He paused then, meeting her gaze. “You don't have to stay, Adele. Mating is for life, yeah, but I won't force you to bind your life to mine. When this is over, you're free to walk away and not look back. I'll be alright, I always am. I want you to be happy, to have your normal life that you want.”
She sighed, almost sounding exasperated with him. “When have I said I wanted a normal life, Thian? If you're supposed to be perfect for me, who am I to challenge fate?”
Chapter Fourteen
He'd been completely surprised, but relieved at her words. She'd accepted him. When he'd asked why she'd decided to do so, she simply shrugged, and listed off what she knew about him thus far. Adele thought he was loyal, strong, protective, caring, smart... he eventually ended up stopping her, his own cheeks flushing. He blushed? Since fucking when? Apparently, when his female complimented him.
After explaining more about how things worked and answering more of her interested questions, Adele had decided that she would put off being turned until she felt she was ready, giving them a trial run as mates, since they hadn't even gone out on a first date yet. If she eventually agreed to stay but didn't want to be turned, he'd respect that as well. He wasn't going to force her into a life that wasn't meant for her.
Truthfully, he didn't plan on pushing or rushing anything. She might feel like she was ready now, when she was at her lowest and was all alone, but the reality of his world still might prove too much for her. When the idea of love and a forever mate turned into a real life gig that could affect everything, she very well could still change her mind. He resolved to not get his hopes up, and to not ask about completing the mating unless she brought things up again.
For now, he had to get her the fuck out of here and to safety. Adele didn't want to go back to the cabin, commenting rightly that if the rogues had connections with the mayor, they may have connections with the police too. At the very least, a few dirties in their pockets. If they'd had time to relay the license plate number on the bike to any associates, they may already have his second address that was registered to it. He inwardly cursed himself for not thinking of that shit in advance and leaving his second address off the damn registration.
With that in mind, he couldn't leave her there while he went to the clubhouse. He'd never forgive himself if he left her there alone and something happened to her. He wasn't gonna leave her here at the fucking McMansion with dead bodies on the lawn, either. So he took the only option available to him at the moment, calling the Prez and requesting a convoy.
Now that the imminent danger had passed, they had time for his brothers to mobilize and get here. Once they did, the two of them would be escorted safely to the clubhouse, where Thian could hand over the documents so they could figure out the next steps. And Adele would be safe there. The rogues wouldn't dare come within a hundred feet of the clubhouse, not if they didn't have a goddamn death wish after what they'd already put two females through. Within a half hour, the roar of bikes filled the air, coming up the paved driveway. Thian grinned, manifesting his jeans and jacket.
“That's our ride, Princess.”
She wasn't happy waiting in the house while he went out to make sure it was actually his people out there, but he wasn't going to budge on that. Heading outside, he felt a sense of relief for the first time today. Waiting on the driveway were eight bikes, his brothers standing next to them. A few Prospects, a few Members, and Gray.
Clasping hands all around, he quickly went through what had happened, including the deaths of the rogues. Gray moved to examine the bodies left behind as Thian went to go retrieve Adele. One of the Prospects had storage on his bike, so her bag went in there for safekeeping.
When they were ready to move, it was in formation. Two bikes in front, two behind, two on each side. They were surrounded. If anyone attempted to reach Adele, they'd have a helluva fight standing in their way. Gray felt enough time had passed that any sentries left had likely scattered to report to their own Prez, if they had one, or whoever was yanking their leashes, but it paid to be diligent. Especially now that he had Adele to look out for.
A fucking mate. If someone had asked him if he wanted a mate even two weeks ago, he'd have scoffed and told them he'd never be settling down. Now? He wanted this shit settled so they could see what the hell would come of this. Whether or not they could work together, to make it for the long haul. Fate didn't choose blindly, at least it hadn't in the pairings he'd seen so far. He was eager to see what the future held for them.
First, the pressing problem needed to be dealt with, the threat neutralized. Arriving at the clubhouse, he helped Adele off the bike, nerves settling into the pit of his stomach. This would be the first time she saw the rest of the members of the club. The life they lived. He felt the strangest need to explain more about what they did, to try to put some of the things in a better light. Instead, he inwardly shrugged.
She'd either stay or she wouldn't. He wasn't going to sugarcoat his life for her like Willy Wonka. This was him, spots and all. If she stayed, this would be her life, too. Her family. The people that would die for her, protect her with their lives. Just like he would.
Entering, he glanced around, spotting a few of the club whores behind the bar, two more perched on a Prospect's lap on the couch in the corner. Motioning to one of the women that had a calming, more caring demeanor, he drew Adele forward to quickly make introductions.
"Keep an eye on her. She gets hurt, upset, insulted, or slightly inconvenienced in any way, I will personally slaughter whoever is responsible for it. Don't let any of the fucking single Prospects near her. I don't want Knox up my ass for killing one of 'em before they're patched in. Still getting grief over the last one."
Giving Adele's fingers a reassuring squeeze as he left her, he followed the rest in for the hastily called meeting, the pilfered files in hand. He sincerely hoped they offered something to help narrow the field down further. These fucks couldn't be allowed to continue what they were doing. It'd put them all in jeopardy.
Handing the paperwork over to Snow, he went through everything he'd learned about the rogues thus far, as well as their chosen method of ambush attacks from the treelines. That might be of some interest when scouting potential locations. Once he'd finished, Knox laid a map across the large, scarred table at the front of the room, making Thian lean over to see it better. He had some ideas and spoke at a nod from Knox.
"The shifters I killed had sand packed between their toes, like they spend a lot of time walking on it. There aren't any beaches in the 'Zoo. So we can figure they're using water, somehow, or their club is located near a dock. If we're going based on that, I think we can narrow down a search area. Traveling with females who are either drugged or restrained is no damn small feat, so it'll be close."
Thian motioned to the spots he'd already researched online, checking for areas where there was ample cover, sandy
beaches, and water access. It was the best way he could figure for them getting the women out of state. There were four along the coast that were within easy driving distance.
"Lookin' at Bridgman, St. Joseph, South Haven, and Saugatuck. I think New Buffalo and Holland are too far outta
the comfort zone. Coloma is too far inland to be practical."
Once the meeting was officially adjourned, Thian felt some of the stress leave his shoulders. He was no longer alone in protecting Adele. They now had a fucking army at their backs, one that would stop at nothing to keep each other safe. They planned to send teams out, searching the beach areas Thian had noted. As soon as they found traces of the rogues, the rest would be alerted and they'd all gather there.
No matter what else happened, this shit was fucking ending. The rogues had given up the option to run with their tails between their legs. Now. They'd be leaving the world as fertilizer for the plants animals would eat and shit out. Thian found it appropriate, a fitting end for pieces of shit who put everyone in danger. They'd rescue the women if they could, of course, but if they'd already been shipp
ed out, it would be a long-term mission. This wasn't something they could plan and execute in a single night.
They'd do it, though. No woman should be forced to live as a brood mare, as a toy for some rich fuck to toy with for his amusement. Those that had been changed against their will would be offered sanctuary, taken care of until they were ready to move on to the next stage in their lives. As they'd already seen, some had already found mates within their own ranks. Fate was a fickle, strange bitch.
Stepping out of the meeting room, his gaze sought and instantly found Adele, hurriedly making his way to her. He hadn't expected his own twist of fate, either. Yet he couldn't deny she was exactly what he hadn't known he'd been looking for all this time.
Reaching for Adele's hand, he brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss against the back of her knuckles before turning to introduce her to his family officially. Amid the banter and teasing that usually accompanied one of them finding their fated old lady, he noticed Adele's eyes sparkling, smile wide. Hell... this shit might just work out after all.
Chapter Fifteen
The women had decided to kick all the men out of the clubhouse for the day to surprise them with a home cooked meal. They'd been working hard tracking the rogues, searching the beaches and coves along the coasts. Leaving early, coming in late... it made them not the best company. They were all fucking exhausted, and their women wanted to soothe their ragged tempers, he assumed. It was hard... they just wanted to fucking fix this, but the rogues were like goddamn needles in a hundred thousand mile haystack.
To Thian's surprise, Adele decided to stay with them. She wanted to get to know the other women better and to learn more about what being an old lady entailed when it came to his family. Since she was staying behind, he'd been unceremoniously kicked out along with his brothers.
Others headed to the bar or chop shop, checking on their multitude of interests in the city. Thian headed to his uncle Jake's cabin. He hadn't seen the man since the last family barbecue before he'd taken the job that led him to Adele, so he figured they had quite a bit to catch up on. After all, when it came to who and what he was, Jake was the only other person besides the Club members and Adele who knew about Thian's particular heritage.
Thian had taken the risk and told his uncle a year after he'd found out, once he'd grown used to the idea himself. He'd cleared it with Knox first, then gone to Jake's place. It was nerve-wracking, knowing he was putting his uncle's life in danger if he didn't react well, but they'd both been each other's support system for so long, Thian had hoped Jake would understand. It'd been a tense conversation, but in the end, they'd come out of it just as close as they'd ever been.
Now, he was back, this time with another deep conversation in mind. There were some things he took to Knox, and some things he just needed to talk out with his uncle over a couple of beers. When it came to mates and matters of the heart, he needed an impartial outsider, not someone who was a shifter and had the weight of the Fates on his shoulders as well.
Jake was on the deck, beers already in a tub of ice when he pulled into the drive. Dropping into the waiting chair, he took the offered bottle, giving his uncle a grin as he saluted him with it. “Always impeccable taste, I see.”
It was a running joke with them. Thian frequented the club bars... it was basic, for the most part. Budweiser, Miller, the usual brands. It all tasted like piss, so the name on the bottle didn't much mean shit to him. His uncle had gotten into the craft beer fad and now refused to drink anything else. Every time Thian drank with him, he had some new oddball labeled brew that he'd never heard of. Some weren't half bad, but he'd never admit it. He'd be laughed outta the damn Club.
“What's going on, kid? I know damn well you didn't make the drive up here to rag on me about my fucking beers again. Something's bothering you. Last job go okay?”
Thian felt his lips curve upward as he thought of the curvy blonde spitfire waiting for him at the clubhouse. The job hadn't gone okay, as he'd failed to protect the Mayor, but he'd found Adele. Losing a charge was never ideal. He couldn't bring himself to mourn the asshole too much, though. They'd never have gotten this far if she was still being protected and sheltered by daddy dearest.
“I'm sure you've seen the news. The Mayor was my charge. So nah... didn't go well at all. He was dirty, though, so not really a huge loss. Left a mess for us to handle, so we're still cleaning up his goddamn loose ends. It'll be some time before I'm officially off the case. But I... ah... I met someone. His daughter. When I beat feet outta there, she was with me.”
At the look his uncle gave him, he gave a short laugh. He couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth, either. Out of everyone in the Club, he'd have declared himself the eternal bachelor. Now here he was, debating what the hell he was going to do now.
“That's what I wanted to talk to you about. You know, with mates its just... you meet, you're fated to be together. You don't get a choice, so you shack up, knowing that person is the perfect match for you. Adele's human, though. She doesn't have that pull towards mating that we do, the animal's instinct to claim its other half. The cat wants its mate, but I don't know what I want. What she wants.”
His uncle scoffed, taking a hearty sip of the beer in his hand before turning to face Thian, crossing his arms over his chest as he gave him a once-over, his stare far more probing than Thian was comfortable with.
“Look, kid. You've changed. I can see it in the way you carry yourself, the way you speak. This woman, she's pulled up some kind of protective instinct that, frankly, I didn't realize you had. Hell, I doubt you did, either. It don't matter what the cat wants. You're the one that has to live with your choices at the end of the day. You can't let your base urges rule you, and in the end, that's what that beast inside you is. Your instinct, your animal. You let him call the shots when you only let him out on rare occasions, and the rest of the damn time, you're a miserable bitch who hates your life.”
He paused to take another drink of his beer, staring towards the sunset. After a few minutes lost in thought, he sat the beer down on the table between them and continued.
“So the way I see it, you gotta think like a man. Do you love this woman? Do you like spending time with her? Could you see yourself spending your life with her, however long that may be? Granted, I ain't up on shifter genetics, but from what you told me, that could be a long ass time to be stuck with someone you ain't sure about. Relationships are work, kid. It ain't all about you anymore when you got a woman to take care of. Ain't all about your club, either. You get yourself a wife, she comes first, and she ain't gonna let you forget that. Hell, you better not forget that. What if she wants kids?”
Thian frowned. His uncle was right. He hadn't really thought most of this through. He'd just been thinking that he'd like to keep Adele in his life, that maybe having a mate wouldn't be so bad, after all. Could he handle having his loyalties split? He'd seen it happen with the other members. Once they got an old lady, there were times the club came first, and times their old lady did. That's just the way it went. Everyone understood, of course, but for Thian, he'd always been loyal to the Club only. How much of an adjustment would a mate be, when he'd never had to choose?
Did he love her? How could he ever be sure that his feelings for her were separate from what his cat was forcing him to feel, what the mating bond was causing him to feel? Did it matter? He supposed it would matter to Adele, so it should matter to him. He should care for her on his own, not just because she was his fated other half. She'd said she'd give them a chance, but they hadn't mentioned it since that night at the McMansion when it'd all gone down.
Truthfully, he hadn't dared bring it up. After she'd seen him change from a human to a leopard and back again, her acceptance of him seemed tentative. He didn't want to break open those memories and make her question why she was still here in this fucked up world when she could have normalcy.
Finishing his beer, he stood, tugging his jacket back on. “Well, you've given me a
lot to think about Uncle Jake. Your advice is always golden, though. I'll call ya if anything changes with the case or if you're needed, yeah?”
Clasping hands, they nodded, an unspoken agreement. If Thian needed him, his uncle would be there. Didn't matter what it was for, good or bad, he wouldn't face it with just the Club at his back, he'd have blood as well. As much as the Club was his family, sometimes it made a difference to know his Uncle was there. He could give a fuck about the rest of his family... he'd lost them long ago, but he'd have to make a point of introducing Adele to Jake at some point if he decided to give this relationship shit a go.
Heading back toward town, he tried to think through things rationally... how they'd figure out the mating, the change. How he'd feel if she chose not to turn, or if she decided his world was too much for her. What if she eventually wanted children? Was he prepared for that? Instead, he found himself smiling, imagining bickering with her over stupid shit like a grocery list. Picking their first house together. Gods forbid, trying to chase rugrats around. She'd end up slaughtering him if they ever had a girl, because that child would have no life, ever.
It seemed, for once, he and his cat were in agreement. Neither could see the rest of their lives without Adele having a place in it. He'd never thought about creating a home, settling down, even having cubs. Now, he found himself looking forward to all the firsts he'd get to experience with Adele at his side. The fights they'd get into would be legendary, topped only by the creative ways they'd find to make up afterward.
Veering off of the side road, he took the main highway into town. He hadn't gotten a message telling him to head back to the Clubhouse yet, so he still had time for a pit stop. Thian may be an asshole, but if he was gonna do this, he was gonna do it right. After everything she'd been through in her life, especially with losing her father the way she had, Adele deserved that much.
Wayward Son (The Wayward Trilogy Book 1) Page 9