She wanted to shout it from the rooftops. She found her true mate, and it was Karis. She was proud as hell and wanted to show him off. And she was pretty sure he wanted to let people know, too. He just didn’t want her parents in on it yet.
“Karis tells me you begin your hand to hand combat training tomorrow,” her dad said, breaking into her thoughts.
Nodding, she took a sip of her wine. “We do, and I can’t wait. It looked like fun when Karis and Jameson showed me today.”
Really, as excited as she was about learning to fight, she was almost as excited just to get to press herself against Karis while he taught her. He’d been shirtless today, sun-kissed skin gleaming with a layer of moisture, and she’d wanted to be Jameson in the worst way.
It reminded her of when they went to bed last night. Karis was determined not to touch her, but she put her tip from Operation Seduction to use, and slowly stripped for him. He lasted until she started to pull her underwear off, and then he all but attacked her. It had been amazing.
And she wanted a repeat. Maybe toward the end of her lesson, she could entice him to some fun. Squirming in her chair, her cheeks flushed as she realized the kind of thoughts she was having at the dinner table while her parents sat across from her and Karis.
Lord. From virgin to wanton hussy in the span of two days.
“Please be careful,” her mom cut into her thoughts, speaking softly. “I know how quickly you pick up on things. Don’t provoke the warriors with your skill.”
“Mom—”
“I’m worried about you. You immediately went out without a sari, immediately moved into your own home. You went to the challenges and beat the warriors, and came out of it ranked second. You have a lot of people upset with you right now. And I’m worried. It’s my right as your mother. You’ll learn one day when you have kids of your own. And by God, I hope they’re just like you. Then you can go through what I have while I was raising you.”
Eyebrows high, she stared at her mom. Starting when Karis put his hand on her knee under the table, out of sight, she smiled as he whispered under his breath, “I hope they’re just like you, too.”
Clearing her throat, she looked at her mom seriously. “I’ll be careful, Mom. But I’m following my dreams, and getting everything I ever hoped for. I wish you could be happy for me.”
“Oh, honey, I am happy for you,” her mom said, tears in her bright blue eyes. “All I’ve ever wanted for you is for you to be happy. And I know you are. I’m so damn proud of you, Arya. My heart feels like it could burst with it. You grew into such a strong, amazing woman. It’s just that being a strong, independent woman in Durga Valley is like painting a target on your chest. I just want you to be careful. I need you safe. I wouldn’t survive it if something happened to you.”
Arya did her best to blink back her tears as Karis’ hand tightened on her knee. Moving her hand under the table, she wrapped her fingers over his, and he gripped them tightly. She hadn’t been expecting that. Her mom had always encouraged her to be herself as much as she was able to in the past, but she’d been so hesitant about Arya not wearing a sari and moving out. She’d thought her mom would be really upset over her being a warrior now.
But she wasn’t upset. Just worried. She was proud of Arya, and that meant the world to her. And despite her mom’s worry, it felt like she just gave Arya her blessing. That was huge to her, and it meant everything.
Clearing her throat, she willed the tears back so she could speak. But the only thing she could think to say was, “Did you just say damn?”
Everyone laughed as her mom blushed, and Arya finally managed to get control of herself. Glancing over at her dad, she caught him looking thoughtfully in the direction of her leg, and she wondered if he somehow figured out she and Karis were finally holding hands.
And it’s about time, too. Holding hands with our mate is important, her tiger growled.
Soon, we’ll be holding hands all the time. Just a little more patience.
Her dad glanced up, catching her staring at him, and he smiled a little as he winked. It was all she could do to keep her gasp in. Did that mean he knew what they were doing, and approved? He didn’t look at all upset. She knew he wouldn’t be, but it was nice to have it confirmed. Now if he would only tell Karis that, so they could stop hiding what they were.
The rest of the evening passed pleasantly, and she kissed her parents on the cheek as they left. She started to walk down the street, but Karis stopped her, nodding toward the woods.
“Let’s walk down the trail back there.”
“Okay.” She waited until they were on the trail before she spoke again. “Now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
He gave her a startled look. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, come on. You were nervous about having dinner with my parents. Don’t deny it.”
Chuckling, he shook his head as he grasped her hand, threading their fingers together. She and her tiger both let out a sigh at the same time, loving the way it felt. She didn’t even care that he waited until they were on the trail and hidden in the woods before doing it. She was just happy he did.
“You see more than the average person, Arya. I’ve had dinner with you and your parents many times, but that felt different. Like meeting my mate’s parents for the first time, even though it definitely wasn’t.”
That was the truth, although she knew it wasn’t all of it. But she wouldn’t push tonight. She was enjoying their walk too much.
Instead, she squeezed his hand. “I love this. Holding hands with you.”
Stopping on the trail, he turned to her and raised her hand to his lips. “I love it, as well.”
Smiling, she started to lean up and kiss him, but the sound of footsteps approaching reached her ears. Karis turned his head toward the sound, but before they could release each other’s hands, Vynn rounded the corner. His eyes immediately zeroed in on their entwined hands, but he didn’t say anything about it. He just raised an eyebrow as he nodded to them.
“Karis. Arya,” he said as he passed.
Turning, they watched him walk away. She glanced at Karis to find him frowning after him. “You okay?”
“I’m just not sure about him. And I really don’t like that he knows about us now.”
They resumed walking toward his house—their house—and Arya sought to reassure him. “Just because he saw us holding hands doesn’t mean he knows knows.”
“Why else would we be holding hands? It’s an emotional bonding experience for our tribe. What other reason would we have besides being mates?”
“Um, because we like each other?” she offered. “Because we’re getting to know each other? You don’t have to be mated to someone to want to get closer to them.”
“Maybe for others, but he knows me too well. He’d know I wouldn’t be comfortable with the age difference. That I’d only allow myself to bond with you emotionally if we were mates.”
Exhaling with exasperation, she eyed him as they came out of the woods. He let go of her hand then, but he slid his fingers against her palm as he did, leaving it tingling deliciously. “Are you still hung up over the whole age thing?”
He went quiet for a moment, brow furrowed. “Twelve years is a lot. But it doesn’t bother me as much as it did a few days ago.”
“As long as there’s some progress being made,” she replied, rolling her eyes. She really didn’t get what the big deal was, but as long as he was beginning to get over it, she’d let it go.
“What are they doing here?” he muttered, frowning as he picked his pace up.
Following his gaze, she caught sight of Kian on the porch of her old house. Next to him, sitting on the steps with his laptop open on his knees, was Chad, the tribe’s technical expert.
“Alpha,” Karis said as he and Arya bowed. “Chad, good to see you. What’s going on?”
“We came by to check on Arya, and to see if she’d like Chad to wire the house for cable and WIFI. We’re going to be offeri
ng it to all tribe members soon, but we offered first to the noble families and the warriors. And Chad noticed some wires that shouldn’t be there. No one answered my knock, but he thought it was something that needed to be checked out quickly, so I got the master key and we went inside.”
Following his gesture, she squinted, just barely making out the wire he pointed to. Even with her shifter sight, she found it hard to pinpoint, because it was the same gray as the stone of her house.
Karis frowned, his gray eyes lightening with his tiger, already sensing that something was wrong, like she was. “What is it?”
“Show them,” Kian instructed Chad.
He tapped a few keys on the keyboard and turned it around. Gasping, Arya moved closer. There was her living room, kitchen and bedroom, right there on the screen. Karis growled low and deep, and when she looked at him, his eyes were almost completely devoid of gray.
Her tiger responded to his growl and what was on the screen, the growl turning into a hiss. Someone will pay, and pay dearly, for invading our privacy.
Rage burned through her veins. Oh, trust me, they will.
“Someone has cameras in Arya’s house?” Karis growled, voice barely human.
“As you can see, one in the kitchen and living room, and two in the bedroom.” Kian glanced apologetically at her. “I’m so sorry, Arya. I feel like I’ve failed you.”
“Don’t be crazy, Alpha. This wasn’t your fault. How do we fix this?”
“We rip the motherfuckers from their hiding spots, and then find the soon to be dead son of a bitch who did this. But we torture him a little first. Make him wish he were dead before we grant his wish.”
Everyone looked at Karis in surprise, but it was Arya who touched his arm, keeping it brief since others were watching. “Hey. It’s—”
“Don’t you say it’s okay. It’s sure as fuck not. The living room and kitchen are bad enough, but putting one in your bedroom is sick and perverted. He watched you sleep, and how many times has he seen you naked? It’s a huge violation.”
Her blood went cold as chills raced over her skin, just now realizing the ramifications of the cameras. And holy shit, the bastard saw her and Karis in bed together. He had a front row seat to her losing her virginity.
She was beyond the point of not cursing right now. Karis was right. The fucker was going to die.
“Not yet,” Kian said, stopping Karis as he started up the porch steps. “Chad was able to tap into the feed, but he’s still trying to trace it. If he can, we’ll know exactly where this asshole is.”
Chad shook his head. “It’s no use. He covered his tracks well. I just got lucky when I managed to tap into the feed.”
A thought occurred to Arya, and she looked at Karis. “It’s the same guy. That’s how he knew about the spaghetti.”
Kian frowned, looking between them. “What spaghetti?”
Karis quickly filled him in. “I have the note at my house. I’m almost positive it’s all the same guy. The arrow, the note, the cameras, it’s all one person.”
“Do you need me for anything else, Alpha?” Chad broke in to ask.
“No, go on home. And thanks.” They watched as he left, and then Kian turned back to them. “Maybe you should go stay with your parents, Arya. Not forever. Just long enough for me to have a security system installed.”
Karis shook his head. “It’s not needed. She’s staying with me.”
Kian narrowed his eyes, looking between them. “Okay, you two. What gives?”
“We’re mates,” she said, watching as Kian’s eyebrows shot up and Karis shot her a look. “It’s fine. It’s Kian. He’s the alpha, and if anyone has a right to know, it’s him.”
“I’m confused. How long have you known, and why aren’t you telling anyone? Because that’s what I’m getting from this.”
Karis shook his head. “Little miss chatty can tell you. I’m gonna go rip the cameras out.”
Sighing as he stalked away, she turned to look at her alpha. “I’ve known for about five days, maybe? Karis has known for two. And he’ll tell you the secrecy is because he wants us to have time to enjoy it, to get to know each other better, before the world intrudes. And that’s a truth, it’s just not the full truth. I think he specifically doesn’t want to tell my parents yet, my dad especially.”
“I don’t understand that. He and your dad are close. Have been for years.”
“I think that’s part of the problem. See, Karis is hung up on our age difference. I suspect he thinks my dad will be upset or angry because of that. But I don’t think so. I think my dad will be thrilled, because he loves Karis.”
“I agree with that. Karis is a close friend, and I value him greatly, but he can be a stubborn idiot sometimes.”
“Truer words were never spoken. Let’s hope he works through whatever it is soon. I’m okay waiting a few days, but I don’t want to hide our mating like it’s something to be ashamed of. It’s not. And I really don’t think we’ll be fooling anyone for long.”
“You won’t. I figured out something was going on pretty quickly. He can’t hide his protectiveness, and that’s going to tip people off. I give it a day, two tops, before everyone knows.”
“From your lips to God’s ears.”
Chapter Thirteen
“And you can’t remember where you saw it?” Karis bit out, glaring at Kian.
“I already said I couldn’t, Karis. I’ll keep trying to remember. Calm down, okay? Nothing’s going to happen to Arya, and we’ll figure out who this is soon enough.”
“Soon enough isn’t good enough. I need to know now.”
When Kian just raised an eyebrow, Karis cursed, pacing in front of the window. He and Arya came to the palace this morning so he could show Kian the note. She was hanging out with Kelly and Jessica again, and he, Kian and Zane were holed up in Kian’s study.
Zane was clearly pissed, but he had no idea who wrote the note. But Kian said the handwriting was familiar, he just couldn’t place it yet. Frustrating as it was, at least it felt like they were maybe getting somewhere, because Kian would eventually remember, he had no doubt. Kian was smarter than the average War Cat, and when he put his mind to something, he always succeeded. Karis was glad he’d reined in his urge to rip the note to shreds, because it might come in useful.
“So tell me why you’re so worked up about this,” Zane said with a casual tone that belied the intensity in his gaze.
“A member of our tribe is being threatened. Anyone with a heart would be worked up. You’re pissed too, I saw it in your eyes.”
“I am, undeniably. But you’re taking it far too personally. You’re deeply invested in this. It’s not just some random tribe member being threatened, not to you.”
Fuck it. Might as well come clean. “Arya’s my mate.”
Eyebrows shooting up, Zane whistled low, then grinned. “Congrats, man. Your animal picked a hell of a woman.”
He grinned. “Yeah, he did. He’s got great taste. I’m surprised you didn’t know. We agreed not to tell anyone, but I thought for sure she would have told Kelly.”
Zane shrugged. “She might have. My mate can keep a secret locked up like the gold at Fort Knox.”
“Kelly?” he asked dubiously.
“I know she has a tendency to blurt whatever pops into her head at any given moment, but if you tell her it’s a secret, she won’t breathe a word of it.” Frowning, he cocked his head as he studied Karis. “Why is it a secret, though?”
Not this again. He hesitated, trying to figure out how to word it in a way that made sense. Because Arya might have been okay with his explanation, but he knew Zane and Kian wouldn’t buy it. They’d know there was more to it. But before he had a chance to say anything, Kian spoke.
“He doesn’t want to tell Mikhail.”
Well, shit. How the hell had Kian figured that out? He knew him too damn well.
“Seriously?” Zane asked incredulously. “Why the hell not?”
“He’s gonn
a be pissed off. I’d rather not meet him for pistols at dawn, or whatever the equivalent is for shifters.”
“Probably tigers at dawn,” Kian mused, ignoring Karis’ glare.
“Mikhail thinks highly of you. I don’t get why you think he’d be pissed.”
“I’m twelve years older than she is. I sit almost halfway between them in age. How could he not be upset by that?”
Zane stared at him, shaking his head. “You’re a damn idiot. He’s not going to care about a few years. Stop being a fucking chickenshit and tell him. You’re head warrior. Act like you have some fuckin’ balls, man.”
Kian threw his head back and laughed. “I second everything Zane just said.”
As do I. I think I’ll start calling you chickenshit instead of dumbass. It fits better right now, his tiger said.
“All of you can fuck off. It’s a delicate situation. I have to figure out how to word it right.”
“All of us?”
“His tiger’s probably giving him hell, too. I don’t blame him.”
Karis shook his head, exhaling heavily. “Can we all just drop it?”
“Nope. Gonna give you shit until you man up and tell your new father-in-law you’re shagging his daughter,” Zane said with a snicker.
“Oh, that was real fucking helpful,” he replied, glaring at Zane.
“You don’t need helpful. You need a swift kick in the balls to get them working right.”
He opened his mouth, but Kian spoke first, voice serious. “He’s not wrong. But how you feel isn’t important. Your mate is. I know she probably agreed to go along with this, but how long will it be before it starts hurting her feelings? Arya is a badass woman, there’s no doubting that, but she’s a woman, all the same. And I don’t know a woman alive who wouldn’t get upset over you hiding what you are to each other.”
Karis frowned, unsettled. He hadn’t thought of that. He’d assured her he was proud to have her as a mate, and he knew she heard the truth in his voice. But Kian was right. This had the potential to hurt her, maybe badly, and that’s the last thing he wanted. He wanted to make her happier than she could ever imagine, not make her sad or hurt her.
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