He checked his watch, and he had an hour before he was to meet the next prospective roommate. He wished he didn't have to go through the motions because the room belonged to Zeke and nobody else. It was impulsive, but sometimes you just know, and he knew that life with Zeke was what he was looking for.

  The man was coming to the apartment since he knew the address and was referred by Salem's boyfriend, Blake Christopher. His name was Loren Fish, and he worked for Blake. Apparently, he was in need of an apartment and willing to share. He doubted Mr. Fish would be interested in the place once he got a look at it. Therefore, Tanner felt like he was just going through the motions so as to not insult Blake. He owed Blake nothing, but it would be ill-mannered to not speak with Mr. Fish.

  Loren Fish was a half hour late with no call, and Tanner was about to give it up and call Zeke when there came a knock on his door. When he opened the door, he saw a man standing there looking bored and annoyed. "Mr. Fish?" He asked, and the man rolled his eyes and nodded. "Would you like to come in?" Tanner stepped back, and the man stepped inside. Tanner left the door wide open, suddenly feeling uneasy in the man's company.

  The guy walked around, opening doors and clanging around the kitchen, mumbling to himself before checking out the bedroom and then returning to where Tanner stood in the living room. He was not impressed with Mr. Fish and wanted him to leave. Tanner moved closer to the door, hoping he would take the hint that the tour was over, but instead, he walked over to the window and looked out on the street below.

  "It probably gets awfully noisy here with the traffic, and the bedroom is unbelievably small. Salem said the rent is reasonable, but this is really below my usual standards.” Tanner was fine with that and immediately grabbed the door and held it open while nailing the guy with an exasperated stare. The need for manners was over, and it was time for Mr. Fish to leave.

  "Thank you for coming, Mr. Fish, and I hope you find an apartment to your liking. Goodbye now." He motioned for him to go, but he stood looking puzzled for some reason and then acted insulted that Tanner didn't beg for him to take the room.

  "I was told you needed to make rent within the week; this is hardly a way to treat a prospective roommate."

  "We wouldn't mesh; you and I are not compatible." Tanner was blunt, and Mr. Fish took a step back as if struck. "You need to leave now."

  “I doubt you’ll find anyone else before your rent comes due and then you will be begging me to move in.” The guy was delusional.

  "I have several other offers; as a matter of fact, the room is already taken, so please leave." Tanner continued to hold the door and motion for Mr. Fish to vacate, and finally, he took the hint and stepped out into the hall.

  “Call Blake if you change your mind.” He drawled.

  "I'll do that," Tanner said and slammed the door and locked it. Damn, that guy was annoying. Salem's pretentiousness was grating, but he didn't come close to Mr. Fish's level of grandiosity. There is no way that man would have been satisfied in a place like this. Within a week, he would be trying to worm his way out of any agreements, and Tanner had no time for that foolishness, and he had no time for Mr. Fish.

  Now, he could put his focus on that dreamboat, Zeke Montgomery. He headed for his bedroom to call Zeke since he had furniture in that room, and he could sit down comfortably on his bed. His spirits were high, thinking about having Zeke as his roommate. As he passed by the living room window, it suddenly exploded, and shattered, raining glass shards down upon him.

  Tanner ducked down and shielded his head from the flying debris. He received a few cuts on the backs of his hands, but otherwise, he was unhurt. The window was a total loss; nothing was left but a few shards stuck in the casing. He looked out onto the street below but saw no one and nothing to indicate what had destroyed his window. "Fuck!" He shouted when suddenly it began to rain.

  He ran to his bathroom, grabbed the shower curtain, and hastily tacked it up over the broken pane. He pulled a few pieces of glass out of his hands and rinsed his hands off in the kitchen sink. They were shallow cuts and nothing to worry about.

  Now, he had to call the landlord and see how quickly he could get it fixed. The man was not known for doing anything quickly. Tanner hoped it did not influence Zeke's acceptance of the apartment. He really needed a roommate within the week if he hoped to be able to pay the rent. Mr. Fish had been taking pokes at him, but he wasn't wrong. Tanner had very little time, but with that said, there was no way in hell he would ever share an apartment with Loren Fish. Tanner would rather sleep in his car than live with that conceited prick.

  Zeke sat at his desk reviewing the video one more time, focusing more intensely on Tanner, seeing afresh the things that had attracted him to the man. The fact that Tanner was his mate had made everything about him more radiant and appealing, and Zeke now knew why the young man would not leave his thoughts.

  He smiled to himself and then looked at the clock on the wall and then down at his phone, sitting next to him on his desk. It was not four o'clock yet, and the waiting was excruciating.

  He was pretty confident that he would be offered the room, but there was always a chance that something could muck it up. With that unhelpful thought racing through his mind, tension began to build in his gut. If he turned him down for someone else, it would make further contact awkward at best.

  He should have found another way to ingratiate himself into Tanner's life and not taken the seemingly easy way of applying to be his roommate. "Fuck, I should have thought this through," Zeke mumbled tightly.

  “Talking to yourself?” Cross came in and took a seat next to him.

  "Tanner Fenn, the delivery guy from last night, is my mate." He figured there was no need to keep secrets, especially not from his Alpha. Cross was shocked but recovered quickly.

  "That was unexpected." He said and then added. "Congratulations, Zeke. I'm happy for you." Cross glanced at the monitor where Zeke had pulled up a still of Tanner from last night. "He's a good-looking guy, and take my word for it; you're going to be very happy."

  "I don't doubt it." Zeke could not hide his joy and excitement at finally having met the love of his life. "I knew it would be profound, but nothing prepares you for that first moment when you realize Fate has chosen you. You see them, and the emotions that well up are overwhelming and so different from anything you've felt before."

  “He is your perfect match, and all others pale in comparison. I know the feeling.” Cross agreed. “How do you plan to get close, or have you already remedied that problem?" Zeke explained how his day had gone so far and that he was waiting not too patiently for the call.

  "Don't worry, he will call. He's feeling the pull and is finding you very interesting, if not drop-dead gorgeous." Cross smiled when Zeke started to laugh. "The waiting is the hardest part, my friend." Cross patted his shoulder as he stood up, and just then, Zeke's phone rang. "Good luck." He said and left the room.

  “Hello.” He quickly answered.

  “Is this Zeke?”

  “Yes.”

  "The room is yours if you're still interested." Tanner's voice was soft and sweet.

  "Very interested. When is it convenient for me to move in?" Zeke wanted to get this on the road as quickly as possible.

  "Anytime, that's up to you, but my rent is due in less than two weeks, so it will work best for me if you move in soon." Zeke appreciated his honesty and resisted the urge to chuckle.

  “How about tomorrow?” Zeke wanted to head over there right now but thought it might appear odd since it was already late afternoon.

  "That would be great, what time?" Tanner sounded sincerely pleased, and it touched Zeke in that place only Tanner had access to.

  “What time will you be up?” He knew Tanner worked nights and didn’t want to disturb him.

  "I'm off today and tomorrow, so anytime is fine."

  "I'll see you at eleven," Zeke stated, assuming it would give Tanner time to sleep in and not have to rush on his account.

  "I'll see you then." And with that, Tanner closed the call. Zeke wanted so much more, but there was nothing else he could say or ask without making Tanner uncomfortable. Tomorrow, he would start his pursuit. It was obvious that Tanner found him attractive, and he would build on that. His tiger began to pace in the back of his mind, anxious and eager to claim and mark their mate. It was going to take some discipline and a lot of deep breathing to stay calm and wait for tomorrow morning.

  "Hey, how's it going with Tanner? I hear he's your mate; congratulations." Noa came in and sat down next to him. He had two beers with him and handed one to Zeke.

  "Things are going okay. I'm moving into his spare room tomorrow morning." He took a long drink of his beer before continuing. "It's hell sitting here when all I want is to be with him in that tiny apartment."

  "Moving in with your mate is the best scenario any of us have had, so I'm not feeling too sorry for you. He will not be able to resist you as the pull continues to dominate him. It won't be long, and you will be introducing him to the pack." Noa was right, and Zeke knew his situation was a step ahead. Having Tanner in the same living quarters would jump-start the bond. But still, he wasn't with him right this minute, so he was going to complain.

  “Have you heard anything from Griff’s clan?” Zeke changed the subject.

  "They found the two men from the parking lot and have dealt with them. From what I understand, they're working their way up the chain of command to whoever gave the order. They're not going to be satisfied until they have achieved an eye for an eye." Zeke nodded, completely understanding the drive to avenge the death of a clan member and loved one. It was how the paranormal survived and protected their own. If it had been a fair fight, the death would have been accepted, but these were back shooters, just cowards with a gun.

  “My mate should be safe now.”

  “Should be.” Noa agreed.

  Tanner wasn't surprised when his landlord showed up with a piece of plywood and nailed it over the window. "That will keep the elements out until it's fixed." He said, and that was that he packed his tools and left, giving Tanner no timetable for when it might get fixed.

  He stood in the living room and looked around. Between the lack of furnishings and the big sheet of plywood on the window, the place looked sad and empty. Zeke said he had some pieces he'd bring with him, so that might help. He ordered some pizza, went to his room, and closed the door. It had been his sanctuary while living with Salem.

  Salem was a partier and played the field until getting so attached to Blake. He often brought dates home, so when he got home and on his days off, Tanner stayed in his room. After Salem hooked up with Blake, he was not home often and spent his nights at Blake's place. He hadn't really cared what Salem was doing, but he wasn't sure how he'd feel if Zeke started bringing guys home.

  The image of Zeke with some rando getting it on in the living room actually upset him, and he felt himself getting mad. That was weird, considering he hardly knew the guy and had no hold on him. Zeke could do as he wished regarding romance and dating; he owed Tanner nothing. But still, the thought really irked him, and he could not shake it off.

  He’d finished most of the pizza and was putting the rest in the fridge when someone knocked on his door and then proceeded to just open it and walk in. He was shocked at first and then angry when he saw that it was Blake standing there looking all superior in his suit and overcoat and perfect haircut. Tanner stepped out of the kitchen and moved toward the door, looking behind Blake, expecting to see Salem, but Blake closed the door. Salem was not with him, and that made the visit even more odd.

  "What do you want?" Tanner was reining in his anger since he didn't know how Blake would react if challenged. Salem had shared with him some of Blake's behaviors, thinking his dominance and power were sexy, but Tanner saw them as abusive and self-serving at best. Blake walked around the room, eyeing the plywood on the window but not asking about it, and then turned to silently stare at Tanner for a few seconds before speaking.

  “Loren tells me that you turned him down.” He stated open-ended, waiting for Tanner to explain himself. Tanner wanted to refuse and tell him to get out, but his survival instincts were telling him to play it cool.

  “I had already offered the room to someone else, and they accepted." He lied, but it was necessary. He hadn't actually offered Zeke the room, but the offer was sort of implied. Blake continued to stare at him as if deciding if he were lying.

  "If this person does not work out, I will find you someone." He said, but Tanner didn't respond; he just watched as he turned and left the apartment. The moment he was out, and the door closed, Tanner grabbed the wooden desk chair from his room and jammed it under the doorknob.

  Knowing that Blake had such easy access did not sit well with him. After considering his situation for a few minutes, he pushed his desk out of his room and up against the door. Between the chair and his desk, he should be alerted if someone tried to enter again.

  He went into his room and locked that door as well, and after a few minutes of considering his situation, he pulled his bed across the room and pressed it up against the door. Paranoia was running rampant, but it was better to be safe than sorry, as his mother always told him. Tanner was so caught up in his thoughts that when his phone rang, he jumped. "Shit, that scared me." He mumbled and pulled his phone from his pocket.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Zeke tried to keep his mind on the job, watching the hallways and the perimeter outside, making sure everything was running smoothly, but his thoughts would not leave Tanner Fenn. Every molecule of his being wanted to be in that apartment right now with his mate.

  His tiger was getting progressively more agitated as the waiting continued. He should have said ten, not eleven, or maybe he would have been agreeable with nine in the morning. Damn, he needed to settle down and center himself before he shifted and went in search of his mate. Zeke ran his hands roughly through his hair and down his face and then closed his eyes for a few seconds, but that only brought sweet images of his mate to mind, so he got up and began pacing the room.

  Something was off. He could feel it in his bones, and his tiger would not back down from the need to seek out its mate. Zeke took out his phone and dialed Tanner. Maybe hearing his voice would be enough for now, and he could see about coming over at ten instead of eleven.

  “Hello.”

  "You sound out of breath. Is everything okay?" Zeke could sense something was upsetting him.

  "Yeah, yeah, everything is fine. I was just moving some things around my room." It was not the complete truth. Zeke could hear the subtle lie in his words, but he had no right to question if Tanner did not wish to share.

  "I was calling to see if it was okay to show up tomorrow at ten instead of eleven. I have some things that are to be delivered, and I'd like an early start." It was the best he could do, and he hoped that he didn't sound as awkward as he felt.

  "Sure, no problem." The tremor in Tanner's tone was not normal. He'd spent a couple hours with him and learned how he sounded, and this was not normal. Everything in him wanted to know what was upsetting him, but there was no way to ask.

  "I'll see you at ten," Zeke said, knowing that there was nothing more he could say to extend the call and wishing something would come to mind. "I'll bring coffee and donuts." He added and was rewarded with a chuckle and a heartfelt thank you.

  "Oh, man, that would be so great. You are a blessing, Zeke Montgomery, a true blessing.

  “How do you take your coffee.” Zeke was suddenly feeling much better.

  “Milk and sugar, plenty of sugar.” Tanner’s mood was considerably brighter, and the tremor had disappeared.

  "Any favorite donuts? I thought I'd stop at the Sunshine Bakery. Are you familiar with it?"

  "Not familiar, but I've never met a bakery that I didn't like, and that goes for every kind of donut. No preference. Anything will be greatly appreciated." Tanner laughed, and the sound was so pleasing. Zeke closed his eyes and basked in the sweetness and satisfaction.

  "I'll see you in the morning." Zeke reluctantly finished, not wanting to push things too far.

  “I’m looking forward to it. Good night, Zeke."

  “Good night Tanner.”

  His tiger was calming, not completely happy, but calmer, and Zeke could deal with that. He sat back down and tried to concentrate on his work again, but again, it was becoming impossible. Finally, he called in Lowell to see if he could arrange a replacement for him for the night. Lowell handled all the floor issues at the club, including coverage, and he was good at it.

  "Go ahead, I'll handle surveillance myself until someone comes available." He said, and Zeke got up, giving Lowell his seat. "I haven't covered this position in a long time. It will be a nice change from bartender or doorman."

  "Thanks, man, I appreciate it." Zeke grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

  “Good luck with your mate.” He said as Zeke closed the door.

  He went out the back door to his car and hopped in. The drive over to Tanner’s place would help him clear his head and convince him the young man was okay and safe in his apartment. He felt a shadow of distress and wasn't sure of the cause. Having spoken with Tanner, it was clear he was fine and safe, but still, he had a driving need to get a feel for the area. The atmosphere would tell him if there was trouble, and he would take action from there.

  His anxiety also stemmed from the fact that he just wanted to be close to his mate, even if it was with him parked on the street and Tanner up in his apartment. Zeke was feeling ridiculous, but he couldn't stop himself. When he pulled up in front of the apartment building, the first thing that he noticed was the wood sheeting covering Tanner's window. It was the large living room window.

  It hadn't been broken when he looked at the apartment that afternoon. Sometime between then and now, the window had been smashed. That left him with a lot of questions, none of which he could get answers to tonight. Suddenly, ten in the morning seemed very far away. Zeke sat there and observed the neighborhood, taking in the scents and the vibes from the residents and the street itself.