Neo (Were Zoo Book Ten)

by R. E. Butler

  “There’s only one thing I can do,” Dexter said. “Either I exile Khyle or I disband the herd.”

  “What the fuck?” Grey demanded. “No one has to know, Dex. You don’t have to do this.”

  Dexter tapped his temple. “My beast won’t let me. You don’t understand what it means to be lead stallion. The laws are ingrained in me. You four can go on your own way and start a new herd.”

  “But we’re family,” Avi said.

  Dexter put up his hands. “I will not discuss herd business at this time. For now, Dani, Khyle has shown you the truth. We’re stallion shifters. Only males are born, so we find our soulmates in humans or other supernatural creatures. Each herd has its own alpha. We never, ever share our nature with anyone but our soulmate. But, in cases where a human is a soulmate, and a female child is born, she would be told the truth because she’s half stallion.”

  Dani wiped at the tears on her cheeks. “Mom knows?”

  “Of course.”

  “You couldn’t tell me because your horse won’t let you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then why could Khyle?”

  “Because he’s always hated the secrecy. You’re the only family he’s ever known, and it killed him to lie to you so much.”

  She left Neo’s embrace and walked to her brother. She tentatively rested her hand on his neck and stared up at him. Then she gasped. “I know you. I rode you! The horse farm is... for you?”

  Dexter nodded. “The farm belongs to us. We use it as a cover to shift. Whenever you wanted to go to the farm, a few of us would shift so you’d be able to see horses there and not be suspicious.”

  She pressed her head to Khyle’s neck. “I’m utterly destroyed. My whole life feels like it was built on a lie.”

  “I’m sorry, honey, truly. We were hoping that one of the males from the herd visiting tonight would be your soulmate, so you’d be able to learn the truth.”

  She sniffled. “That’s why you were so insistent on me meeting with them.”

  Ford said, “Don’t hate us, Dani. We didn’t like lying to you either.”

  She looked at Neo. “Did you know they were shifters?”

  He shook his head. “We thought something was up with them because of the way Joss said they acted about your VIP tour.” He looked at Dexter. “You don’t smell like a shifter though.”

  “It’s just a perk of being a stallion. To other shifters we smell human.”

  “When did you know about us?” Joss asked.

  “Well, we didn’t until we got to the park. Devlin’s human. But the park smells like all kinds of predator shifters,” Dexter said.

  “You could have come to us as fellow shifters,” Atticus said.

  “Surely you have rules your people have to follow,” Dexter said. “We’re no different. I could no more tell you than I could tell Dani. It’s been hell for her mother and me to keep the secret from her. So much lying, so much covering our tracks to not arouse suspicion.”

  Dani patted her brother’s neck and then returned to Neo’s side. “Why were you so against me coming on the tour?”

  Dexter didn’t say anything for a moment, and then he said, “Because I wanted your soulmate to be a stallion. You’re human, so I didn’t know if you’d be swayed by meeting other shifters, even if you didn’t know what they really were. When I got home last night, your mother was waiting for me and told me what she’d done.”

  “Are you done being pissed?” she asked.

  “You found your soulmate in a male who’s willing to go against six males to protect you. So yes, I’m done being pissed. I was never really angry with you, Dani. You didn’t know what was going on. I’m just... it was always my dream for you to find a stallion soulmate so you could be with your family.”

  “I can still be with you,” she said. “We’re still family even if I’m mated to Neo.”

  “But the herd isn’t going to be the same,” he pointed out. “Khyle has forced my hand, and I have some decisions to make.”

  Joss stepped up. “I never knew stallions were real. It’s quite amazing. How long does Khyle need to be in his shift?”

  “A few hours.”

  “Why don’t we get some breakfast in the cafeteria and talk while we wait?” Atticus said.

  “I need to call your mom,” Dexter said. “But yes, that would be fine with us. Crew?”

  “I’ll stick around with Khyle. Anyone got some carrots?”

  “There should be some fresh produce in the maintenance shed,” Caesar said, “I’ll take you over.”

  Everyone headed toward the fence to exit the paddock, but when Dani didn’t move, Neo looked at her. She was staring at her brother, whose ebony head was down, his gaze on her.

  “He’s still him in there,” Neo said, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear.

  “I know, it’s just surreal. My brain’s trying to reconcile everything in my childhood with what I know now.”

  “Are you angry with them?”

  “Yes and no.”

  He chuckled. “It’s okay to be angry, but don’t hold their secrets against them. Shifters have a different code than humans. There are things we can’t, or won’t, do to ensure the safety of our people. Your dad has clearly wrestled with keeping you out of the loop.”

  “If Khyle hadn’t shifted…” Her voice trailed off.

  “You might never have found out,” Neo said softly.

  She looked up at him with a sad smile. “Yeah.” She sniffled and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. “Shit, I’m exhausted.”

  “Totally understandable,” Neo said. “You’ve just had your whole world turned upside down. Twice.”

  She let out a short laugh. “Right. First shifters are real, and then I find out my family are shifters, too. Thank goodness my mom’s human. I’m not sure I could handle another crazy revelation.”

  Crew came back to them with a bunch of carrots tucked under one arm and a few apples in his hands. He offered an apple to Dani. “They’re his favorite. Wanna feed him?”

  She stared at the red fruit in silence.

  Caesar cleared his throat. “Secrecy is part and par of what we are. But no matter that Khyle is a shifter, he’s your brother first.”

  She lifted her hand slowly to Khyle. He took the apple from her hand and swiftly devoured it. She rubbed his nose and said to Crew, “Which one of you has white patches on his legs?”

  “Ford,” Crew said.

  She looked at Neo and said, “Once when I was twelve, I was walking around the farm’s paddock and picking dandelions for Mom. A few of the horses were milling around. Then the one with white patches came barreling toward me. He grabbed the back of my shirt and lifted me into the air, then stamped his hooves into the ground. He was whinnying so loudly that my ears were ringing. Dad came running from the barn, and the other horses raced over. Dad took me from the horse and looked where he’d been stomping his feet.” She looked at her brother and Crew. “There was a rattlesnake a few feet from where I’d been picking flowers. Ford saved my life.”

  “He did,” Crew said, “but he couldn’t tell you it was him. You were scared to go into the paddock after that happened, even though we’d all swept the area and made sure there were no other snakes around. Then Ford took your hand and walked the paddock with you, said you didn’t need to be afraid, because you had five brothers who would do everything to keep you safe.”

  She hugged Khyle’s neck and then hugged Crew. “I’m glad I know the truth now. And I need to thank Ford for saving my life all those years ago.”

  “So you don’t hate us?” Crew asked with a smile as he offered Khyle a carrot.

  “Nah. I love you guys. We’re family.”

  “One hundred percent.”

  “What do you think will happen with Dad and you guys because Khyle shifted?” she asked.

  “I honestly don’t know. But I do know that Khyle doesn’t regret shifting so you’d know the truth. Hell, I was a few seco
nds away from doing it myself.”

  “I’m glad he did.”

  “I think we need to catch up to Dexter and the others,” Neo said, taking Dani’s hand. “Call or text Dani when he can shift back, and we’ll come let you guys out of the paddock.”

  “Will do,” Crew said.

  Caesar left with Neo and Dani, and they headed toward the employee cafeteria.

  “Is there a shifter court or something?” Dani asked as they followed the path.

  “What do you mean?” Neo asked.

  “Dad said there were laws in place to prevent Khyle from shifting, and that he’d have no choice but to disband the herd. So is there a group of rulers who enforce the laws for each shifter group?”

  Caesar, who’d been quiet as they walked, said, “No. The alpha of the group is the law. Now in our situation, the alphas form a counsel and arbitrate issues for the common good, but it’s still up to the individuals to police their own kind.”

  “If there’s no one who will come down on them for it, why can’t he just move on as if Khyle didn’t break one of their rules?”

  “Because he’s alpha,” Neo said. “Atticus says that being alpha means that he has to make calls that others might find distasteful or cruel, but his beast won’t let him slide on some things. And a rule like not shifting in front of non-shifters is definitely on the list.”

  “This is complicated,” Dani said. “I don’t know if it’s better that I know what’s going on or if I was actually happier before I knew that Dad and the guys are also harboring this secret.”

  “I think it’s better to know,” Neo said. “Now they don’t have to actively keep things from you.”

  “That’s a good point,” she said.

  They reached the employee cafeteria. Neo held the door for her and Caesar, and then followed them inside. Several of the tables had been pushed together to create one long one, and trays of breakfast foods had been set across the center.

  The stallions were seated on one side of the tables. Dani sat across from her dad, and Neo sat next to her.

  “I’m sorry, Dad,” she said.

  “Why are you sorry?”

  “Because you might have to break up the herd because of me.”

  “No,” he said, reaching across the table and taking her hand. “I should’ve told you years ago, laws be damned. But I was afraid that I’d lose the herd if I told you, and the boys are like my sons. I just kept hoping you’d find a stallion soulmate so we could all be together.”

  “Can’t we still be together?” she asked.

  “Of course,” he said. “You and your mom are family to me and Khyle, and nothing is ever going to change that.”

  She gave her dad’s hand a squeeze. “Do you need me to come to the party tonight? So the other herd doesn’t know what happened?”

  Dexter’s brows rose. “I already spoke to the other alpha and canceled the meeting. I told him you were in a serious relationship and I couldn’t in good conscious bring them in with the express purpose of meeting you. It wouldn’t be fair to Neo to subject you to a party designed to hopefully pair you off with a stallion.”

  “Good.” Dani gave Neo a smile. “I really didn’t want to go, but I would have to keep the peace.”

  “I appreciate that, but it’s not necessary,” Dexter said.

  Dani’s stomach took that moment to growl loudly and her cheeks pinked as everyone laughed. “Sorry! I haven’t had anything to eat yet this morning.”

  “Well, let’s not let this food go to waste,” Dexter said. “It looks great.”

  They all agreed, and while Neo was certain that Dani had a lot more questions for her dad and the other males with him, she nodded in agreement. As Neo held the heavy platters for Dani so she could fill both her plate and his, he explained that the bear shifters handled all the food, from the employee cafeteria to the food stalls within the park.

  When they’d eaten their fill, the alphas left Neo, Dani, and her family and friends alone in the cafeteria to wait for Khyle to join them. Dani’s mother, Nancy, showed up, and Neo was glad he had an opportunity to meet her and thank her for helping Dani to come see him.

  “Well, I know a soulmate connection when I see one,” she said. “Even if others are too stubborn to.”

  Dexter made a face. “I said I was sorry, love.”

  “I know, but I’m still going to lord it over you for a while.”

  “Great,” Dexter said, shaking his head with a smile.

  An hour later, Khyle and Crew joined them. Dani hugged her brother. “Thanks for spilling the beans.”

  “You’re welcome. You have no idea how often I wanted to shift and show you the truth.” He looked at Dexter. “I’m sorry, Dad. I didn’t want the herd to disband, but Dani had a right to know.”

  “I know,” Dexter said.

  “Are you going to kick Khyle out of the herd?” Dani asked.

  “I’ll still be part of the family,” Khyle said. “It’s not like he’d disown me.”

  “I know, it just sucks.” She blew out a breath and crossed her arms. “I think you’re a great leader, Dad. And Khyle’s a great brother.”

  “I need some time to think on everything that’s happened,” Dexter said. “In the meantime, I think we should head home.”

  “What are your plans?” Nancy asked.

  “I don’t know,” Dani said.

  “Well, I haven’t asked her yet, but I’d like for Dani to move in here with me and live in the gorillas’ private living quarters. I’m not allowed to give you a tour, just know that she’ll be safe with me,” Neo said.

  “I know she will,” Dexter said.

  “I’d like to live here.” Dani smiled at Neo.

  “You can come pack a bag,” Nancy said. “And we can pack up your room for you.”

  “Can we do that tonight, Neo?” she asked.

  “Absolutely.”

  They walked Dani’s family and the herd members out to the parking lot and said goodbye. Dani and Neo stayed until they were gone, and then she turned to him. “This has been the craziest couple of days.”

  “It has, hasn’t it?”

  “Can we go home?”

  Neo frowned. Where did she mean when she said the word home?

  “I mean,” she said, “can we go down to your home? I’m tired as hell.”

  “It’s our home now, sweetheart.”

  “Then let’s go to our home.”

  “You got it.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Later that night, Dani moved around her bedroom, packing two suitcases with clothing. Her parents had offered to pack bags for her ahead of her visit, but she’d politely declined, knowing they were busy dealing with Khyle’s revelation and what it meant to the herd.

  The herd! The thought that her family had been shifters all along and kept it from her still made her head swim.

  “Do I need to take hangers, too?” she asked Neo as she pulled a shirt from a velvet hanger.

  “Yeah, I don’t have many.”

  She set the hanger on top of the others on the bed. Neo stood at the window and looked out. “That’s the farm?” he asked.

  “It is. Khyle and the guys are there now. We can stop by on our way out.”

  “Your dad seems really upset.” Neo turned and faced her, crossing his arms.

  “I think so, too. I don’t understand what the big deal is. It’s not like I’m going to tell anyone, and for sure the shifters in the park wouldn’t either.”

  He shrugged. “Stallions are clearly unique. Something about being alpha is making your dad want to disband the herd because of what Khyle did.” He got quiet for a moment and then said, “I can’t imagine having a child and not telling them the truth of what I am. It’s living a lie. He must have constantly worried about slipping up and telling you something he shouldn’t.”

  “Well, to be fair I’m not his biological child.”

  “He treats you as if you were.”

  “Good point.�
� She mused on what he said. “I wonder if his desire for me to know about what he and the others are is why he was so insistent I not go back to the park until after the get-together with the other herd?”

  “I’m sure it is. From what he and your mom said, he’s been banking on you being a stallion’s soulmate since he married your mom. Even the best taught child can be a ticking time bomb with sensitive information. He must’ve been afraid of Khyle telling you something or you figuring it out.”

  She folded the shirt and placed it on top of the others. As she walked to the closet, she said, “I get it and I don’t get it. Once I became an adult, I think he could have told me the truth. It makes my heart hurt that he didn’t think he could trust me.”

  “You don’t understand being a shifter, sweetheart. You’re my soulmate, and I wanted to tell you the truth the moment I met you. I couldn’t, because I didn’t know how you’d react. If you tried to leave, the alphas wouldn’t have allowed it, and then there would be a bigger problem. Imagine how Dexter felt, always having to keep you out of the loop. And your mom, too.”

  “I’m not saying it wasn’t difficult,” she said, gathering several dresses. She paused and turned to face him. “I need to quit my job?”

  He raised a brow. “Are you asking me or telling me?”

  “I don’t know.”

  He chuckled and then sobered. “I don’t want to tell you what you can and can’t do, but if you want to continue to work at the cosmetics store, then I’m going to insist on driving you there and back. My beast would rail against anything else.”

  “I started working there when I was sixteen,” she said. “What would I even be able to do at the park? It’s not like I know how to fix cars and could work with you in the maintenance shed.”

  “I’d teach you, but I don’t think you really want to learn.” He joined her, taking the clothes from her and draping them over the suitcase. He put his hands on her hips and brought her close to him.

  She really loved when he held her like that.

  “Not really,” she said. She put her hands on his shoulders, feeling the strength in his muscles. It was tempting to shut the bedroom door and push him to the bed, but her parents were in the house, and she’d come to learn that her dad had excellent hearing because of his shifter genes.