by Lori King
“So did Tavi have a chance to explain anything last night? I tried to keep Sonny in the living room and give you two a chance to talk.” He watched her warily, wondering just what she thought of all of this, but relief coursed through him when she nodded.
“She did, but I’m not sure I understand it all. You two have certainly corrected your issues rather quickly.” She paused, and then gave him a serious look. “I know I have no right to ask this, because Octavia isn’t really my daughter, but what are your intentions with her, Luke? Are you going to do right by her and Sonora, or are you just having fun?”
Luke bit back a snappy answer, and took a deep breath. “Este, I’m already half in love with her. I know it’s fast, and I can’t really give you a good explanation as to why, but it is what it is. I want to make this a permanent thing, but I get the impression she’s not ready for that kind of thing yet. So I’m biding my time, being here when she wants me, and”—he swallowed hard—“giving her space if she really needs it.”
Este nodded, and smiled reassuringly. “Good. That’s the answer I was hoping for. I think my girls need you, Luke, but they need a man that will be there for them, not the man that scurried away over the weekend when the fire got hot.”
He felt his cheeks heat, but he held her gaze. He already knew that what he’d done was wrong, there was no point in denying it or becoming defensive, so he just took in what she had to say as calmly as possible.
“I can only promise to do my best by them.”
“That’s all I ask,” Este said, patting his hand. “Now, Octavia only told me that the two of you had ironed out your differences and were trying to make things work. Surely there’s more to the story?”
“Oh there is, but I wouldn’t feel right sharing it without talking to Tavi first, and honestly, some things are better left unsaid,” he answered.
It wasn’t safe to share the pack’s secret with Este. It was a matter of life or death that the information not get in the wrong hands. Tavi insisted that Este would never divulge anything said in confidence, but Luke barely knew the woman, and he’d already risked it all to tell Tavi the truth. They still had to find a way to explain it to Sonny.
“What about your family? What do they think of your love at first sight?” Este asked.
Luke shrugged. “My dad knows, and wants to meet them, but I haven’t really had a chance to talk to my mom. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled. She’s always wanted grandchildren, and I know she’ll take to Sonny right away.”
He looked up to find Este staring at him with wide eyes. “Is it already so serious that you’re talking children?”
“No!” He felt his heart start racing. “No way! I just mean that Mom will like the idea of me with a woman who has a daughter. That’s all.”
After a few moments the tension eased between them, and Este tapped her hand on the table top. “Last week I would have laughed at the idea of falling in love so quickly, but this week…I see things through new eyes.”
Luke frowned trying to figure out the riddle behind her comment. When he finally did, he also noticed the puffiness of the older woman’s lips, and a slight whisker burn on her jaw.
“Oren?” he asked quietly.
She nodded, and her cheeks grew pinker. “I never thought…I mean, my husband passed so long ago, but he was my soul mate. It just seemed like my chance at love was over.”
“Does he feel the same way?” Luke asked, suddenly feeling protective of the woman his mate treated like a mother.
It was her turn to frown as she answered, “I think so, but we haven’t talked about it.”
“Didn’t you just tell me not to run away? Sounds like we’re a matched pair,” he said with a chuckle.
She laughed, and nodded. “I suppose you’re right, but I’m a good deal older than you are, son, and I can tell you that there’s not a moment to waste. I’m going to call Oren up this morning and see if he wants to meet for lunch. I think we need to have a serious talk.”
“That’s taking the bull by the horns. You do that, Este.”
Rising to get more coffee, she took his cup, too. “And you get back in there to the woman you left curled up under the blanket, Luke. I’ve no doubt that’s where you’d rather be, than in here chitchatting with me.”
He was still laughing inside as he crawled back under Tavi, pulling her into his arms, and burying his nose in her red hair. Her fragrance filled his senses, even as she curled closer accepting his hold as if it was second nature.
Growing up, werewolves were taught that a mate set was like a pair of socks. Together they were warm, and created a solid bond of protection against harsh environments, but separate they were useless, a yin without the yang. He understood it now, like never before, and he couldn’t wait to introduce Tavi and Sonny to the pack.
“Mom?”
The sound of Sonny’s voice woke Tavi from the warmth of a deep sleep, and she groaned as she opened her eyes. “What is it, Sonora?”
“Um…Mrs. Codger told me to let you know it’s almost time for me to go to the bus stop.”
Like an electrical shock, the information plugged into Tavi’s brain and she shot forward into a seated position, fumbling to open her eyes and get out of bed at the same time. Only, her bed moved underneath her, causing her to take a rather rude tumble to the floor.
“Mom!”
“Ouch!”
“Shit, Tavi!”
In a matter of moments she realized that she’d fallen asleep with Luke on the sofa, and her daughter had just found them all snuggled up together without any real explanation or time to adjust to the new man in her life.
Rubbing her hip where she landed, she accepted Luke’s hand as she climbed back up onto the sofa, and ran her fingers through her disheveled hair. Her eyes shot to Luke’s and her mouth went dry. Did he really have to wake up looking so damn good?
“Mom? Are you all right?” Sonny was asking, distracting her from her hormonal reaction to Luke’s sleepy bedroom eyes.
“I’m fine. I just got disoriented. I don’t remember the last time I slept on the sofa.”
Sonny grinned. “It was last fall when I had the flu and I asked you to sit with me while we watched Beauty and the Beast, remember?”
Tavi returned the smile and nodded. “Yep, I remember, Este woke us both up the next morning, and you had an imprint of the remote control in your cheek from sleeping on it.”
Joining in their laughter, Luke took Tavi’s hand, and tangled their fingers together. She stared at the connection in wonder. There was an absolutely clear physical reaction inside of her the moment they touched, and she was still coming to terms with it. Somehow in the last few days she’d gone from hating Luke to falling for him, and feeling a need for him so deep that it terrified her. A glance back up at Sonny was all she needed to be reminded that there was a lot at stake if he changed his mind, and she forced herself to pull away, and reach for her daughter.
“Actually, I was thinking maybe you could play hooky today and hang out with me,” she said, laughing when Sonny’s mouth dropped open and she gasped in shock.
“Play hooky? Did you just say that, Mom? What happened to all that talk about how important school is?”
Tavi snorted. “It is important, but so is our time together. I’ve worked every single day for months, and…” She looked up at Luke for reassurance, and thankfully he gave it.
Standing, he stepped over and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “And I wanted to take the two of you out for the day. I want to get to know you better, since I don’t plan on ever letting your mom go again.”
Sonny surveyed him and Tavi for a moment looking thoughtful. “Does this mean you’re moving in?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
He frowned at Tavi, but she shook her head. “Not happening yet.”
With a heavy sigh he said, “Okay, not moving in just yet, but I will be around a lot, and I’ll probably sleep on the couch for a couple of nig
hts if that’s all right by you?” He looked to Sonny for approval.
“I suppose, just don’t go making us watch those shows on TV about crocodile catchers or icy road crab fishers and stuff, m’kay?” Sonny said seriously. Luke was fighting his urge to laugh, but Tavi let loose, leaning into him for support and feeling for the first time in a long time that she was complete.
It was late afternoon before Tavi got up the nerve to tell Sonny the big secret. All day long Luke had pulled her aside every chance he got and encouraged her to get it over with, but she was still riding the fence on whether or not it was real herself. When she all of a sudden started hearing her own voice talking back to her as though she was actually having a conversation with herself, it freaked her out. She very nearly spilled all of the information in the middle of the bakery where Luke had taken them to select a special treat to eat for dessert after dinner.
He immediately noticed the change in her demeanor on the ride home, and by the time they reached the house she knew she had no choice but to spill the beans.
“Um, Sonny, can we talk for a minute, sweetheart? Luke and I have something to talk to you about.”
Luke stood at her back, with his hands on her shoulders, giving her both strength and comfort. Sonny narrowed her eyes, and then nodded and took a seat.
Before Tavi could speak, her daughter threw her a curveball. “Are you having a baby?”
“What?” she gasped.
“Are you getting married?”
“Not yet, but hopefully someday.” Luke answered for her.
“Well then what’s so important? You’ve been weird all day, Mom. Just spit it out.” Her daughter looked at her with eyes that suddenly seemed so much older and more experienced than they had before. Like she’d grown up overnight, while Tavi slept.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was that easy to read,” she said softly. “But there is something important you need to know. Unfortunately it’s a big secret, and I’m concerned about whether or not you’re responsible enough to trust with it.”
Sonny rolled her eyes, but curiosity sparked in her wide blue-gray gaze. “Pinky swear, Mom, I’ll keep your secret. What is it?”
Tavi opened her mouth but the words wouldn’t come out. Looking to Luke helplessly, she let him take the lead.
“Sonny, I don’t know if you’ve noticed anything different about me.” He paused as she inspected him with a frown and then shook her head. “From the outside, I look just like any other guy, but on the inside I’m different. I’m actually a werewolf, but that’s a huge massive secret that you can’t tell anyone. If you tell even one person it could mean my whole pack is in jeopardy. Like life or death serious jeopardy.”
Sonny stared back at Luke with those soulfully serious eyes, and she didn’t flinch. She didn’t react at all outwardly, but Tavi could see her brain spinning behind her gaze. “So, you’re like Team Jacob then?”
Luke frowned. “Team Jacob?”
Tavi couldn’t hold back a giggle. “She’s talking about the actor Taylor Lautner, he played a werewolf character named Jacob. She was in love with him for months after she saw the movie.”
“I’m not an actor,” Luke protested. “I’m a real-life werewolf, and I highly doubt they got any part of the movie right.”
“Do you change into a real wolf?” Sonny asked. When Luke nodded, she shrugged. “Then they got at least something right.”
Luke’s mouth dropped open silently, and he stared at Sonny in surprise. “You’re not freaked out about this?”
“Why should I be?” she asked. “It’s not like you just told us you’re a serial killer. Unless you eat humans when you’re a wolf…”
“No, never. We rarely even eat anything in wolf form.”
Sonny nodded. “Okay, so NBD.”
“NBD?” he asked with a frown and Sonny giggled. Tavi felt for Luke, he’d clearly never had experience with pre-teen girls before.
“No big deal. It’s like you’ve got brown hair I have blonde. NBD.”
Taking the reins, Tavi tried to explain the seriousness of the situation. “Luke being a werewolf means that I’m going to be a werewolf, too. I mean…well, apparently I already am. Something inside of him, changed something inside of me, and it can’t be changed back.”
Her daughter considered that new information and then said, “Are you going to die?”
“No sweetheart, I don’t think so.”
“Will I turn into a werewolf, too?” Sonny asked, and Luke shook his head.
“No, not unless you find a werewolf boy you love so much that you mate with him,” Luke said.
“Mate? Like dogs?” Sonny pulled an ick face, and shuddered. “Sick.”
“Not exactly. Mating is like marrying someone in the werewolf community. Your mom is my true mate, which means she’s the other half of my soul,” Luke said, drawing a surprised response from Tavi.
Why had he never explained it like that to her? Maybe she’d have reacted differently if he had. Did he really believe that she was his other half?
“…so I’m going to be around here until I convince your mom to move you guys to the den. I want to take you out to meet everyone soon. Would that be okay?” Luke said.
“Moving? We’re moving?” Sonny perked up. “Would I still have my own room?”
“Of course—”
“We’re not moving. We’re staying right here for now. Luke and I need to get to know each other better. Even though he’s…mated with me, we still have a lot to learn about each other if we’re going to be in a relationship. I just want to make sure this is all okay with you, sweetie,” Tavi said, holding her breath until Sonny grinned and nodded.
“Sure, Mom. I like Luke, and I think it’s kinda cool to have a werewolf as a mom. I can’t wait to see you turn furry,” she said, giggling as she headed for her bedroom.
Tavi and Luke both sat in silence for several moments before he spoke up. “That went better than I expected.”
“Kids are resilient, and she never ceases to surprise me.” Turning back to him, she asked, “So what is this about meeting everyone? Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“You’ve already met a lot of them, and I want Sonny to know the pack sooner rather than later. There’s no reason to put it off, Tavi. You’re already hearing your wolf.”
She felt her mouth drop open. “How did you know?”
“Instinct I guess. You smell different, and when we kiss, you taste different,” he explained.
“Different good?”
A dark spark of desire lit his hazel eyes, and she grinned at him as he nodded. “So when do you think we could steal a few minutes alone, baby?”
Instantly her panties were dripping wet and her chest felt tight. Recognizing the need for contact, she reached for his hand. “I wish I could say soon, but Este was planning on spending the day with Oren, so it’s not looking good.”
“Well then, how would you feel about meeting some of my family tonight?” he asked.
A squeak of surprise slipped from her throat. “Tonight?”
“You need someone to talk to about the changes happening inside of you, and I think my mom is a good person to start with. She wanted me to come over for a visit. Let me call her and see if she has room for two more.” With that he rose and stepped into the kitchen with his cell phone, leaving Tavi full of nerves on the couch. Just hours before she’d been so sure that she wanted Luke completely out of her life, now she was meeting his family and planning a life with him. Anxiety warred with excitement and doubt, and she ran for the bathroom as her lunch revolted.
Chapter 18
Luke wasn’t sure who was more nervous. Him or Tavi. Between the two of them the air in the car was thick with tension regardless of the fact that Sonny chattered away in the backseat without a worry in the world. Nothing seemed to faze the girl. He’d expected some fear, or tears or something when he told her he was a werewolf, and instead he’d gotten immediate acceptance on the level of
a Hollywood star. He was going to have to look up who this Taylor Lautner was, because Sonny seemed smitten with him.
His mother’s shock when he called her, had turned to excitement so quickly that it spun his head, and he was now committed. With the two girls in the car it wasn’t like he could fake a vehicle breakdown and bow out. So here he was, pulling into the driveway of the home he grew up in for the first time in months, walking up to the front door with a pie in his hands, and his new mate and soon to be stepdaughter following close behind.
Noah’s truck wasn’t there, but Luke could smell his cedar fragrance on the air, so he knew his brother was there. Another shaft of fear spiked through him. What if Noah met Tavi and suddenly realized he was also her mate? That had happened to enough of his pack mates that the probability was there. Tamping down on his ridiculous fears he reassured himself that Noah would have known that first moment at the diner, or even later when Luke came home covered in her scent. He needed to stop looking for reasons to hate his brother, and just accept that they were two different people.
“Luke! I’m so glad to see you!” Faith Gray-Mathis opened the front door of the cabin and launched herself out the doorway to wrap her arms around her youngest son tightly. He could see Nathan just a few feet behind her, but he kept his focus on his mom.
“Hiya, Mom. Uh, this is Tavi and Sonny.” He introduced the girls, feeling awkward about his mother’s reaction to seeing him. The whole situation was laughable. He was face to face with his mom who he’d been angry at for years, and his stepfather whom he’d barely spoken to since he mated into the pack. On top of that he was bringing his newly mated woman, and her human child in to meet them for the first time. Perhaps he’d hit his head at some point in the last couple of days and lost all track of reality. This was nuts.
Tavi and Faith were chatting as Nathan shook Sonny’s hand, and suddenly it felt like Luke was the outsider. Everyone was smiling and laughing, and welcoming each other into the family, and yet he stood just outside the door, looking in.
It was Tavi who realized he hadn’t come through with her and turned back. Pausing, she murmured, “If you want to turn around and go back to the car, we will. No questions asked.”