by V. Vaughn
Fabulous. Now they think I’m supposed to be his mate too? I think I’d know if we were true mates. Wait. The tingle. I walk over to Jean Luc and say, “Touch me.”
He raises his eyebrows and smirks at me as he lifts his hands to wiggle his fingers. I roll my eyes and grab his hands. The moment our skin makes contact I feel the electricity, and I sigh. At first it’s in frustration, but the longer he holds my fingers, the more I want to sigh for other reasons. I yank my hands away as I step back. Shit.
“We’re true mates, Isabelle.”
I shake my head as I back away. This can’t be happening. I’m about to ruin some stranger’s life, because I have to die. My bear wants out in the worst way, and I take a deep breath as I say, “I need to run.” Sound becomes muffled as my pulse pounds in my ears, and I strip out of my clothes.
Grace grabs my arm as she says, “No! You can’t go out there.”
I shake her off. Jean Luc says, “Let her go.”
There’s a pair of doors that lead to a back deck, and the handles are firm in my hands as I twist them open. I’m a full bear before I get down the steps, and I gallop off toward the beach. I don’t know the woods around here and have no idea what is Ouellette territory, so I think a swim in the ocean is my best bet. The coastline is rocky, and the bits of stone and crevices are rough under my feet as I move.
Seawater splashes as I forge through the ocean to dive under the surface. It takes a moment for the chill of the water to seep through my fur, and I’m fully submerged before the coolness begins to soothe me. While the cove appears to be private, even in my agitated state I’m mindful of the fact that humans might be around, so I swim mostly underwater and come up for air only when necessary.
When my muscles are spent and I’ve calmed down, I turn to go back. The last day has taken its toll on my body, and my legs are like rubber, so I move slowly. Splashing catches my attention, and I discover another bear is swimming toward me. I assume it’s Jean Luc, and as I get closer I see the polar bear influence. His dark fur appears as if he’s going gray. He joins me to follow me to the shore.
When we get to the beach we both shake, and I notice his chest. A white patch of fur is placed off center so that it’s over his heart. I focus on letting my skin swallow my bear and shift back to human. Jean Luc does the same. Now that we’re standing naked across from each other I can’t hide my arousal, and my core trembles for him. He’s not hiding anything either. I say, “I’m sorry. I can’t be what you need me to be.”
“Did you see my white patch?” he asks.
I nod, and he says, “That’s the prophecy. Our medicine woman said that my heart belonged to a polar bear.”
I shake my head. “You don’t understand. I——”
“I know what you fear, Isabelle. You were destined to be just like your mother, and what you did was noble. But you needn’t have.” Jean Luc steps closer to me, and I inhale sharply as I fight the urge to press my body against his. “It is my destiny to save you from that fate.”
Jean Luc is my salvation? Helga did say a true mate could break the curse, but I was sure it was the desperate words of a crazy woman. I ask, “What happens if it isn’t true? You saw it for yourself. Do you want to be mated to the horror my mother was?”
“I’m willing to find out, Isabelle, because there’s more.”
I frown and glance at the mouth I’m dying to taste as he says, “You’re supposed to save me too.”
“What?” My need for Jean Luc to touch me is clouding my thoughts, and I shake my head to clear it. “How can I possibly save you?”
Jean Luc touches my cheek, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding as I melt in the sensation of our connection. “I don’t know,” he says, “but don’t you see? If you kill yourself, you’ll kill me.”
I can’t control my lust any longer, and I grab the back of his head as I mold my body to my destined mate and devour him in a kiss.
Chapter 6
Lucy
As if having two true mates isn’t enough stress, I still have to find Sven’s wife and sort things out with her. Now that I don’t have a positive claim on Sven, a divorce isn’t a sure thing, and I’m afraid of what her reaction is going to be. I figure my best approach is to be honest and deal with it sooner, rather than later.
My sweaty palms slip on the hard plastic of my steering wheel as I pull up to Annie’s house. The odor of fresh tar is thick in the air when I get out, and I notice a new section of the driveway that leads behind the dorm. I guess a parking lot has been installed too.
As I approach the building, a guy is walking toward me, and I ask him if he can tell me where Sven’s wife, Nadia, is. He points to a girl sitting on the porch, reading. Her hair is dark blond with bangs, and she’s wearing it in a ponytail.
My feet tap lightly on the two steps as I walk up them, and when the girl glances up I say, “Hi, Nadia. I’m Lucy.”
She huffs at me as she stands and squints her eyes. “I know who you are.” Her book thumps in her chair when she tosses it to focus on me.
I say, “Look. I just wanted to apologize. I did—”
“Didn’t think it mattered?” Her eyes flash with anger. “Well, guess what? It does.” I step back as she clenches her fists at her side and tries to tower over me as she continues. “Girls like you make me sick. The world is just handed to you, like that fancy car you drive.” She’s inches from me, and adrenaline surges in my bloodstream as I position myself toward the stairs to keep from being trapped. She continues, “If you don’t have something, then you just take it.”
I shake my head. “No, that’s not—”
“Don’t you dare try to tell me the true mate bond was soooo strong you couldn’t resist my mate.”
Now her claws are poking out, and I’m afraid she’s going to shift. I hold up my hands as I begin to walk backward. “Okay. Got it.”
I turn to leave, and after I make it down one step, the sharp puncture of claws slices into my shoulder. Nadia whips me back to face her, and she screams, “I’m not done with you yet!” The half-shifted girl slaps my face with her other paw, and stinging pain from her nails makes me stumble back down the last step as I reach up to touch my face in shock. The sticky warmth of blood on my fingers snaps me out of it though, and months of warrior training kick in as I begin to shift to fight back. Fabric tears, and my favorite shorts are shredded into strips of cloth as they rip off me.
Nadia is a full bear by the time I’m done, and she launches herself at me. I dodge out of the way and stick my foot out to trip her. She sprawls across the lawn and lets out a loud roar that makes ice run through my veins. This is so bad. I take a ready position to fight, even though I’m no match for one pissed-off polar bear.
She gets up, and her lips curl back as she shows her teeth in a menacing snarl. I brace myself for the excruciating pain of a beating, but it doesn’t happen. A flash of white flies between us to smash Nadia back down to the ground so hard the earth shudders under my feet. I don’t know who just saved me, and right now I don’t care. I take off in a run toward Annie’s house and shift back to human before I enter through the door she holds open for me.
Annie asks, “What just happened?”
My hands tremble as I take deep breaths to calm down. “I introduced myself to Sven’s wife, Nadia.” An inappropriate snort escapes before I say, “I don’t think she likes me.”
Annie cracks a smile too. “I guess not.” She reaches over to a hook and hands me a large button-down shirt.
The cotton is soft as I slide my arm into a sleeve. “I get it. I’d be furious if I were married and discovered my husband had been cheating on me, true mate or not.” A button is smooth in my fingers as I fasten it. “Do you know who stopped her?”
The screen door squeaks open as Annie nods her head toward it. A naked Serge steps through. He looks so much like Sven it’s scary, but that changes when a cocky grin covers his face. Serge oozes sexuality, and I keep my gaze up instead
of perusing his body as I say, “Thanks.”
He steps in close and reaches over to hook his finger in the opening of my shirt. “All in a day’s work for a true mate.” He tugs hard to pull me close. Now I feel what I was trying not to look at as Serge presses his hardness against my belly. The layer of cotton between us is thin as he says, “Nothing like saving a damsel in distress to get the blood pumping.”
Damn it. More than my blood is flowing right now as my body reacts to the true mate attraction. I place my hand on his chest to push away, but it only increases my desire, and my attempt is feeble as I say, “Look. I know polar bear move fast, but we black bear like to get to know each other first.”
He takes my face in his hands, and his callused fingers grip lightly as he whispers, “Fair enough.” He lowers his mouth to mine and gives me a gentle kiss. In fact, it’s so sweet I move with him a little when he pulls away, because I want more.
The door bangs open, but Serge’s body blocks who just entered until he turns to reveal Sven. Any pleasure I just felt is gone as my stomach clenches at the pain written on Sven’s face. He says, “I see you’re not hurt.”
“No. I’m fine,” I say, but he’s not, and Sven drops his head as he turns to leave. I push my way past Serge and grab Sven’s arm to say, “Wait.”
Sven gazes down at me, and a vise grips my heart as I say, “Nadia has no intention of letting you go.”
“I know. And I belong to her unless a true mate makes their claim.” His eyes search my face as if he’s hoping I can give him an answer.
A warm hand lands on my shoulder, and the zing of electricity tells me it’s Serge. I reach for Sven, thinking I can compare the two connections and discover one is stronger. He takes my hand in his, but it doesn’t work. I squeeze my eyes shut, and a tear leaks out. I whisper, “I still don’t know. I’m so sorry.”
Sven releases me and says, “Me too.”
I watch him walk across the lawn with his head down. Serge takes me by my shoulders to turn me back to face him. “I can make you forget about my brother.”
I shake my head. “I love him, Serge. How does one forget that?”
His smile is actually tender instead of taunting, and he says, “I hear you black bear like dates. Can we have dinner this week?”
I flash to Sven taking me out on our first date. He did it because Carly taught him how to court me. I imagine he’ll be taking Nadia for ice cream now, and it hurts so much I have to push the thought away. I gaze into Serge’s pale-blue eyes and pretend for a moment I can love him too as I say, “That would be nice.”
Chapter 7
Annie
Tristan stands before the mirror and adjusts his tie. In a black suit, he appears elegant, with his pale hair slicked back, emphasizing his angular face. His pale-blue eyes are steely with reserve as he puts on a brave front for the memorial service. No man should have to bear the pain of losing his mother and twin on the same day.
My mate has been silent about his anguish, but the words he cries out in his sleep tell me he’s suffering. Perhaps not so much for his mother, but Isabelle was his best friend. From the stories he’s told, I know they depended on each other for most of their life. Tristan’s loss is bone deep.
He turns to me to ask, “Are you ready?”
I reach out my hand. “Yes.”
Tristan grabs on with a grip that borders on painful. I let him though, because I want to be his life raft. I want to pull him into the safety of my heart. As much as my mate loves me, there’s a part of him he refuses to let me see. But loving Tristan De Rozier means allowing him those secrets until he’s ready to share, so I do.
The De Rozier don’t do formal funerals. Their clan typically casts the body out to sea in a beach service. We lack a coastline close enough for everyone to attend, and because we don’t have their physical remains, a simple memorial service is being held.
We make our way out to the gardens in the back. The summer sun is still low in the sky, and the forest’s shade has kept the temperature cool enough that the long sleeves of dress shirts are tolerable on the men. We step outside, and I gaze at the attendees. Besides the De Rozier clan, Luke and his family came along with Carly, Brady, and Donna. I notice Ian, Ashton, and Sierra too. Isabelle could be brash, but she will be remembered.
Lucy is by Luke’s side and has his arm. I’m glad he has her. While Isabelle wasn’t his true mate, he loved her, and the loss is not something he’ll ever forget. Tristan and I walk up to stand in the front near Luke. An older De Rozier man leads the ceremony. He speaks about life and death, and when he’s finished another older man eulogizes Helga.
I take in the people I can see from my vantage point to discover nobody is shedding a tear for the woman. Apparently those who knew her well won’t miss her cruelty, and although I never witnessed it, this is a testament to what I feared was the truth about Tristan’s mother.
When it’s time for Tristan to speak he leans down to kiss me before he goes. “Thank you for being here, Annie. You give me strength.” I wonder it that’s really true, because his presence is commanding when he turns to face us.
“Most of you here today have a sibling or siblings with which you shared a womb. Like many of you, I had a special bond with my twin, Isabelle.”
I glance over at Brady, and he offers me a small smile. My twin is so much more than a brother, and my throat tightens as I imagine life without him. Tristan says, “Isabelle and I were polar opposites.” His pun gets a small chuckle. “During our childhood I was quiet; Izzy was not. I was introspective; Izzy was not. And when I was calm”—Tristan grins—“Izzy was not.” Now a few people break out in laughter.
He pauses for a moment, and I notice how he focuses on making eye contact with each person in the crowd. He says, “Izzy made me a better person. She took chances and encouraged me to do the same. Her passion for life couldn’t be tamed.” Tristan’s voice shakes on the last word, and his throat works as he swallows before saying more.
“What many of you don’t know is that Izzy is the reason we came here. I was ready to move us to Washington state, but she told me Maine was my destiny.” Now my mate stares at me and says, “My destiny.” He pauses again and clears his throat. “She once told me that when I met my true mate, her life would lose meaning. At the time I thought she was just being Isabelle, the drama queen.” He smiles as he takes a breath. “But now I know she sacrificed more than a location for me. She sacrificed her life. For each and every one of us.”
Gossip spreads like wildfire in a small clan, and I have no doubt each De Rozier knows Isabelle killed Helga to keep them safe. Tristan says, “Isabelle De Rozier was a hero, and I can only hope to die as noble a death.” He scans the crowd and says, “Thank you for being here today.”
Like the Le Roux clan, the De Roziers celebrate death as they do life, and bottles clink as the caterers I hired begin to open beers and make drinks. A steady procession of waiters walk out the back door with trays of food, and the party begins. While voices are somber now, it won’t be long before the crowd gets rowdy. In a way, it’s fitting that Isabelle’s life will be commemorated by her clan doing the things she loved best.
Tristan is surrounded by members of his clan, so I make my way over to Luke. I grasp his hands and ask, “How are you holding up?”
A shadow passes over his face before he offers a small smile. “I’m okay. I’ve decided to be grateful Izzy was part of my life and keep the good memories close to my heart.”
I pull him into a hug and say, “That’s the best you can do, Luke.”
When I release him Lucy hugs me. “This was beautiful, Annie.”
“Thank you,” I say. “Now why don’t you two go get a drink and listen to the stories about Isabelle? Something tells me they’re quite entertaining.”
Lucy smiles at me before she takes Luke’s arm and leads him away.
Tristan is across the yard from me, but I recognize his patient face as he speaks to an older woman. I sto
p by the bar to grab him a vodka over ice before I work my way over to rescue him. The ice rattles in the glass as I hand it to him. I gaze at the woman with red-rimmed eyes and say, “I’m going to steal Tristan away for a bit if you don’t mind.”
I lead my mate away and hand him his drink. I take him past the crowd, and when we stop moving he takes a large swig from his glass. His eyes close as he holds the liquid in his mouth for a moment. When he swallows he stares at me as something flashes in his eyes. He says, “Our wedding is too far away. Let’s elope.”
I never wanted anything fancy, since this is a second wedding for both of us, but I thought that Tristan would want the formality since it’s a way to announce the new prima of the De Rozier clan to the rest of the clans in the kingdom. “Are you sure? You don’t want the ceremony and all that goes with it?”
Tristan wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me against his chest. I place my hand on his coat and slide my fingers under the lapel as I tilt my face up to him. He says, “Annie, you are my life, and I want to seal my devotion to you forever.”
“Okay.” While I know we are destined to be together, I don’t want our wedding to be his way of chasing away the pain of losing Isabelle, so I ask, “Can we wait until next week? I want to make sure your clan is settled before we take off for a few days.”
“You have until Tuesday.” Tristan’s drink thuds down on the arm of a bench, and he takes my face in his hands. “You are my life partner, Annie. I don’t want to wait any longer to make that official.”
“Of course. I don’t want to wait either.”
“Good. Nothing can ever come between us now, my love.”
Now? “I know.” Or so I thought. Did I underestimate his bond to Isabelle and what it meant? Because I think her passing changed something in my true mate that I’m not able to understand. When Tristan kisses me, I wonder what that secret is.
