Chapter Three

Mandy Everest spent a restless night tossing and turning beside her husband as he snored the night away. Several bottles of Pinot Noir would help anyone sleep at night. Anyone, but her, that is. She couldn’t sleep because she knew Fitz refused to talk to her. Whether he was scared or in denial or simply confused, she wasn’t sure, but she knew he struggled with his situation, more so than she first thought he would. She had never felt her destined mate, and her father, like Fitz’s, thought the whole thing just a fairy tale among shifters. However, she heard the stories from others who knew differently, others like her maternal grandparents. Not everyone found their destined mate, their paths never crossing or life taking them before they could meet. However, according to her grandmother, once your animal felt that pull, there was no denying what it was. The mating call was almost instant, and from that moment on, the animals couldn’t do anything else except crave their mate until the bond was formed.

When the time came for Fitz to get ready for work, Mandy decided to join him in the shower. She might not be able to get him to open up to her, but she could do her best to distract him with his struggles.

He grinned at her, his eyes wide as she slid back the shower door. “Well, this is a pleasant surprise,” he said.

The hot water hit her flesh, bringing a chill to the other parts of her body not in the shower’s stream yet. She reached out, taking his cock in her hand. “Well then, hopefully, this is an even bigger surprise.” Pushing up on her toes, she kissed his neck as she stroked his cock to life, his shaft hardening into a thick rod in her hand.

Fitz moaned as he pressed a palm to the tile, bracing himself.

Mandy felt his manhood reach its full length and then started kissing her way down his chest, sliding her hands to his side as she lowered herself. The hot water sprayed all around her, covering her body and soaking parts of her hair. She gripped his cock with one hand while grabbing a hold of his ass with her other. Glancing up, she saw the lust on her husband’s face as she ran her tongue over the head of his cock, his pre-cum mixed a little with the shower water. “Do you want it?” she asked, a mischievous tint in her tone.

She felt him suck in a breath. “Oh, god, yes,” he groaned, and then he added with a whisper, “Please.” The word sent heat straight to Mandy’s pussy.

She swallowed Fitz’s cock, swirling her tongue around his throbbing shaft as she bobbed her head back and forth. She stroked his cock in rhythm with her mouth as she knelt there on the tile floor, water beating down around them. His groans filled the shower as she felt his hand grip the top of her head, his hips thrusting slightly as she sucked him off. It wasn’t long before she heard the familiar hitch in his breathing, his warning that he was about to come.

Mandy continued sucking his cock as it twitched, his hot cum filling her mouth almost faster than she could swallow. When she was sure he was spent, she licked the excess from the tip of his cock, and then stood, grinning up at him. “Good morning,” she said.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him. “Definitely a good morning.”

“Glad I could be of service.” She reached around him, grabbing the body wash and loofa. “Now, let’s get you cleaned up, shall we?”

“I much prefer you getting me dirty,” he said with a bounce of his eyebrows.

“Come home after work, instead of going to Shades, and I’ll get you good and dirty.” She soaped his cock first as she spoke.

He leaned down and kissed her nose. “Straight home. I promise.”

“I’m holding you to that,” she said as she continued to wash his body, hoping he meant what he said.

Mandy saw Fitz off to work that morning, fixing his breakfast and then kissing him goodbye, but her mind was already onto something else, something she knew needed done to help Fitz. Her mind was on Kinsey Pickford, the woman Mandy knew was Fitz’s mate. Everyone knew it, just by the way the two acted in high school and shortly after, until Kinsey went away to college. They were inseparable, joined at the hip as the cliché went. So much so, that Mandy was jealous even back then of the way the two looked at each other. She wanted that for herself, and she wanted it with Fitz Everest. That was the reason she quickly succumbed to the notion when her father approached her with the idea of marrying Fitz, even though she knew Fitz wasn’t her mate. He didn’t even think she believed in destined mates. As far back as she could remember, Mandy Taylor had a crush on Fitz. However, now that she possessed what she craved, the victory was sour in her mouth because her prize yearned for someone else, so much so that Mandy watched Fitz withering away from a denied mating call. She thought the call would lessen over time, but it seemed to grow worse, driving Fitz crazy. She couldn’t allow that to happen.

Once Fitz was out the door, Mandy quickly dressed, preparing for an encounter she dreaded. She chose a simple outfit, shorts and a tank top, not expecting to go anywhere after finding Kinsey and talking. After slipping on her sandals and grabbing her purse, Mandy slipped out the front door and into her car. She didn’t tell Fitz where she intended to go, knowing he would not approve and would probably panic even at the idea. No, she just determined in her mind that she needed to talk to Kinsey. Yesterday morning, she realized the need when her panther felt pulled to Kinsey in front of the Enchanted Spoon, more than likely sensing the bond between Fitz and Kinsey. Mandy knew then that something needed to be done. Somehow, together, they needed to figure out how to fix what everyone broke. How they were to do that, Mandy had no idea, but she was determined to do her best for her husband’s sanity.

The North Carolina day already started out sweltering with not even a breeze making an appearance to offer any sort of comfort. She had no idea what she would say to the other woman, but somehow she had to come up with an answer to Fitz’s depression and moodiness. Of course, that morning, he seemed totally different, more relaxed, more like his old self, even before she climbed into the shower to give him a blow job. Their little playfulness in the shower only added to the bounce in his step.

Mandy weaved through the morning traffic, making her way to the other side of town to a subdivision called Mountain View, just below the Appalachian mountain line. Kinsey lived in a small home she purchased when she returned from college after she discovered that Fitz was not marrying her after all. She stuck mostly to herself, taking a job at Draven Falls High and avoiding the rest of the supernatural world in the town. While the human population, which consisted of most of the citizens in Draven Falls, didn’t know about the paranormal residents in the community, the supernatural beings knew about each other: witches, shifters, vampires, and there was even a demon somewhere, if Mandy believed what she heard growing up. That community founded Draven Falls shortly after the Salem witch trials as a haven for the paranormal against the hatred of a misguided and prejudiced world. Times have changed to a small degree, but not completely, so the supernatural were not completely out to the world, but they governed themselves to a major degree through the Paranormal Council. Kinsey, however, avoided all of them except Agatha Rochester, the woman who used to lead the witches.

Mountain View was only about twenty minutes away from Mandy’s home, but she made it in thirty to give herself more time to think of what she would say when she arrived. The extra ten minutes weren’t enough, however, and when she found herself pulling into the small subdivision, she found herself praying Kinsey was out. Another ten minutes, and Mandy may have gotten her wish. As she pulled in front of Kinsey’s home, she noticed the other woman loading her car with suitcases. Going on vacation?

Kinsey glanced at Mandy just before she slid a suitcase into the trunk of her car. She didn’t smile, didn’t wave, didn’t even give a slight welcoming nod of her head. She just glanced at Mandy and then continued on with her task.

Mandy blew out a breath. This will be harder than I thought. Turning off the engine, she opened her car door and slid out. Her nerves twisted into a knot in her stomach, which should have been her warning to turn tail and run, but she was determined to help Fitz somehow.

Kinsey slammed her trunk shut, then turned to give Mandy her attention. Kinsey’s eyes went wide a moment, and it almost seemed as if she gripped at her stomach a second before straightening and shoving her fists onto her hips. When she spoke, her voice seemed shaky, almost nervous. “Can I help you with something?” Kinsey asked, and Mandy noticed the other woman raked her with her gaze before forcing her eyes to meet Mandy’s. Odd, Mandy thought.

She kept approaching, but as soon as she neared the other woman, Mandy’s panther started to purr loudly within as if wanting to pounce Kinsey for an erotic tumble, and Mandy had to clamp down on her animal because she wanted to shift. At first, she thought her panther was just jealous and was about to break out to fight the other, but the fact that her panther purred instead of growled confused her. “I was hoping we could talk,” Mandy said, and then pointed at the trunk of Kinsey’s car. “But it looks like I caught you as you were about to leave. Maybe we can talk when you get back?” she asked with a hopeful tone.

Kinsey shook her head. “I’m not planning on coming back; at least, not anytime soon.” She glanced off into the distance, her hands still on her hips. “I’ve only told Agatha Rochester, but I’m making a change. I’m moving.” She turned back to face Mandy, and Mandy noticed the woman’s set jaw and determined gaze. “I need a fresh start, and I’m not going to get it here.”

“But, Draven Falls is your home,” Mandy said as she slipped her hands into her back pockets. The movement pulled her tank tighter against her torso, mainly her breasts, and it almost appeared as if Kinsey’s eyes went wide again at the sight before she looked away.

“Home is where you make it, and I need to make it somewhere else,” Kinsey said. When she turned her gaze back to Mandy, she never glanced anywhere else but at Mandy’s eyes. “Look, we both know why I’m leaving, so let’s not pretend this isn’t the best thing for both of us. I need to get away from Fitz, and you need me to get away from him, as well.” She shrugged. “So, I’m getting away from him. It’s that simple.”

Mandy didn’t know what to think about what Kinsey said. Would it be that simple? Would her leaving make Fitz return to normal? Do away with the moodiness? But those weren’t the real questions. Mandy, for whatever reason, suddenly didn’t think she wanted Kinsey to leave. “Have you told Fitz?” Was that why he acted so… well, so much more like the Fitz of their wedding night?

Kinsey dropped her gaze to the ground as she shook her head. “No. No, I didn’t.” Kinsey looked back up at Mandy, and Mandy could see the pain in the other woman’s expression, the battle being waged behind her eyes. “I intended to just slip away.” She shrugged. “Why make a fuss? Better for all if Kinsey Pickford just picks up, moves on, and starts a new life somewhere else.”

“But where are you going?” Mandy still couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a mistake. She didn’t want Kinsey to go away, suddenly panicked about how Fitz would react when he discovered his mate left Draven Falls. However, it was more than that. She had a sinking feeling that Kinsey leaving the community would affect her, as well.

Kinsey gave her a weak smile. “I’m just going. It doesn’t matter where, and to be honest, I think it’s best if my location wasn’t exactly known. At least, not yet.” Mandy watched as the other woman pushed herself away from the trunk of her car. “Now, I really should be going.” She paused and glanced around, her nervousness about leaving quite clear. “Look, I’m sure Fitz will discover soon enough that I left.” She glanced back at Mandy. “Just tell him, it’s the best for all of us, and I wish him the best in life. I wish you both the best in life.” She nodded once, as if assuring herself that what she said was the truth. “Goodbye, Mandy.” And with that, she turned and walked around her car to the driver’s door.

When she heard the engine start, Mandy stepped to the side out of Kinsey’s way. She just stood there as the other woman backed out of her driveway, shifted the car into park, and drove off to who knows where. Mandy just stood there, watching as Kinsey’s car disappeared from sight, an unsettled churning in the pit of her stomach. Part of her rejoiced that the object of Fitz’s despair was now out of sight. Another part, however, mourned for what was now lost. Still, another part ached, feeling the loss of Kinsey’s departure stronger than she thought she would. Something felt off, but what that something was, Mandy didn’t know. She feared even finding out.

She walked back to her car, wondering if she should tell Fitz about her encounter with Kinsey or not. Should she tell him Kinsey left town? She opened her car door but stopped before sliding behind the wheel. Glancing down the street where Kinsey had driven away, Mandy wondered what the next few days would bring. Her panther growled within, and Mandy had to fight the urge to drive off after Kinsey. She sighed as she climbed into the car. Even my damn cat wants Fitz to have his mate.