We still needed to figure out who was after Chelsea. Someone wanted her dead, and she would not be safe until we figured out who that was. Unfortunately, the only one who might have answers was her father.
Governor Adams had made a name for himself in the shifter community. We’d had no idea that he was one of us. Just his name sent a shudder through me. He had been fighting every law that our lobbyists had tried to get passed. But suddenly, it all clicked.
He had loved Marissa. His human wife had been dead for twenty-eight years, and he probably thought that his daughter was dead as well. He was punishing the council. It all made sense now. He had worked his way through the ranks of the human world until he finally held a position of power where he could make the council pay.
The wheels in my head continued to spin as I held Chelsea in my arms. I had started something for her. I had started the search for her father, and now we knew who he was. I needed to follow through on that for her. Tomorrow, I needed to speak with Brady. We had some phone calls to make.
With that decided, I closed my eyes and relaxed against the pillows. I had found my mate and she was safe in my arms. There was nothing that I would not do to protect her. I closed my eyes and fell asleep quickly.
The next morning, Chelsea was still asleep when I woke up. I stood from the bed without waking her and pulled on a pair of sweatpants. Then I left the bedroom. Brady was already up and sitting at the bar with a cup of coffee. It was still early, and I figured the women were all still asleep.
“We need to contact the governor,” he said before I could say anything. I headed to the coffee pot and poured a cup. Then I turned and leaned against the counter.
“I was thinking the same thing. He might know who is after Chelsea, and I owe her this much for starting all of this. Do you think he knows that she’s alive?” I asked him. That had been the biggest question on my mind.
“How could he? If he had searched for her, he would have never thought to look under Marissa’s maiden name. They were married, after all,” he replied.
“Do you have contacts who can reach him?” I asked, and Brady nodded.
“Then get it done,” I replied. Another nod and I knew that it would be his first priority.
The next matter on my list was a Christmas tree. I would love to take Chelsea to pick out one together, but I didn’t want her leaving the house. She was safe as long as she stayed inside. The incident from the tram crossed my mind again. If I had not seen that laser dot, she could be dead right now instead of asleep in my bed. I was not willing to jeopardize her life.
Pulling out my phone, I sent a few texts. Then I opened my laptop and sat down at the bar beside Brady.
“It’s the best feeling in the world, isn’t it?” Brady asked with a grin, and I glanced over at him. “Finding your mate. Suddenly, your world no longer matters. Everything in your life revolves around her. It’s a wonderful feeling,” he said, raising his coffee cup to me before taking a sip.
I laid my hand on his shoulder. He understood it perfectly, and now, I finally knew what he had felt with Emily all those months ago.
“That it is,” I replied. Then I turned my attention back to my laptop. If I were lucky, Chelsea would sleep for a few more hours.
It was around 9:00 that I finally made my way back to the bedroom. When I opened the door, Chelsea was sitting up on the bed with her phone to her ear. Tears streamed down her face, and she looked up at me when I entered. A smile spread across her face, but I wasn’t sure what it and the tears meant.
I approached the bed and sat down on the edge of it, reaching for her hand. She was silent for a few moments, and I hated interrupting this private moment, but I needed to know that she was okay.
“It’s okay, mom. I understand now. It actually makes a whole lot more sense now…well, honestly, I just thought you guys were crazy, overly-protective parents, but I understand why…well, it’s all a lot, but I’m glad that I finally know…Zeke will keep me safe, dad. It’s what he does for a living. If he can keep celebrities safe, he can keep me safe…I’m not sure if I’ll be back in time. It isn’t safe for me to come home. Not even for Christmas…Of course. Just like old times, I’ll call you every day…I love you both too.”
She disconnected the call and looked at her phone for a few moments. Then her chin lifted, and she looked up at me.
“I needed that,” she said softly, indicating her phone. “They love me, and I love them. It just all seems to make sense now,” she said softly.
I felt relief wash through me. She had not wanted to make that phone call, but it was something that she needed to do. Her parents needed it as well. I had spoken with them, and I knew that they were worried about her. But she had been correct. Until we found out who was after her, she could not return to Kansas City.
That brought up all kinds of insecurities inside me. Did she want to return to Kansas City? Maybe it was just to visit her parents. She had said that she felt at home here with me, and she had to know that I wanted her to stay. I needed her with me. I needed her here in my life, in my house, and in my bed. Life would mean nothing without her at my side.
She was still processing everything, so I decided not to broach that topic just yet. We had time. Instead, I brought up a different subject.
“Well, if you are ready to get out of bed, I have a surprise for you. It will be here in about thirty minutes,” I told her.
She quickly wiped her tears away, and her eyes lit up. The smile that instantly came to her face melted my insides and warmth spread through me. There was nothing that I would not do for her and seeing the smile on her face brought me pure joy.
“I love surprises,” she said animatedly, and I laughed. The next thing I knew, she was out of the bed and dragging on clothes. I preferred her naked, of course, but considering the number of people in my house, I supposed the clothes were necessary.
When we finally exited the bedroom together, I insisted on breakfast first. She settled for a bowl of cereal, and I fixed it for her. When she was settled at the bar, I sat down next to her while she ate. Luckily, Brady was no longer in the room.
“Last night in the shower…you were amazing,” I said softly, and I noticed the blush that crept into her cheeks. It was adorable, but I felt bad for embarrassing her. However, I had been completely honest.
“This is all new for me too. Everything is new with you, Chelsea. I know right now things aren’t perfect, but I want you to know that I am committed to you. I won’t be happy unless you are,” I continued. She stilled and set her spoon down in her bowl. Then she turned and looked up at me.
“Zeke, I am happy. It may not seem like it because a smile is not always on my face, but this was all a lot to take in. I’m still dealing with it and trying to work through it, but inside, I’m at peace. I have never felt this way before. I’ve always felt that something was missing in my life, but I don’t feel that way anymore,” she said softly.
I pressed a kiss to her forehead. She would never understand what those words meant to me. It was just a few minutes after she finished eating that I heard the chime of the doorbell. I motioned for her to get behind the bar and made my way to the door.
I did not want her to follow me because I did not want her to see me open the drawer on the table just inside the door and pull out my gun. With the gun in hand, I reached for the door. When I opened it, I quickly slipped the gun into my waistband.
“Chelsea,” I called back down the hallway. “Your surprise is here,” I informed her.
She came running around the corner and down the hallway to the entryway. Thomas, another member of our pack, stood at the door with a Christmas tree. I ushered him inside, and Chelsea reached for my hand. I could see the excitement on her face as we followed Thomas into the living room.
I had already pulled the tree stand and ornaments out of the attic, and they were ready and waiting for the tree. Thomas got it set up, and we all stood back and admired the nine foot tree. It was perfe
ct for the space. The smile on Chelsea’s face as she gazed up at it would not be something that I forgot any time soon.
After introducing her to Thomas, I shook his hand and walked him back to the door. When I walked back into the living room, Chelsea was going through the boxes of ornaments that I had laid out. When she turned that beautiful smile on me, my heart melted once again.
I was glad that I could give her this. She needed to feel normal once again, and what better way than decorating a Christmas tree. I joined her in pulling out the decorations. She had an eye for décor, so I followed her lead, letting her decorate the tree however she saw fit.
She wasn’t tall enough to reach the branches on top, so I helped with that. When she pulled an angel out of a box, she held it gingerly. The angel had its arms spread out wide and had a white flowing dress that was covered in a sheer material. Chelsea looked up at me from her place on the floor.
When she handed me the angel, I stepped towards the tree. A nine foot tree made it quite difficult to put the angel on the top, but I finally managed it. I plugged it into the string of white lights that we had strung through the branches.
By the time we had finished, the word “elegant” came to mind. I had purchased way more decorations than were necessary, but whatever was not used would go back in the attic to be stored. Chelsea excitedly stepped to my side.
“What do you think? The tree is perfect in this space,” she exclaimed, her smile indicating the happiness that she felt. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close.
The tree was decorated in royal blue, glass balls, silver icicle ornaments that sparkled in the light, and white, delicate snowflakes. There were also several wooden ornaments spread around the tree. The whole look was elegant and yet still a bit rustic. It was perfect.
“I think it’s beautiful. But it does not compare with you,” I replied, turning and capturing her lips in a kiss. I would never tire of seeing her smile and, knowing that I had something to do with it, brought me even more joy.
The house seemed full of people a couple hours later, even though there were just five of us. Chelsea, Emily, and Jessica had insisted on cooking lunch for us, and Brady and I were content to let them. He and I sat in the study for privacy, but I could hear the laughter of the women in the kitchen.
“Were you able to get ahold of the governor?” I asked him when we were both seated.
“I put in some calls,” Brady replied. “I have a lot of contacts, so it is just a matter of time,” he replied. Just then, his phone rang.
I couldn’t help listening to his side of the conversation. We were the only two people in the room, and he did not try to find somewhere private to take the call.
“Yes, sir…We have found your daughter…Someone is after her. Someone tried to kill her…She is safe here…Ezekiel won’t let anything happen to her. She is his mate…Yes, of course, I’m sure…She didn’t even know that she was a shifter. She was raised by humans…She wants to meet you too, sir…She is definitely your daughter…Marissa Feldman…Of course. We will wait for your arrival expectantly.”
“The governor is coming here. Today,” Brady said when he disconnected the call. I had pretty much summed that up from the side of the conversation that I had heard.
“What do we tell Chelsea?” I asked him, not knowing quite what to think about the governor’s imminent arrival at my home. Brady shrugged his shoulders.
I knew that she would want to meet him, but I was not sure what the end result would be. I knew the governor as a hard-ass, but maybe that was only because he thought his wife and daughter had been murdered by his own kind. His wife had definitely been murdered, but his daughter was alive and well, and she was my mate. I would do anything to protect her.
“It’s okay, Zeke. He knows. He just wants to meet her. This is the best place for that meeting,” Brady replied, reading my uncertainty. Suddenly, a smile came to my lips.
“Let’s keep this a surprise. I know she wants to meet him, and Chelsea loves surprises,” I told him. With that, we both headed back to the kitchen.
The five of us sat around the dining room table for lunch. The conversation was continuous, and the smile never left Chelsea’s face. She had settled into my life so quickly and easily. Sure, she’d had some rough times and even more to come, but she was a fighter, and she had handled all of this better than most people would have. I was proud of her.
She had broken down and become vulnerable and lost, but then she had picked up the broken pieces and carried on. There was no one more worthy of being my mate, and I loved her more every day. When she turned those big green eyes on me, I knew that there was nothing that I would not do for her.
When lunch was over, I helped Chelsea clean up. She stood at the sink loading the dishwasher, while I put the remaining food away. I could hear the others laughing and talking in the living room. When the food was all in the fridge, I turned towards Chelsea and found her watching me.
“Zeke,” she said softly. “If there is a wolf in me, how do I find her?” she asked in a timid voice.
I studied her face for a few moments. She seemed completely serious, and I walked forward until I was standing in front of her. I wasn’t sure if she was ready for this just yet. Reaching up, I put my hands on her shoulders.
“Are you sure you are ready for this?” I asked her gently. She quickly nodded her head. I reached for her hand and pulled her towards my study.
“Have a seat,” I told her, pointing to the small couch along one wall. I shut the door behind us, and then I sat down beside her and took her hands in mine.
“Chelsea, this is going to seem very strange and unnatural. Your wolf is a part of you, and yet, she is separate. First, you will sense her presence. It will feel like there is another mind inside of yours, and it might scare you at first. But you don’t need to be afraid. Your wolf cannot hurt you,” I told her, and she nodded.
“You need to reach for that mind until you can enter it. Become one with it. Try to figure out what it’s feeling and what it’s thinking. Do you think you can do that?” I asked her, and she nodded again.
I could see some fear in her eyes, but I also saw determination. She was ready, and I was proud. I gave her an encouraging smile, and then I squeezed her hands, holding them tightly. She was not going to do this alone.
“Okay, now close your eyes and open up your mind. I am going to call to your wolf. As mates, she will answer to my wolf,” I told her softly. Her eyes opened a bit wider in surprise, but then she closed them. I closed my eyes and spoke to my wolf, and then he called out to her.
I opened my eyes and watched Chelsea’s face. At first, nothing happened, but then I saw her eyes moving behind her closed lids. Her hands gripped mine even tighter, and finally, I sensed her wolf’s presence. My wolf quieted, and we both waited patiently. This was something that Chelsea needed to do on her own, but I would be right here with her.
Chelsea was discovering who she really was. It was like a new birth. Her wolf had always been a part of her, but because Chelsea had no idea what she was, she had never recognized her wolf for what she was.
The room was quiet for a long time as the minutes ticked by, and then Chelsea gasped and her eyes flew open. I studied her face, but I could not tell what she was thinking. Then her lips turned up in a smile. She threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly, and then she laughed. It sounded like music. When she leaned back, she was radiant.
“It was wonderful. I mean, she is wonderful. She has been waiting for me,” Chelsea exclaimed, and I grinned down at her.
“I feel whole, Zeke. Not only for finding my wolf but for finding you as well. There’s so much I want to know and learn, and she does too. I just can’t describe this feeling inside,” she continued animatedly.
“Thank you. Thank you for doing this for me,” she said softly, but I knew that she was being sincere.
“You always seem to be thanking me,” I told her on a chuckle. She laughed again. �
��Come on. Let’s go join the others,” I told her, taking her hand and helping her up from the couch.
When we were seated in the living room, the conversation around us was continuous. However, Chelsea remained silent. I watched her closely, and she seemed distracted, but I knew why. She was getting familiar with her wolf.
I heard her wolf call out to mine, and I remained quiet as the two of them discovered each other. Now that her wolf was aware, my wolf wanted to claim her. It would be the same as how I mated Chelsea, but we would both need to let go and let instinct take over. It would be rough and intense, and I wasn’t sure if Chelsea was ready for that yet.
When the doorbell chimed over an hour later, Chelsea looked up at me with an expression of alarm. I patted her knee.
“It’s okay. I’m expecting someone,” I told her gently. She relaxed against the couch once again. I stood and made my way to the entry hall and opened the front door.
Governor Adams stood in front of me, and there were two men who I knew to be his personal armed guards standing beside him. He held out his hand, and I hesitantly shook it.
“Governor, I’m Ezekiel Daniels. It’s nice to finally meet you,” I told him stiffly. I wasn’t sure that “nice” was the word I was looking for, but he was Chelsea’s father, and I would not mess this up for her. He told his guards to remain outside, and then he stepped inside the house.
“Governor,” I said softly. “This has all been a lot for her to take in. She was adopted and raised by humans, and she had no idea what she was until coming here to Tucson for a vacation. Her wolf has been suppressed all these years, and she just discovered her today,” I informed him.
Then I saw something that I had never expected to see on his face. Regret. His shoulders slumped and a series of emotions passed over his face.
“I wish that I had known she was alive. When I found out that Marissa had been killed, I just assumed that she had been as well,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I had searched, just in case, but I never found her,” he continued.
His to Protect: Book 1 in the Bound to Him Series Page 13