by Cecilia Lane
“Surprising, huh, cause she keeps me up all damn night.” He tried to grin and make the conversation awkward enough for his friend to drop it.
Nolan punched him on the leg. “As much as I would love to hear about you getting your dick wet, what the fuck? Does she know she’s your mate?”
“No, and it’s going to stay that way.”
“You should tell her. You shouldn’t wait. Isn’t that what you told me about Becca? She’d see waiting as a lack of commitment?”
“Different women, different situations. Fuck, man, she was going to get married. She ran away from that. I can’t come at her with talk of binding us together until we die. It’s not the right time.”
Nolan was quiet for a long moment before asking the next, logical question that ate at Gray’s soul. “What are you going to do when she leaves?”
Gray’s bear stuck claws and fangs into his mind. No matter the reasoning or timing, the beast didn’t approve of letting their mate slip through their paws. She belonged at their side, not states away. Still, Gray wouldn’t push her into anything. She had to make her choices. He wouldn’t be another person in her life telling her what to do and how to live.
He shrugged a shoulder and tried to seem as nonchalant as possible. “Whatever she wants.”
By the Broken, he wanted more. He couldn’t be the one to bring it up, but that didn’t mean the thought wasn’t strong in his head. She was his mate. He’d known the first time he scented her. They belonged together. She felt something, too. Her scent changed around him. There was the light, fresh smell of her that she wore all the time. There was the mouthwatering scent of her arousal. But somewhere in between was something warm that smelled like the future.
And then there was the scent he caught the first morning they woke up together. Sadness had colored over everything else when the topic of her leaving came up. As much as that sadness gave him hope, they’d danced around the issue since.
He failed to stay away from her and he failed to think of her as temporary. He was doing better with her by his side and he had no illusions as to how bad he’d get when she left. But he was still unsteady and he couldn’t throw his sanity in her lap. She had a life filled with possibilities outside the enclave. He wouldn’t shackle her to someone sinking, no matter how much he was growing to love her in his life.
Luckily, they reached their destination and Nolan was unable to pry anymore into his life or decisions. Gray didn’t even question that they turned into the parking lot of the clinic. He was out of the car and through the doors before Nolan turn off the engine.
“Gray, you can’t—”
He ignored the receptionist and pushed his way through the back. The scent of too many people and strong disinfectant cut his ability to track his sister to a room, but the crowd gathered outside one door and tossing glares to another were a dead give away.
He inhaled as he got closer and sorted through the odors as much as possible. Four humans, with one bleeding slightly and sobbing inside.
He twisted and pushed his way into the opposite room. Tawny looked up from her perch on the end of a bed. The black mark around her eye faded as he watched. She cradled her hand, though the scent of pain had dwindled and not a doctor was in sight. He’d broken bones enough to guess she’d already had everything set and just needed a shift to complete the healing process. She’d be sore until then.
That she needed to heal and still sported a black eye at all made his vision go red. “What happened?” he snarled.
It was only then that he noticed Judah, Becca, and a SEA agent in the room. “That’s what I’m trying to understand,” Agent Haskell said, including Gray in his frown. “If everyone would clear the room, I’ll continue the interview.”
Tawny glanced around the room. So close, he could smell the fear and anger dumping off her. “I want Gray to stay.”
“Of course,” he said.
“That’s not advised,” Haskell said at the same time.
“She’s been through enough. She can have a relative in the room,” Judah said with finality. “You already said this was an informal discussion.”
“I said an investigation was to be decided,” Haskell snapped.
Gray stepped closer to his sister. His fists clenched. What he wouldn’t give to toss the man from the room. “You can try to make me leave.”
“Enough,” Tawny growled. “Let’s get this over with.”
With a lot of grumbling, the room cleared to leave just Gray, Tawny, and Agent Haskell alone together.
Haskell stared at her blankly as soon as the door shut them inside. “Take me through what happened.”
“I met Paul down at the lake. We planned to spend the afternoon on the water, then go out for dinner and drinks. But when I got there, he had his friends with him.” Tawny sucked in a breath. “It was harmless at first. When they started drinking and asking some very personal questions, I decided to leave. Paul didn’t like that, said we had plans and I couldn’t back out on them. His friends egged each other on and started joking that they were going to join in. They told me since I was an animal, I wouldn’t mind being... taken like one.”
Gray’s growl rattled in his chest. Assholes, every last one of them. He didn’t care if the booze had loosened their tongues. They disrespected his sister with their questions and disgusting comparisons. And somehow, she came away with a black eye and a broken hand.
“He grabbed my bag and pulled. Then he let go of it suddenly, I think to throw me off balance like kids sometimes do when they play tug-of-war. Only he was drunk, right, and stumbled into me. That’s how I got the black eye.”
Haskell made a note and gestured to her arm. “And the hand?”
“I got up and stormed off, but they were still determined to act like idiots. His friends pulled him up, then they tried to block me from getting into my car. One of them slammed the door on my hand. I was in pain, I felt attacked, and I just wanted to get away. I defended myself and pushed Paul away.”
“Good girl.” Gray pulled his sister close and stroked a hand down her hair. Her shaking shoulders prodded his bear.
But it was Agent Haskell that made him want to murder. “That’s not what they’re telling us, Ms. Jennings. They say you went after Mr. Savino when it became clear he wasn’t interested in you.”
Gray released his sister and rounded on the man with a glare. “Why does their word count more? They came into our territory and hurt one of us. Why aren’t you locking them up? Why is my sister the one being persecuted when those drunk fucks hurt her?”
He could feel the blood pounding in his veins. His bear fought for release. Those that hurt Tawny deserved to pay. Those that questioned her defense needed to bleed.
Agent Haskell fingered the weapon on his hip. There was zero fear in his scent. Asshole just wanted to fight. Gray watched his eyes bounce between him and Tawny and the door, calculating how fast the shifters would act and if there was enough of a threat for him to justify taking Gray down. Gray bared his teeth. Try it, fucker.
He judged the risk too great, but didn’t take his hand away from his side. “They have been asked. This is all part of the investigation. She’s registered. She knows the rules and how this works.”
“The rules? The fucking rules?” Tawny tugged at his arm and hissed his name when he ignored her. “What about the rules saying you shouldn’t lay a hand on a woman or try to abuse her in some other way?” Because as much as he hated to think about it, their drunk words could have ratcheted up to worse actions.
“And I’m stating that this is now an ongoing investigation, much like the ones into your activities, Mr. Jennings,” Haskell said in a dangerous tone that made Gray growl. His bear wanted to rip the man apart.
The door opened and Nolan and Judah pushed inside. “Everything all right in here?” Nolan asked, looking right at Gray.
Tawny tugged at his arm again. “Stop it,” she hissed. “Third strike, remember? Or do you want to get sent to their
prison?”
The sawing sound continued to roll out of his chest. Haskell’s eyes made a promise to follow through on Tawny’s words. And what then? He couldn’t protect his sister and he’d lose precious days with Meghan.
Slowly, his bear backed down. The threat of losing time with their mate and leaving his sister to the hands of asshole humans was unacceptable. He blinked and brought down the mental wall between himself and his inner animal. “We’re fine.”
Nolan and Judah stood still for a long moment, then Becca pushed her way between them. “If that’s all you need, Agent Has-smell?” she asked with an insolent expression on her face and innocent rub of her belly like she dared Haskell to say a word to correct her. It was almost enough to make Gray laugh.
Almost. If his sister hadn’t just taken blows from a group of frat boys.
A muscle twitched in Haskell’s jaw. While he might have been able to spin a story about three male shifters, nothing would make him look like a big man if harm came to a pregnant woman. He left without a word, but not without making one last show of strength. He stood toe-to-toe with Nolan before the entire group shifted to let him through the door.
Becca swiftly shut the door behind him and swept Tawny into a hug. When she released his sister with a final pat on her back, fury lined her features.
“They want to act like barbarians, then we’ll go old school on their asses. I don’t care if they’re lying to protect their fucking egos. They and their entire families for the next ten generations will face bans in the enclaves. Their pictures will be forwarded to every single contact I have as soon as I get back to a computer. I will personally spearhead a no-fly list with their names at the very fucking top and make sure everyone with a drop of magic in their blood spits at their feet as they pass them on the streets.”
Nolan looked around the room. “And you all doubted me when I said she was scary when she’s angry.”
Gray nodded with approval. About fucking time.
Chapter 18
Leah raised her mimosa. “I’d like to formally welcome Meghan into the brunch bunch crowd.”
Glasses clinked as they were knocked together. Meghan glanced to Rylee on one side and Leah on the other. Across the table sat the two pregnant Holden sisters.
“To many more of these brunches,” Rylee said with a smile.
“We’re just missing one,” Faith mused. “There’s something definitely going on between Kate and Jacob, right?”
Rylee took a long sip of her mimosa and set the glass down. Her eyes went wide and she leaned over the table. “Right? That’s what I keep telling Cole. But are you forgetting someone?”
“Two someones, in fact. Sawyer’s somebody is still missing, but we know exactly where Hudson’s mate is,” Leah said.
Becca narrowed her eyes. “I do not want to talk about Mara.”
Meghan followed the conversation politely but didn’t understand the currents swirling around her. Not until Leah bumped her shoulder and explained.
“Becca and Mara have a history of some minor kidnapping—”
“Minor?” Becca hissed. “She sold me out to hunters. Just because Hudson claimed her as his mate doesn’t mean I’m square with her.”
“And Kate is Mara’s sister-in-law. Hunters killed her mate—Mara’s brother. Becca helped keep Kate and her children safe during a big fight,” Rylee continued.
Meghan’s mouth dropped open. It still shocked her how much violence touched the lives of supernaturals. It wasn’t just within their enclaves, either. Outside forces—human forces—were just as harmful. Maybe more so.
“Kate says she’s been a model prisoner. And Hudson’s getting information from her. Everything points to her trying to make up for her crimes,” Faith said.
“Good luck with that,” Becca snorted.
“Even so,” Leah said loudly, “that leaves Sawyer to find his mate and then the whole clan and the extras will be complete.” She nodded politely to Faith.
Meghan smiled into her drink, but didn’t object. The other dates would need to be found within a week if Leah wanted to complete her collection. Her time in the enclave was coming to an end. As excited as she was to start her new job, her stomach dropped and her heart hurt anytime she thought about leaving Gray.
The week proved to be even better than the last. While those nights ended with kisses at the door, since the calf rescue she’d spent every night with Gray. He still had work at the firehouse and he still made recommendations for how she should spend her day, but their nights were filled with a rare sort of intimacy. She’d slept with others, of course, but nothing came close to what she had with Gray. It felt like she shared a part of her soul with him. She looked forward to seeing him and just the thought brought a smile to her face.
The swelling emotions were almost enough for her to contemplate asking him the impossible. But she didn’t want to make him choose. He had a full life in the enclave. His entire clan lived there and he worked with them on a daily basis. She’d be asking him to give up his friends, family, and relative safety for life among humans. As much as she didn’t want to leave him behind, it was a request she couldn’t make. It was too much for someone he’d only known a few short weeks.
But there she was, wishing for the impossible.
To distract her runaway dreams, she inserted herself into the next conversation lull. “Do you have any names picked out?” she asked Faith and Becca.
Faith slid a smile to Becca. “Tommy doesn’t want to find out if we’re having a boy or girl, so we have two picked out.”
Becca rested her hands on her substantially larger belly. “We’re having a boy and a girl and have zero names picked out. I think I’m just going to raffle them off at the next fair.”
Meghan cocked her head. “Just so I have this clear. You’re twins, and you,” she pointed at Faith, “are having one baby, but you,” she twirled her finger in Becca’s direction, “got the twins.”
“Cursed, more like it. I haven’t seen my toes in weeks. Nolan says he’s keeping the nail polish nice and neat, but I don’t trust him.”
Faith bumped her shoulder against her twin’s. “You did say you wanted a big family.”
“Yeah, and ease into it. Test the waters with one and see how it goes. Does the hospital offer a refund if I can’t make it stop crying?”
Her phone vibrated at her. Butterflies lifted off when she saw the message came from Gray. She nearly snorted when she opened it up.
Are they done talking yet? You should bring me leftovers. Naked.
Only if you’re naked when they arrive.
Only if you beg me.
Meghan caught her lower lip between her teeth and tried to think of her response. He did that to her often, short-circuiting her brain. Sometimes an answer just poofed right out of her mouth and other times she had trouble piecing together words.
Shouldn’t you be the one begging? If you want naked food delivery…?
Oh, I’ll be on my knees.
Meghan squirmed in her seat. She started to type another response but Becca leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Psst. Hollywood. Slide that mimosa closer.”
Meghan narrowed her eyes.
“Not to drink!” Becca sighed heavily. “I just want to smell it. It’s a weird craving.”
Fighting her smile, Meghan edged the drink closer with the tips of her fingers. Becca fidgeted in her seat to get an extra inch and stuffed her nose close to the rim of the glass.
Leah turned at that moment and frowned. “Becca! We agreed not to do that. You’re acting like you want to snort a line of drugs.”
On her other side, Rylee barely hid her giggle.
“No.” Becca shook her head and raised a finger. “No, you agreed I wouldn’t do it. You and your still-perfect sense of smell can go jump in the lake. I need the strong stuff to remind myself I have a nose.”
“Is that how it is for sh—” Meghan cut herself off.
Leah pat her leg. “You can say
the shifter word. It’s what we are. Except for you and Rylee. Weirdos.” Rylee giggled again and slurped at the dregs of her drink.
“It’s actually how I suspected I was knocked up. It’s not immediate, but my senses were all screwy for the first few weeks. Now I’m as bad as yourself. I can’t see, can’t smell anything, even my sense of taste is off. These little devils ruin everything.” Becca slapped her hands on the table. “Oh! Names. So when little Tater Tot and Corn Cob come bursting into the world in hideous fashion, we’ll have to pick names then. Which means we now need to decide on two boy and two girl names, just in case the ultrasounds are wrong and an umbilical cord has been photobombing the techs.”
Rylee shook her head. “Why is no one recording this? Shouldn’t those kids have records for their future therapists?”
Faith shrugged. “I think at this point, no amount of storage in the world would be enough. They’re simply going to drag her into an appointment and the therapist will understand in five minutes.”
“Tater Tot and Corn Cob? Can we get back to that?” Meghan asked.
Becca rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry I don’t have precious names for the tiny titans determined to kick my kidneys into oblivion. And blame Nolan. He can’t agree on anything, so I’m choosing the most obnoxious nicknames I can think of. He especially hates when I switch it up mid-sentence.”
Her phone buzzed again and she felt a flash of guilt. She left Gray hanging without an answer and let herself get drawn into more ridiculousness with her friends.
Then the thought morphed. Friends. That’s what the other women were becoming. They weren’t just acquaintances or people she played nice with until she could pull away from the conversation. They included her in their brunch group and made her feel welcome.
Feeling bittersweet, she checked her phone and expected to find more sexiness from Gray. Instead, her smile slipped into a frown. Headlines filled her notifications. She read through the headlines and blood drained from her face.