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It had been a week since Jackson had told me the secrets of the town and I had spent time with the wolves in his garden. It was like a huge weight had just been lifted from my shoulders. I knew I should have been freaking out more than I was, because - let’s face it - everything had been pretty unbelievable. However, I couldn’t deny what I had seen with my own eyes. Yesterday, Jackson had introduced me formally to the pack members. God, it felt weird to say that. He had explained to me the bonds between everyone and how his men would often patrol the area because they were protectors, and keeping it safe from intruders. I remembered back to a conversation I had had with Logan during my first few days here, where he had referred to his wife as his mate before swiftly changing his wording. I wondered if this had anything to do with being a shifter, so when I had seen Jasmine sat on the porch swing outside Jackson’s house, I cornered her to try and get some more information, and asked her what the word ‘mate’ actually meant.
“Okay, so you know humans get married when they fall in love?”
“Yes,” I swallowed as I thought back to my failed marriage, and tried to remain on the conversation at hand.
“The word ‘mate’ in the shifter world just means husband or wife.”
“So, are you Noah’s mate?”
“Yes. He’s mine too. Mating is similar to marriage but also so much more. With shifters, we mate for life and divorce doesn’t even exist.”
“Really? What if you fall out of love for each other?”
“It’s difficult to explain. When we find our mate, it’s like nothing else matters in the world. Our whole life suddenly revolves around that person, and we would do anything for them. Yeah, we argue of course, but it never lasts very long. We realise how much better people we are when we are together. The guys like to act all tough, but each and every one of them is searching for their mate. It’s what we all strive for.”
Now I felt even more devastated for Logan.
“Logan’s mate died and yet he’s probably the happiest person I’ve seen here.”
The light in Jasmine’s eyes dimmed slightly as she thought about Eva.
“Eva died a long time ago. There was a point where we didn’t know if we would ever see the old Logan again. He lost himself for a while; it’s taken about 60 years for us to get him back to this point.”
“Wait, 60 years? He doesn’t look older than 40!”
“Shifters age slower than humans. We aren’t immortal, although we are strong so it takes a lot to kill us. Logan looks 40 but he’s actually around 180 years old.”
Okay, now my brain was definitely about to explode.
“180?!”
“Yes, and he had around 50 years with his mate, so I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for him when she was no longer with him. It is possible to find another mate, but it takes time.”
“God, I hope Logan finds someone. He deserves it more than anything.”
“I think that’s why he’s so fond of you. He kind of sees you like the daughter he never had.”
“They never had children after fifty years together?”
“No. Shifter children are incredibly rare. It takes years for a female shifter to get pregnant, and even then most times they never carry to full term. I lost two children before having Annabelle.”
“I’m so sorry.” I reached over to hold her hand, as sadness filled her eyes.
“It was a long time ago. Annabelle is so precious; I don’t have time to be sad. It’s hard for her because she doesn’t have many friends. There are a few children in the area, but we have no need for a school so we home school them, and I know she finds it lonely. She was so excited when you came to stay; I think she just loved having someone new to play with. Thank you for being so good with her.”
“Oh, it’s not a hardship, believe me.”
Jasmine smiled, and we sat there in silence for a few moments just swinging gently on the porch swing. Noah had been out all day helping to construct their new home, with their own money but also funds donated by Jackson and the rest of the town. Apparently this long life malarkey meant you had enough money to spend on things like building houses when a crazy arsonist burnt them down.
“So, this mating business. Has a shifter ever mated with a human?” I regretted the question as soon as it left my lips, as Jasmines eyes widened and a smile graced her lips. She knew exactly who I was referring to, and it made me blush that he managed to have that effect on me. When did this crush get so ridiculous?
“Well, it’s rare, but I’ve heard of it happening through the years. Apparently, it is something pretty special. I don’t know the details, but the times I’ve heard it happening, sounded amazing. Shifters have a high level of – um – stamina! Plus natural power. Mating though – that’s different. The humans ageing slows naturally after mating happens, extending their life span and allowing them to live a full and long life with the shifter. It’s an element of the shifter that is shared if you like – without the part that means you turn in to a wolf!”