by Dana Archer
Megan’s adoption had raised some flags when Tony enrolled her in kindergarten. Shifter Affairs agents had then identified her as being feline, and the nearest pride had been contacted to investigate. Rafe and Devin had driven to West Virginia immediately.
It hadn’t been soon enough.
The fire might’ve been an accident, and Tony’s death just a coincidence. Rafe drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He really wanted to believe that.
No matter the reason behind Tony’s death, the hard decisions had yet to be made concerning Megan and Jasmine’s boys. Since they’d been found closest to Rafe’s home, they’d be assimilated into the Alexander pride and tied to their family’s spirit unless their birth parents were found.
It was what happened to those humans the shifter children had loved that became a little sketchy. Ultimately, whatever was best for the kids would be the choice that was made. If that meant moving Jasmine with her boys, Rafe wouldn’t complain. The only other option would be to take the kids, allowing the humans who’d cared for them to think they’d died.
That had been done in the past. Actually, it was the preferred solution since it removed humans from the mix. Allowing them knowledge of shifters was dangerous. A human’s vow to protect the secret of shifters’ existence was an easy one to betray, and if a human was found guilty, primal law took over. That demanded the human’s death.
He gripped the steering wheel. No. He didn’t want to go there. Jasmine wasn’t facing that fate. If he had anything to say about it, she wouldn’t. Ever.
Time stretched with no signs of Jasmine’s car. His cats’ demands built. They needed to see her, to know she was safe. So did he.
He slipped from his SUV and moved quickly through the woods. A small two-story home sat at the end of the road. Thick undergrowth and trees surrounded three sides of the place, and a stream wove through the front yard.
The property was serene, quiet, and well kept, but it offered too many hiding places for Rafe’s comfort. It was a good thing he’d followed her. He crouched behind the bushes near the yard and scanned the house.
The inside was lit up. Jasmine talked animatedly with an older human male. Hugs were exchanged, then the front door opened. She stepped to the side, revealing two young boys carrying ice cream cones.
Rafe’s heart stopped. The shifter cubs had chestnut hair with dark highlights and light-brown eyes that looked hazel in the moonlight. The aura of the heavens surrounded them. Rafe recognized the golden glow shadowing the boys. It belonged to the goddess who’d birthed the Alexander pride.
They were his kin. Blood of his blood. His pulse quickened. Possibilities teased his mind. With the number of his family members who’d been lost over the years, he couldn’t guess to whom they belonged. No matter. They were family.
He inhaled, needing to memorize their scents, then cringed. They stunk. Not in an offensive way, at least for humans. They smelled as if they’d rolled around in a meadow. Either the soap or shampoo they’d used obscured their animals’ scent.
A non-Royal, who couldn’t see the aura emanating from them, might not have recognized them as shifters unless they’d gotten close enough to the boys to distinguish between the floral scent of bath products and the unique fragrance of their animals.
Was it intentional? Jasmine hadn’t smelled of the same.
Whatever the reason, he was glad. The boys and their human guardian had remained safe until Rafe could find them. In the end, that was all that mattered.
The boys climbed into the back of Jasmine’s car. They drove off, and he ran through the woods. By the time he reached his SUV, they were long gone.
It only took a couple of minutes to catch sight of them. As before, he followed, lights off. Jasmine turned onto another gravel road. He slowed to a crawl, following as far as he dared before pulling over. He made his way through the woods.
An older farmhouse sat in the clearing. He scanned the home and caught sight of Jasmine’s blonde hair in the kitchen window. Tension drained from his body. She was safe. So were her boys.
He waited until the porch light went off, then retreated to the tree line. The sound of footsteps warned him of the approaching person, but Rafe didn’t react. His cats remained calm. Kade wasn’t a threat.
“I can hear your heart pounding.” Kade stepped behind him. “What’s wrong?”
“Her boys are Alexanders.”
“You’re sure?”
“A golden halo surrounds them.”
“The Golden Goddess.” Kade flicked his gaze from the house to Rafe. “She led us to them.”
Or luck did. Rafe didn’t hold much respect for the gods who’d created the single shifters, or the goddesses who’d birthed the first Royals. Of course, Rafe wasn’t a pride leader and didn’t talk to them. Not that the gods—male or female—bothered to connect with the Royals often. When they did, it was to bestow a warning or a blessing. Neither helped their species much.
Instead of sharing his opinions about their gods and goddesses, Rafe asked, “Did you get a chance to run the perimeter?”
Kade crouched next to him. “Yeah. There’s no scent on her property from the cubs or any stray shifters.”
“She’s masking it with heavily-scented bath products.”
Kade made a noncommittal sound.
Rafe glanced at him. “Say it.”
“I can’t help wondering why the woman would be so fearful. Most of the humans who’d become unknowing parents of shifter children didn’t even know they were different. So, either Seth and Levi—”
“How did you learn their names?” Before he did. A growl accompanied the question. Rafe couldn’t help the surge of jealousy. The possessiveness he experienced toward Jasmine extended to her kids.
Kade tilted his head slightly and stared at Rafe with narrowed eyes. “The old human called them for ice cream.”
Rafe rolled his shoulders. “I see.”
A long moment passed where Kade simply studied Rafe before he turned his attention to the home. “It’s odd there’s no scent markings or scratchings on the trees. They might be cubs, but without an older shifter’s presence, they’d be driven to mark their territory. Unless,”—Kade faced him—“she ordered them not to do so.”
“I think she knows what they are and what Megan is. Why else rush to talk to Josh about Megan immediately after Tony dies?” Rafe waited for Kade’s reaction. Got none. His brother simply watched him. “My guess is either her boys shifted due to a threat or they trusted Jasmine enough to share their secret.”
“I suppose.”
Kade’s doubtful tone betrayed his disbelief. Most rescued shifter children were fearful of humans. Not a surprise. Nine out of ten had spent time in one of the many human medical facilities that experimented on their species. Other kids had lived as pets to those demented individuals with enough money to buy a shifter. From the little Rafe had learned, Seth, Levi, and Megan didn’t appear to fall into either category.
“I just can’t help wondering how Jasmine had known to mask her boys’ scents,” Kade went on. “Or to pick a home surrounded by cow pastures.”
Hadn’t Rafe thought the same?
He shoved the doubt away before other questions surfaced, ones that left him wary of her. He didn’t want to suspect Jasmine of anything illegal. It was hard not to, though. No female feline shifter would willingly give up her children. And if Jasmine hadn’t adopted them? Then in Rafe’s mind there was only one other option—she’d kidnapped them.
That wasn’t a conclusion he was comfortable with. Better he not dwell on it, at least not until he had more facts.
Rafe cracked his jaw. “What do you want to do about Jasmine and Josh?”
“Oh? Now you’re asking your pride leader what should be done instead of giving the orders.”
Kade’s lighthearted tone chased back Rafe’s somber mood. Rafe smirked. “You did complain about my lack of respect. I’m trying to rectify that.”
“You just don�
�t want to make the tough decisions.”
No. Rafe didn’t. If the choice was up to him, he’d toss Jasmine over his shoulder and take her to bed. His, preferably.
“The gods chose you to lead our hodgepodge family, not me.” And Rafe trusted Kade to make those hard choices. For an alpha, the pride came first. Always. Nothing was more important than protecting their family’s spirit. It tied them to the first Alexander and ultimately the goddess who’d birthed him.
“No.” Kade snarled. “Jon damned me to this fate when he beheaded our father and tore our family apart.”
Rafe curled his fingers. It didn’t matter if a century had passed. The bite of betrayal was still sharp. One horrible night changed their family forever. Rafe still blamed himself for it too.
Kade laid a hand on his shoulder. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of that night.”
Rafe jerked away from him and pressed his palms to his eyes. “It’s not your fault. I mentioned to Jasmine about losing Nina to Jon. The memory is fresh.”
“It’s not your fault. We didn’t know—”
“I found her discarded shirt near our garage then stumbled upon Jon smelling of sex.” Rafe growled and slammed his clawed hands into the ground before he lashed out at Kade. “And I let him go. Believed his lies.”
“Jon was over four hundred when he kidnapped Nina. His body and mind will be aging by now. He’ll start making mistakes, and we’ll catch him.”
Considering they had no clues and over a century had passed since Nina disappeared, he wasn’t sure he believed Kade. Rafe nodded anyway.
“Tomorrow, I’ll go to the fire chief and see what I can find out.” Kade focused on hum. “If the fire was indeed an accident, we can spend a couple of days monitoring the interaction of the cubs with their human guardians before I make a decision as to Josh and Jasmine’s fate.”
“And if the fire wasn’t an accident?”
Kade flexed his hand. “Then the coward who killed a human in order to get Megan will die.”
Rafe nodded. Kade’s decision was one Rafe approved of and one he’d happily carry out.
Silence descended while they watched over Jasmine’s house. One by one the rooms darkened until only the corner bedroom light remained on. Jasmine came into view and reached for the hem of her top.
Rafe leaned forward. “Turn around Kade.”
Kade shook his head but did as he was told. “I suppose that’s the sweet Jasmine’s scent I smell all over you.”
Jasmine dropped the top. He got a glimpse of her full breasts before she bent to pick up a shirt. The loose tee covered her, and the lights went out.
“Yeah, it is.”
“Are you sharing?”
Rafe settled against a tree to keep watch over Jasmine. “Nope. No threesomes this time. I think I’ll keep this one for myself.”
Chapter 8
Jazz woke to the sound of her boys talking outside her bedroom door. She peered at the clock on her nightstand. Noon. She squeezed her eyes shut. Opened them. Her boys were still arguing, and it was still five hours past when she normally woke.
Great. She jumped from the bed, tugged on shorts, and ran into the hall.
Both Seth and Levi turned in unison. They wore their sleep clothes, and their hair stood on end.
“Mom, you’re awake,” they said together.
“Yeah, I’m awake.” She cleared her throat. “Did you just wake up too?”
They nodded.
She ruffled their hair. “All right. Looks like we’re all getting a late start. Let’s go get breakfast.”
After setting them up with bowls of their favorite cereal, she grabbed the phone. Four missed calls, all from Josh. With shaky fingers, she dialed. Got his voicemail.
She left the boys to finish their breakfast and slipped into the living room to dial Josh’s parents’ house. His mom answered with a whispered greeting. Jazz gripped the phone tighter.
“Is everything okay?” Jazz asked.
“Yes. Megan’s sleeping. We don’t want to wake her and have her get upset again. She’s been having fits all morning.”
“What’s wrong? Do you need help with her?”
“Hold on.” The sounds of breathing filled the line, then Josh’s mother sighed. The honking of a car suggested where Josh’s mom had gone—outside. “Josh left, and Megan’s feeling clingy. It’s normal. She’s afraid if she can’t see Josh, she’ll lose him too. So we don’t want her to know he’s not here.”
Jazz could understand the little girl’s fear. Megan had lost her adoptive mother in a hit and run, then Tony in a fire. No wonder Megan was worried about Josh.
“Where did Josh go?”
“Back to the bar to show Susan some stuff. He plans on leaving her in charge of everything while he helps Megan adjust.”
Jazz squeezed the bridge of her nose. “I still can’t believe Tony’s gone. I saw him yesterday morning.” He’d been thrilled with the plate of cookies she’d brought and promised to save some for Megan. “Thank goodness Megan was sleeping over at Josh’s place.”
“I know. I told Tony not to buy that house. There’s a fixer-upper and there’s a death trap. He let Cindy influence him, though. She told him the place was a steal.”
“Was that the cause? Poor wiring?”
“I don’t know. The fire chief is bringing in some expert.”
She glanced toward the kitchen door. It remained closed. She lowered her voice anyway. “Do they suspect foul play?”
“Who would hurt Tony? Everybody loved him.”
“You’re right. Everyone did, but I was just wondering if that was the reason the fire chief was bringing in an expert.”
“Insurance claim, I guess. He’s young. Hasn’t seen many fires.”
“Let me know if you find out anything or need help.”
“I will. You’re like the daughter I never had.”
Jazz grinned. “That’s only because I spent so much time at your place growing up.”
“I had hoped something might happen between you and Tony, but I’m not really surprised it didn’t. Tony wouldn’t have wanted to steal you from Josh.”
“Josh and I haven’t been together in years. We’re only friends now.”
“If you say so.”
“I do. Look, I’ve got to go. Talk soon.”
“Okay, Jazz, and thank you for caring about my boys.” She hung up.
Guilt squeezed Jazz’s chest. She hadn’t meant to lead either Josh or Tony on. How shitty did it make her look, especially when she was just starting to get involved with Rafe?
If he was still interested. He might not bother contacting her again. If he didn’t, it wasn’t as if she could call him. She’d never gotten his number.
She walked into the kitchen to get her own breakfast. The phone in her hand rang. She glanced at the caller ID.
Rafe Alexander.
Her pulse kicked up. She stepped outside and answered. “Hello?”
“Hello, beautiful. Did you sleep well?”
She grinned and ran a hand over her sleep-tousled hair. Beautiful wasn’t the description she’d use, not as soon as she rolled out of bed anyway. Good thing he couldn’t see her. He’d run screaming in the opposite direction.
“I did. Actually, I just woke up.” Her breathless voice surprised her.
“You did have a late night. I’m glad I waited to call you. I didn’t want to interrupt your beauty sleep.”
Her smile widened. The man was sweet and considerate. “And how about you? Did you sleep well?”
“Hmmm, not a wink. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw yours. I’ve missed you.”
She blew out a breath and pushed the heavy weight of her hair off her shoulder. It didn’t help. Her skin burned. “I must admit I did think of you too. Once or twice.”
His deep chuckle filled the line. She reacted to the sound as if he stood behind her and held her close. Arousal sparked along her nerve endings, leaving her sensitized. She shifted the cotton
top from sensitive skin.
“Once or twice isn’t good enough. I should be in your every waking thought.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I want to see you. Now.”
The demanding tone should’ve annoyed her. It didn’t. It fed her need to see him. She ran a hand over the back of her neck. “I can’t. I have so much to do, and I haven’t had a chance to call Mr. Wilkins.”
“Call him. I’ll pick you up at six.” The air of confidence he used, as if she’d agree without hesitation, was clear in his order. He was right. She couldn’t wait to see him. Talk to him. Kiss him.
“And Jasmine?”
She ran her tongue over her teeth and tugged once more at the annoying cloth rubbing against her chest. “What?”
“Plan for that sleepover,” he said and hung up.
She held the phone to her chest for a moment and conjured Rafe’s face. Her lower belly quivered. She swallowed hard and dialed Mr. Wilkins.
Chapter 9
Rafe blew out a strained breath and slid the phone back into his pocket. The length of the yard separated him from Jasmine. A few hundred feet. It could’ve been miles. She needed a male’s touch.
His touch.
“The female’s got you twisted up. Be careful.” The warning was clear in Kade’s tone.
Rafe faced his brother once Jasmine slipped inside the house. Kade sat with his back against a tree. The intense glare focused on Rafe demanded his secrets. Rafe snorted. His brother could level his alpha stare at him all he wanted. He wasn’t getting anything more than Rafe was willing to share, which wasn’t much.
“Be careful of what? Blue balls?” He glanced at the front of his jeans and the bulge there. “Got those already. That’s why I need to get Jasmine alone. She left me in this state, and by the gods, she’s going to take care of me.”