything I need so that you can meet your man.”

Ginger stomped her feet as she declared, “He isn’t my man.” If he wasn’t her man then why in the hell was he all over her? Why did she let him? She didn’t look like she was pushing him away. Ginger spun and led me in another direction. Oddly enough, it wasn’t the way not her man had gone another way. I almost wondered if that was on purpose.

“Then why?” I asked when I caught up to her.

“Why what?” She was being purposefully obtuse. Ginger knew exactly what I was asking about.

With a roll of my eyes and a soft wack of my tail against hers, I clarified the question. “Why does he think you are his? Why is he so clingy?”

“He is…” she groaned and pushed her hands into her eyes. “He thinks he is my mate.”

My footsteps faltered as I tried to wrap my mind around what she just said. “Your mate?” I was skeptical. I mean, how would one have a mate and not know about it? Didn’t you have to do something to become mates? Had she done something and simply forgotten?

“Yes,” she stopped walking and leaned her head against the wall where she lightly thumped it against the surface. “Apparently those with dragon blood have a destined mate out there. He thinks I am his.”

I let out a laugh at the absurdity of the thought. I mean, who would be putting people together that had never met? What if they hated each other? Were they stuck or could they refuse? “What about you?”

“I don’t know.” Her voice was soft as her head came to rest against the wall. “He is just so attentive and loving. I don’t know who thought that I deserved such a guy. There has to be a girl out there that is perfect for him. Someone who isn’t so….me.”

She didn’t resist as my hands reached out on their own to pull her into a hug. Ginger’s body relaxed with her head against my shoulder as I spoke. “Everyone deserves happiness. But if it makes you feel better, I am sure that, if you ask, he would be willing to take it slow. To allow you both to get to know each other before you take the plunge.”

“But what if he doesn’t want to take it slow?”

“Then is he really worth your time?” I asked, “Which begs the question, how does one reject their mate if they don’t work out?”

“I don’t know.” Ginger sounded a bit annoyed at the fact. “I need to find out, just in case.”

“Just don’t do anything stupid until you give him a chance.” I let her go enough that I could get a decent look at her face. There were faint lines where a tear or two had trailed.

Ginger smiled lightly as she pulled back. She didn’t let my hand go as she pulled me along behind her. “Come on, we have some shopping to do.” It wasn’t much farther down the hall that we came to an open door. Through which I could see the city lit up. My gaze took in the city and the people that moved about as we stepped into the space around the structure. Ginger’s sudden stiffness told me that Pendragon had found us.

“I told you I wouldn’t let you go, no matter what you try.” His words, while directed at Ginger, made even me feel something stir deep inside.

Before he could reach out to touch her, I stepped between them. “Woah, down boy. At least ask her if she wants this or not.”

His look told me that he thought it was cute that I thought I could stop him but Ginger’s words caught him off guard. “Pendragon, while I do not know if you are the one I want to be bonded to, I am willing to give you a chance.” The man’s smile grew as he moved to push me out of the way to get to his girl. “But, I want to take it slow. Frankly, we barely know each other. I don’t want how you make me feel to be the basis of what our relationship is built upon.”

He actually stopped and looked to be in deep thought. His hand dropped to his side as he nodded. “No, you are right. I have been pushing us a bit fast. Maybe out of jealousy for the others I see happily mated.”

“They are a bit sickeningly sweet, aren’t they.” She chuckled. With his agreement, I took a step back so the two could talk face to face.

“Yes, they are.” He agreed. “While I want that, I don’t want to taint it by forcing my feelings upon you. So, how about I treat you to dinner tonight?”

“I would like that.” Her smile was wide and looked like it lacked the tension I hadn't realized she had been carrying this whole time. “But first, I need to take Kyren to get a few things.”

“Oh, don’t let me hold you two up,” I interjected. “Just tell me where to go and I can get what I need.”

“My brother made me promise.”

“If you made the promise then who am I to argue?” Pendragon asked. “Where are we going first?”

“I was thinking of going to Earth’s Bounty. What do you think?”

Pendragon whistled as he reached out for her hand. Ginger let him take it. “Going for the best off the back? Just what are you looking to get?”

For a second there I thought Ginger would tell him about my orb. Thankfully she didn’t. “Something to hold Kyrens SoulStone gift.”

“And I am guessing this object is something she needs to keep on hand no matter what?” Pendragon shot me a look as the two of them took the lead. “What race are you again?”

While I didn’t answer him, Ginger did. “I wouldn’t get any ideas, she is a Kitsune. The legends for their kind rival those of dragons.”

He waved off her concern. “And is Kai your mate?”

“Um…no,” my tone was more of a question than a statement. “Or at least I don’t think he is. How does one know if someone is your mate or not?”

“Their smell.” Was his immediate answer. “If you are near your mate, you will smell the most delicious smell possible. You will find that you want to roll in it, to surround yourself with it, until it is all you can smell.” For some reason, my mind flit back to the hazy memories of my fight with the demon. There had been something that smelled utterly perfect in that place. While I had chalked it up to the enhanced senses and ignored it, I now found that I missed it.

But who would have been there that smelled so good? Was it someone who was supposed to be my mate or was it just me looking for something in nothing? Would I ever know? And what about Xander? What would happen to him if I found my mate? Would he accept the guy or would he challenge him? What if I chose to pursue Xander or someone else? Would my mate accept my rejection of him?

So many questions yet not a single answer. It was almost enough to cause me to run away and hide until things resolved on their own.