by Hazel Gower
Remy clutched her head. “Well, I thought by now you’d be better. You just almost killed me.” She pulled the park brake. “Turn off the car. No more. There is like four of us for you to kill now if all that monkey sex I heard from your heat worked, and considering you’re starting to fight back with me and being a bitch…I’m thinking you’re knocked up.”
Turning off the car, Nara closed her eyes. She had been trying not to think of that the last couple of weeks. Grayson had been working with the military, and when he wasn’t there he and Arden were working on houses, trying to finish some so the people in Grayson’s house would move out. There was more than one family living in the house. Three to be exact. The family of three were being the biggest problem though and didn’t want to move out of the luxury house. They had the main suite and didn’t want to give it up. Nara understood now that she’d actually seen the house; Grayson had taken her a couple of weeks ago. He wasn’t happy with the condition of some of the items in his house, and after checking on it he was determined to get it back. So, for the last couple of weeks he had been extra busy, and she didn’t know how to help other than be supportive.
Nara opened her eyes. She still wasn’t comfortable using her voice. She only spoke to Grayson, but right now she needed to show Remy how unsettled she was. “I think I am too, and I’m scared. I miss Grayson. I want to have a space of our own, but the price at the moment is too high.”
Remy’s mouth gaped opened for a moment or two before she snapped it shut. She spoke as she signed and projected at Nara. “Holy shit! You just spoke. Like lots of words. Not just screams of pleasure.” Remy dramatically shivered and sent Nara an image of her vomiting. “You need to speak up. Grayson wants you happy. I want you happy. You need to gain a backbone though.”
Argh, her sister was right. Opening the driver’s side door, Nara slipped out of the car and walked around to the passenger side. Remy got out and Nara took her place. “You’re right. Grayson can teach me how to drive. Take me to him. I miss him.”
No more sitting back and not saying how she felt. She had a voice, and she was going to use it.
* * * *
Grayson
Thank fuck. This house was done and now all three families could move out of his home. He was tired, his body ached, and he missed his mate with every fiber of his being. The last couple of weeks it felt like his life had been on hold. He’d had his hundredth year last week, and he’d been so busy trying to get everything ready so he and his mate could live their life he’d forgotten about it.
Arden slapped him on the back, gaining his attention. “Let’s go tell those people they have homes and get them out of yours.”
“Fuck yes. I’m ready to get those ungrateful arseholes out of my house.” He left the newly built house and started his walk toward his house.
Arden followed, coming up on his left side. “You know it’s just the one family that are fuckers.”
Oh, he knew, but right now he didn’t care about the little details. “You know, she talks.”
“Who talks?” Arden stopped walking, but Grayson didn’t bother turning to face him or slow down.
“Nara.”
“When? Why doesn’t she do it with others?” Arden caught up to him.
“She doesn’t like her voice. She’s self-conscious about it. I’ve told her no one would dare make fun of her.” They were now almost to Kane’s house. It was only a couple down from his.
“You’re goddamn right no one would dare,” Arden snarled. He grabbed Grayson, stopping him in front of Kane’s. “I want to talk more about this, but right now I think we should go in and get Kane to deliver the news and tell those people how long they have to get organized and move. You’re a little…” He trailed off and didn’t need to say more, Grayson knew Arden got how irritated and angry he was.
Taking a calming breath, he slowly let it out and gave a sharp nod. “I want to get back to Nara anyway.”
Stripping, he let his leopard out for a much-needed run back to Arden and Remy’s house.
* * * *
He stopped in the forest when a familiar scent wafted his way. His leopard purred and slinked low as it prowled to his mate.
“I miss you. I don’t care about the house. I just want more time with you.” She used her voice, and although it was still husky, it was clear. She came toward him, her hair down, her summer dress blowing with the coastal breeze. She glowed with beauty.
Grayson’s leopard pranced when it smelled the heightened sense of what his human side had missed—his mate carried their cub.
Nara knelt, and his cat came up and rubbed himself against her, purring his pleasure. She ran her fingers through his fur and kissed his face. His tongue came out and licked her cheek. She giggled, and even in his leopard form, he basked in the sound.
“I missed you like this,” she said as he licked her other cheek. She pushed at him and eased up. “Change. I want to hug the man now.”
Shifting, he stood before her and gathered her into his embrace. “I’m sorry I’ve been busy these last couple of weeks.”
She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. “I don’t care about the house. I’ve missed you too much.”
“You’re using your voice.” He spoke into her head, while his fingers caressed up and down her back. “I like it.”
“You taught me not to be a victim anymore. And that has changed how I feel about people hearing my voice. You’ve given me the confidence to be who I want to be. I don’t care where we live as long as I’m with you. I love you.”
Grayson stepped back and tilted her head up. “You are amazing, and I’m one lucky man. I love you too.”
Picking her up, he captured her lips to his own. He would tell her later about the houses. Right now, the important thing was enjoying his mate.
Needing to tell her again, Grayson pulled away and stared down at her. “I love you so much.”
She gave him a beaming smile, and he heard echoes in his head of ‘you hold my heart’. Life was good. He had his mate and a cub on the way. It was more than he would ever have dreamed.
Epilogue
Nara
One year later
The year had been a busy one, both with family and with settling in all the new people into town, but since the attack the demons had been quiet, even at night. The patrols around the world hadn’t been reporting much activity either. Nara would love to think that they had won and the demons had backed off, but thanks to Faith—Hope helped with premonition a little, but since giving her power transfer she didn’t have many—they knew the demons were still plotting and rebuilding their army. Nara tried not to worry about the future. She knew with everyone working together they had a fighting chance and a good one at winning.
Grayson hugged her to him, kissing her neck and waking her a little more from her sleep-fogged mind. The house was quiet. She couldn’t hear the thoughts of her brother and mother. They’d moved into their house as it was bigger than Arden and Remy’s. They stayed on the bottom level, which Grayson had turned into a little granny flat. Nara was happy, because she had freedom and space, yet was still close to family.
Nara blinked as Evan, their son, made a mewling noise. It rebounded in her head, and she smiled at how loud it was. One of the things she been worried about with having a baby was not being able to hear him. But Evan seemed to know from the moment their eyes met minutes after he was born that he needed to express himself to her through his mind.
She moved to the crib and picked him up, then changed his nappy and handed him to Grayson. Nara went and washed her hands before coming back and taking Evan from his father. She hugged him to her as she sat down and settled him for his breakfast. She stared down at him, watching him feed. Nara loved this…being a mum. This special time was one of her favorites. It was their bonding time. She liked knowing she was giving substance to her child.
Evan was the spitting image of his father right down to his bright, cat-like, green eyes. He was
a mummy’s boy though, which Nara loved. Life was better than she could have ever imagined, and she couldn’t wait for the future.
Smiling at her husband, she reached over and threaded her fingers through his. “I love you.”
He brought her hand up and kissed her knuckles. “I love our family and you.”
If someone had asked her two years ago if she would ever even dream of having what she did now, she would have laughed in their face. Nara had more than she could have thought to ask for. She loved her new life and was forever grateful for being saved. She leaned down and kissed Evan, her heart filled with love.
About Hazel Gower
A USA Today bestselling author, Hazel is a mother of four energetic children. When she isn’t chasing after her children or being their chauffeur, she’s sitting at her computer writing hot, sexy, romances with Alpha men and women who always get their man.
The little amount of spare time she has Hazel likes to read any romance books she can get her greedy hands on.
Hazel would love to hear from any of her readers, so feel free to send her an email and like her on Facebook.
Hazel’s Website:
www.hazelgower.com
Reader eMail:
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More Beachwalk Press Titles by Hazel Gower
Kane’s Mate
Rane’s Mate
Ava’s Mate
Arden’s Mate
Griffen’s Mate
The Protectors, Volume 1
Winning Her Love
Earning Her Love
Christmas Love
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Back Cover Copy
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Author's Foreword
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Epilogue
About Hazel Gower
More Beachwalk Press Titles by Hazel Gower