by Sage S Wolf
He hugged her back, his voice thick. “I will, Mom. Promise.”
“Alright then." Sloane reluctantly released her son. "I’m gonna go make that phone call. Take care of my cub, Kailani.” She didn’t wait for my response before leaving the kitchen.
“I like your mom,” I admitted, taking another bite of my cooling stew.
Blake stopped mid-bite and smiled. “She likes you too. Let’s finish our food so we can get you on your way home.”
“For the first time today, we’re on the same page.”
Blake just grunted his agreeance and took another bite of stew.
We finished our food, rinsing our bowls, and setting them in the sink before heading out to his rover and heading for the airport.
~9~
Blake
I parked in the furthest parking spot I could find in the airport parking lot so my rover wouldn’t be in the way. I’d already arranged for Lucas to come pick it up once I confirmed our flight time.
Cutting off the engine, I got out and grabbed my duffle out of the backseat before going around to open Kailani’s door for her.
She was already out and shutting the door by the time I reached her. “You could have waited for me to get your door for you.”
Kailani stuffed her hands in her pockets and looked up at me. “It’s not too late to change your mind about coming with me. I’ll be fine on my own.”
At 6’4, I was about a foot taller than her. I’d always had a bigger build than other males in our pride. My lion was much bigger too.
I wanted to reach out and touch my mate’s face. I couldn’t wait to see if her lioness’s eyes were violet too. “There is nothing in this world that could stop me from helping you, Kailani. Not even you.”
She let out a cute little human growl and stomped her foot. “Why are you so damn stubborn!” Pushing past me, she started stomping her way toward the entrance.
“It’s kinda cute,” My lion said as I slung my duffle over my shoulder and followed our mate inside to the ticket counter.
There wasn’t much of a line since it was a small airport surrounded by even smaller towns. Not a lot of people chose to leave this part of Montana. Mostly because a large portion of us were shifters and our animals didn’t do well being trapped thirty thousand feet in the air. The rest were humans that were set in their ways and had no interest in leaving the towns they grew up in.
I pulled out my phone and shot off a text to my friend that would help me get Kailani through customs and onto the plane without an ID. He quickly replied that it wouldn’t be an issue.
I stepped up to the counter and looked down at her. “Where are we flying to?” I wanted to call her my mate so badly. It wasn’t the time or place though.
“Anchorage will get us closest and from there we’ll have to drive to get to my town.” She was starting to look a little nervous.
I turned my attention to the smiling woman behind the counter. “We’ll take two tickets to Anchorage, Alaska, please.”
“Would you like the most direct flight we have, or do you mind layovers?”
Kailani started fidgeting and looked up at me. “Can we do the quickest flight? I’ll pay you back for the ticket cost.”
A realization hit me. “Why didn’t you tell me that you’re scared of flying?”
She shrugged. “I guess my brain is finally understanding that we’re about to get on a plane. I’ve only flown three times in my whole life.”
I looked back at the ticket seller. “Give us the most direct flight that you have and seat us in first class if you can.”
Kailani placed her hand on my arm and my lion began to purr. “Blake, that’s not necessary.”
The ticket seller typed a few things and then looked back at me. “I’ve got two first-class tickets with one layover in Seattle. Will that work for you?”
I looked at Kailani and she nodded.
“We’ll take them,” I said, pulling my wallet from my pocket.
“Great. That’ll be eight hundred with tax.”
“That’s too much!” Kailani complained as I handed my credit card over to be charged.
I shook my head. “Nothing will ever be too much for you, Kailani.”
“I’m paying you back as soon as I have access to my bank account. Assuming Kavik hasn’t drained it.”
I took our tickets and pulled Kailani against my side, relieved when she didn’t pull away and headed toward the seating area. “If he’s taking anything else from you, I’ll beat it out of him. I already plan on teaching him a lesson for what he did anyway.”
“Blake.” Kailani pulled away and frowned at me. “Is that the real reason you’re coming with me? You have some false sense of needing justice for me?”
“It’s not a false sense, Kai-Kailani, shit, sorry. I want to call you that, but that asshole ruined that too.”
Kailani giggled and my heart smiled.
“What’s so funny, mate?”
“I’m not your mate, and I’m laughing because I like watching you squirm. It pleases a dark part of me.”
I raised a brow at her. “Does it now? I’ll have to remember that.” My lion was purring again.
Kailani reached toward my chest before hesitating. “Can I?”
“Go ahead. We won’t hurt you.” My words meaning more than just this moment.
I think Kailani sensed it as she pressed her hand to my chest.
Her eyes widened when she felt the vibration. “That is so cool. What does it feel like?”
I smiled and placed my hand over hers. “It almost tickles but it’s relaxing at the same time.”
“Like an internal massage chair?”
I let out a booming laugh, instinctively bending to kiss her and she pulled away. “My bad,” I put a little more space between us. I didn’t want to scare her. “I got a little caught up in the moment.”
“It’s fine,” Kailani sighed. “Just try not to get caught up in the moment again, please.”
I ran my hand through my hair, feeling a little defeated. “I’ll try. Just don’t run from me if I do.”
“I’m trying not to.” She started playing with the bottom of her sweater. “What time does our flight leave?”
I appreciated her changing the subject.
Looking down at the top ticket, I read the departure time. It was in twenty minutes. “Soon. We need to get to customs so we can get to the gate in time to board. Come on.” I held my hand out not sure if Kailani would take it after my slip up.
“Lead the way.” She smiled taking my hand and letting me lead her to customs.
She got through quickly since she didn’t have any luggage, but they stopped me and took a few minutes looking through my bag before finally letting us pass. We got to the gate just in time to board.
The plane had maybe twenty people in coach and only one other person in first class.
“You’re the last two passengers so you can sit wherever you’d like.” The flight attendant said, waving her hand at the six empty first-class seats.
I stuffed my duffle bag in the overhead compartment and took the seat near the aisle, thinking Kailani would sit near the window. She didn’t. She took the aisle seat directly across from me instead.
“I guess we’ll be setting apart for this flight,” I gave Kailani a questioning look and was rewarded with a grin.
The flight attendant laughed. “That’s okay. Would either of you like anything before I take off?"
“Can we have alcohol?” Kailani asked.
“Sure-”
“No,” I said, cutting the attendant off. “She’s underage, so soda for her if she doesn’t want water.”
The flight attendant's face turned red. “Of course. I’ll be right back with that.”
Kailani glared at me once the attendant wasn’t standing between us. “Buzzkill. I can’t believe I’m gonna be stuck in an airplane for hours and have to be sober.”
I grabbed my chest like I was wounded. “Does my pres
ence mean nothing to you?”
“This is not about you, Blake. Flying is terrifying to me and a buzz might take the edge off of that fear.”
“If you were of legal drinking age, I would say have at it-”
“What are you, my father?” Kailani scowled at me.
“No, I’m not your father but I have an obligation as your mate to keep you safe. When you’re old enough-” A magazine came flying across the aisle at me.
“Just stop talking, Blake. You seriously sound like a controlling asshole right now.” Kailani moved to the window seat to be further away from me and I sighed.
Fuck. I might have ruined any progress I’d made with her over alcohol. I don’t know why I’d stopped her from getting something to calm her nerves. Maybe I was an asshole.
~10~
Kailani
Blake was an asshole. How dare he try to control what I put in my body. At least that’s what it felt like he was doing. One little bottle of whiskey wasn’t going to kill me. Relax me, yes. Kill me, no. And I’d considered letting him kiss me earlier. Ugh, I wouldn’t be making that mistake again.
His eyes started to glow as he gave me an apologetic look. “I wasn’t trying to be controlling, Kailani. I just want-”
“Just shut up, Blake. Let’s just not talk for the rest of the flight.” I picked up another magazine from the back of the seat in front of me and started flipping through it.
The seatbelt light came on, telling me we were ready to go.
“You don’t want to talk for five hours?” Blake asked.
I nodded, crossing my arms over my chest. “I’d pick forever if I could, but I get a feeling that you’re gonna be hard to get away from.”
Blake growled. “Damn right I am. You’re mine. I’ll never let you go.”
“Aaand we’re done talking now.”
I couldn’t believe him. Just because my ex had tricked me into being sold to a bunch of lion shifters (that still sounded so weird in my head) didn’t mean I had any intentions of becoming anyone’s property or letting them control me. Blake was gonna learn fast that just because I was young, didn’t mean I was dumb. I’d probably been an adult longer than he had. I didn’t get a chance to have a childhood like he had. I could tell by meeting his mom that his childhood had probably been full of rainbows and unicorns and all that happy shit.
The attendant brought our drinks and left us alone for most of the flight, only checking on us about halfway through. We switched planes quickly in Seattle and then were on our way to Anchorage.
“Can we talk now?” Blake asked once we landed and where about to get off the plane.
“If you can refrain from being a controlling asshole, then sure. Talk away.” Yea, I was still mad at him, and I didn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
He pulled his bag from the overhead compartment before turning to me. “I’m sorry, Kailani. I’m not trying to control you; I’m just not used to this mate thing and you set my protective instincts into irrational highs.”
I started toward the exit wanting to continue to ignore him. I couldn’t though. Something was pushing me to talk it out with him. “I wish I could say I understand but I don’t. You’re going to have to learn that you don’t control what I do, say, or put into my body. Those are my choices and mine alone.” I said over my shoulder, knowing he was right behind me.
“I’m trying. That’s all I can promise you right now.”
His tone rang truthful. How I knew that I didn’t know. I just did. “I’ll take it for now.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m trying too,” I don’t know why I said it. I think mostly I just didn’t want to fight with him anymore. I was exhausted and wanted to go home. “How about we head to the car rental place, it’s a two-hour drive to Verine.” I looked at the signs to see which direction we needed to go to get to the rental place.
“Is that the name of your hometown?” The laughter dancing in Blake’s hazel eyes made me want to kick him in the knee and say a few choice words. Instead, I bit my tongue and controlled my violent urges.
“Shut up, Blake.”
“Make me.” He grinned and held his hand out for me. “Come on, I’m driving.”
I made a frustrated sound even as I took his outstretched hand. “There’s a lot of uncharted wilderness up here, Blake. No one would ever find your body.”
Blake finally let his laughter escape. “Touché”
We found the car rental place quickly and both agreed on a twenty-eighteen Jeep Wrangler, and then we started the two-hour drive to my town.
I don’t know why I expected my town to look different when we drove through it to get to my house. It hadn’t changed since I left, but I had. What I’d seen as just a town full of stuck up people, now looked like a town full of enemies. Had they all been in on Kavik selling me? Could that be the reason they’d ignored me all these years? They had just thought I’d be out of their hair.
I wanted to cry when my house came into view. “My place is there.” I pointed it out for Blake.
“You live in that?” He seemed shocked at the site of it.
“Yep. Been living here with my aunt since I was eleven. Not all of us had parents to make sure we had everything we needed. Including a nice house.”
“I’m sorry, Kailani. I don’t think I truly realized how bad you’d had it till now.”
“It’s not that bad,” I said, pointing to the mud pit we called a driveway. “You can park there if you dare.”
Blake pulled to a stop by the curb. “Think I’ll park on the road instead. I can carry you to the porch if you want.”
“Uh uh, I’m never trusting another man to carry me ever again.” I fiddled with the ring on my finger.
I considered taking it off for a second, but then decided I would let it be my reminder to never trust another man with my heart again.
“Did Kavik give that to you?” Blake asked, shutting off the Jeep.
“Yea." I looked down at it. "It was my sixteenth birthday present from him.”
“And you still want to wear it after what he did to you?”
I nodded. “It’ll be a good reminder to not give my heart away again.”
“You say that now while the wound is fresh, but one day you’re gonna heal and I’m gonna get you to take that ring off.” He sounded so sure of himself.
I laughed and shook my head. “Not gonna happen, Blake. You’re welcome to keep dreaming though.” I pushed my door open and got out. “Let’s get to the bottom of things and worry about your stalker tendencies later.”
“I’m not a stalk-” I shut the door cutting him off. I’d done that to him a lot today.
I ran through the mud, not stopping until I reached the front door. I tried the handle and was met with its resistance to turn. It was locked and Kavik had my key. Fuck.
“Aunt Leandra!” I yelled, knocking on the door. There was no answer.
“Let me try,” Blake said, banging loudly. “Ms.-” He looked at me for a name.
“Walker.”
“Ms. Walker, if you’re in there can you make a sound, even a small one? I’ll be able to hear you.”
A loud crash sounded from inside.
I grabbed the door handle, frantically trying to turn it like it might magically unlock itself for me. “Blake, she might be hurt.”
“Stand back, I’ve got it.” He pushed me gently aside and lifted his foot and kicked the door. It swung open and hit the wall with a loud crack.
Stepping inside, we saw that the place was trashed. Claw marks marked the walls and hardwood floors along with broken knickknacks that were scattered. The old couch had been pushed across the floor and now sat at an angle. It was a mess.
I covered my mouth in shock. “What happened?” I was asking myself more than I was asking Blake.
He answered anyway. “I think either a shifter broke in and locked themselves inside your house or your aunt has shifted.”
“My aunt’s not a shifter, Blak
e. I think I would know if she turned into an animal since I’ve lived with her for seven years.”
Blake pushed me behind him and started walking us slowly backward toward the door. “Shifters are good at hiding, Kailani. She may have been hiding her true self from you."
“Maybe, but why are we going backward?” That same thing from earlier told me to go along with him.
“Because we’re being stalked right now.” Blake’s voice was just above a whisper.
“What are you-” Movement from the entrance of the hallway caught my attention. There in the shadows were a pair of glowing violet eyes. “Holy shit.”
“Shh. Just stay calm and keep moving toward the door.” Blake's voice was still quiet. I kept my eyes locked on the glowing ones slowly getting closer until we finally reached the doorway. I looked down when the truck keys were pressed against my hand.
“What are you doing?”
He began kicking off his boots. “Go get in the truck, Kailani.”
“I’m not leaving you alone with that animal,” I said, trying to hand the keys back.
“That animal is your aunt, and it looks like she’s been completely taken over by her lioness. She won’t recognize you anymore. Go. To. The. Truck!”
So many things happened at once. My aunt lunged at us and Blake pushed me backward before shifting into a huge lion and swatting her out of the air.
I was frozen in place as I watch two lions fighting in my living room.
~11~
Blake
The last thing I ever wanted to do was kill the last relative my mate had, but if it meant keeping her safe, I would. I didn’t know what had happened to this crazed lioness in front of me. This was something that only really happened to shifters who lost their mates. Kailani hadn’t mentioned having an uncle and I was a little too busy at the moment to ask.
Leandra pushed herself up onto all fours where I’d knocked her down with my paw and came at me again. I needed to try and make her lioness submit without having to seriously hurt her. I tried to duck out of the way, but she managed to grab my lion by the back of the neck, my mane barely thick enough to keep her from biting into my flesh.
