I want to put her in my bed, but I know that’s not the right move, yet. So, I take her to the living room and lay her on the sofa. She’s so tiny, she can’t be much more than five feet tall, her long chestnut hair hangs almost to the floor. I pick it up and smooth it down her side. I felt her curves against me when I held her, wide hips, small waist, soft belly, and full breasts. Her face is flawless with tiny, light brown freckles dotting her high cheeks and small pert nose. Her lips are a full dusky pink, slightly parted as she breathes. I know when she opens her eyes they’ll be a honeyed amber framed by long dark lashes. She’s breathtaking. It kills me that I could have lost her. God, I hope I haven’t.

I sit next to her hip on the couch. I need to touch her, to make sure she’s real, she’s here. I don’t want to explain myself to Cass, but she knows him, possibly trusts him. Maybe he’ll help me explain it to her.

Stroking her lovely face, I tell him, “This might be hard for you to believe, but everything I’m going to tell you is true. Michael is the only other person that knows. I met my Mate five years ago, almost exactly five years ago.”

Cass’s brow is drawn in confusion, head tilted to the side, he utters, “I don’t understand. You met Sophia... five years ago?”

“Yes, I did. Has she told you how old she is, Cass?”

He takes a few seconds to think. “Yeah, she said Saturday was her birthday, she turned nineteen.”

“Do you understand what that means, Casper? She was only fourteen when we found each other, fourteen, still a child. She hadn’t even shifted yet. I don’t understand how I knew she was my mate. I’d never heard, shit, I still haven’t heard of a Mate being found before their first shift. Michael and I have scrubbed every text we can find and nothing, no mention of underage Mates...ever.”

He shakes his head in disbelief. “Holy shit man, that’s crazy.”

I run my fingers through my hair. “Believe me, I know! I followed her and her parents’ home that night. Found out everything I could about them. Her dad was a local doctor, her mom stayed at home with her or worked with her husband at his practice. They had lived in the same town, same house for thirteen years. She was loved and well taken care of. So I did what I thought was right. I came home and waited. I waited three years before going back. I know now that was wrong. At the time, I just wanted her to grow up, have time with her parents. I was afraid if I saw her again I’d make her parents bring her here, where she would constantly wait to shift so I could claim her. That would probably scare a child. I wanted her to be old enough to understand. I thought I was doing the right thing giving her time.”