Addie still wasn’t sure what he meant, but they’d have time to discuss it when they were snuggled up together in bed. Well, maybe they’d have time to talk in bed. “If you mean we kicked ass, yeah, we did.” She felt a moment of triumph, then she shivered. “I was really, really scared.”
Kendrick touched his forehead to hers. “So was I. You have much courage, Addison. My mate.”
Heat flared in his eyes when he said mate. Addie was coming to know that the declaration, in all its intensity, meant the same as I love you.
“My mate,” she said softly in response.
Kendrick’s heat flared. He leaned into her, his body the length of hers, hands hard on her back.
Addie struck his chest gently with her fist. “What were you thinking running straight into Lachlan’s trap? He could have killed you! I might have lost you . . .”
Her bravado drained in an instant, and Addie was crying, leaning on Kendrick’s chest. Kendrick gathered her to him, tumbling her hair, kissing away her tears.
“Addison,” he whispered, breath warm in her ear. “My love. I know.”
This was what he did, she understood. Rushed headlong into danger so others didn’t have to. He’d gone after Lachlan to protect his cubs, his friends, her. Kendrick would do so again and again. It was who he was.
Addie lifted her head. His eyes held anguish, and she touched his cheek. “I’ll be okay.” She scrubbed her hand across her face. “Just every now and again, I’m going to go to pieces worrying about you. I think that’s my privilege, as leader’s mate. But don’t worry. I’m made of pretty strong stuff. You have your butt grabbed all day by repellant guys who stiff you on the tip and see how tough it makes you. Facing down homicidal maniac Shifters is nothing.” She waved it away.
Kendrick only watched her, his eyes filling with rage. “Give me their names,” he said. “I’ll go have a chat with these repellant men.”
Addie enjoyed picturing it, the more repulsive clientele of the diner facing Kendrick, his eyes hot with anger, pinning them with his terrifying stare. He wouldn’t even have to turn into a tiger to scare them shitless.
“No,” she said. “Let them live. If I hadn’t put up with them, working at the diner, I wouldn’t have met you.”
Kendrick pulled her to him again, warm arms around her. “I’d have met you,” he said. “I’m certain of it. I was meant to.”
“It was fated?” Addie asked, feeling herself smile. “Not sure I believe in that, but what the hell? We met—that’s all that matters.”
Kendrick’s heart beat strongly beneath hers. He started to speak, then his words left him, and he tugged her into him for another long kiss.
No more talking. This bliss was so much better. Fear and worry dissolved as Addie melted into Kendrick, and his mouth warmed her with every beat of her heart.
The gruff voice of Tiger, who’d been helping the injured Shifters near them, suddenly cut into their joy.
“Time to go,” he said.
Kendrick reluctantly broke the kiss to look at him. Tiger stood next near them, gazing at both Addie and Kendrick with unblinking golden eyes. Addie sensed his agitation, however, a new fear that boiled off him in waves.
“Tiger, what’s wrong?” Addie asked, her own worry returning. “Has something happened at the ranch?”
Tiger shook his head. “My mate is having our cub. Right now.”
“She is?” Addie slid out from Kendrick’s embrace. “Then what are you doing here? Why did you even come out here? You need to go.”
“She has just begun,” Tiger said. He hesitated, casting his gaze around the darkness. “Tell Zander to come.”
“You think she’ll need a healer?” Addie asked, eyes widening. “She isn’t Shifter, is she?”
“The cub is,” Tiger said. “And I’m not . . . right.”
Addie had no idea what this meant, but Tiger’s distress was palpable. Kendrick put a strong hand on Tiger’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, big guy. We’ll get him there.”
“And you,” Tiger said. “You’re tiger. Please come. And Addie. Carly will like you.”
Kendrick did not want to leave his Shifters, that was obvious. But he seemed to see past Tiger’s stoicism to his deep fears, and gave him a reassuring nod. “We’ll be there.”
“Go,” Addie said, giving Tiger a push. “Sometimes babies come faster than expected, and it’s a ways to Austin. You don’t want to miss it.”
“I do not.” A mix of joy and worry flared in his eyes. Without further word, Tiger turned and headed for his motorcycle, its engine roaring to life, blaring through the noise of the celebrating Shifters.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Tiger’s mate, Carly Randal, had been taken to a clinic not far from the Austin Shiftertown, one of the few medical facilities that treated Shifters.
Kendrick did not want to walk in there in front of all the humans who ran the place, and neither did Zander, he sensed, but they did it. Tiger had a way of compelling people.
Dylan had given them fake Collars to wear. Though Kendrick had worn a fake before, he hated how it felt on his neck. Zander spent the first ten minutes trying to scratch under his.
Zander was still hurting from healing Kendrick, he knew, but the man had climbed to his feet and allowed Kendrick and Addison to tow him to Dylan’s pickup. Kendrick had driven, with Zander stretched out in the bed, complaining about every bump from there to Austin.
Addison was far more excited about attending the birth than Kendrick. She’d gone through it with her sister—twice, she said. Nothing to worry about.
But Addison’s sister was human and had given birth to human children. Carly was bringing in the cub of a Shifter who was an unknown quantity.
Kendrick had been present when his mate, Eileen, had brought in Zane, and he’d had to watch Eileen die of it. She’d had no healer, no help. Only Kendrick to ease her final breaths.
His mouth was dry as he entered the room where Carly lay. As was Shifter custom, the men of her family—which were represented by Dylan’s sons and nephew, formed a circle around the bed, facing outward. By custom, they were there to protect the Shifter woman from being hurt or killed by rival clans. Lachlan’s attack had proved that such dangers weren’t necessarily things of the past.
“Hey, Tiger,” a tired but light voice came from the bed, Carly’s Texas accent warm. “’Bout time you got here. Oh, and look, you brought friends.”
There were other humans here as well. Three young women and an older one, all looking enough like Carly to be her family. They gazed with interest at Zander and Kendrick, undismayed by the presence of more Shifters. Another woman looked in the door, older than the others, but very lovely. She said in an accent that Kendrick thought was French, “You will do beautifully, Carly. Then we will celebrate.”
The whole thing seemed to be a celebration instead of an intense worry. The human doctors had ways to ease some of the pain of the birth—maybe there were a few good things about trying to integrate with humans.
When the time came, the doctors wanted everyone out except the father. Tiger insisted that Zander stay, and Kendrick and Addie. He was adamant about them witnessing the birth.
Kendrick thought he knew why. Tiger was alone in the world, one of the few tiger Shifters in existence. He had no family, no clan, coming from nothing.
Tiger and Kendrick shared genetic material from somewhere in the distant past, which made Kendrick the closest thing to Tiger’s clan. Kendrick was also Guardian, who could send the cub to dust if necessary. Kendrick prayed and prayed to the Goddess that wouldn’t happen.
Why Tiger wanted Addison as well, he wasn’t as clear. Except, Tiger just liked her.
Carly liked her too. She said, “Sorry I can’t get up and say hey more politely, but I’m a little busy.”
Addison gave Carly her warm laugh. “We
’ll get to know each other later. You’re going to have to tell me what to expect living with a tiger.”
“You bet,” Carly said, then her contractions came, and she had other things on her mind.
The cub was born as the sun rose. A heavily tinted window gave out into the dawn sky, the sun’s rays flooding the room as the cub came forth.
Addison’s hand in Kendrick’s squeezed hard. Kendrick held his breath while the doctors cleared the cub’s lungs and cut the cord, and he opened his mouth and screamed his displeasure at being yanked into the cold world.
Carly laughed wearily, exhausted but with a smile on her face.
Tiger stood as one stunned. He looked down at the baby laid on Carly’s chest, her hand coming up to cradle it as it took its first meal.
“Do you want to hold him?” Carly asked Tiger after a time.
Tiger stood still for another few seconds, then he made himself take the last step to the bed and lay his hand on the child’s back.
The three of them shared a moment of completeness, Tiger’s huge hand on the tiny cub, Carly looking up at him in absolute trust.
Tiger then took a breath and lifted the cub into his hands. The little guy had streaks of orange in his very black hair, and he stared at Tiger with belligerent golden eyes.
Tiger’s hands dwarfed the cub’s body. When he turned to face the others, Kendrick saw tears in the big man’s eyes.
Tiger’s voice was perfectly strong as he lifted the cub to Kendrick, Addie, and Zander. “Behold, my cub!”
The word roared through the room and down the hall. The triumph on Tiger’s face competed with joy. The Shifters outside cheered, as did Carly’s family and friends. Addie said, “He’s beautiful, Tiger.”
Tiger’s son, in human form for now—he’d start shifting when he was about three—gazed down upon his new friends and family, then screwed up his face, opened his mouth, and roared.
* * *
The sun was well up by the time Kendrick and Addison wandered into the parking lot, heading for the white pickup that waited at the end of the row. Addison leaned into Kendrick and wiped her eyes.
“I’m so tired. But that was worth it.”
“Then why are you crying?” Kendrick asked, his voice gentle. He’d probably never understand human women but he intended to try for a long time.
“Because it’s so beautiful,” Addison said. “I always cry when babies are born.”
Kendrick laughed. He needed to laugh, needed the cleansing of his soul. He drew Addison into his arms and hung on.
“I love you so much Addison Price.”
“I love you too, Kendrick. Thanks for coming to my diner.”
“Hey.” Kendrick leaned down and kissed her lips. “You serve a mean piece of pie.”
Addison wrapped her arms around him, no inhibitions, no hesitation. Just love and joy. Her kiss tasted of the champagne the Frenchwoman and her husband had brought—apparently they did this sort of thing all the time.
She also tasted of Addison, of the goodness of her, and the sass, and the strength. Kendrick had been empty for a while, and Addison had come to fill those aching spaces. His heart held fire as he felt the true mate bond strengthening between them.
Zander strode by them, his duster floating out behind him. “Guess I wasn’t needed. Thank the Goddess. Now, I’ve got to go. Things to do.” He whirled around and pointed both forefingers at them. “Later, kids.”
“What things?” Addison called after him. “How will you get wherever you’re going?”
Zander only swung away and kept striding, waving a hand as he went. He disappeared into the city streets and the morning light.
“He’s totally crazy,” Kendrick said. “Always will be.”
“He saved your life,” Addison said, watching Zander’s fluttering coat in the distance. “So I think he’s the most wonderful Shifter alive.”
Kendrick feigned a frown. “Wait—have I already slipped in your hierarchy?”
Addison gave him an innocent look. “Of course not. You’re my mate—and you need to teach me whatever the hell that’s going to mean exactly. And I love you.” She touched his lips. “I really do, Kendrick.”
“Good.” The word rang strong into the morning. “Then let’s go the hell home.”
* * *
Zander made it to the Austin Shiftertown after hitching a ride with two young women who were very cute and astonishingly friendly. They waved him good-bye outside Shiftertown, expressing interest in meeting up with him again.
Zander ignored the stares of the Austin Shifters, many of whom were blearily wandering off to bed in the light of day.
He knew the way to the large bungalow in the middle of the Shiftertown. Before he approached the front door, it flew open, and a small boy with white hair ran out.
“Zander!” the cub, Olaf, shouted.
Zander grinned at him, his heart lightening. He reached the cub and they bumped fists, first Olaf on top, then Zander. “My man,” Zander said. He grinned at the watching she-bear and her soldier mate who had come out onto the porch, then returned his attention to Olaf. “We polar bears gotta stick together, right?”
Olaf, a lad of few words, alone in the world like Zander was, threw his arms around Zander and held on tight.
* * *
Addie was right that Kendrick would love her savagely when they made it home. He ensured the cubs were fine, that Charlie and the Shifters left behind had taken care of them well. Brett and Zane were excited and demanded to know the full story, so it was a while before Robbie suggested they run off with Charlie and let their father rest.
Kendrick more or less shoved Addison into the bedroom, and his hard fingers all but tore off her clothing. His sweatpants and T-shirt he’d borrowed from one of the bear Shifters slid off quickly.
Addie found herself on her back, her mate on top of her. Kendrick pinned her with rough hands, fingers clamped around her wrists. He didn’t prepare her this time, only slid inside her, thrusting as though he couldn’t stop himself. Groans came from his throat, blending with Addie’s.
They loved in frantic silence, need tearing at them. Fear and pain, death and darkness, had gone, and they’d survived. They took each other, holding hard, until their throats were hoarse with their cries, bodies exhausted. Then Kendrick gathered Addie into his arms, bowed his head into her shoulder, and held on to her until he stopped shaking.
* * *
The mating ceremony was held a few days later, under the light of the full moon, the sun ceremony having been done earlier that day.
Addie didn’t know what to expect, but what she got was Shifters everywhere, partying with abandon. They did the ceremony at the ranch, where Kendrick was settling in his Shifters. They were making plans to alter the place where the Shifters could live in comfort and privacy. Charlie was happy to accommodate—he was selling the place outright to Kendrick and would stay on to run it. He enjoyed having the Shifters there, Addie could see, his ranch coming alive again.
Dylan arrived to do the blessing, Kendrick having asked him to perform the ceremony. Dylan and Kendrick were still working together, but as equals, making all kinds of pacts that Addie didn’t want to know about. Likewise, Zander had confessed to Kendrick that he’d healed Lachlan all those years ago, not knowing what a monster he’d saved. Kendrick understood—Zander was a healer whose instinct was to help those in pain, and he’d had no idea what kind of trouble Lachlan would cause all these years later. Also, Zander’s healing had no doubt saved Kendrick’s life. Still, Kendrick said with a humorous glint in his eyes, if Zander felt bad about Lachlan, he could keep his cell phone on in case Kendrick needed him again. Zander growled, but Addie saw the guilt in his eyes ease.
Addie’s sister, Ivy, arrived with the kids for the ceremony. Ivy was bewildered at first, but understood that Addie staying with Kendrick made h
er happy. Tori and Josh acclimatized faster, and were soon running and playing with Robbie, Zane, and Brett, and other Shifter children.
Under the silver moonlight, Dylan called down the blessing of the Goddess and united Kendrick and Addie. Moonlight gleamed on Kendrick’s sword, its shimmer cool and white rather than the hot silver flashes it had blazed in the tunnels.
“By the light of the moon, the Mother Goddess, I proclaim you as mates!” Dylan said in his firm voice. The Shifters around them howled and roared, a mating completed being cause for crazed celebration.
The loudest roar had to come from Tiger, who’d arrived with Carly and the new little cub, whom they’d named Seth, nestled happily in his mother’s arms.
Even louder were the shouts of Zane, Brett, and Robbie. “I told you!” Brett said at the top of his voice. “She’s our new mom!”
As the celebration escalated—every Shifter wanting to embrace Addie, the cubs wanting to be lifted into her arms—Kendrick managed to break them away, especially as the beer started flowing.
He towed Addie out into the fields beyond the house, down the far side of the rise.
“Where are we going?” Addie asked in curiosity. She didn’t much care, as long as she could be with Kendrick.
“Somewhere away from the light.”
Kendrick led her a long way, but before Addie could grow tired, he stopped. “Here.”
He unstrapped the sheathed sword and laid it down, then pulled from the shadow of a bush a couple of blankets he must have stashed earlier. Kendrick shook them out and spread them on the ground.
He dropped down onto his back and patted the blanketed space beside him. “Remember?” he asked. “I promised to tell you about the stars.”
Addie’s heart beat faster as she slid off her shoes, stepped onto the blanket, and settled in next to him.
They lay back, the heavens, cloudless, flowing around them. The moon had become a small disk high above, and stars thickly blanketed the sky.
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