by Hazel Gower
“I can see the wheels ticking in your head and your eyes convey everything.” Dax’s hands cupped her cheeks and he made sure she looked at him. “They’ll love you. I promise you have nothing to worry about.” She closed her eyes and basked in just Dax. The two of them together.
“Dax, no more distracting her. Get your butt out here now,” a woman yelled, and Lisa had heard that voice yesterday and knew it was Dax’s mother.
“Oh no, she’s here already,” Lisa whispered, horrified. “What is she going to think? We’re in bed. I’m in bed with you and we’ve only known each other for days. Oh God, what she going to think of me? I’m a hussy. She’ll think I’m a har—”
“What the fuck?” His hands dropped and his gaze narrowed as his lips turned down. “Why on earth would you call yourself those names? You are none of those things. We’re mates. You’re my soul mate. We’re supposed to be together. My parents and no one if they know what’s good for them will ever think those things of you. I haven’t known you long, but I know you’re the sweetest person I know and far from any of those derogative terms.” He eased out of bed and then came around and picked her up and placed her on the floor in the bathroom next to the sink. “Do what you need to while I get dressed and we’ll go and meet them together.”
He was perfect. He knew just what she needed. She could do this. “Thanks. You go though and don’t keep them waiting. I’ll came when I’m ready.” He nodded and then kissed her forehead before he left.
She did her business in the bathroom and came out to see Dax dressed in black cargo shorts and a thin white cotton shirt. He held out his hand and in it was one of her blue slip on dresses. Giggling that she was so pre-occupied that she never even realized she was still naked, she smiled at Dax. She was so comfortable with him and anxious about meeting his parents that she hadn’t even noticed. “You waited?” She grabbed the dress from him and put it on.
“I said we’d go together.” Dax held out his hand and she grabbed it and intertwined their fingers. He brought their joined hands up and kissed hers before he dragged her out of their room. She was already calling his room theirs. His house already felt more like home than anywhere else she’d ever stayed.
The older couple she’d seen yesterday were in Dax’s kitchen. The woman who looked to be in her late thirties now Lisa was face-to-face, she could see that the woman didn’t look old enough to have a son Dax’s age. Dax, she guessed from his talk of being in the military was in his early thirties, the same age his parents looked. The couple was gorgeous with striking features, the man who looked only slightly older than the woman had white hair with black stripes through it. The woman had honey blonde with stripes of black through hers. The man’s eyes were the same vivid blue as Dax’s, but the woman’s were a bright green. They lit up when she looked up from the stove to smile at Lisa. Dax’s stove faced the dining and living room in a huge open plan area.
“Hello. We finally meet and have the time to be introduced. I’m Nikita. It’s so nice to meet you, and I look forward to getting to know you.” Nikita wiped her hands on the blue apron she wore before she came around the island and grabbed Lisa and pulled her in for a hug. Lisa didn’t react for a moment, she let Nikita pull her into her embrace, but when Nikita kissed her cheek, Lisa relaxed and that seemed to be the que for Nikita to pass her to Dax’s father.
“I’m Dmitry, but you can call me dad.” Dmitry squeezed her tight. “How long until you give me some trapping grandsons?”
“Dmitry,” Nikita whined and pushed Dmitry and Lisa apart. “I’m sorry Lisa for this er, dol…кретин.”
“I’m not a dummy,” Dmitry huffed and Lisa could hear a heavy accent in his voice. She giggled at their banter.
“Mum. Dad. This is Lisa Lurman. My mate.” Dax came up behind her and his arms circled her bringing her against his chest. She relaxed into him instantly. The safety of his embrace and his familiar freshly cut woodsy smell, had her leaning back and any anxiety she had vanished.
“Hi. It’s so nice to meet you. I’m sorry about last night. Helen and Bruce are mostly all talk.” Lisa could tell that Dmitry and Nikita were nothing like Helen and Bruce. She already liked them, they were warm, loving, and caring. She knew as Nikita beamed at her that she’d done the right thing staying with Dax and his family.
“Oh, sweetie, don’t worry about them.” Nikita clapped her hands and then dusted them like she was sweeping away the problem. She grabbed Lisa’s hands and squeezed them; the jester was comforting. “I can’t wait for Rochelle and Sasha, Dax’s sisters, to meet you. They wanted to come today, but I thought we shouldn’t overwhelm and scare you off so soon.”
“Oh, you could never scare me.” She hoped she sounded like she was telling the truth, because she had been terrified. Dax’s body shook behind her and a chuckle slipped free.
“I told you, you had nothing to worry about. My mum already loves you.” Dax’s hot breath against her ear had her body shivering and heat flowing through her.
“We’ll leave you, son. I remember what it was like when I first mated your mother.” Dimitry winked.
Dax’s groan had her giggling and watching as Dmitry and Nikita walked, or more like ran, out the door hand in hand. As soon as the door slammed shut, Dax spun her and his lips captured hers and she basked in their blossoming love.
****
Dax
He’d dropped Lisa at university reluctantly. He didn’t want to leave her. His tiger wanted to make sure she was safe, so now he stalked around the campus and made sure he knew all the exits and places he could put her if anything dangerous happened. Deep down he knew that living in Australia she was safe on campus as they had gun control here and shifters weren’t at war with each other. Not all shifters got on well, and a couple of hundred years ago they all fought between themselves. One thing he was willing to admit, the humans had brought all shifters together to unite in one common goal, keep the humans ignorant and thinking they have all the control.
He should go to work and tell them he wouldn’t be in for a while as he wanted time off to get to know his mate more, and if he worked, it would be at night when Lisa was home and that would make their schedules opposite. He knew that his boss knew he’d found his mate and every shifter wanted time alone with their soul mate.
His sisters had called him, asking when they could meet Lisa. Dax didn’t want to overwhelm her, she’d done so well with his parents and with how those arsehole foster parents treated her, he understood why she was cautious.
“Sir. I’m going to have to ask to see your student card or day pass.” Glancing over his shoulder, Dax saw a rent-a-cop, well campus security.
Ignoring him, he went back to making his way to Lisa’s class. She should be finished any moment, and he wanted to walk her to her next class. He intended to check out every classroom she went into to see the other students and access any threats.
“Sir?” This time campus security touched his arm. Growling a warning, he snatched his hand back and turned to give the security man his attention when the guy figured out Dax was trouble and took serval steps away from him. “I’ve been informed of your lurking.”
Raising his brow, Dax glared at the security guard. “Lurking? Really?” Dax shook his head at the idiot before him. “I’m here for my mate. I dropped her off and am making sure she’s safe. I’m waiting here now to take her to her next class.”
The door to the room opened and the students rushed out pushing past to get to lunch or to another class. Lisa had an hour for lunch before her next class, and Dax intended to take her out. He spotted her at the same moment she seemed to notice him, her big brown eyes grew wide and lit up, her lips spread wide and she picked up her pace pushing through the people around her to get to him. Ignoring the security again, Dax caught Lisa as she practically threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as her legs climbed him.
“You’re here! I thought you would have gone by now. I expected I’d meet you somew
here for lunch, because we just got out a little early as the teacher has a meeting she needed to get to.”
“Hey, kitten. I’ve been here the whole time making sure the campus is safe.” Palming her arse with one hand as he ran his fingers up and down her back, he kissed her. At first, she didn’t open her mouth or show her passion, but when he nibbled on her lip she opened and his tongue tangled with hers.
Lisa was the one to pull away and end the kiss, her cheeks were bright red and her eyes were alit with passion. “Dax not here,” she whined. Looking around, her gaze fell on the security guard who was standing closer now at the side of them watching. Lisa wiggled and her hands dropped and she tried to get down, but he wasn’t letting her go. “Dax, the guard is staring. Put me down. Why is he looking at us?”
“I’m not putting you down, kitten. You belong in my arms.” Dax squeezed her arse.
She wacked his chest. “Dax, he’s staring.”
Shrugging, Dax shot a glare at the guard letting his tiger out just enough to show the idiot. “I know. He thinks I’m a lurker.” Wiggling his eyebrows, he kissed her when she giggled.
Lisa ended the kiss again, and this time when she pushed against his chest and tried to get down, he let her go. She slid down and then fixed her top which rode up and fixed her shorts. She spun and turned her focus on the security guard. “Sir. Why are you staring at us? Have I done something?” Her back rested against Dax’s chest.
“Ma’am, is this shifte…er, man, bothering you?”
She turned her head and caught Dax’s gaze. “Is he really asking if you’re bothering me? He saw me practically attack you when I got out of class.”
Chuckling at her wording, Dax wrapped his arms around her waist as she turned back to the idiot guard. “He’s a shifter hater. A raciest.”
“I was informed that you were lurking around campus. I came and confronted you and you didn’t answer my questions.” The campus security stood straighter, like he was trying to make himself look taller.
“There’s that word ‘lurking’ again,” Dax growled. He had been looking around making sure the place was safe, but he wouldn’t use the word lurking, more like investigating. Dax had investigated in the army so he wasn’t a newbie at it, and knew he could blend in when he needed. Dax knew the issue was he was a shifter, with his unusual hair, build, and the way he moved gave him away. When he’d been in the army, he’d dyed his hair and was cautious of how he moved. Today though, his soul focus had been on making sure his mate would be safe when she went to university.
“You can leave now, and if you apologize, I may not even complain to the uni about how rude you’ve been and the harassment we’ve received today.” Lisa huffed and placed her hands over Dax’s own. Dax loved that she was offended for him, but she would have to get use to this kind of treatment now she was with him.
“Kitten, you’re so sweet for sticking up for me, but I’m used to it. All shifters are.” Spinning her in his embrace, Dax tilted her head up and brushed his lips over hers. “I’m a lucky man to have a sweet mate like you.”
Darting her gaze over his head, the rent-a-cop glared before he grumbled, “Sorry, ma’am, I’m just doing my job and looking out for everyone on campus.”
Lisa swirled around to face the guard again. “Well now you know, that my boyfrie…um, man, is here for me.”
The guard gave a nod to Lisa before he looked up and Dax saw the flash of hatred before he turned and walked away. The campus guard would be someone Dax would keep an eye on. He didn’t like the feeling he got from him.
****
Lisa
Work had been long and not only did her feet ache, but her whole body felt like once it hit the bed, it wouldn’t move for a good twenty-four hours. They’d gotten two new patients, both men, one in his late eighties, and the other only sixty-five. The eighty-year-old wouldn’t let anyone help him and it had caused issue after issue. The sixty-five-year-old was handsy. She’d spent her day avoiding his hands and ignoring his sleezy lines. The man was in the retirement home because he had a hip replacement and his family thought it was better if he had round the clock care. Lisa had a feeling they just didn’t want to deal with the pig, er, man.
As she left the staff room, her bag hanging on her shoulder, she was damn grateful Dax was picking her up as she was so exhausted after her ten-hour shift, she didn’t think she could concentrate on driving. On auto pilot, she said goodbye to her colleagues and went outside only to find Dax waiting on the seats for her, for a moment she just watched him, he was everything she didn’t know she wanted in a man: strong, tall, manly, and alpha with a capital a. The white stripes through his hair, his height, and build gave him away as a shifter. It had been days since the incident with the guard at uni, but Lisa hadn’t been able to get it off her mind, she couldn’t believe how Dax had been treated. She understood though because Bruce and Helen would treat him worse. There was something about the uni guard that kept niggling her, like she recognized him, but maybe it was just from seeing him around campus.
“Kitten.” Jolting her out of her thoughts, Dax came to her, and as soon as his arms circled her waist, she felt a boost of strength and warmth flowed through her, and gave him her attention.
“Thanks for picking me up. I’m too tired tonight to drive.” Leaning into him, she let out a squeak as he reached down and hooked his arm behind her knees and picked her up in a cradle hold.
“Anytime.” He placed her down at the passenger side of his SUV and opened the door and helped her up. Dax closed the door as Lisa reached for her seatbelt. Resting her head against the window, she closed her eyes.
What felt like moments later, her head fell forward and her body came against something hot and hard that had her eyes opening to see Dax reaching in to pick her up. She snuggled against his chest and breathed in his now familiar woodsy scent.
“Kitten. Have you eaten today?” Dax’s foot closed the car door.
Moaning, because she just wanted to sleep and didn’t want to answer him, she grumbled, “Mmm sleep.” She clung to him as his arms uncurled from his hold on her and he opened the door.
“I’ve made you your favorite meal. You need to eat something, kitten.” The wind sealed the door before Dax placed her on a chair at the dining room table. Scrubbing her face with her hands to help wake herself up, she dropped them as Dax placed a plate before her with chicken schnitzel, asparagus, and what looked like honey carrots.
Wide awake now, that she can see what her amazing man had done for her, she grabbed him and yanked him to her and slammed her lips on him showing him how she felt. She ended the kiss when her stomach grumbled. “How did I get so lucky? This is my favorite, you know?”
“I remember. I remember everything you tell me.” His mouth claimed hers again.
A loud clearing of throats had them pulling apart and Lisa turned in her chair so she could see two stunning women come closer.
“We couldn’t wait any longer.” A tall woman with hair so long it went past her waist, waved. “I’m Rochelle. It’s nice to finally see you and not have our bro keep you all to himself.”
“Yeah. We’ve held back and let Dax have you to his self for weeks now.” The other sister said, she was a little smaller than Rochelle and had hair to her shoulders in waves. They both had the white stripes through them, but they looked like they’d paid hundreds to a hairdresser for the look. “I’m Sasha. The fun sister.” She ran to the table, pushed Dax out of the way, and grabbed Lisa hugging her tight.
“Um, nice to meet you,” she gasped as Sasha squeezed her so tight that she could barely breathe.
“Sasha, remember she’s human.” Rochelle winked at Lisa as her sister eased her hold.
Lisa stepped out of her hold and pasted what she hoped was a smile that didn’t look terrified. She wanted Dax’s family to like her.
Chapter Five
Lisa
Lisa loved Rochelle and Sasha. Since meeting them the other night, they’d taken he
r out to lunch, gone on a shopping spree—well they had, Lisa hadn’t bought much—and gone to a beauty and spa place. The beauty and spa had been amazing. Lisa had never been to one before. She loved how relaxed and pretty she felt after, and they promised to make it a monthly event.
The last couple of weeks had been a dream come true, no better than anything she could have ever dreamed. Dax worshipped her, or at least she felt like he did. He was the perfect boyfriend. He was better than the book boyfriends she read about.
“What has that faraway look on your beautiful face, kitten?” Dax dropped her left foot and picked up the other massaging it. This was one of the many reasons he was perfect and she was falling deeply in love with him. He did all these little things like massages after work, cooked dinner, drove her where she needed to go, and protected her.
“I was just thinking how lucky I am to have you.” Wiggling her foot out of his hold, she crawled over and onto him so she straddled him. Gazing into his bright clear sky-blue eyes, she trailed her fingers over his body to run through his soft hair before she took his mouth to her own. Grinding her body against him as their kiss deepened and her body started to burn, she moaned in protest when he pulled away.
“I’m the lucky one. Not all shifters find their mates. I found mine and she’s the sweetest woman I’ve ever met.”
“You’re perfect,” she sighed. He was better than anything she could have wished for. She didn’t know any of her friends tell her their boyfriends massaged their feet and other body parts every night, cooked for them, and cleaned.
“Kitten, I’m far from perfect. I like that you think I am though.” His lips claimed hers and she hoped that their little bubble didn’t pop and she and Dax stayed in it, but the world doesn’t work that way.
**
Lisa awoke to her breasts being squeezed and her nipples being plucked. Dax’s cock rubbed against her pussy lips spreading them before the tip of his cock sank in. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath in as he held her tighter and slammed home. His head buried into her shoulder and he nibbled on her bare skin. Screaming in pure pleasure as his dick hit just the right spot, he hammered into her. Reaching out, she gripped the bedside table with one hand and the sheets with the other, moaning as he thrusted into her over and over. Dax sucked on her neck like the hungry animal he was had her whole body going from a burning simmer to a blazing fire.