by Tigertalez
Slate smiled. “Yes, even more then my own breath. I know we don’t know each other well, but fate never makes mistakes, and as I get to know you more, I could only fall more in love with you. The mating pull isn’t the foundation, it’s just the beacon a shifter is granted to show them out of the billions on the planet, that that one person is the one meant for them. If you’ll let me, I want to have that connection with you.”
Katie opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by a knock on the door. She turned and looked to see Seamus walking into the room. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Katie, but there is a pack meeting taking place in just a few moments, and the alpha’s orders are everyone, including you, is to be there.”
Katie looked back at Slate and turned back to face Seamus. “What about Slate?”
“He’s the only exception. I’m sure you’ll agree he’s in no condition to be getting up and around.”
She nodded and turned back to her mate. “I’ll be back later, so why don’t you try to eat while I’m at the meeting?” Leaning over the lion shifter, she brushed her lips across his then pulled back. A plan started forming in her mind.
After leaving the room, she found a seat in the crowded living room. Every member had to have been there. She stood in the back of the room next to her sister and dad. The flutter of nerves rippled through her stomach at seeing them and how her plans would affect them. While others still situated themselves, she thought now was a good time to mention something.
Leaning towards her dad and keeping her voice at a whisper, she told him what she wanted to do. She didn’t have to look at her sister to know she was listening, too. Katie stopped when the alpha stepped into the room and raised his hands to quiet the group.
“Thank you for coming. I’ll try to get through this as fast as possible. First, I’d like to quickly do a recap and update. As you know, I’m the new alpha, but some of you may not know that I had the herd’s accounts frozen as soon as I won the alpha challenge. I had also killed the three enforcers, so the remaining supporters were quite upset. That is why they ransacked the houses. They were trying to get as many valuables as possible before they ran. They were by no means poor. Once we arrived and looked into their finances, we discovered just how much the alpha and his supporters had been taking from you.
“We froze all of their accounts and reported their misdeeds to the council. They had no place to go, so last night, with a mix of shifter and human mercenaries, they broke into this house. Their plan was to kidnap my mate and her mother, holding them for ransom.” Alphy paused as the shocked gasps and murmurs spread around the room.
After they died down a bit, he continued. “Five members were missing, but now four are dead. We are still missing one member. You need to keep your eyes out for former beta Damon Miller.” Katie had been kept away from the herd, so she wouldn’t recognize the man, but from the groans, she knew he wasn’t unknown to the others.
“The next big bit of news I need to discuss with you,” Alphy continued but with a more pleasant tone, “is that I am, and will stay, the alpha of the Kaska pack in Ontario. You can petition to join my pack, or another herd or pack, but if you choose to stay here then you will need to find another alpha.” Katie didn’t need to be a shifter to sense the alarm and near panic at suddenly being left to fend for themselves. But Alphy wasn’t done yet.
“Now I know none of you have the funds to move, but I have made arrangements for the funds gathered from the former alpha, the three enforcers, the beta, and the four trackers, to be divided equally among you.” Alphy had to stop talking for a little bit to let the herd calm from the excitement the news brought. Many asked questions, but Alphy just stood there until the room quieted again.
“We are placing all their homes and properties, including this alpha house, up for sale. That money will also be divided equally. Now, as for the moving options; if you plan to petition to join my pack, first you need to know that we will not tolerate any form of bigotry, prejudice, or intolerance. We have humans and many different kinds of paranormals in our pack—predator or prey, straight or gay, they are all welcome. If you would still like to join our pack, I will personally view each request and make a decision. Should you be accepted, we will gladly do what we can to help you move.
“If you wish to join another herd, and you need assistance, be it paperwork or whatever, feel free to come and ask and we will see what we can do. Now, are there any questions?”
The room was loud and busy with questions and conversations in groups. People were excited about the money, how it would be divided equally and what kind of figures would that be. They were also discussing with each other whether or not they wanted to move and what needed to be done.
Katie was talking to her dad and sister when Gale came over to join them. She had a pad and pen and was writing down people’s information on the topics they had discussed.
“Hi, guys, do you have any idea if you are going to move or not?” Katie didn’t miss the curious interest that was directed at her.
“Actually,” Katie began, “I haven’t talked to Slate yet, but I was hoping to return home with him. You know him better than I do.” And didn’t that rankle her insides to admit. “What do you think?”
Gale threw her arms around her. “I’m so relieved to hear you say that.” She backed up, and Katie could see her expression was genuine. “I don’t know him as much as you may think, but he’s a good man and we’ve been awfully worried about him. We were worried he would have been forced to choose between us and you, and we all know you would win. Oh!” Gale briefly slapped a hand over her mouth, and a concerned looked crossed her face. “I just heard Seamus make arrangements with Alphy to send Slate home tonight.”
Katie felt positively ill. Her stomach wanted to twist and empty itself. Tonight? Both her sister and her dad reached to her to give her their support. Her dad rubbed her back, and her sister held her hand. “Why? He shouldn’t be moved.”
“With both Slate and Kace injured, he’s sending them home to recuperate and having two of the others flown back here to take their place and finish helping out.”
“What time are they leaving, and will we be able to get her on that flight?” Henry asked.
Katie was still too sick to speak, so she let the conversation continue and just tried to follow what it was they were saying.
“I don’t know. Let me go check, and I’ll be right back.”
Katie watched as Gale weaved her body through the crowded room. Sara grabbed Katie’s face and turned it to look at her.
“We’ll get you on that flight or another one, tonight. Dad and I are going to petition to move to the pack, so we can get your stuff while we pack up ours. Let us handle everything. You just focus on that mate, get him better.”
“Thank you.” Her words were breathy and full of emotion. Katie racked her brain over all that she needed to do. “There’s a colleague at work whose apartment building burnt down last month, and he still hasn’t found a place. I’ll offer him mine, furniture and all. I don’t have much, so if you’ll help me, I can just grab the few personal items I have and my clothes and I should be good to go.”
“Wow, you’re willing to give all your stuff away?” Her sister’s voice was awed.
Katie felt her dad hug her from the back, his voice choked with emotions. “I’m so proud of you Katie.”
Gale returned with an affirmative thumbs up. The three told Gale of what they had decided then headed out in a rush to get everything done in the very few hours they were given. Katie didn’t think to tell Slate what she was planning or even that she was leaving the house. Her mind was too cluttered with what she needed to do.
****
Gale watched Slate’s mate leave with her dad and sister. She choked up when they told her about what they were going to do with the apartment. That coworker was in for a very happy surprise, and she kind of wished she could see his face when they tell him.
Strong arms wrapped around her,
and she felt muscular planes press against her back. The touch and his natural scent were familiar to her, so she didn’t even look up as she leaned back against him.
Alphy voice rumbled against her skin as he nuzzled her neck, “So what’s going on with Katie and her family?”
“They are rushing to pack so she can fly back to Ontario with Slate tonight. She’s just taking a few personal items and giving her entire apartment away to some guy whose home burnt down recently.”
She felt her hair move from his puff of surprise. “Wow, I didn’t expect that. I was starting to worry for Slate when she kept pushing him away.”
“Me, too. Henry and Sara are going to petition to join our pack, so please tell me they are already approved.”
The vibrations of his low voice tickled her neck, eliciting goosebumps. “Of course. We still need their information, but if you want to tell them the good news when you see them next, you’re welcome to. I bet knowing she’s going with him has raised his spirits. That’s going to contribute positively to his healing.”
“Yup, when he finds out. But I’m not going to tell him. He’s just going to have to find out when he gets on the plane.”
“Ouch, Honey-bear, that’s mean.”
Gale turned in his arms and looked up into his face, “I told ya I was gonna get him back for scaring me the other night when he discovered his mate. Besides, this will do him good.”
“Mmm,” Alphy groaned. “I hope I never get on your bad side.”
Chapter Seven
“Damn it, Slate! Get rid of your fur and back into your skin!” Alphy’s command was too strong to deny. Slate’s lion groaned his protest right before he began to shift. He was just told that he was going to be taken to the airport and flown home, but being told this moments after he was told his mate had left the house without even a word of good-bye caused him to lose his control over his lion. Did he scare her with his declaration?
The shift was painful because of his injuries, so when it was completed, he was panting and his skin was lightly moistened with sweat.
Alphy’s voice quieted down, speaking just loud enough for his shifter hearing to pick up. “I know exactly what I’m asking you. I need you to trust me, Slate.”
Slate pursed his lips and clenched his jaw. He trusted Alphy, but to physically accept what he was asking was painful. His lion roared inside his head in protest. He didn’t trust his voice to not disrespect his alpha, so he looked away and nodded his response. Slate closed himself down, only talking when he needed to answer a question.
He had to be helped in the shower, on and off the toilet and anything else that required him to get up with everything he needed to do before the flight. He was weak from loss of blood, and no matter how fast shifters healed they just couldn’t bounce back in a day from what he had just endured. It rankled his pride, and his lion was temperamental, causing him to be outwardly as well. Closing himself up was the best way to keep from mauling one of his friends.
Slate was moved to a couch in the living room. Around him, people were busy with one thing or another. Tom and Connie were allowed to return to their home and start to salvage what they could. He heard talk of many who wanted to join the pack and move, while others made arrangements to move elsewhere. However, the members receiving their settlements dominated every conversation. No matter what the subject was, it would always drift back to that.
People were cautious at first until they witnessed the first transaction, but then the energy and excitement could be tasted in the air, it was so thick. The sum wasn’t a small amount either. Alphy had a difficult time figuring out how much each family would get because of so many variables, but in the end, each family received a good eight figures. Slate was a little bit envious of them. He didn’t have near that much to offer his mate. A twinge stabbed through his torso with the ache from thinking about her.
After being painfully loaded up into a van, he had to endure an agonizing ride to the airport that wasn’t all that close. Each dip in the road jarred his injuries, making the trip feel that much longer.
Kace was returning with him, but his injuries were not as severe, so he obviously felt the need to tease Slate. “Hey, let’s play the alphabet game.”
“No.”
“The license plate game?”
“No.”
“I know, we can sing a song. How ‘bout that song by OneRepublic, ‘Ordinary Human’?”
Slate partially shifted and bared his canines and claws at the ill-timed wolf.
Kace huffed out irritably. “Party-pooper.”
Slate closed his eyes and tried to focus on keeping relaxed, it really didn’t bother him what Kace called him so long as the irritating shifter would stop pushing his buttons.
He was given help up into the plane but only into the first available seat before his helper—some herd member whose name he didn’t remember—turned around and headed back out of the plane to help load their luggage. The chairs were comfortable, but being in so much pain made it feel more like a torture device.
How in the hell am I going to survive this flight?
With everything loaded, the pilot, some kind of avian shifter, took his time going down his checklist. Why couldn’t Seamus have given me something for the pain? Oh yeah, Slate thought sarcastically, shifters burned through them too fast. Fuck!
The pilot sat in his captain’s chair in the cockpit and looked over the list he just completed. Really? How many more times do you need to go over it? Slate really tried hard not to ask “What else could go wrong” because that was a sure jinx to make things worse, and things were already intolerable.
After twenty minutes of hell, he was about to yell at the pilot when he heard a vehicle approaching. Looking over, he saw Kace was propped back and asleep … comfortably, the bastard, so he was of no use. Slate turned back and peered through the tiny window and saw a truck ramble up to the plane. The pilot exited the plane, but Slate couldn’t see who was in the truck. It had parked in front of the plane, just out of his vision.
A familiar voice traveled to his ears, and his heart sped up to a furious speed filled with hope. That’s Henry! He could hear the pilot greeting him. “Mr. Ashland, I presume.”
“Yes, you must be Raven Shaw. This is my daughter, Katie.”
With those distant words, Slate’s heart stopped, his pain completely forgotten. His stomach leaped into his throat, and hope, like he had never felt before, bloomed in his chest. Is she here to see me off? Or is she actually flying home with me? He sniffed the air trying to get a whiff of her scent to confirm she was really here.
There were some mumbled words that were too low for him to hear, but the unique sound of her voice was recognizable and he knew it was her. He heard light footsteps drawing near. Slate’s lungs pulled in a gasp of breath, and he felt the relief of oxygen fill his lungs. When did I stop breathing?
Slate caught sight of Katie just as she entered the plane. Her face was radiantly lit with a smile aimed right at him. He returned her smile with one he hoped was just as vibrant, but didn’t think he fully succeeded, and held out his arms for her. She didn’t hesitate to come to him.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her head against his shoulder and kissed her temple as she kneeled before him. Her silky hair tickled his nose, and her body fit his so perfectly, it pulled a comfortable sigh from him. He was bereft when she wanted to pull back so soon, but he didn’t want to force her, so he let up on his grip.
“Why are you in this seat and not on that couch? You look like you’re in loads of pain, and don’t downplay it. I’m a nurse, and I’ll call you on it every time.”
“Hey Kat, finlly gut here I see,” a groggy Kace slurred, his accent more pronounced in his sleepy state.
Slate was confused. “Wait, you knew she was coming?”
Kace stretched and yawned. “Yup.”
Slate started to growl but was cut off by his mate, who had a look of horror and shock on her face. “She didn’t te
ll you?”
“Who tell me what?” He kept his sights on Kace so he wasn’t growling at his mate. He didn’t want her to think it was her he wanted to choke.
“Gale. She helped me arrange everything this afternoon so I can come with you. She didn’t tell you?”
“No, in fact, not even Alphy told me, he just said to trust him.” Slate looked over at Kace. “You knew? Why wasn’t I told?”
Kace grinned. “Suh’m tuh do with gett’n you back for scarrin’ her the other night.” He shrugged. Slate took perhaps too much enjoyment at seeing Kace flinch from the pain in his arm at his movement.
“Oh really? Huh, well this is going to be fun.” Katie’s voice had a tone of retribution in it. He was about to question her when the pilot climbed in, taking his seat, and Henry poked his head in.
“Ok sweetheart, you’re all set, I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.” Henry waved, then turned and left with Katie waving back.
She turned her gaze on Slate. “Now you need to go lie on that couch, and you aren’t going to argue about it. Come on.” She helped him up and settled him on the couch with his feet propped up with pillows, and another two under his head then draped a blanket over him.
The captain called through the cab. “I’m going to need you in your seat, Miss Williams.”
Slate growled, strengthening his hold on her hand but relented, knowing she was safer if she was seat-belted in.
“Don’t worry, my mate, as soon as he gives the all clear, I’ll be back here with you again.” Katie reassured him and leaned over to kiss him. But Slate was too overwhelmed with need after finding out she was his now, and her acknowledging him as her mate was the push to not settle for just a chaste kiss.
Slate brought his hands up and cupped both sides of her face drawing her down to him. He connected their lips with a seductive suction that wasn’t gentle. Rather, it was sure to relate his promise of other things to come. With the pilot’s urging, he reluctantly drew his mate back. The scent of her arousal filled the cabin giving Slate a different kind of discomfort, but, however, this was a pain he wasn’t going to regret or complain about. True to her word, as soon as the captain gave his ok, Katie was back with him, and he didn’t let her go until it was time to land.