“That was Ashley! What did she say?” Relief washes over me as I hear her voice through the phone. Between the sound of my own heart pounding and my wolf howling his rage, I can’t hear what’s going on.
“I think she’s trying to protect Runt. She’s talking to Brooks, but it seems he’s a wolf too. He must’ve shifted when the shot was fired. It sounds like he has Christi restrained.” Grant has a smile on his face, but I won’t be able to relax until I see that Ashley is OK.
I jump on the brakes as we approach the house and the truck screeches to a stop. We all jump out and run toward the front door. Gabe and a few of his patrol cars are pulling up with us. If he thinks I’m going to wait for him to clear the scene, he’s sadly mistaken.
Grant yells from behind me. “One shot fired, Gabe. Don’t try to stop him. Nicholai flew ahead of us. He should already be inside.”
“I won’t get in your way, Jack. I’m going in behind you.” Gabe shouts in my direction as others scatter in all directions, surrounding the house.
My heart’s racing, and it feels like the faster I run, the further away the door gets. I hear Gabe closing in on me. I reach the door and for a split second, I’m afraid to open it. I burst through the door and search the room for Ashley.
Gabe rushes past me, followed by many others. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. She’s on the floor trying to shield Runt from view. She’s protecting him. Human or not, she’s an alpha female and he’s a part of her pack. I’m overwhelmed by the love I feel for this woman right now.
I sprint toward her and pull her into my arms. I can see and smell blood, but she’s OK. She’s alert and is holding onto me just as tight as I hold her. My confidence has returned, and I can’t stop smiling.
I can’t believe how close I came to losing her. That feeling and this experience is something I never want to go through again. Holding her now brings new perspective to our situation. I don’t care what it takes, she will be mine and we will be mated.
CHAPTER 25
Ashley
I’m standing at the island watching everyone eat pizza while I sip my wine. Can they all turn into wolves? Christi called them animals and said she wanted to train them. Is that why she wanted Jack? She said he would never be mine because I’m human. Jack says we’ll be together. Which one is right? Where do I fit in with all of this?
I look over at Jack. “Is this what you were afraid to tell me? Everyone can turn into wolves and bears in this town? Why didn’t Christi turn into one?”
“Ashley, why don’t we sit down. I’ll tell you everything and answer all your questions.” Jack pulls a chair out at the table, waiting for me.
“Oh shit. I just got it. A wolf didn’t bring me here, you did, your wolf. But wait. That doesn’t make sense. If your wolf brought me here, why have you been acting like you didn’t know?” I’m still at the island, holding my glass.
Jack moves closer to me. He’s very calm. “Yes, we can turn into wolves. We’re called shifters. I’m the alpha to this wolf pack. Christi is a human. The town is half human and half shifter. Not all the shifters in town are wolves. There are also bears, cougars, foxes, eagles…and Nicholai.” I notice Jack hesitate before he says Nicholai’s name. “All the humans who live here are aware of our kind. We live in small communities and try to keep our way of life secret from the rest of the world.”
“What is Nicholai? Why did you only say his name? I saw his eyes when he came in the back door earlier. And the fire coming out of his mouth too. Can all of you do that?” I glance over at Nicholai, unsure. Am I in danger? I don’t think so. It doesn’t feel dangerous.
“Nicholai is different from us. He’s the only one who can tell you what he is. Once he tells you, you’ll be unable to repeat it. It’s why I couldn’t say it out loud. I don’t know how he does it, but he does. Very few have seen his true form. And no, we cannot breathe fire, that is something only he can do.” Jack looks over to Nicholai and nods.
Nicholai gets up from the table and steps toward me. “Ashley, I’m a dragon. I’m over nine hundred years old. There are only a handful of us left in the world. In time, I will reveal myself to you, but not today. I hope I didn’t scare you. That was not my intention. Because I can fly, I could get here faster than Jack’s truck. I was trying to protect you. When I arrived, Brooks had the situation under control, so I let him continue.” Nicholai holds out his glass toward me for a toast.
I touch his glass with mine and nod at him. We both take a sip. A dragon. I know I should be completely freaked out right now, but that is seriously cool. I’m friends with a dragon and he was trying to protect me. Tonight, I’ve encountered wolves, a bear, and a dragon. I’ve only seen the wolves, but still, this whole experience has altered my perception of reality. What else is out there that I don’t know about? I should probably be more afraid, but truthfully, I’m excited.
I look at Jack again. “Is your wolf the one that brought me here? Did you know?”
“Yes, you described my wolf. His right front paw is black. According to what you said, he guided you here and delivered you to me through your dreams. But I had no idea it was happening. I don’t know if he was actually leaving me to enter your dreams or if it was just his likeness. Either way, I’m glad you’re here. I want you to be here, with me.” Jack watches me closely.
“Will you please eat something? I’m fine, just trying to put all the pieces together. I’m not freaked out or anything. Honestly, it all seems completely normal. And I think I already knew somehow. Maybe because of the dreams. I think it’s why I felt drawn to you and so comfortable from the moment we met. It didn’t make sense until now. Seriously, Jack. I’m fine. Look, my arm doesn’t even hurt.” I wave my arm around, wanting to convince him I’m OK. Ouch, that does hurt a little.
I walk over to the table, hoping Jack will sit down.
“Ashley, there’s more. Are you ready to hear it? I understand if you want to wait. A lot has happened tonight.” Jack seems more nervous than he did a few minutes ago.
“Yes. I’m ready. I want it all out in the open. No more secrets.” I might be a little nervous too. What else could Jack possibly say that’s bigger than people being able to turn into apex predators and mythical creatures?
Jack takes his seat at the head of the table. He waits for me to sit next to him. Once we’re settled, he takes my hand and looks into my eyes. “Ashley, when a shifter chooses a mate, they mate for life. The mating bond is strong and can never be broken. Sometimes fate determines who that mate will be. We call that a fated mate.”
He pauses and takes a deep breath. “Ashley, you are my fated mate.”
Fated mate? Is that like a soul mate? I knew as soon as I met Jack that he was my forever love. That belief has only gotten stronger with each passing day. Is that the same thing?
“What makes you so sure that I’m your fated mate? How do you know?” I watch Jack.
The others are busy eating, but I can tell they’re watching and listening.
“Our senses are more powerful than that of humans, and scent is important to us. We can smell fear, detect lies, and know when someone is sick or when they are aroused.”
Jack looks down at my lips but keeps talking. “The very first day I met you. The instant I caught your scent when you walked out onto the porch, I knew that you were mine. It nearly brought me to my knees. Something in your mate’s scent triggers the mating bond. Even though you’re human, you feel it too. The pull to be near me, the cravings. Not only are you my mate, but I’m your fated mate as well. Fate always unites a perfect pair. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes. I understand. It makes sense. I’ve never felt anything like this before. I don’t even know how to describe it, but I absolutely feel it too.” I look down at our tangled fingers.
“Do you understand why I insisted on going slow? Because you’re human and did not know about shifters, I was stuck. I couldn’t talk to you about being my mate without telling you about shi
fters. I wanted to keep you. Not scare you away. I’ve never told a human before, Ashley. And to be honest, the thought of you fearing me was paralyzing. Telling you about shifters, fated mates, this town. I didn’t know where to start or how to begin the conversation. Everyone tried to help me figure it out.” Jack looks around the table at the others, and they’re all nodding their heads. Jack’s honesty is apparent. I can see it in his eyes.
“I don’t fear you, Jack. I wasn’t afraid of Runt or Brooks earlier and I’m not afraid now. I wasn’t even afraid when Nicholai came through the door breathing fire. What scares me is not knowing where I fit in all of this. I’m the one that doesn’t belong here.” For the first time since Christi arrived, my tears start to fall. “I’m not ready for it to be over, and I don’t want to lose you.”
Jack pushes my chair away from the table and kneels on the floor between my legs. He puts his hands on either side of my face, wiping the tears away with his thumb. “You’re my mate, Ashley. You belong here with me. There’s still a lot I need to tell you, but we’ll get through it. We’re not in a hurry. I want you to feel comfortable with everything.”
I nod at Jack. “This is your wolf pack? Is that why they’ve been moving in? They go where you go?” Jack and I look into each other’s eyes. I want to wrap myself around him, but I need to get as much information as possible. I need to stay focused.
“Yes. Except Nicholai.” Jack smiles wide. “They go where I go. If you and I were to mate, they would live with us. Wolves call it a pack house. This house and property are bigger than the one we currently have. Better suited for a growing pack. Once mated, I would like for us to live here. I apologize for the sneaky tactics with the moving in. Once I knew you were my mate, it was basically a done deal for me at that point. I should’ve waited until you knew everything.” Jack gets up off the floor and moves back to his chair.
“I understand, you don’t need to apologize. I would have said something if it bothered me. I think it’s funny that you thought I didn’t notice. What do you mean by a growing pack? Would I be a part of the pack? Is mating like being married?” I reach out to take his hand again. I can’t tell what Jack thinks of my questions. I don’t know what I think of my questions.
“Yes, you would be a part of the pack. The mating bond is stronger than marriage. It can never be broken. Once I take a mate, the others will also, eventually. They can’t take one until I do.” Jack softly rubs my fingers and patiently waits for my next question.
Brooks hinted at that in our conversation earlier. It must be what he meant by wanting change. They want their mates.
“What if they don’t want me in the pack?” I’m trying to focus on Jack. I don’t want to look at the others. If we’re all going to be living together, I want to make sure they like me.
“Normally the alpha’s word is final. But this is a first for all of us and you’re human, which means we’ll all have some adjusting to do. Because you’ll be the alpha female for the pack, let’s ask them what they think. Guys, yea or nay to Ashley being a part of the pack as my mate and your alpha female?”
At the same time, everyone, including Nicholai, shouts yea. There are even a few hell yeas. That makes me feel good.
The whole time Jack was talking, he kept his focus on me. He did not look at them once.
“What is an alpha female? Will I be a shifter? Will I turn into a wolf?” This is the first bit of information that makes me uncomfortable. I’m not sure what I think about this.
“No, you won’t become a shifter. It doesn’t work that way.” Jack pauses. He watches as I let out the breath I was holding. “The alpha female is basically the female who belongs to the alpha. Although, if you give them an order, they’ll follow it. You’re an extension of me. They’ll protect you. You will not go anywhere alone, and someone will always be with you. Females are very important to a pack. They’ll always be protected, no matter what.”
It sounds extreme, but ever since the break-in, I haven’t been alone. If I went into town, Brooks was with me, and there has always been someone here at the house. It was comforting and felt normal. It was subtle, and I never felt like a prisoner. They were on the property somewhere, not necessarily in the same room.
I’m the one who doesn’t want this to end, but I’m also the one who must decide our future. It’s interesting really. Fate used his wolf to lead me here and I followed blindly. Now, I’m the one to determine the outcome. I said that I chose him earlier today, but it’s really the whole package I need to consider.
Saying yes means I’m accepting everything as is, even the parts I don’t know yet. I’ll not only be saying yes to Jack the man but also to Jack the wolf. To the whole pack, the way of life, and the secret. I’ll never be able to go back to my old life. Is there a life to go back to? No, there isn’t. Didn’t I already make that choice when I chose to leave South Carolina in the first place? I don’t think I can go back to my old life anyway, with or without Jack. I’m already a part of this world just by knowing the secret.
Am I still saying yes to Jack?
In saying no to being Jack’s mate, I have to walk away from him completely. Would I stay in this town? Where would I go if I didn’t? Could I live without Jack? No, I can’t. Just the thought of it makes my heart race and the panicky feeling return. It’s the ending I don’t want.
Jack leans closer to me. He’s noticing my anxiety.
“You said we would mate. What does that mean? Does something happen that makes us mated? Is there a ceremony?” I already know that I will choose him. I think that up until a few minutes ago, he was sure of that too. Now he’s uncertain.
Interesting. As soon as my heart rate increased, his confidence decreased. We’re already deeply connected to each other. Like we’re joined by an invisible string. It must be the bond he was talking about, the one that started to form as soon as we met. I didn’t know what it was, but I’ve been clearly aware of it. The stronger it gets, the weaker I am to resist it.
That weakness is an illusion that almost tricked me. Because it is in that weakness that I find the courage to let him in completely. I want to break down the fortress around my heart, expose my soul, and let his love fill the dark empty spaces.
“It happens during sex. You can have sex without mating, but once the mating bond starts to form, like ours has, it’s difficult to control the urge to claim your mate. During the mating process, I will bite you on your neck. The combination of both of our climaxes, the blood from the bite, and my saliva, all coming together in that moment binds us together forever. No one knows for sure how it works. It just happens. There is no ceremony.” Jack is staring at me so intently. I think his confidence is starting to go back up.
“You’ll bite me in the same place you’ve been licking me every night? Will it hurt?” I stand up from the table and retrieve the bottle of wine from the island. I offer Nicholai some before I pour more for myself. I stay standing behind my chair.
“Yes, the same place. I’ve been struggling with the impulse to claim you, even in my sleep. It will hurt for a fraction of a second. Once my saliva fills the puncture, the pain will morph into a more powerful orgasm for both of us. If you were a shifter, you would bite me too. After it’s complete, you will have a mark on your neck. Anyone who sees it or smells your scent will know that you are mated and to whom.” Jack has been incredibly patient. His smile is slowly returning, and he’s starting to relax.
“Will others know that you’re mated since you won’t have a mark? Will they know that you’re mine?” This is important. I want to know if I have to worry about anymore crazy Christies. I guess that’s unrealistic. There are crazy Christies everywhere.
“I will not have a mark, but yes, all shifters will know that I’m mated and to whom. Our scents will combine. I could wear a ring. Some, who are mated to humans, have gotten tattoos that look exactly like the mark. But shifting back and forth erases a tattoo. I’ll do whatever you want.” Jack’s watching me. I think he
knows that I’ve made my final decision, but he’s not completely sure what it is.
“When Christi was yelling, she said that I could never have you because I’m human. What did she mean by that? You’ve been suggesting that we’ll be together.” Jack looks away from me for the first time. He looks at Nicholai and Grant briefly, then turns back to me. He seems frustrated for the first time.
“I know two things for sure. One, alphas can’t mate with humans. Only alphas can produce more alphas, and the only way for that to happen is by mating with another shifter. And two, fate has determined that you, a human, and me are meant to be together. Mated. Even though those two things are at opposite ends of the truth, I trust fate. Fate would not bring us together without a reason. I choose you, Ashley.”
Jack’s a little shaken. Is that what has held him back from telling me? Our mating goes against their natural law.
“Are you giving up children to be with me? Jack, we both need to be sure about this. This is not just about you and me. Decisions like this affect everyone, for generations.” I’m looking at Jack hoping he understands my concerns. I’ve never thought about having children. I was always alone. I would still like for it to be a possibility.
“I trust fate, Ashley. I don’t know if we can have children or not, but I’m not letting it change my mind. You are my fated mate and that’s good enough for me.” Jack’s not backing down.
I admire his faith.
“I see your point and I’m also putting my trust in fate. Knowing that we’re in agreement and that we’re going into this together helps. I can’t think of any more questions right now. Have you told me everything? Is there anything else I should know?” I take another sip of my wine. There’s a lot to process, but so far none of what I’ve heard has led me to change my mind.
“I’ve told you everything I can think of that would affect your decision. There’s still a lot to learn about being part of a pack. We’ll all have to adjust.” Jack looks around the table at the others. “I didn’t want you to find out about shifters the way you did. I wanted you to hear it from me, but what’s done is done. You can walk away, Ashley. A lot of information has been dumped in your lap, some of it traumatic. It’s a lot to process. This way of life is not for everyone. I understand if you say no.”
Delivered: (The Blackpaw Prophecy, Book 1) Page 17