by R. E. Butler
“Are you sure it’s okay to leave the zoo?”
“Joss said we could leave the zoo as long as we took some backup with us, but I was actually talking about going to the market and seeing what they have on hand. They keep a supply of clothing and toiletries for anyone to use, and they can order whatever else you need, even clothes. They’ll go shopping for us and bring it back.”
“Oh, that’s good. I really don’t want to leave the zoo right now.”
“Did your family email you last night?”
“No, just Rory. I don’t have my cell since I left it back in the nest when I was on my way to meet that male, so the only way they could contact me is email. Do you think they’ll try to?”
“I don’t know. I guess not. I kind of hope that at some point they’ll reach out, but only if they want to apologize.” He tugged jeans on and lifted his phone off the nightstand.
“It would be nice to have their blessing on our mating and for them to apologize for what they attempted to do. I won’t hold my breath, though. My mom might be willing to set things right between us, but I have zero desire to go anywhere near the nest.”
He was glad about that. He’d been willing to go forward with her family and people with an open mind, but after the stunt they pulled, they’d lost all credibility with him.
He dialed his mother and listened to it ring. “Hey,” he said when she answered. “Do you have something Jess could borrow to wear? She didn’t get to pick up any clothes from her nest last night. Thanks. See you soon.”
She sat on the bed with the towel wrapped around her. “It’s strange how not having any clothes is making me feel kind of helpless.”
“It’s okay, angel. You’re not helpless by any stretch. You’ve got me and my family and people, and everything I have is yours, period.”
She smiled sweetly at him. “You’re sweet.”
He made a face. “Sweeter than my brother?”
“Seriously?” She rolled her eyes with a laugh. “No one is as sweet as you, I promise.”
“That’s better.”
There was a knock at the front door and he opened it to Evan, who handed him a paper sack. “Mom said the waffles are going in the griddle, so don’t take too long.”
“Thanks, we’ll be right over.”
He carried the bag into the bedroom. Jess lifted out two dresses as Auden opened a dresser drawer and pulled out a pair of boxers.
She dropped the towel and pulled the boxers on. “When I was a teenager, Rory and I used to buy boxers to wear as PJs with tank tops. I might just steal these from you.”
“Don’t wear pajamas on my account.”
She picked a blue cotton dress and pulled it over her head. “As long as you know I’d like you to return the favor.”
“You got it.”
They left the den and walked to his parents’ home. His family greeted them at the door with broad smiles.
“Mom, Dad, this is my soulmate, Jess. Angel, these are my parents, Eugene and Delilah. You already know my brother, Evan.”
“Welcome to the family, Jess,” Delilah said, hugging her. “You’re so beautiful!”
“Thank you,” she said.
Eugene extended his hand. “Welcome, dear. I hope you’re both hungry. Delilah’s been cooking up a storm.”
“Starving,” Auden said.
“Me, too,” Jess said.
They followed the family into the spacious kitchen, which his mother had decorated in country blue. “Do you like to cook, Jess?”
“Not really,” she confessed as she fixed a cup of coffee for herself. Auden fixed himself one, and they sat at the table with his dad. Evan helped bring dishes to the table while Delilah used tongs to put waffles onto a platter. “My mom’s a great cook, but I never had a knack for it. I used to feel like I never fit in with the nest.”
“Why’s that?” Eugene asked.
“Female owls are supposed to be satisfied with being homemakers and wives. They’re supposed to love cooking and cleaning and raising kids, and I wanted a family, but I never was really inclined to devote myself to that kind of life.”
“What did you want to do?” Auden asked, taking the platter from his mother and setting it on the table.
“I went to college to study birds.”
Delilah joined them and lifted the platter of waffles. “Because you’re an owl?”
Jess shook her head. “When I was eight, Rory and I were walking in the nest territory and we found an injured blue jay. Its wing was broken, and it couldn’t fly. I wanted to help it, so I took it to my father, but he said it couldn’t be helped and he took it away from me. I don’t know what he did with it for sure, but I’m fairly certain he killed it. Mom said the right thing to do was not to let it suffer. I was bothered so much by that, because I was certain that it could’ve been helped by a doctor of some kind, but there was no way my parents would take me away from the nest for a natural bird. I decided then that no matter what, I wanted to study birds, and when I grew up, I wanted to help them. I went to college and studied ornithology. I’d been hoping that the male my parents had arranged for me to mate would let me work with natural birds, but after meeting him last night, I’m pretty sure that would never have happened.”
Auden put a waffle on Jess’s plate and put two on his own. Then he handed the platter to his brother. “I’m so sorry, angel. What would you like to do with birds? Like raise them and breed them? Or work with injured ones?”
“Maybe a little of everything,” she said. “I’d pictured having an aviary and taking in injured birds, helping them recuperate, and releasing them into the wild once they were well. For those who couldn’t be released, then they’d have a safe place to live out their lives.”
“That’s beautiful,” Delilah said. “Like a sanctuary.”
“Yeah,” Jess said.
Eugene took a drink of orange juice and set the glass down. “You can talk to the alphas when they meet next.”
“Do you think they’d let me do that?” Jess asked, eyes wide.
“They’re always looking for ways to bring in new attractions to the zoo, and a bird sanctuary would be a neat addition.”
“Oh, that would be so wonderful!”
“When do they meet next?” Auden asked.
“Monday,” Eugene said. “Ask Joss to get on the schedule to speak. He’ll tell you what you need to prepare for it.”
“The alphas run the zoo?” Jess asked.
Auden nodded. “Each alpha is in charge of his own people, but they come together as a group to oversee the zoo itself. Every group has different responsibilities. Lions are security, gorillas are maintenance, bears are food prep, elephants handle the normal animals, and wolves handle park merchandise and the safari tours.”
“Keep in mind that you’ll need to stay together, though,” Delilah said.
“What?” Jess asked.
“Wolves are very possessive,” Eugene explained.
“Yeah… and?”
Auden smiled at his mate. “Males can’t stand to be apart from their mates for extended periods of time. So if you want to create a bird sanctuary, then I’ll sign on as your first employee.”
“What about your regular job?”
“Someone else will take over for me.”
“Just like that?” she asked, arching a brow.
“My wolf will go nuts if we’re separated for a long time. I wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
“Strange but true,” Delilah said. “Wolf males are worse than females, but it’s part of what makes our shift unique. Mates are drawn to be together, and distance makes us uneasy. You probably won’t feel it as sharply because you’re not a wolf, but Auden would become irrational and agitated if you were separated.”
Jess hummed. “You won’t mind if I want you to clean up bird poop?”
He chuckled, then kissed her. “Whatever you want.”
Evan groaned. “I hope when I meet my mate that she doesn’t want me
to do any gross jobs.”
“Trust me,” Eugene said, “when you find your mate, you won’t care. Her happiness is paramount.”
“Yeah?” Jess asked, looking at Auden.
“Absolutely,” he promised.
“Have I told you that I kinda like you a lot?”
His wolf was doing cartwheels in his head. “I kinda like you a lot, too.”
“Aw,” Delilah said.
“Barf,” Evan said.
Chapter 8
After breakfast with his family, he took Jess to the market, a central gathering area underground that served as a cafeteria and a general store.
“Hey!” a feminine voice called out when they walked in.
“Hi,” Auden said, waving at Celeste, who was sitting behind a counter at the nail salon. He and Jess walked over, and he introduced the two females. “Celeste is mated to Jupiter, one of the lions.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Jess said, shaking her hand. “You have a nail salon down here? That’s pretty neat.”
Celeste nodded toward a female who was bent over a low table, painting the nails of another female. “Adriana does the nails, and I book the appointments. We worked together before we found our mates.”
Adriana lifted her head. “Nice to meet you, Jess. My mate is Zane.”
Auden whispered, “Zane’s a gorilla.”
Jess hummed. “This is the coolest place.”
“Isn’t it?” Celeste asked with a smile. “I heard you’re an owl. I didn’t even know there were bird shifters.”
“I imagine there are shifters of all different kinds out there,” Jess said.
Auden nodded. “I used to think we were pretty unusual having so many different groups living together, but Kelley, one of the elephants, has family that run a traveling circus, and they have wolves and bears with them, too.”
“Have you met any of the other new mates?” Celeste asked.
“Nope.”
“We’ll have to have a get-together. We like to welcome the new mates and get to know each other. This is a great place to be.”
“I’d like that, thanks.”
“What’s your cell number?” Celeste picked up her phone.
“I don’t have one.”
“I’ll get you one,” Auden said. “But in the meantime, you can text her at my number.” He rattled off the numbers and Celeste typed them into her phone.
“Nice to meet you,” Jess told her.
“You, too. See you soon,” Celeste said.
They walked farther into the market, past tables where shifters were eating. “We can come here and eat, get food to go, or order online for delivery to the den. The bears handle all the food, including the employee cafeteria and the food stalls in the zoo.”
“Neat. After having your mom’s amazing breakfast, I was a little worried you’d be disappointed that your mate isn’t a good cook, since you grew up with a female who clearly enjoys being in the kitchen.”
“I’m not disappointed at all. I’d hate for you to pretend to want to do something just because you thought it would make me happy. I don’t cook either, just order from the market.”
She smiled at him sweetly, and he felt like a king. He loved to see her smile.
They walked into the clothing shop and he greeted the wolves who ran it. “Angel, this is Zeger and his mate, Anke. This is my mate, Jess. She needs clothes.”
Anke smiled and gestured to the section of clothing for females. “Let’s see what we can find for you, and then we’ll order whatever else you need.”
“I don’t… have any money,” Jess said, looking at Auden.
“You’re part of the pack,” Zeger cut in. “Everything is provided for pack members free of charge.”
“It’s okay, Jess,” Auden said. “Pick out whatever you want.”
He watched as Anke led Jess to the clothing and smiled at the look of curious joy on his mate’s face.
“We heard from the alpha that she came with nothing but the clothes on her back. Did her family really try to separate you two so she could mate one of her own kind?”
Auden nodded and leaned on the counter. “It’s pretty fucked up.”
“Sounds like it. Anke’s family wanted her to mate the son of another alpha to unite the two packs, but by then she and I were together. She opted to leave her home pack and join ours.”
“Were they pissed?”
“For a while. Her parents didn’t talk to her for a couple years, but after our first pup was born, they decided it was better to mend the fence than have grandpups they couldn’t see.”
“I don’t know that her parents will ever forgive and forget.”
“Well, technically you didn’t do anything wrong in the first place, but family’s funny like that sometimes.”
“For sure,” Auden said.
While he waited for Jess to finish trying on clothes, he ordered a cell phone for her.
“Are you mating her on the full moon?” Zeger asked as he finished the paperwork for the phone.
“Yep. She’s excited to see what our traditions are.”
“Wolves do it right, that’s for damn sure.”
“Do what right?” Anke asked as she set a pile of clothes on the counter.
Jess placed two pairs of shoes next to the pile and leaned against Auden. He immediately put his arm around his mate, his wolf humming in happiness.
“Mating ceremonies,” Zeger replied.
“I’ll be sure to make my famous potato salad,” Anke said.
She and Zeger worked quickly to scan the items into the computer and put them in shopping bags.
“I love potato salad,” Jess said.
Anke winked. “Mine has a ton of bacon in it. It’s one of the four food groups, you know.”
“What are the others?” Auden asked.
“Sugar, chocolate, and red meat,” Zeger said.
“Aren’t sugar and chocolate kind of in the same group?” Auden asked.
“Hell no!” Anke said.
Jess giggled. “If they’re two different food groups, you get twice as much.”
Auden kissed the top of her head. “My smart angel.”
When their packages were ready, Auden and Jess said goodbye and headed to the wolves’ private living area. He showed her the code to unlock the main door.
“Don’t give this code to anyone, not any of the mates or other shifters. Only the wolves know the code for our group. This code unlocks not only this door but the ones leading up into our paddock and the employee cafeteria.”
“Got it,” she said, trying the code herself and smiling when it unlocked.
“Did you find everything you needed with Anke?” he asked as they walked to their den and he grabbed the door for her.
“She placed an order for a local boutique for some more things. They had enough there in my size to last me a few days. It was surprising how much they stocked in different sizes. She said she’d bring the other things here when they arrive.”
“Good. When we get to start working on the bird sanctuary, we’ll have to wear uniforms. We might be able to wear the same khaki ones that the elephants wear, or we can ask the alphas to let us have unique ones, maybe jungle print.”
“You’re so sure they’re going to let us build and run a sanctuary?”
“Very much so. Like my dad said, it makes good sense for the park. We haven’t added a new attraction since we started the VIP tours.”
While she unpacked jeans, tops, and a dress, he cleared out the top dresser drawer for her, and she placed undergarments in it. He ran his finger along the lace cup of a bra and wiggled his brows.
“Sexy,” he said in a gruff tone.
“I thought you’d like it. I ordered some others, too.”
“Can’t wait to see you in them, and then promptly take them off.”
She blushed sweetly, her cheeks pinking. When they’d finished putting away her new clothes, they spent the rest of the day talking about the pack.
Owls were similar in ways to wolves when it came to the hierarchy of the group. They both had a leader, but where wolves were ranked within the pack by their strength and abilities, owls were either an elder or a nest member; there wasn’t a rank outside of the king and his mate.
Stomachs rumbling, they headed topside to ger her photo taken at the security office for her ID, then picked up burgers for dinner at the food stall and shared an ice cream sundae at a picnic table under a sprawling oak tree.
She licked her spoon and stared upward. “This is a really nice tree.”
“Yeah? What makes it nice?” He’d never thought of trees as particularly ‘nice’ one way or the other.
“Well it’s old, for one – you can tell by how wide it is. I like old trees. It’s like they have history in their limbs. The branches are thick, too, which would make for a good landing.”
She explained that her people lived in tree houses for protection and to be close to nature.
“Gorillas like to live in trees, too. In their private area, their homes are built on large metal structures made to look like trees.”
“That’s neat.”
He offered her the last bite of chocolate ice cream and she shook her head. “I’m so stuffed I’m going to pop.”
“In case you didn’t notice at breakfast, wolves have big appetites.”
“I did notice, and also that you ate three bacon cheeseburgers a little while ago, and almost all of our six-scoop sundae.” She smiled at him and then said, “Do you want to have kids?”
“Of course. Do you?”
“Yeah. I always wanted to have a big family. I’m an only child. If it wasn’t for Rory, I would’ve felt really alone as a kid.”
He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I’m all for a big family. I wished I had more siblings, too.”
They walked around, and he introduced her to everyone working at the zoo, from the candy shop to the souvenir stands run by the wolves, capping off the tours with another visit to the security office, where Jupiter handed her the ID.
“You should wear it whenever you’re topside. Once you’re working and have a uniform with a nametag, you don’t have to worry about the ID.”