"No!" Arabella screamed.
The sting of the bullet sliced into his shoulder, tearing through skin and ligament and lodging in his bone. But that didn't slow him down, even as a dozen hyenas attacked them from all sides. He bashed and smashed and bit. Nothing would stand between him and his mate. The man holding Arabella began to drag her out of the cabin. She screamed, and he covered her face with a cloth. Her body went limp and he started to drag her.
Something popped in Titus’s brain. No more. He would take no more. In a frenzy so intense the hyenas attacking him could never have seen coming, he whirled on them, knocking them hard against the walls on all sides. They smashed into the wood. Unconscious and unmoving. Even with the stinging bullet lodged in his bone, he charged after Arabella and her captor.
Out in the yard, he was shoving her into the back seat of the car. Titus charged on the man. There was no way he was going to let him get away again. He would die before he would let this swine touch his mate for one second longer.
He bashed into the man. Arabella fell onto the ground. The hyena tried to get another shot off, but Titus smashed the gun out of his hand. He bit into the man's neck so hard he almost cracked it.
That was when the police arrived. Titus dropped the man and shifted back into human form. Dropping to his knees, he took Arabella in his arms.
"Come back to me, baby. Come back.”
Chapter 18
Arabella slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was her beautiful Titus looking down at her. She gasped and wrapped her arms around him.
"I was so worried. I thought he'd hit you." Then she saw the blood gushing from his shoulder. "He did hit you!”
"It's nothing. What matters is that you’re alright. And that these creeps are going to get what they deserve.”
The police were hauling off the hyenas in handcuffs and shoving them into police cars.
"You did a good thing today," one of the officers said. “It took forever for us to get a search warrant. Who knows what would've happened if you hadn't gotten here first.”
"They threatened to kill me if my mother didn't retract the bill," Arabella said. "And she would never do that. Not even for me.”
“Her suspicion of shifters is that strong?" Titus asked.
"It is. Shifter terrorists killed my father, and she's wanted revenge ever since. She calls it justice. But I know what it really is.”
"Let's not worry about all that now. Let's get you home.”
An EMT checked out Titus and an officer draped a blanket around Arabella’s shoulders.
"This isn’t over,” yelled the man who'd kidnapped her.
Arabella shivered at the look in his eyes. "So much hate on every side."
"But all there is between us is love. And nothing is going to stand in our way ever again.”
"Yes. I have to tell the world how I really feel. I don't want humans or shifters to believe that I support my mother's bill.”
"Are you sure that's wise?" He winced as the EMT patched up his wound.
"I have to speak my truth, Titus. I can't keep holding back because I'm afraid of what people think.”
“You're right. You’re so brave. The bravest person I know. I have much to learn from you.”
When he was patched up and released to go, he and Arabella climbed into his car.
"I hope you already know that you don't have to hide yourself from me. I want you just as you are. Brave and strong and fierce and tender and loving and loyal. I want to see the fullness of your soul. Not just what you think I want to see. But the whole truth of you, Titus.”
"And I want to show it to you, my love. It’s what I've been waiting for all my life. The bear you saw today, saving you from the bad guys. That is the strong bear. The hero, the warrior. But with you, I feel like I can show the softer part of myself. The man who likes to paint wildflowers. I've waited for so long for someone to see me. To really see me. And you do Arabella. You really do.”
“Most people see me as a sexy popstar. And you accepted the truth of my innocence and helped me get past my fear. And what you did today, I'll never forget. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. You put your life at risk to get me out of there. I was terrified that I would be left to die, but you didn't let that happen. You saved me.”
“And I would do it all over again a hundred times. Gladly. I would do anything just to see you smile.”
"Oh Titus, you make me feel so happy.”
They kissed deep and strong, their love pulsing between them like the beating of her heart. They made it back to the hotel and into their room. Titus drew the curtains and a bath. Arabella sank into the warm water. A bottle of red wine was poured. The moon was high overhead and even after everything that had happened, she felt completely safe with Titus beside her.
"I can't wait to meet your crew back in Fate Rock,” she said. “It sounds like such a wonderful place to call home.”
"That's what I want, more than anything.”
“But there's one thing I need to do before we can start our life together,” she said, kissing him gently on the lips.
The next day, Arabella stood at a podium at a press conference in downtown Las Vegas. She was wearing a simple designer suit, and her hair back in a bun. So different from how her young fans were used to seeing her, in miniskirts and fishnets. But she felt more comfortable and herself than ever. She was ready for what needed to be done.
"After the events of the last several days, it has become necessary for me to call off my national tour. I do so with a heavy heart, but it was an obvious necessity for the safety of myself and my crew who I am not willing to compromise. We will resume the tour when it is safe. Until then, I will be on hiatus. I've called this press conference today because I want to take a stand and make it clear what I believe about shifters in our society. I do not believe that shifters should be segregated or treated any differently than any other citizen. I’ve been silent for too long because I feared what others might think. No longer.
“Everyone deserves fair and equal treatment regardless of the actions of a few depraved individuals. After what happened to me, I could be angry. I could want revenge. But I know to the bottom of my heart that most shifters are good and kind people who would never harm another.
“The Shifter Liberation Army is a rogue group who should be dealt with swiftly and efficiently. They may not deserve our compassion or trust. But the good people of this country, human and shifter alike deserve to live in peace without suspicion and fear.
“Shifters have served this country as great heroes and protectors and that was the very reason the Shifter Equality Act was passed in the first place. And I for one do not believe in revoking those rights because of the actions of a few. No matter what happens in the government, I have done what I believe is right in speaking my truth. Thank you."
The journalists at the press conference began shouting questions that Arabella did not want to answer. Questions about Titus, about the Shifter Liberation Army, about the hyenas who'd kidnapped her. She felt overwhelmed with the need to please. But Titus stepped up in front of the microphone.
“There will be no further questions. Arabella has said what she came to say. If you have questions about her upcoming tour, you can find the information on her website.”
He walked with her backstage where she took a deep breath and let it out. Her heart had been racing the entire time, but she wouldn't let herself show how terrified she’d felt. She'd always thought that her fans expected her to be sexy and that was where she got her confidence. But she'd come to understand that it was her truth that made her confident. It was her willingness to take a stand and be who she truly was that mattered most to her and her fans. It had been a hard lesson to learn, but it was a lesson she would never forget.
"You were amazing up there," Titus said. “I'm so proud of you.”
“I'm proud of me, too. I'm so glad I told the truth and defended what I believe in.”
A
tear slid down her cheek and she wiped it away. Titus took her in his big bear arms, and she sighed with relief. She was finally home.
Chapter 19
The last notes of Arabella's song faded into silence and the gang from the Justice Squad applauded uproariously. Everyone had gathered at Squad Goals after hours for a private dinner and concert. The gang had been pestering Arabella to sing and Titus had defending her from having to do anything she didn’t want to. But she’d told him she did want to do it.
It had been several months since she'd sung for anyone but him, and she was ready to exercise her lungs again. Since they'd returned to Fate Rock, she'd hit it off with all the guys and Stephany and Darcy. The ladies had all become fast friends. It was so good to see her getting to rest without the stress of the road or her fans or her mom's politics.
Everyone clapped as she walked down from the small stage, and he could see the blush in her cheeks. She was a world-famous rock star, but she still had the innocence and humility of a small-town girl. She sat down at the table and took a swig of ice-cold beer.
"You are amazing," Hawk said to her.
"I agree," said Sampson. “I thought your voice was mostly dependent on auto-tuners, but now I see now that I was incorrect.”
“That was a bit rude, don't you think, Sampson?" Jamison asked.
"What?”
But Arabella smiled. "You can say anything you want, Sampson. You were instrumental in helping Titus find me. And besides, a lot of pop singers use auto-tuners. I just happen to not be one of them. I've been training since I was six years old. Back then, my mom thought that it was just a fun pastime to keep me occupied while she worked. Little did she know what it would become.” Arabella laughed.
"Speaking of your mom, the Shifter Terrorist Act was on the docket today. The results should be in at any moment.”
"She's been campaigning hard and hasn't spoken to me since my press conference. But I stopped living for my fans’ approval, and I'm not living for her approval either. People can take me as I am or not at all," Arabella said.
Titus felt a rush of pride for his mate. They had both come so far since they'd first met, and he was prouder of her every day.
“Turn on the TV, I want to see the results,” said Jamison.
Titus grabbed the remote from the bar and gave Arabella a questioning look. She nodded slightly and he knew exactly what she meant. She was okay with watching the news for the results. He turned on the TV and flipped it over to the news channel.
"The results for the controversial Shifter Terrorist Act are just in," the male news anchor said. “It was a nay vote by a seventy-five percent majority."
“And what is that going to mean for the future security of this country?" the other anchor asked.
“That is the question now, isn’t it? But as we've learned from recent events, people are concerned about their safety, but not so concerned that they are willing to compromise their humanity.”
"I've heard many attribute the turnaround in sentiment to the press conference by Senator Fernandez’s daughter, the popstar Arabella Fernandez.”
"That is probably an overestimation of the popstar's influence. Most of her fans are teenage girls. Not senators.”
"It is a coincidence that sentiments began to change so quickly after the girl’s kidnapping. Which could be attributed to the fact that her rescuer and boyfriend is a shifter himself. It was a reminder of what the shifters did for us during the Great War.”
"And you don't think that Arabella Fernandez herself had anything to do with this?” the female anchor asked, raising an eyebrow.
“It could have had some impact," the anchor said. “But I hate to consider the implication that a young singer, who is best known for gyrating on stage and singing about love affairs, would have such an impact on the future of this country.”
"She did a very brave thing. I think it would be unwise to underestimate the impact a woman like her can have on society.”
"You may be right. Only time will tell."
Titus turned off the TV and searched his mate bond for Arabella’s feelings. He could tell that the commentary had affected her, but not as negatively as he would have originally thought. She had a smile on her face, something between a smirk and a knowing glint in her eye.
"Those news anchors have no idea what's in store for them. They think my fans are just a bunch of teenyboppers, but they will be the future of the world. Now that I understand what it is that they see in me, I plan to do everything in my power to be the leader I am meant to be. For them. For all of us.”
"I'll drink to that,” said Rider’s mate Darcy.
Arabella and Darcy clinked glasses and smiled. Rider wrapped his arm around his mate and held her close.
"Even next to a popstar, you're still the most beautiful woman in the world," he said. She giggled and leaned over to kiss him.
"We’re headed home," Rider said.
"We should be headed out too," Titus said.
"I had so much fun tonight.” Arabella took Titus’s hand.
Rider stretched his arm around Darcy’s shoulder. “Barbecue at our place next weekend.”
"Can't wait,” Arabella said as they walked out of the restaurant.
They climbed into Titus’s car, and he felt so proud and so completely in love that his heart sang with happiness. With Arabella by his side, he felt like he could set the world on fire with his heart. A few minutes later, they pulled into the front drive of his house and walked inside together.
"Are you ready?" she asked.
"More ready than I've been for anything."
She giggled and trotted up the stairs. He ran up behind her. She slipped into the walk-in closet, and he pulled out his watercolors. He waited patiently at his art table, his heart pounding and his desire building.
"Are you ready?" she asked again.
All he did was growl and pull off his shirt. She stepped out of the dressing room wearing the sexiest negligée he'd ever seen in his life.
"I cannot believe how sexy you look,” he growled.
“I wear things like this all the time on stage," she said with a laugh. "But it feels so much more real when I wear it for you.”
“Believe me, it's real.” His pencil ran swiftly over the paper. “You are so amazing. The way you look should be a crime."
"It is a crime. In eight states." She laughed.
"I don't think I can focus on my drawing.”
“You have to focus. You promised me a sexy portrait, painted by my sexy man. I won't take no for an answer."
"You won't have to."
He opened his paints and began to drop in color. The paint glided over the paper. He was so consumed by her beauty that he was quickly transported into artistic flow. She sat patiently, waiting for him to finish what she’d called his masterpiece. When it was finally done, she sauntered over to his chair and looked at his work.
"It's so beautiful." She touched her fingers to her beautiful, full lips.
"I can't do justice to the real thing."
"I think you've captured me perfectly.” She leaned over this desk, examining the painting.
He grabbed her and kissed her like he meant it.
“Oh, Titus, I’ve been waiting all my life for this. For someone to see who I really am.” She breathed against his neck. “I see you too, my love. It’s the most beautiful thing in the world.”
He picked her up and carried her to the bed, his heart pounding in his chest as he cradled his sweet mate. With Arabella in his arms, he was his true self. Together, they were complete.
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Bodyguard Bear (Justice Squad Book 3) Page 9