"Astraeya, she ran because you told her I retired. Unlock the fucking door so I can get to my mate," I snarled, not caring now what was on MSA's tapes for them to review. It would be fine. Sunny was attached. I just needed three seconds to make everything clear to her.

"She ran?"

"Astraeya, the door!" I yelled. There was a moment of quiet, and I tried to find calm when all I wanted to do was take an axe to the cottage. "I didn't get a chance to tell her, Astraeya. Please. Open the door."

Another beat of quiet. "Okay, I'm just pulling up the controls. Invite me to the wedding and tell Sunny to toss the bouquet my way."

I snorted, but the lock clicked directly and I wasn't going to waste another second. I threw the door open and bolted down the drive through the woods.

The smell of exhaust was still in the air, Sunny's tail lights visible in the distance. I would catch her. There was only so fast you could go on a drive this bumpy. But even knowing so didn't stop the worry racing through me. That I'd just miss her. That I'd never hunt her down in the city.

No. I would. Astraeya would give me her information, or I would sniff every door in Chicago until I found her.

The tail lights grew brighter as she braked around a curve and I ran harder, breath sawing in and out of me, muscles burning. The sun would set soon, the woods bright and glowing. I was shirtless in the autumn chill, chasing down a car like a dog. I was chasing down my mate.

And I would catch her. My claws were out, biting into the heels of my palms, and the air stung in my lungs as I pushed myself harder.

The tail lights brightened again, and I'd closed some of the distance. Could she see me in her rearview mirror? A feral orc barreling down a dirt road after her. Hunting her?

She would love it.

I grinned at the thought and the sight of the brake lights remaining on. She was slowing down.

She was stopping.

I let out a long growl as Sunny stepped out of the driver's side of her car, engine still running, her hands on her hips. I didn't slow my charge.

"What are you doing?!" she cried, her eyes growing huge as she realized as I was racing closer, not slowing at all. "Khell! We can't just keep—"

She didn't scream as I caught her up in my arms again, but her breath caught in her chest and she stiffened as I slammed her door shut.

"I retired because I met my mate," I said, holding those lovely warm eyes of hers. I was hard again, determined for what came next.

"Your mate?" Sunny repeated, and I growled at the first glimmer of heartbreak in her gaze.