Their Mate

by Charlie Hart

  Cal kneels in front of me, his arms wrapped around me. “Oh shit, Rem, you’ve been through hell.”

  I laugh sharply. “Yeah, you could say that.”

  I tell him about Sadie. How I ended up here—leaving out the murderous part, for obvious reasons—and Cal’s surefire self-possession fades. When I tell him my story he seems genuinely broken up.

  “We’re so lucky you took Sadie’s offer.”

  “I mean that much to you?”

  He leans his head to the side. “I bet it’s hard to believe anyone would want you after all you’ve been through.”

  I swallow back tears. Accepting his kindness is the hardest thing in the world.

  “So, why’d you leave Sadie’s after you just got there?” he asks.

  I can’t tell him I killed a man. He might throw me out thinking I’m a monster. Maybe he’ll never look me in the eye again. And maybe it’s selfish—to want to stay in this home, with these men, even though I don’t deserve it—but I can’t help myself. Avoiding his question, I say, “I think the shower’s ready.”

  “Oh.” Cal’s eyebrows crease and he stands. “I’ll let you be, then.”

  He moves to go, and I grab ahold of his wrist. “Don’t leave.”

  “You sure?”

  I nod.

  He moves toward me, lifting the hem of my shirt up and over my head. Silently we undress one another. His t-shirt and my jeans and then, our everything. He steps into the shower, pulling me in after him. The hot water runs over our skin, washing away my confession of where I come from. Except when I look into Callum’s eyes and see that he remembers my story. All of it.

  “Don’t pity me,” I say softly. “I’m stronger than I look, remember?”

  “I believe it, Rem. But maybe, maybe you don’t have to be strong right now. Maybe you can be gentle with yourself, with your story.”

  “Gentle?” I look at him with eyes cloaked in sadness. I wouldn’t know how to be gentle if I tried.

  He runs the bar of soap over my bare skin, his hands firmly on my hips—not letting me go. “Last night you were pretty tender.”

  I roll my eyes playfully. “Last night I was horny.”

  “And what are you now?” Cal asks, his hand moving lower, between my legs, causing my breath to catch. His fingers seem to know exactly where to go.

  “Now, it seems, I am yours.”

  Chapter 12

  Remedy

  The next few days pass in a blur. I sleep, a lot. And it’s not because of the pregnancy—it’s because it’s been forever since I’ve had a warm bed to sleep in. The guys tease me for being such a sleepyhead, but I know they understand how much it means for me to have a place to rest where I’m not sleeping with one eye open.

  In the afternoons, River pulls out an old game of Scrabble and we make words out of tiles, sitting on the floor of the living room. Today there is a beautiful fire in front of us. Hot cocoa with whipped cream in mugs on the coffee table. It is like make-believe— all this perfection.

  River keeps score, looking impressed when I get a seven-letter word.

  “What, you didn’t expect me to have such a good vocabulary?” I ask, eyebrows raised.

  He shakes his head. “That’s not what I was thinking at all.”

  “Tell me then.”

  He leans close, his fingers running the length of my thigh. “I was thinking how you are everything I’ve ever wanted.”

  I shake my head, almost imperceptibly. Not wanting to believe the words he says. Because it’s too much—the idea that I might be enough.

  “You’re just saying that because you might have knocked me up.”

  “I did knock you up.”

  “Well, you mean, one of you guys did.” I’ve taken a pregnancy test—and even though it makes zero sense that it could already read positive—it does.

  “No, all of us. You keep forgetting that when you mated, you mated with all of us.”

  I twist my lips. “Feels a little too good to be true, doesn’t it?”

  River smiles. “So, you’re saying you like me?”

  I laugh, rolling my eyes, as he grabs my waist, tickling me. “Yes, River, I like you.” He loosens his hold and our foreheads touch. “I do like you. So much. It just feels a little like magic. The whole three daddies thing.”

  River tilts his head to the side. “And you don’t believe in magic?”

  “Do you?”

  He shakes his head, looking back at his Scrabble tiles. “I grew up shifting into a wolf, Rem. Yes, I believe in magic. All kinds of it, in fact.”

  “And finding me, was that magic too?”

  He picks up his wooden tiles, forming a word. “You aren’t the only one getting a seven-letter bonus.” He places his tiles on the board.

  D-E-S-T-I-N-Y

  I bite my bottom lip, steadying myself. I don’t know how this happened—but it is happening.

  My life is changing whether I like it or not.

  But for the first time in literally forever, I do like it.

  I like it so much it actually hurts.

  * * *

  After explaining my past with Callum, I tell East and River too, wanting us all to be on the same page. It’s hard— they know things about me I always try to hide, but at the same time, they have seen me in a state no one else ever has—as a freaking wolf.

  And so, I tell them all the gory details of my childhood—the fucked-up foster moms and the perky foster dads. I tell them about why I got separated from Sadie all those years ago, why I got kicked out of art school—how I constantly screw myself over.

  In some ways, I want my past to shock them—horrify them even, make them rethink their decision to keep me here.

  Because, to be honest, I kinda feel like I’m using them.

  And maybe leaving now, before my heart is all wrapped up in theirs, would be for the best.

  I’ve told myself this for three days straight, but then I wake up and see their smiling faces and I can’t bear to go.

  Like I said, I’m selfish.

  Today, I pad down the stairs, smelling coffee and something sweet as I walk into the kitchen where the three guys are talking heatedly.

  “What am I missing now?” I ask, reaching for a mug in the cabinet. I know when I reach my arm up, my butt cheeks are in plain sight, and I’m not wearing panties.

  “You know how hard it is to argue when you walk in here, looking like that,” East jokes.

  I smile, pouring coffee and adding creamer. “And what is it you’re arguing about?”

  “Cal wants to go to the pack meeting.”

  My lips purse, knowing there must be more to this. “And that’s a bad thing?”

  “It’s not bad,” Callum says a little defensively. “I just want to go and see what people are up to.”

  River shakes his head. “Not true. You want to go and show off your mate.”

  I pull up a chair and join them at the circle table in the breakfast nook and listen.

  “It’s not about that.”

  “Bullshit.” East cuts a piece of coffee cake from the center of the table and offers it to me. “Just got it in town this morning.”

  I swallow, feeling nervous every time they mention town… wondering if they will hear something about a murderer on the loose. East doesn’t say anymore though, instead, he turns back to Callum.

  “I thought we didn’t give a shit about the rest of the pack? We disagreed with one thing and they practically threw us out.”

  Callum looks at me across the table. “Fine, you’re right. I do want to show off Rem.” My cheeks grow hot as he looks at me. “I want them to know Remedy is ours.”

  Chapter 13

  Remedy

  The mood changes when Cal says I’m theirs. They all turn to look at me as if wondering if his words will scare me—make me run. But it isn’t the first time he’s said it.

  But for some reason, it feels like the first time I understood he wasn’t joking, exaggerating. No. Whe
n Cal says I am his—he means it with his heart and soul.

  “And how does Rem feel about this? Wasn’t part of the reason we fought with the pack in the first place was that we disagreed with the way they treated their women? And now we will just go and put Rem on a pedestal, for everyone to inspect? No fucking way,” East says.

  “What’s a pack meeting like?” I ask, using the fork to take a bite of the cake.

  “It’s a once a month gathering,” River explains. “Malik, the pack leader, gives updates on the pack and announcements are made. Usually, there’s a bonfire after.”

  “And women, they attend?”

  The guys nod. East stands and gets himself a coffee refill. Pouring his cup, he says, “Yeah, and kids too. It’s a social thing as well as clearing up business.”

  “Which is why I don’t understand why everyone is so opposed to this. Rem is going to need to meet other women in the pack. Our child is going to––”

  “Don’t bring the child into this,” River says with a scowl. “Your motives are off, Cal, admit it. You want to show Rem off, that’s it.”

  “Fine,” Cal shouts. “What’s so fucking wrong with that, anyway? Rem is everything to me. To us. And I want the rest of the pack to know that.”

  My heart swells. Even if Cal wants to show me off, part of me takes pleasure in the idea that he thinks I’m worthy of being shown off. No one in my life has ever taken pride in me… yet Callum looks at me know with such devotion, so much respect—my heart seems to double in size.

  “I’ll go,” I say, bringing my coffee cup to my lips.

  “You’ll what?” East snorts. “That’s insane, Rem. Malik will be pissed that we’re sharing you.”

  I tilt my head to the side. “What do you mean?”

  Cal shrugs. “Malik changed the way we mate. Back in the day, our pack always had groups that shared one woman, then when he came into power, things shifted. Pun unintended.”

  “So, for you guys to go against the grain, it will be kind of a big deal?”

  River runs a hand over his jaw. “It’s gonna be an epic clusterfuck.”

  A hint of a smile is playing on my lips.

  “What?” East asks, the flecks of gold in his eyes revealing doubt in whatever I’m about to say. “I know you’re up to something, Rem.”

  I shrug. “I told you I have a problem with authority.”

  “And?” River asks.

  “The idea of showing up with the three of you, pregnant, as your mate—it feels badass. They basically kicked you out, and now you are coming back stronger than ever.”

  Callum grins—loving this idea, as I knew he would. River and East, however, don’t seem as thrilled.

  “I have a bad feeling about this,” River says.

  But I reach for his hand across the breakfast table. Pasting a smile on my face, I ask him, “Don’t you want the world to know I’m yours?”

  “And when did you decide that?” East asks. “The last few days you’ve doubted your place here. Now that you have a chance to cause a scene, you’re all in?”

  I raise my eyebrows, not wanting to be called out like this, by East of all people. I want him to be on my side or no side at all.

  “God, I just thought it sounds fun,” I toss back. I pull back my hand from River, burying my fists under the table. East has gotten a rise out of me and I feel anger growing in my belly. More than what matches the actual situation at hand.

  My selfish desires are surfacing in a way that makes me uncomfortable, but I don’t know how to rein them in.

  “I don’t want to fight about this,” River says.

  “Too late,” I say, my voice laced with heat.

  “Can we all rewind about two minutes and go back to Rem walking in here without any panties on?” East asks trying to downplay the tension.

  “I don’t want to go if this is just a game to you, Rem,” River says quietly. “I’ll go to the meeting if you have genuine feelings for us—but not to go stick it to the man.”

  River’s honesty makes me feel like a fraud. I hate the idea of disappointing him, of messing this all up. The ground rumbles beneath me and a plate hanging on the wall falls to the floor. I don’t know why it keeps happening, the shaking of the ground when I’m upset—but it’s impossible to ignore.

  Everyone looks around, bracing themselves for a larger quake, but my fists unclench, and suddenly I’m exhausted.

  It’s not a joke to me at all but I don’t know how to say that. Or how to admit to them that, yes, whatever we have here is special.

  Because every time I’ve had something good in my life, it’s been taken from me.

  And I can’t handle that again.

  “I think I should leave,” I tell them, forcing a blank look on my face. I will not let them know how much they matter. I will not let them see that I need them. “River’s right. This is nothing but a game to me.”

  “Fuck that,” Cal says, shocking me with his forceful words. He pushes away from the chair, pacing the kitchen. Stopping in front of me, spinning my chair from the table, dropping to his knees. “I don’t believe you, Remedy. Not for a minute.”

  “Stop it,” I say, blinking back tears. Telling myself to get a grip. But Cal’s hands are on my face, forcing our eyes to meet.

  “I’m not letting you run, little wolf. Not this time.”

  I shake my head, but he holds it steady.

  “Yes, I want to put you in a pretty dress and show you off to everyone I know. I want them to see you on my arm, holding my hand, kissing my lips. I want the fucking pack to understand what you mean to me.”

  “And what do I mean to you, Cal?” I ask in nothing but a whisper.

  “I mean that I love you, Remedy, and I won’t let you doubt it.”

  The words shock me. The only person to have ever said they love me is Sadie. And since I recently killed her boyfriend, I’m not so sure as to where we stand anymore. I want to believe his words. To believe that someone would look at me and want me to stay. To be theirs.

  I don’t know how to respond—it feels too good to be true. It’s also the most terrifying thing in the world. Behind Cal, River and East stand, arms crossed, and I wonder if they’re concerned as to where they fit into Callum’s confession of love.

  But I don’t need to worry.

  “Fuck,” East snorts. “We knew you wanted to get us all to the pack meeting. But that was sure a hell of a way to do it.”

  I look at him, amazed at his lack of insecurity or jealousy.

  “You went all caveman on her, now there’s no way in hell we can let you take her alone,” River adds with a smile playing on his soft lips.

  Realizing that these men aren’t going to let me go anywhere, I surrender, giving into what I really want.

  Them.

  Raising my eyebrows, the tears that threatened to run down my cheeks are now gone. I’m relieved at Cal’s confession—at the prospect that these men want me. For good.

  But another part of me doubts it. How can someone fall in love after a handful of days? What would that love even mean? But the biggest doubt of mine is whether or not that love is going to be real once they all find out the truth of what happened in Sadie’s apartment.

  Cal thinks he loves me but he doesn’t know I killed a man.

  So, I say the only thing I can think of—the only thing that will take the heat off the confession and remind us of why this argument started in the first place.

  I ask, “So when’s the next pack meeting?”

  “In a few days,” Cal says.

  “So, what should we do in the meantime?” I ask.

  East speaks up. “It’s time we took our wolf on a hunt.”

  Chapter 14

  East

  River shoots down the idea, straightaway—and Cal twists his lips.

  “What? It would be good for all of us to get some fresh air, and if this is Rem’s life now, she should at least get used to her new skin.”

  Remedy’s face l
ights up. “I’m in.”

  “You sure?” River asks her gently. “It might be better for you to stay back and rest.”

  “I’m pregnant, not bedridden.”

  “Still….” River sighs. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “What if we compromised?” Cal asks.

  River raises his eyebrows. “What do you have in mind?”

  An idea forms in my mind. The perfect way to spend the day. “Let’s skip the hunt and go have some fun.”

  “Why kind of fun?” Remedy asks, carrying her breakfast dishes to the sink, her little tee shirt tempting me in all sorts of ways.

  “Guess you’ll have to shift and find out,” I say with a grin, and then I take her hand and lead her outside.

  * * *

  The air is cool, a soft breeze coming from the dense forest around us. The crisp mountain air awakens my senses and with Rem’s hand in mine, I show her how we can shift with our own will.

  “Just focus on what you want to be,” I tell her.

  “Just like that?”

  I nod. “It’s that simple.”

  “We don’t need a full moon or anything?”

  “This isn’t Teen Wolf.”

  “But last time, I didn’t focus on what I wanted,” she says. “I didn’t even know it was possible.”

  “But you were protecting your young—your animal instincts took over.”

  “I guess I’ll just… do it then?” She shakes her head, standing outside in nothing but that tee shirt, with bare legs and feet and looking divine.

  Callum and River are outside with us, and we all step back, instinctually and let our primal needs come through. One second we’re human, the next we’re wolves.