by R. E. Butler
“You know,” Rue said Friday afternoon as the two females stood in the laundry room and ironed uniform shirts, “you’re pretty good with an iron.”
“I did a lot of ironing in the nest. It’s one of the skills a young female has to learn to be accepted. Plus, I’m always ironing the clothes I make.”
“What are the other skills?” Rue asked, picking up a laundered dress shirt from the pile and stretching it over the ironing board.
“Cooking, cleaning, mending,” Ehrin said, mentally ticking the activities off in her mind. “Pretty much the classic skills of a fifties housewife.”
Rue chuckled. “Sounds about right. Females didn’t have careers?”
Ehrin finished ironing one of Henry’s shirts and placed it on a hanger on a rack. “Not really. The males in the nest earned the money. There were some females who could make things to sell, like soap or cosmetics, but the males were in charge of that. The males were the heads of the house, and if they didn’t approve of an activity, their female wasn’t allowed to do it, period.”
“That sounds backward,” Rue said. “But the panther clan I grew up in was pretty stuck in the old ways themselves.”
“My earliest memories of my mom are her teaching me to clean. For my sixth birthday, she gave me my own set of cleaning tools.”
Rue looked up abruptly, her eyes wide. “Like a play set of cleaning tools?”
She shook her head. “Nope, they were real. She’d sawed the top off a mop so I could use it.”
“Oh gosh, that’s horrible.”
Ehrin finished another of Henry’s shirts and grabbed one of John’s. “It is and it’s not. I might not have had the most fun childhood, but I did learn a lot of valuable things. My friend Zelda is terrible at cleaning. She just hates doing it, and her mom was pretty slovenly and didn’t keep a neat house, so Zelda never learned. I’d always been envious of Zelda’s home life – her mom threw parties all the time, and Zelda didn’t have a lot of rules growing up – but once I was an adult, I realized she didn’t really have it better off than me. I might’ve had a stifling childhood, but I never had to wake up in the middle of the night because my drunk mother had forgotten her house keys and was banging on the door.”
“Yikes. I think it’s easy to pick apart the way we’re raised and compare and contrast to others. I wouldn’t wish my teen years on anyone, but they made me into the female I am today. I’m strong and independent because the only choice I had at sixteen was to sink or swim. The negative side is that it taught me I couldn’t trust anyone, especially family. But if it weren’t for my exile, I wouldn’t have Dom, and I’d never have met James and John.”
Ehrin nodded. “If I’d shifted when I was supposed to, I’d already be mated with a few kids. I’d be missing out on being part of this amazing group of people.”
Rue looked at her in silence for a moment, then said, “Your parents made a big mistake in not supporting you, but parents aren’t perfect. My own made mistakes, and I did when I was raising Dom, too. I think it’s part of being a parent. Sometimes parents learn from their mistakes, and sometimes they don’t.”
“I don’t think my parents learned anything.”
“Probably not,” Rue said. “Like mine, they seem pretty steeped in the traditions of their people.”
“Well, I’m thankful to be here, to have Dom and Henry as my mates, and you, James, John, and the rest of the Fallons and pride as my family.”
“We’re glad you’re here, too.”
When the ironing was finished, Ehrin offered to do the grocery shopping so Rue could take a nap before heading to the bar for her evening shift, but Rue insisted on coming to the store with her.
“First of all, the dang list is a hundred items long, at least,” Rue said as she took the pride credit card from James and kissed him goodbye. “And second, since we don’t know what’s going on with your parents, I don’t think your mates would be too happy if I just let you go into town on your own.”
Ehrin frowned. “I told them to leave and they did.”
“Perhaps, but you don’t know that they left town,” James said. “We haven’t seen them, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still here. It’s smart to take someone with you.”
“Okay,” Ehrin said. “I wouldn’t want to go against my new father-in-law.”
James smiled. “I’m very smart. You can ask my mate.”
“Oh, he sure is,” Rue said with a wink. “He picked me.”
After saying goodbye, they headed to the grocery with Rue driving John’s SUV.
It took an hour and two full carts for them to finish the list made by Tristan and Samantha, who did the cooking for most of the pride meals. Other pride members had added their own requests, too. She smiled when she saw that Henry had asked for fruit-flavored cereal and Dom had asked for a dark chocolate candy bar.
The cashier smiled. “You must be new to the pride. Welcome to Ashland.”
“Thanks,” Ehrin said.
“Emma works the day shift and we do a lot of grocery shopping in the mornings,” Rue said.
“Yep. I’d know you were pride anyway, even if Rue wasn’t here,” Emma said.
“Oh? How?” Ehrin asked.
Emma gestured to the two carts and piles of food. “The pride always shops like this. Plus, you have chocolate milk, whole milk, skim milk, almond milk, and flavored creamers. No one else but the pride buys so many different kinds of milk all at once.”
Ehrin grinned, then introduced herself and said, “I’ve only been in town for a week.”
“And they have you on grocery duty already?”
“I offered since I’m working out of the house.”
“Very cool. I wish I could work from home.”
Ehrin knew she was fortunate. Not only did she have two wonderful mates and a pride that welcomed her, but her business was up and running, and that gave her some freedom with her time.
When the groceries were all bagged, thanks to several employees, Ehrin and Rue loaded the SUV.
“Oh dang, I forgot the receipt,” Rue said. “James keeps a spreadsheet of grocery costs. He’s crazy organized like that.”
Ehrin didn’t have the keys so she couldn’t start the SUV. She opened the passenger door and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She turned and saw Alpha Addison, flanked by two of his guards. He stopped a few yards from her and stared at her in silence. Although he said nothing, his body language told her exactly what she needed to know about his feelings right then – he was furious. Menace poured from him like overused cologne, and her bird squawked loudly in alarm, urging her to run away.
She glanced toward the store, but didn’t see Rue. She was tempted to run to the store and have someone call the police station, but she knew the alpha had come for a reason. It wasn’t a stretch to believe he’d come because of her newfound ability to shift.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“You know what. Your parents explained it to you,” Addison said.
She debated playing obtuse, but staying in his presence any longer than necessary, and possibly pissing off the male who had clawed her face so easily, seemed unwise. She wished she wasn’t alone.
Clearing her throat, she tried to quell the fear that tickled her spine. “I already explained to my parents that I’m not interested in returning to the nest. I’m mated, and I have zero desire to be anywhere but in Ashland with my new family.”
He lowered his crossed arms. “You’re a shifter. That means you belong with the nest.”
“You exiled me,” she reminded him, ignoring the urge to cover her cheek. “You said I was done there, and you threatened my life if I ever returned. What on earth would make you think I want to be back there?”
“That was before you shifted. You were flawed.”
He gave her a calculating look and walked closer. Before she realized she’d moved, the door hit her back and stopped her.
“I wasn’t flawed,” she ground out.
<
br /> “You were,” he said, stopping close enough that she could reach out and touch him. “The elders believe my mark of exile woke your bird.”
“Are you seriously trying to take credit for my shift?”
“You hadn’t shifted before you were marked, and now you have. There’s no other explanation.”
“Yes there is! I met my mates. Because of them, I found my bird, and it’s unrelated to you trying to maim me.” She felt literally backed into a corner, and she knew it wasn’t the way for a kickass female to behave. And she was a kickass female, wasn’t she?
Taking a step forward, she let out a growling grunt that sounded a lot more intimidating in her mind, but it did the trick. Addison and the two guards stepped back, their brows raised in surprise. “I’m not leaving Ashland or my mates.”
“You are a shifting, breedable female,” Addison said, his voice deep and filled with fury. “You are the property of the nest, and as such you will return, or you will suffer the consequences of your disobedience.”
“I’m not anyone’s property but my own.”
“What’s going on here?” Rue demanded, rushing to them and stepping between Ehrin and the males. “The police have been notified.”
“There will be consequences,” Addison said, as sirens sounded in the distance.
“I’m never coming back to the nest. Leave, and don’t come back,” Ehrin said.
The males moved swiftly, getting into a black sedan, the tires screaming as they peeled away. They left just moments before a police car and a truck arrived. Henry rushed from the truck.
“Ehrin!” He grabbed her in a hug and then held her at arm’s length. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Who was it?”
Her bravado crashed and she started to cry. Henry pulled her gently against him, holding her close and purring.
“It was someone from the nest,” Rue said to Eryx, who was driving the other vehicle. “I had to run in to get the receipt and got stuck waiting for the cashier to finish another order. I saw Ehrin out here with those three males and called you.”
“It was the alpha and his guards,” Ehrin said, trying to stop the flow of tears.
“Did he hurt you?” Henry asked in a low voice.
“No. He just threatened me.”
Eryx growled. “I need you to fill out a report, Ehrin.”
“I should take her home. She’s scared,” Henry said.
“We can do the report at the boarding house. Did anyone see the license plate?”
Henry nodded. “I caught part of it, plus the car’s model.”
“Text me the information, and we’ll make sure everyone is on the lookout for it.”
“Ride with me,” Henry said to Ehrin.
She turned to Rue. “Thank you.”
“Of course, I’m just sorry I left you alone. I’m the one who said you shouldn’t be on your own in the first place. They could’ve abducted you.”
“It’s not your fault,” Ehrin said. “I’m just glad you came out when you did, and also called Eryx and Henry.”
Henry helped her into the passenger seat of his truck, then climbed behind the wheel. “I’m sorry this happened, sweetheart.”
“Me, too.” She blinked at the fresh tears, thankful she hadn’t cried in front of the alpha. “Why won’t they leave me alone?”
“I don’t know,” he said, putting the vehicle into gear and pulling away from the store, “but we’re going to make sure they don’t pull a stunt like this again.”
“How can you do that? We didn’t even know the alpha was here.”
“We’ll be more vigilant.”
She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. “This started out to be such a good day.”
“Don’t let this ruin things,” Henry cautioned. “They didn’t hurt you. I know you feel threatened and are worried, but the pride is behind us and will keep you safe.”
“I just want things to go back to normal.”
“They will in time.” He picked up her hand and kissed the top. “I promise.”
Chapter 13
Henry called the school and left a message for Dom as soon as they were home, explaining Ehrin’s situation. While Eryx was taking Ehrin’s statement, Dom called Henry to check in.
“What the hell is their problem?” Dom demanded.
“I don’t know,” Henry said, stepping out into the hall but keeping an eye on Ehrin, who was sitting with James and Rue. “I guess it was foolish of us to assume that because we hadn’t heard from or seen anymore of her parents, that nest was just going to let things go.”
“You know what’s freaky? The thing the alpha said about her being a breedable female and property of the nest.”
Henry hadn’t cared for that statement at all. Ehrin had shuddered when she’d recounted it, and Henry’s cat had wanted to hunt down the alpha and chase him and his people out of town, and ensure they never returned.
“She’s still freaked out, but at least she’s home and safe now.”
“So what’s the plan?” Dom asked.
Henry rubbed the space between his eyes where a headache was blooming. Several times in his life, people he cared about had been threatened by others. Aunt Samantha and Jilly by the female mountain lions, Cousin Lachlyn by her former bear den, and Scarlett by her family. Every time someone was harmed by others, the pride rallied around them in support. He was thankful for every single pride member, but he wished like hell that they didn’t have such bad luck.
“For now, she’s agreed to stay in the boarding house. Our police force isn’t so big that we can run patrols around the clock, but Eryx suggested we leave one of the patrol cars in front of the boarding house for a while and hope it deters anyone from getting too close. The other cars on patrol will be on the lookout for the alpha’s car and any suspicious-looking people. Thankfully it’s a small town and everyone knows everyone. Newcomers will stick out.”
“Except they didn’t,” Dom pointed out. “Clearly some of the hawks were waiting and watching. I don’t think it was a fluke that they approached her in the grocery parking lot the first time she went there.”
“Agreed. Dad’s going to have a pride meeting tonight to discuss security. After what happened to Jilly, we stepped up safety measures around the pride’s property, so we have some things in place. But I honestly don’t think the house is vulnerable. I think they’ll wait until we let our guard down and she leaves the house alone, and then they’ll try to get her out in public.”
Dom grunted. “Let’s just not let our guard down.”
He ended the call, his thoughts in turmoil. Knowing hawks had been watching her without anyone being aware of it made his cat furious.
Eryx joined him in the hallway.
“We’re finished,” he said. When Henry didn’t say anything, Eryx put his hand on his shoulder. “When the females targeted Callie because of us, Ethan and I felt terrible. She kept getting hurt by them, and we couldn’t seem to get out in front of it. It’s difficult to watch someone you love be afraid.”
“So many pride mates have been harmed in one way or another over the years,” Henry said. “I didn’t want Ehrin to go through that. I thought the worst she’d have to deal with from her family and people was already behind her.”
“Someday it will be. But for now, being with the pride is the best thing for her.”
“I don’t want her to resent being stuck at home.”
“Her safety, and the safety of every pride member, is more important than anything. She understands that, and I hope you and Dom do, too.”
“We do.”
“Good. I’ll see you at the station later when you come in for your shift.”
Henry nodded and said goodbye to Eryx, then walked into the family room and sat next to Ehrin.
“I want someone to give me a timeline for life getting back to normal,” Ehrin said, “but I know that’s not realistic.”
He put his arm around her and drew her close, kissing her tem
ple. “No, but it’s understandable. You told the alpha, and your parents, that you were mated. The alpha witnessed that you were under the protection of the pride. You’re going to lay low and we’re going to be vigilant. Eventually they’ll realize you aren’t going anywhere, that your life is your own.”
She rubbed her cheek on his chest and rested her hand on his stomach. “I hope so.”
“Do you want lunch?” Rue asked, standing with James. “I’m going to make cheesesteaks.”
“No thanks,” Ehrin said. “I think I’d like to go lie down for a little while.”
Henry stood and took her hand, leading her up to their bedroom on the third floor. Her head was bowed and her shoulders were hunched, and he knew the weight of her situation was dragging her down. He walked into the bedroom and she shut the door, leaning against it with a sigh.
“Do you want anything?” he asked.
She stared at him in silence, her gaze bright green and riveted on him. She straightened against the door, grasping the hem of her top with one hand and twisting the door lock with the other. She pulled the top up and over her breasts, the sweet peaks covered in pink cotton.
“I just need you,” she said.
“You’ve got me.” He walked to her, stopping when their bodies were almost touching.
He trailed a finger over the swell of her breasts, watching goose bumps rise on her skin. There was a little ribbon bow between the cups of her bra, and he tugged on one end.
“Did you make this?”
“Yeah,” she murmured, her knuckles turning white as she fisted her shirt against her chest.
“It’s pretty.” He tugged more firmly and the bow pulled apart, allowing him to spread the cups open and reveal her breasts. Rubbing a finger over one nipple, he stared down at her in silence, his mind spinning. She seemed inclined to want to be distracted, and he was happy to help.
He dropped to his knees, hooking his fingers in the waistband of her leggings and panties and pulling them down to her ankles. He helped her from her shoes, socks, and other clothing, tossing it all aside before wrapping his hand around her ankles. He looked up the length of her body and met her heat-filled gaze. Fisting the back of his shirt, he pulled it over his head and stood slowly, trailing his fingers up the insides of her legs and stopping at the apex of her thighs.