Runaway Mate

by Cecilia Lane

  The flash of a camera brought a snarl out of his throat. It died as soon as he caught Meghan’s embarrassed scent. Her hand wrapped around his wrist and she ducked her head.

  “Sorry,” she muttered. “It happens sometimes, the candid photos.”

  A closer inspection found a small group or humans was cameras in their hands. Meghan, still talking to her feet, continued, “Gossip magazines and websites will pay for the pictures. I guess with the nude photos and rumors of the show and—”

  “And me.” Gray tucked a finger under her chin and lifted her face. “Do you want to leave?”

  “No.” Her eyes lit up with determination. “You were right. We shouldn’t have to hide. And you made promises for later.”

  Gray’s mouth hitched up on the side. “I keep my promises, Hollywood.”

  Her smile brushed down the ruffled fur of his bear. He shot a murderous glare toward the one that took a picture of them and then placed his entire focus on making Meghan happy. He was able to keep up his distraction until a table finally opened up and they placed an order for appetizers.

  “The worst shoot,” Meghan described in answer to his question after the server gave them some privacy, “was a week of nighttime scenes. My character had just finished middle school and was on a graduation field trip to an aquarium. Through some shenanigans, I had to fall into a tank of water—”

  “Ah, the privileged life of an actress,” Gray teased. “I bet it was terrible playing with all the sea creatures.”

  “It was miserable!” She laughed. “I had a cold after day three and still needed to do all my scenes. You could hear how stuffed up I was when it aired.”

  Movement on his peripheral paused his response. One of the tourists from the group snapping their pictures approached, thought better of it, then found his nerve. Meghan glanced over her shoulder to see where he looked. When she caught sight of the men approaching them she reached across the table and squeezed Gray’s hand.

  The man stopped between them and took in Gray with a quick flick of his eyes before addressing Meghan. “Would you sign something for me?”

  “Of course,” she said with a smile. Gray could see the slight strain at the corners of her eyes. Even so, she set down her fork and reached for what was being shoved at her.

  Gray already struggled with having his time with her interrupted so rudely. Then her face fell and she dropped the picture to the table like it burned her fingers. His eyes followed it down and a growl bubbled out of his chest. One of the photos Bentley released stared back at him.

  He slapped his hand over it and drew it to his side. “What the fuck is this?” He crumpled photo into a ball and threw it back down to the tabletop.

  The man didn’t even flinch. “Meghan, are you a shifter now? Are you planning on becoming one, or just sleeping with them? Is this the one who released the photos?”

  Meghan averted her eyes and stayed silent. It was like a blanket of ice wrapped around her and placed the man on the outside. He was no longer present to her.

  “With your sudden release from Paper Report, have you considered new lines of work such as posing for more photos or videos?”

  Red spread across Meghan’s cheeks, even as she ignored the man. The sight of it raised Gray’s bear close to his skin. He could silence the questions and the asshole with one chomp.

  Meghan reached across the table. Her voice stayed low. “Gray, you can’t get upset over everything someone says.”

  “Want to bet?” He growled at another person raising a camera. He was halfway out of his seat when a trio of elderly women pushed between the table and the man. Old Miss, the leader of the Old Maids, turned her head slightly to give him a wink. The women were famous for intruding where they didn’t belong.

  “Sir, there are children here,” Old Miss scolded. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

  “I’m sure they’ve seen worse,” the man said and tried to shove his way between the three women. He didn’t get far.

  The trio of women formed a wall as thick and impenetrable as the elderly boar shifters could make. Old Miss continued to browbeat the man with a finger right under his nose. “You do not get to make that call. I don’t know what sort of manners your mother has, but I assure you that our values are much more polite.”

  He opened his mouth to object, but she took a step forward. Her posse stepped with her and crowded the man away. He shot a glance around him but no one was coming to his aid. No one would risk the photo of assaulting a member of the blue-haired gang. “You can take your rude photos and impolite line of questions out the door you came through, or I’ll drag you out by the ear myself.”

  The man cast one last unrepentant glare before turning on his heel and making his way back to his table of gossips and observers. The Old Maids didn’t back down until the table packed up and left.

  “Thank you,” Meghan said softly.

  Old Miss harrumphed. “Think nothing of it, sweetheart. We take care of our own here.”

  The words struck a chord in Gray. The enclave’s oldest and most cantankerous citizens claimed Meghan as one of theirs. She belonged.

  Now he had to convince her to stay.

  Chapter 22

  Meghan rolled over and stared at the ceiling. The slight change of position brought Gray’s hand over her stomach. He didn’t wake, which was fortunate because she didn’t know what to say to him. He was too good at picking up on her emotions and she was too conflicted to give him the reassurances he deserved.

  In a different world where everything had gone according to plan, she would be in a bed in California and nervously trying to find sleep for her first day on set. Less than a month was all it took for her life to be changed completely. The people in it were better and she had more fun than she could ever remember having. Everything should be perfect but the price she paid still weighed on her.

  She was floating and her only tether was Gray. She had no job and the only prospects were ones she didn’t want to take. Her bank account dwindled a little more each day and while she recognized it was still bigger than most, she wasn’t comfortable with the uncertainty that came from sitting around all day.

  Her identity was built around actions and goals and she was restless without knowing how she fit into the enclave. She was an actress for the longest time. Then a student. Now, with nothing but time on her hands, she felt an itch for more.

  She didn’t want to feel useless or a drain. She wanted something to do. Meghan needed to be worthwhile. Others had led her around by the nose for far too long. Do this, do that, marry him. She needed to take control and find a purpose. She couldn’t stay in the backseat.

  She worked hard for her degree. She networked and schmoozed and built up quite a contact list. She had the connections and the drive to make a difference. Someone had to be the light against the darkness Bentley dealt in.

  She eased out from under Gray as carefully as possible. He still twisted in his sleep and tried to catch hold of her. A muted growl rumbled deep in his chest and didn’t stop until she placed a hand on his back. It quieted immediately and he fell right back into a deep slumber. The action melted her heart. He talked a little about the trouble his bear gave him and the reasons stemming from seeing his home invaded. She’d seen the beast in action. A large predator attacking others would give most people pause, but he made her feel safe. He deserved the same feeling of security.

  Meghan found her laptop and carefully crawled back into bed. Gray threw his arm back over her lap and snuggled against her side. Even the light of the screen didn’t disturb him. He’d taken the brunt of so much because of her. She had to do something to make it right. It was a promise she made to his sister when everything started spiraling out of control and she intended to go above and beyond a simple apology.

  So she began to write. She described her experiences since she arrived within the enclave and how the supernatural residents opened her eyes. They were people with a little extra inside, a phrase s
he heard Rylee and Leah use a handful of times. They had hopes and fears and dreams for themselves and their families. They owned businesses, made friends, helped those with less than they had. They fought and brawled and made up over a drink.

  And while they simply tried to live out their lives, obstacles were shoved in their way. It wasn’t just the regulations they were forced to live under. They were treated differently and had their dirty laundry printed up and handed out on the streets. They were expected to gracefully accept rudeness, not defend themselves when someone tried to hurt them, and walk away from any place that put a sign in the window proclaiming it a human-only zone. Anyone else would rail against the treatment but doing so unfairly made them the problem.

  She ended the piece by saying she didn’t know what the future held. Changes, certainly, and she hoped they would be in the right direction. She promised to use every tool at her disposal to help make the world a better place for every person living in it, human and those with a little extra.

  She took all night, but by morning she was ready to let Gray read it. Which he did, with her pacing and worrying at her fingers so intently that he ordered her out until he was done.

  Meghan turned quickly when the door to the deck slid open. Gray leaned against the jamb and studied her with an inscrutable expression. Dark blue eyes sized her up without a hint of gold. “There’s a lot in there.”

  “I wanted to be honest and fair. This could bring a lot of attention.” She chewed on her lip and then turned away. “Or it won’t. Maybe I’m overthinking everything.”

  The wood complained with his steps coming closer. His hands settled on the railing next to hers and his chest pressed against her back. “Not all of it will be good attention. Are you prepared for that?”

  She twisted around so she faced him. “I’m not worried about me. I’ve learned to tune out the things people say. I’m worried about—”

  “Don’t,” he ordered. “Don’t worry about me. This is about you. Do you think this is what you need to do?”

  She didn’t hesitate before nodding.

  “Then do it,” he said with finality. “You don’t need my permission to make the world better. And fuck everyone who tries to stop you.”

  “You mean that?” She squeaked when his hands wrapped around her waist and sat her on the railing.

  “Only if you promise to remember me when you’re famous,” he grinned against her lips.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. Words and thoughts were hard to put together when he stepped between her thighs. “There’s no chance of forgetting you.”

  Meghan patiently waited for the makeup artist to dust another layer of blush over her cheeks. Her article entered the world with a bang and turned the weeks that followed into a whirlwind.

  She’d arrived bright and early on Monday morning, and after much convincing, the editor of the Bear’s Den Gazette agreed to print up her article that very week, though he split it to run on three days.

  By the weekend, she’d received the first request from a local paper to reprint the article. Websites wanted to host it. Then came the interview requests. For the first time in years, she was willingly stepping in front of the camera on the set of Paper Report. Funny how life worked out sometimes. She’d been denied a job there, but they were the ones who fought hardest to get her interview.

  The final bit of makeup was applied and her interviewer settled into the seat across from her. “Hi Meghan, I’m Serena Sand. We spoke on the phone and I must say it’s nice to have you here in the studio.” Serena reached across the small table to shake her hand. “We’ll get started here in just a moment. Are you still comfortable doing an introduction, then switching over to the video, and following that up with the rest of the interview?”

  “All good,” Meghan answered.

  Serena beamed a toothy white smile. The makeup artist returned to flick more powder over Serena’s face. She poked at the bud in her ear.

  Soon the studio lights dimmed and the set lights shined brighter. Sound on the set fell to nothing and Meghan felt a familiar call descend over her. She had a role to play that night. She had a clear vision of success and it looked like freedom and acceptance for the people she’d come to care for.

  The cameraman counted down with his fingers and Serena’s smile widened. “Good evening and thank you for joining us tonight at Paper Report. Our guest is former Family Promises actress, Meghan Wilcox.” She turned slightly to focus on a different camera. “Thanks for agreeing to this, Meghan. To dig right in: do you have any worry that this will be seen as co-opting of a movement?”

  And they were off.

  “Thank you for having me, Serena. Of course, there is that fear.” Meghan smiled politely. “I even address that in my article. I wanted to come at this as an outside observer able to give voice to others who didn’t necessarily have the platform. And to help that, we put together a little video about the people who live in Bearden.”

  The recording light switched off and a small monitor nearby played the preloaded video package. There were scenes of children playing down by the lake and adults dancing on a packed floor inside The Roost. The firefighters unloaded from the engine after pulling it just a few feet forward for their mid-morning wash. A tiny smile spread across her face when she spotted Gray among them.

  There were other shots, too. Ranchers on their horses, a farmer in his field with a gigantic lump of a bear in the background. Footage of children on the playground at the elementary school. All that was gathered from home videos and pieced together to make the residents of Bearden look like an average neighborhood.

  The monitor went dark and the lighting again changed. Serena folded her hands in her lap. “Take us through this, if you will. How did these people get your attention? Your footage shows you care very deeply about them.”

  “I do,” Meghan said honestly. “They were there for me when I needed them the most. I was at a low point when I walked away from my prior relationship.”

  “With Bentley Moore, correct?” Serena said sharply. “What happened there?”

  “I don’t like to speak ill of a past relationship. I will say that we just didn’t fit and his beliefs weren’t ones that could coexist with my own.”

  “Mr. Moore has been linked as a donor to many politicians pushing for legislation requiring supernaturals to register or be confined within their enclaves.”

  “He has,” Meghan agreed. “And I’d like to make it clear that this is all public record. The filings are available for anyone to see, though many consider it impolite to discuss money matters. I take a stance that it’s more impolite to treat a person as someone to be confined.”

  Serena continued down the topic, switching flawlessly from a light subject to the darker ones raised by Bentley and his ilk. “Are you worried about the potential dangers these people pose?”

  “Not at all. You have to understand that these people have kept a part of themselves hidden for their entire lives. Their parents did this, their grandparents did this, and on and on for generations. Just because we now know about them doesn’t equate to more danger. In fact, I’ve seen more violence and threats made by humans toward the supernatural residents than they’ve made to anyone. Just last year, they were faced with the very real possibility of death. The intolerance that’s been nurtured in the last year needs to end.”

  “You’ve been the target of these attacks? It’s been suggested the release of private photos of you were in retaliation for defending a shifter man.”

  “Correct, but I’m not the only one who has been a target. Many of those added to the registration lists have received unwanted attention and the same person who tried to silence me attempted to manipulate facts to show a rescue as an attack. In other instances, guilt has been assumed simply because the victim is a little magical. We need to proceed with caution to make sure gut reactions to fear of the unknown aren’t trampling on the rights of others.”

  “I think that’s something
we can all get behind,” Serena agreed. “For full disclosure, there are rumors that you’ve begun a relationship with someone within the enclave.”

  The question was expected but it didn’t stop Meghan from stiffening slightly. “There is someone, yes.”

  Serena smiled slyly. “And does this someone have a name?”

  “He does.” She conjured Gray’s face in her mind. Messy dark hair and gorgeous blue eyes made her heart thud a little faster. “Though I am choosing not to disclose it at this time. We’re taking it slow. I’m a firm believer in someone entering your life at the moment you need them the most, and he’s done just that.”

  “Well, we look forward to hearing what the future brings you and your future Mr. Wilcox.”

  Meghan grinned into her lap. For all the talk of taking things slow, Mr. Wilcox had a nice ring to it. Mrs. Jennings sounded equally fantastic.

  Meghan kicked closed the door of her hotel room and pressed the phone closer to her ear. Gray picked up on the first ring. “Did you watch it?” Okay, even she heard the need for approval in her voice. She frowned and found a bit more of her confidence. “You don’t think I went too far?”

  “Oh, that was tonight?” he teased. He hurriedly continued at her indignant noise. “Hollywood, I don’t think you went far enough. You should have summoned him to the studio and then laid him out.”

  “Graaay.” Even so, she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. It was a nice fantasy after everything Bentley put them through.

  “I know, I know. Legal mumbo jumbo says you shouldn’t.” He paused and she could practically hear him rolling his eyes. “I thought it was good. Great. The ladies said social media is blowing up with it. You’ve made it big, kid. You’ll be a star.”

  She laughed softly. “I wish you could have come with me. But at least it’s only one more sleep until I’m home.”