Tess blinked her eyes open and propped herself up on her elbow. She’d switched spots with Dustin a few minutes ago. They didn’t want Audrey to be alone when she finally awoke.
“The doctor thinks she is going to pull through,” Tess assured.
Thea shifted in the bed, shoving herself into a sitting position. Her hand rested on her belly. “Good.” She turned to the other double bed in the room. The three girls slept soundly in it all three curled together. “I was worried she might not make it.”
“Audrey’s strong,” Tess smiled.
“I can’t stand the thought of losing anyone else,” Thea croaked. Her bottom lip trembled as tears pooled in her eyes. “We haven’t seen anyone since we fled. I thought you were dead.”
Tess shot up and hurried to her sister. She slipped into the bed and rested her head on Thea’s shoulder. Thea wrapped an arm around Tess, squeezing her tightly.
“I’m okay,” she assured.
Thea’s chest heaved as she sobbed. Her hand went to her mouth. Tess twisted and looked up at her older sister.
“I’m sorry,” Thea panted out of breath. “It’s these damn hormones and the craziness of the past few days.”
Tess hugged her sister close. “It’s going to be okay. I promise,” she soothed.
“I know,” Thea cried as she gulped in large breaths. “I’ve been holding it together for so long...”
“Let it out,” Tess coaxed, running a hand up and down her sister’s arm.
Thea laughed and Tess peered up at her, wondering what on earth could be funny right now.
“Aren’t I supposed to be the one comforting you?” she teased as she dabbed at her eyes.
“I think the roles can be reversed if the time calls for it,” Tess offered. “Dustin said you saw the doctor too. How’d that go?” she asked, sensing a change of topic would help calm her sister.
“It went well. The baby is fine,” she paused as she gained control of her breathing. “The doctor said it would be any day now.”
“I can’t wait to meet my little niece or nephew,” Tess gushed. Thea was the oldest of her siblings. Her child would’ve been the first grandchild. She sucked in a deep breath as an image of her parents holding the baby entered her mind. Her heart ached with the realization that they would never know Thea’s baby.
Thea rubbed her belly. “The past day the baby’s been so quiet. I was really worried. It must’ve been the stress.” Thea turned to Tess. “We are safe here aren’t we?”
“Yes,” Tess answered determinedly. They would be safe here she would see to it. Nate had been whisked away by his mother the moment they’d stepped foot into the building. He would fight with his mother until they were offered a safe place to stay within the building, Tess was sure of it.
“You must really trust him,” Thea commented, studying her. “Have you met him before?”
Tess shook her head. How did she go about explaining Nate to her sister? Thea was level headed—for the most part. Even though there was an eight-year age gap between the two of them, they’d always confided in each other.
Her mind made up, she met her sister’s eyes, praying that Thea would be more accepting of the bonding mark then Nate had. “About Nate, there’s something I have to tell you.” She sat up, twisting so her back was to Thea. Then carefully moved her hair away from the nape of her neck.
Thea gasped. “Oh my God.” Her cool fingers traced the mark lightly. “Tess. Have you?”
Thea didn’t need to finish the question. They both knew she was wondering if her and Nate had completed the bond.
“No.” She shook her head as she let her hair fall over her neck again. Tess turned back to her sister, holding her breath. What would Thea say?
“I’ve never seen one before. A true mate. Wow,” Thea whispered, thankfully sounding more intrigued than horrified.
At least they were off to a good start. Hopefully her sister could give her some words of wisdom. Even if Dustin wasn’t Thea’s true mate, they were deeply in love. Tess relaxed back into the pillows. She could use some sound advice right now.
Chapter Fifteen
Nate rushed down the hall. Before he left to talk to Xander, he had to make sure Tess was okay. After a quick trip to medical, Dustin informed him that Tess was with her sister in the guest wing of the compound.
He rounded the corner and bit back a growl when he saw the two guards posted outside the werecat family’s door. Really? What does the council think they were going to do? Thea was about to burst and the girls that were with them couldn’t even shift yet. He rolled his eyes with amusement. Sanctuary’s leaders were ridiculous.
“Can I help you sir?” Alec one of the guards asked as he approached.
“I need to see Tess,” he commented, not waiting for their response before knocking on the door.
The room was quiet for a long moment. He glanced down at his watch and cursed under his breath. It was late. Hopefully he didn’t wake them. Nate considered walking away and coming back in the morning, but the soft pitter-patter of footsteps creeping across the floor drew his attention. The lock clicked, and the door opened a few inches. Tess’ head popped out, her eyes widening slightly as she met his gaze.
“Hi,” she whispered.
“Hey,” he greeted. She was stunning, her long locks were tousled, and her chartreuse eyes blinked sleepily at him.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as her beautiful eyes searched his. Her perfect, pink lips beckoned to him and he inched forward, wanting to taste her.
“Is everything okay?” Tess asked quietly, pulling him from his trance.
He blinked and cleared his throat. Stop staring and talk. I don’t understand why I’m so distracted by her. Because you want her. The wolf in him stirred, jumping to the surface, begging to take control. It wasn’t just the beast within him that craved Tess... there was something about her. She’s waiting for you to speak. “Yeah. I wanted to make sure you... everyone was okay?” he asked.
Tess smiled, causing his heart to swell. She had an amazing smile, and he wondered what he needed to do to keep that grin on her face.
“We are doing good. Thanks for checking in. How did things go with your mom? It looked pretty heated earlier,” Tess commented. She bit her lip as her eyes darted to the floor.
“Don’t stand there chit-chatting at the door, Tess. Invite him in,” a woman’s voice whisper-yelled from inside the room.
Tess blushed and ducked her head down. “Thea wants to thank you for your help,” she explained, opening the door further.
Nate swallowed as he stepped into the room. The door shut behind him and he turned as Tess passed by him to take a seat on the bed next to her sister.
Thea shifted beneath the covers, struggling as she sat up. “I do want to thank you, but I also want to see the man who has left his mark on my little sister,” she explained quietly.
Nate’s mouth popped open as he focused his attention on the two women. “You told her?” Why had she told her? They hadn’t decided anything yet. What did Thea think? Was she okay with it? Nate studied the older cat carefully, she didn’t seem angry.
Tess shrugged.
“Of course,” Thea replied, narrowing her eyes. She placed her hand on Tess’ shoulder, keeping a scrutinizing gaze on him. “We don’t keep secrets from each other.”
Nate swallowed hard as his muscles tensed. What did she think about their relationship, he wondered again. Why does it matter? You haven’t even made up your mind completely. Still, he wanted to know that Thea approved, even if he wasn’t sure what the future held for he and Tess. If they did pursue their bond, it would be nice to know they had someone’s blessing. They certainly weren’t going to get his mother’s.
“Relax,” Thea laughed. “I’m not a bigot like some of the people Tess has told me about. I just want my sister to be happy,” she sobered, cocking her head to the side as she observed him. “If you can do that for her, then I don’t care what you are.�
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Nate let out a relieved breath. The tension in his shoulders eased, and he ran a hand through his hair. Thea accepted their relationship. He glanced at Tess, noticing the small smile splayed across her face. She was happy with the blessing too. His heart swelled at the realization. Maybe a romance wasn’t as doomed as he thought. Because when he really thought about it, he didn’t want Tess to leave Sanctuary. He wanted her by his side always.
“I do also want to thank you for your assistance to my family. Tess said you saved her too,” Thea acknowledged, pulling him from his thoughts again.
Pay attention. “Of course. It’s no problem,” he insisted. “I hope your accommodations are okay.” Hopefully the guard would only be outside the door temporarily. The last thing he wanted was to make them feel like prisoners. They were guests—at least to him.
Thea nodded. “They are, thank you.”
“Good.” He said as he jammed his hands into his pocket. Now what was he supposed to say? He should probably go before things got awkward. Sure he and Tess had done the deed and discovered their bond, but they hadn’t completed it. Nor did they know what they were going to do long term. Not to mention, he did need to check up on Eden and Xander. Eden could be in trouble. He had to warn her and Xander.
He took a step back and met Tess’ gaze. “I should get going. I need to check in on my sister,” he replied quietly, cursing beneath his breath when his voice wavered with fear.
“Is everything okay?” Tess asked concerned.
“Yeah,” he frowned. Was it okay? Xander would keep an eye on Eden, but they didn’t even know a threat loomed “Just following up on a few things.”
“You should go with him, Tess,” Thea suggested, shoving her sister from the bed.
“Thea—” Tess started as she stumbled to right herself. She shot her sister an accusatory glare before turning sheepishly to Nate.
“Go. We are fine here,” Thea assured, shooing them away with her hand. “Dustin is just down the hall in the medical wing. He’ll be back soon. And I have two guards outside my door should I need anything. I’m sure they wouldn’t refuse a pregnant woman. Besides, the two of you should talk,” Thea insisted.
“I...” Tess tried to protest but trailed off.
“Go,” Thea shooed, flicking her wrist at them again as she pointed to the door. “Don’t make me tell you again.”
“All right, if you’re sure,” Tess murmured.
“I am. Now go,” Thea ordered with a smile.
Nate watched as Tess walked to her sister and pulled her into a tight hug. The pair clung to each other for a long moment before Tess stood up.
“I’ll be back soon,” Tess whispered.
“Don’t hurry on my account,” Thea teased.
Nate twisted the doorknob in his hand, tugging it open for the two of them. They did need to talk. I need to figure out what I want.
Tess brushed past him, her sweet vanilla pine scent fragranced the air. You already know what you want. Do you have the courage to pursue it?
***
Tess wrapped her arms around herself and bit her lip to keep it from trembling. The night air was bitingly cold, and she quickened her speed, eager to reach the car. She hated the cold weather. The climate was definitely different in Tennessee than it was in Washington. Guess I’ll have to get used to it.
With Thea, Dustin and the kids at Sanctuary, she wasn’t going anywhere else. Her home was with her family. Thea and Audrey were in no condition to travel. Sanctuary would be their home for the unforeseeable future. She hoped the council would continue to be cordial and mildly accommodating.
She peered over at Nate as he led the way to a dark blue Ford truck. The lights lit up and blinked as he pressed down on the clicker in his hands. Tess walked to the passenger side and climbed in. It would be nice to spend more time with him too. There was something about him. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was a reason they had been marked as mates. The attraction was undeniable, the lust unrelenting. But it was more than physical—she liked him as a person even if he was different than her previous boyfriends. What does he want? Does he feel the same? She glanced over at him as he hopped in the truck.
Nate started the engine and adjusted the heat. He grumbled under his breath as he put the truck in reverse. Tess watched him carefully as he twisted to look behind him as he moved the vehicle.
His jaw was set; and his hands clutched the wheel tightly, causing his knuckles to turn white. He hadn’t said anything to her since they’d left Thea. What was going on? He’d always been personable. Did he not want to be out with her? Was he trying to forget what had happened and bide their time until the two weeks was up? But why did he stop by the room then?
“Everything okay?” she asked quietly.
Nate sighed heavily and looked at her. “I don’t know yet.”
She quirked her brow hoping he would continue. Maybe whatever was bothering him had nothing to do with her. Eden then? That’s where they were going.
“I learned some disturbing things from my mom. With everything that’s going on...” he trailed off.
“Did you tell her about us?” Tess whispered. Had he fessed up to his mom about them? That couldn’t have gone well. She held her breath waiting for him to answer.
“God no. But she insinuated that if anything did happen she would be against it,” he paused, drumming his thumbs on the steering wheel. “She wouldn’t be the only one either. If we chose to pursue a mating bond, we would be in danger,” he explained with a growl.
Tess sat back in her seat as she watched him. Was he mad at her or the circumstances?
“She also told me that someone tried to kill Eden when she was an infant,” he admitted as he jerked the wheel hard, taking them onto the main road.
“What?” Tess exclaimed. “Why?” Why would someone attempt to hurt a baby? What kind of people were on the council?
“Because she’s half human. They don’t like her because her blood is impure,” he answered simply. “Xander’s getting close to her. I’m just wondering if this guy that’s been following Eden is more sinister than I originally thought. My mom suggested Xander’s parents could attempt to harm her because of how close she and Xander are.”
“I thought you said there were creeps at Gordy’s every so often. Why would he be any different?” Tess asked curiously. What did Nate learn that had him so worried right now? Eden wasn’t an infant anymore. Would Xander’s parents really go after an adult woman? That would cause a buzz; draw attention to Xander and other shifters like Nate. Attention no one could afford with hunters so close.
“There are creeps that pass through. But guys don’t generally hang around town and keep coming back. It’s usually a one-night thing. They come make some noise, go to their hotel room, sleep it off, and then are on their way the next day. There is something different about this guy. You felt it too,” he accused as he fixed a glare on her.
Tess nodded slowly. True, she had found something unsettling about him. But he wasn’t a hunter; she would’ve sensed that. “I thought it was just a girl thing.”
Nate scowled, his brows lifting up in question.
“Just because I’m a shifter doesn’t mean guys can’t give me the heeby jeebies,” she explained. Men could be dirt bags whether they were human or other.
“The what?”
“Creep me out,” she laughed out loud before sobering. “Why do you think Xander’s parents are out for Eden now? Surely they wouldn’t want to do anything to put him in danger or implicate him in something.”
“Xander’s parents are the ones who killed her mother and planned to kill her too,” he blurted angrily. “Now that Xander is so close to her...” he trailed off as he pummeled the steering wheel. The horn blared loudly from his violence.
Tess blanched at his anger. Rage radiated off him in waves. Doubt crept under her skin. What if the weird man was out to hurt Eden? “Xander isn’t going to let anyone hurt her,” she promi
sed. The wolf might not have given her a warm reception, but she’d seen the way he lusted after Eden. Xander was in love with Eden whether he wanted to admit it or not.
“Until an hour ago, I thought that Eden’s mom died in a horrible car accident. It turns out the accident wasn’t truly an accident. I don’t know what to think anymore,” he admitted. He turned to her, his eyes softening as they met her gaze. “I don’t want to put anyone else in danger. I don’t want to put you in danger.”
“I can take care of myself,” Tess began. She could take care of herself. And she wasn’t going to let someone bully her into making a decision. “Besides, we haven’t decided anything yet, have we?” Unless he’s made a decision? Her pulse roared in her ears at the thought. Did he want to continue with their bond? She hadn’t really had time to think clearly, but Thea had helped to put some things into perspective. What if he’d already made up his mind, and she’d only begun to make up hers? What happened if they wanted two completely different things?
Nate squeezed the steering wheel tighter and focused on the road ahead. “I know I don’t want to be stuck in a loveless relationship,” he paused and cleared his throat. “Not that I...” he trailed off and wrung his hands on the wheel.
“I know what you mean,” Tess sighed. She felt deeply for Nate, but she wouldn’t call it love. Not yet anyway. Perhaps if they let their relationship blossom it could be. Red crept across her cheeks and she ducked her head down, hoping she could conceal her face with her hair. I can’t believe I’m thinking like that. “There is a pull between us, a desire. If we follow through with the bond it will grow into something more,” she said truthfully. If everything she knew about bonds was true, then Nate was her soul mate. Their lust would grow into friendship, love, and something deeper. She trembled at the thought. I want that. It wasn’t too much to ask for the best friend and a lover all wrapped into one perfect package.
“But at the same time, I’m not sure we could stay at Sanctuary,” he growled. “My mom said we’d be in danger there. Action could be taken against Thea or Audrey as a warning to us.”
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