“Abby, you’ll have a newborn.”
“Yes, and I’ll have a lot of help with him. I’m very lucky. We’ll set up a playpen for him to sleep in. Between you, me, the Professor and everyone else who wanders through down here, this little guy will be spoiled rotten. And I’ll get the chance to help more. I’m a hell of a scientist. I know my way around research. I should be able to step in and at least give you a break on the constant analyses the Professor has running.”
Diane almost snorted. She wished the Professor good luck in keeping anything from Tah if Abby was down here helping him with his testing.
“Promise me you’ll think about it?” Abby asked. “Staying here with us. I really don’t want you to go.”
Diane believed her. She could see it in Abby’s eyes. Diane had never really had many friends. Most of the people she’d had in her life consisted of colleagues who were as busy as she was. They might share a drink or dinner, usually as a platform to discuss whatever they were currently working on. She’d never once thought she was missing out on something until she arrived here. The deep love Tah, Reno and Logan felt for one another was obvious to everyone. They really were more brothers than friends, and they swept up everyone there in that sense of family. Then there was Abby. For one so young, she mothered all of them. Scolding and offering love and wisdom depending on what was going on. Diane had to admit, she didn’t want to leave. These people were the only family she had. Before, she would have easily walked away. But now, she knew what family was supposed to mean, and despite her self-doubt at the moment, there was no going back.
“I’ll think about it,” Diane vowed. She’d be thinking about a lot of things, but mostly about Zane. If Clara was right, if Diane was his mate, then it was imperative she go after him as soon as possible. The idea filled her with hope and dread at the same time and set off a litany of what if’s in her mind. The most pressing one was what if she was Zane’s mate? What if she really was?
The panther rested in the tree. While it slept, the man struggled to hold on. There was something he needed to do, someone he needed. To protect? To find? To claim? It was all so jumbled in his head. He was sick. He knew that just as he knew the beast was growing stronger as he grew weaker. Soon, the connection between them would cease to exist, and the animal would take full control of the body they shared.
He couldn’t let that happen. It was the one thing he was certain of. He pictured blonde hair and hazel eyes, and the name Diane floated in and out of his thoughts. Briefly, he swore he felt her touch, a phantom caress that wasn’t nearly enough.
As the animal continued to rest, the man found strength by repeating three words over and over.
Diane. Mate. Mine.
Chapter Three
Diane barely slept, and when she did, her dreams were filled with Zane. His golden gaze haunted her, begging her to come find him. In the dreams, he would hold out his hand to her, an engaging smile on his lips as he bid her to join him. But as she drew closer, fog rose up from the ground and obscured him from her sight. No matter how fast she ran or how loud she called, she couldn’t find him.
She finally rose with grim determination. She was going after Zane. Mate or not, she knew she wanted to help him, to save him from the beast taking over. She knew Tah would question her. He might even tell her no. The only thing that might persuade him to give her a chance was if she told him she was Zane’s mate. She still wasn’t sure if she believed it or not. She wanted to. She really wanted to believe Clara was right. Surely, Clara would back her up and go with her to find Zane.
She headed toward the office as soon as she’d showered and dressed. It was the first time she hadn’t gone straight to the labs since she’d arrived, and with each step, she grew more certain, more confident. The door was closed, which meant Tah was there—he only closed it when he was talking with someone. Part of her wanted to walk away, to not interrupt, but another part urged her it was now or never. Taking a deep breath, she knocked and waited.
The door opened, and Reno stood there.
“Hey, Diane,” he greeted, opening the door wide and waving her in. “Come on in.”
She faltered when she stepped beyond the door and saw the group in the room. Tah and Abby, the Professor, Reno, Murphy and Vic. The entire council Tah had put together minus one—Logan. He was probably on patrol with Clara. Diane remembered the couple usually took the early shift.
“Am I interrupting a meeting?” she asked. “I can come back.”
“No, not at all,” Abby said. “In fact, it’s a good thing you joined us.”