to get it off his chest, did she agree to listen to such nonsense. “Tell me.”
He let out a long exhale. “After my brother was born, my parents wanted to have another child, only my mother was unable to conceive for some reason.”
He’d told her that much before. “Are you adopted then?” That wouldn’t matter in the least.
“No. My mother decided to try fertility drugs. The problem was that my parents couldn’t afford to buy them at a local clinic, so my father found them on the black market.”
She moved a little closer and placed a hand on his thigh, hoping to bring him some comfort. From the strain in his voice, telling the story was difficult for him. “Did something happen?”
“I was born a freak.”
He’d used that word before. “I don’t understand. Aren’t your parents shifters?” She couldn’t imagine two humans having a shifter baby.
“Yes. My mother’s a bear shifter and my father is a panther shifter.”
“So you took after your mother. I don’t see the problem.”
His hands gripped the wheel. “Actually, I took after both of my parents. I can shift into either a panther or a bear at will.”
“So Brody was right when he said you shifted from a panther into a bear.”
“Yes.”
“That’s really cool. Why is this a problem? You can be big and strong or fast and lethal, whichever works best. That would give you a huge advantage when fighting crime.”
He glanced over at her. “It doesn’t bother you that I’m different from everyone else? I’ve never heard of anyone like me.”
“Personally, I like different. It makes you extra special. Is there something other than your ability to shift into two animals that is unique?” She couldn’t imagine why that would even be an issue for him.
“Yes.”
He pulled in front of his garage apartment and cut the engine but said nothing more. She wasn’t about to let him off so easily, but she’d wait until they were inside before she questioned him further.
Cord unlocked the front door and motioned her in. His story about the black market drugs made her wonder about his career choice. “Is that why you decided to join the DEA? To put men like the ones who gave your mother drugs out of business?”
He flipped on the light and faced her. “Yes. Unregulated drugs can have dire consequences. Even though the men who sold the drugs to my mother were put out of business a few years after I was born, the damage had already been done.”
She slipped off her jacket, tossed it on the back of the sofa, and faced him. “All of that is past history. You are an amazing man, Cord Triggert. You need to forget about it and accept your fate.” She stepped over to him and tried to unbutton his shirt, but he stopped her. She then gave him her sexiest pose, hoping to change his mind. “Don’t be that way. I thought we’d celebrate.”
He cupped her face and looked down at her. “There’s more. I’m not sure you can understand what it means, but I need to tell you anyway.”
His intensity scared her. “Tell me what?”
“You’re my mate.”
Chapter Eleven
P iper couldn’t believe it. “We’re really mates?”
She threw her arms around him and kissed him with every ounce of her being.
Cord planted his palms on her waist and leaned back. “Do you understand what that means?”
“My friends have filled me in, especially about the part where their men can’t keep their hands off them.”
He laughed, but then quickly sobered. “Before you get too excited, you should know that I have no idea if I’m capable of having children.”
One of the nurses she worked with had a husband who was unable to conceive, but that didn’t mean Sarah loved him any less. “I’m willing to take that chance. There’s always adoption.”
A sparkle came to his eyes. “Really?” She nodded. “That’s great, but are you sure you understand what might happen when I claim you as my mate?”
She thought back to what Cheyenne had told her
He let out a long exhale. “After my brother was born, my parents wanted to have another child, only my mother was unable to conceive for some reason.”
He’d told her that much before. “Are you adopted then?” That wouldn’t matter in the least.
“No. My mother decided to try fertility drugs. The problem was that my parents couldn’t afford to buy them at a local clinic, so my father found them on the black market.”
She moved a little closer and placed a hand on his thigh, hoping to bring him some comfort. From the strain in his voice, telling the story was difficult for him. “Did something happen?”
“I was born a freak.”
He’d used that word before. “I don’t understand. Aren’t your parents shifters?” She couldn’t imagine two humans having a shifter baby.
“Yes. My mother’s a bear shifter and my father is a panther shifter.”
“So you took after your mother. I don’t see the problem.”
His hands gripped the wheel. “Actually, I took after both of my parents. I can shift into either a panther or a bear at will.”
“So Brody was right when he said you shifted from a panther into a bear.”
“Yes.”
“That’s really cool. Why is this a problem? You can be big and strong or fast and lethal, whichever works best. That would give you a huge advantage when fighting crime.”
He glanced over at her. “It doesn’t bother you that I’m different from everyone else? I’ve never heard of anyone like me.”
“Personally, I like different. It makes you extra special. Is there something other than your ability to shift into two animals that is unique?” She couldn’t imagine why that would even be an issue for him.
“Yes.”
He pulled in front of his garage apartment and cut the engine but said nothing more. She wasn’t about to let him off so easily, but she’d wait until they were inside before she questioned him further.
Cord unlocked the front door and motioned her in. His story about the black market drugs made her wonder about his career choice. “Is that why you decided to join the DEA? To put men like the ones who gave your mother drugs out of business?”
He flipped on the light and faced her. “Yes. Unregulated drugs can have dire consequences. Even though the men who sold the drugs to my mother were put out of business a few years after I was born, the damage had already been done.”
She slipped off her jacket, tossed it on the back of the sofa, and faced him. “All of that is past history. You are an amazing man, Cord Triggert. You need to forget about it and accept your fate.” She stepped over to him and tried to unbutton his shirt, but he stopped her. She then gave him her sexiest pose, hoping to change his mind. “Don’t be that way. I thought we’d celebrate.”
He cupped her face and looked down at her. “There’s more. I’m not sure you can understand what it means, but I need to tell you anyway.”
His intensity scared her. “Tell me what?”
“You’re my mate.”
Chapter Eleven
P iper couldn’t believe it. “We’re really mates?”
She threw her arms around him and kissed him with every ounce of her being.
Cord planted his palms on her waist and leaned back. “Do you understand what that means?”
“My friends have filled me in, especially about the part where their men can’t keep their hands off them.”
He laughed, but then quickly sobered. “Before you get too excited, you should know that I have no idea if I’m capable of having children.”
One of the nurses she worked with had a husband who was unable to conceive, but that didn’t mean Sarah loved him any less. “I’m willing to take that chance. There’s always adoption.”
A sparkle came to his eyes. “Really?” She nodded. “That’s great, but are you sure you understand what might happen when I claim you as my mate?”
She thought back to what Cheyenne had told her
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