by Khloe Wren
"Hey Dom."
"Conner. brought you some clothes and wanted to have a chat. Make sure you're doing okay."
Tears threatened again under the loving concern of his brother, but he held them back. Males didn't cry—and if they did it was in secret where no one could see. He distracted himself by focusing on getting dressed. His fingers stilled on the buttons as Dom broke the silence.
"Don't get caught up in the guilt, Conner. I know how you're feeling. I'll never be able to fully forgive myself for leaving Adele and Kelly alone in that house."
Conner's gaze snapped up to his brother's. "But that's not your fault. How could you have known Cole was already inside the house?"
Dominic smiled sadly. "That's my point. I couldn't have known. Doesn't stop me constantly going over all the if only's of it. You couldn't have known Robyn would be there today—or what she was going to do. All of us assumed she'd go after Dale, that's who we were watching. We all misjudged this one. Well, except for Kit."
"I should have been the one to save her. It should have been me to take the bitch out."
"Yeah, I get that. But you need to push aside your male ego and focus on the facts. Because of Kit, Tina is safe and Robyn's in custody. If she hadn't been there, and Tina had to wait for you to arrive…"
A shudder ran through him at Dom's unfinished sentence. "Yeah, I hear you. Tina would have been dead before I reached her." He paused to sigh and scrub his face. "This whole having a mate thing is hell on your nerves isn't it?"
Dominic had the gall to laugh, "yeah, it is. But it's worth every second." He slapped Conner on the back. "C'mon, let's get you to her side so you can stop fretting like a mother hen."
Conner punched Dom in the arm before he followed his still chuckling brother from the room to go find his mate.
He was sitting beside Tina, nuzzling into her cool palm when Dominic brought his parents, Dale and Jennifer into the hospital room. Thankfully it appeared everyone knew all that had happened as there were no questions of how. Conner couldn't bring himself to go over it again.
"Has she woken up yet?" his mother gently asked as she eyed the bag hanging next to Tina.
"Not yet. That's her second bag of blood, she lost so much… Clint said she should wake up soon. All her vitals are looking good, aside from her low blood pressure."
"Have you completed the mating yet, son?"
A contented warmth spread through his chest at his father's quiet question.
"Yes, we completed it last night."
"Congratulations, and it means she'll heal more rapidly than she would have before. Not as fast as you do, though. Human mates have increased healing, but not to the full extent we do."
"I know, Dad. Me and Dom do pay attention when you tell us stuff."
"Yeah well, a parent has to repeat things to make sure some days."
Adele shuffled into the room looking worn out. She headed straight over to Dom who scooped her up before he sat down with her nestled in his lap.
"You look beat, my sweet."
Adele nuzzled into Dom's neck. "I am, amour. The fact I'm both a qualified nurse and paramedic meant I could stay with her the entire time."
Conner cleared his throat, feeling awkward as he attempted to express his gratitude.
"Ah, thanks, Adele. For staying with her. I felt better knowing family was in with her when I couldn't be."
Adele smiled over to him. "No problem, Conner. Tina's family. No way would I leave her."
Dale had been slowly creeping closer and closer to Tina. Conner suspected the scene was all a bit surreal to Dale. They were used to shifters being real, but Dale no doubt was still coming to terms with it all. He reached her other side and lowered into a plastic chair. His hand slid beneath Tina's. He was obviously being careful to not disturb the tube in the back of her hand.
"Can someone explain what 'mating' is? I don't mean the how. That's just too much information for a father to hear about his daughter, but I want to know how it's changed her. Does she shift now?"
Conner was thankful when his dad stepped forward to answer Dale.
"She won't change from who she is, Dale. Being able to shift is in the DNA. You have to be born with it. When Tina mated with Conner, they bonded. Tina will be healthier now; she won't suffer from things like colds and flus. She will also heal faster than she did before. As a result, she will live longer. Most shifters live to over one hundred years. Their human mates are about the same."
Conner watched a frown descend over Dale's face before he turned to Jennifer who remained by the back wall, silently watching.
"I am not your mate, am I?"
Jennifer moved forward toward Dale. "No, Ryan was my mate. Shifters only get one mate. But as a widow-mate I am able to find love again. Like humans, shifters are capable of loving more than one person."
She was now close enough to stroke Dale's face with her palm. She bent down to whisper in his ear and even though Conner couldn't hear what was said, the lines of worry smoothed from Dale's face and a small smile tugged at the edges of his lips. Dale turned into Jennifer and with his free hand, he gripped her jaw as he delivered a kiss which left his feelings for her clear for all present to see.
"Gah, Dad. Get a room."
Tina's groggy voice snapped Conner's attention straight to her pale face.
~ * ~
Tina couldn't help but smile at her father's blushing face. Her body felt heavy and she struggled to keep her eyes open but seeing her Dad happy was worth the effort. So was seeing Conner. She rolled her head over to look at him. His face held worry lines and his eyes looked tired but he was still the best looking man she'd ever seen. He had her hand against his cheek and he turned to press a kiss to her palm. She smiled at him.
"How are you feeling, baby doll?"
"I feel okay. Just really tired.
Conner nodded before he closed his eyes tightly. Tina knew he was feeling guilty over Robyn's attack.
"It's not your fault, Conner. Robyn made her choices."
In a fast movement, Conner had his face buried in her neck, and she could feel the hot splash as his tears hit her skin. She threaded her fingers into his hair and pressed a kiss to his head.
"I don't understand why she went for you, sweet pea. I thought she was only after me now that I was in town."
Grateful for the subject change her father offered, she looked at him to answer—being very careful to not move her bandaged neck. She knew Conner wouldn't want everyone to know he was crying. Her man was so tough on the outside, but on the inside he was a big soft kitten.
"She told me that so long as I was around I would prevent you from accepting her. In her deranged mind she thought if I were gone, she'd have you all to herself. I'm guessing Jennifer was next on her list."
She noticed Jennifer's hands tighten on her father's shoulders. Her dad responded by pressing a kiss to the top of one of her hands.
Looks like love is in the air for more than just Conner and me.
Conner's arm slipped around her waist and he pressed himself tighter into her. Tina cast Adele a quick look and she nodded in understanding.
"Well, I think Tina deserves a rest. How about we all head off and give her and Conner a moment or two?"
Within minutes the door swung shut and they were alone.
"Conner? Are you all right?"
He wiped his face on the pillow before raising his head. His watery red-rimmed eyes broke her heart.
"I'm just. Overwhelmed, I guess. I've never handled emotions real well, sweetheart, and today has been a damn roller coaster. I thought she'd taken you from me. I can't live without you Tina."
Before she could respond, he leaned in and kissed her. Both his palms cupped her face as he deepened the kiss. He pulled back a little and stared down at her, his gaze filled with his love for her. Her eyes became blurry and she blinked them clear. He wiped her tears with his thumbs.
"No more tears, baby doll. I can't handle it when you're upset."
"They're happy tears this time. I love you, Conner. More than I ever even dreamed possible."
Chapter Thirteen
Conner stood behind Tina with his hands gently resting on her shoulders and his body pressed against the back of her wheelchair. With her citrus scent floating up to him, he inhaled deeply then watched the others gather for the memorial service for Kelly's mother who'd been murdered by Cole nine months ago. Adele was protectively curled around Kelly near the tombstone. Dominic stood close by, along with Adele's father, Remi and Choden stood beside Jake chatting quietly. They were waiting on the arrival of Kit and the others who had been working the rally. The sound of a loud bike brought all their attention to the car park. Kit on her baby, her red Ducati Monster 1100evo pulled in followed by a couple of cars. He watched as his leap brothers and sister came forward to join them.
Choden moved to stand before the makeshift altar at the base of the grave. He helped a teary eyed Kelly light both the candles, safe from the breeze in hurricane glass style holders. They also lit the incense sticks that sat in front of a small stone Buddha. Adele stepped forward and gave Kelly a small bunch of white tulips. Her small sad voice cut through the silence, "I remember, back when I was little, when we were on the run from my father. For a treat Mum took us to the Tulip farm. It's the only memory I have of Mum being happy. Smiling. So, that's why I bought tulips today-" she broke off with a sob as she turned into Adele's embrace.
Choden chose that moment to begin chanting. The sounds of the ancient Tibetan prayer soothed Conner's heart. He hoped it did the same for poor little Kelly. She'd been through so much in her short life. Hopefully being able to say goodbye to her mother would help her move forward so she could heal and begin living. To start things off, Conner wheeled Tina forward and they both put their single red tulip blooms next to Kelly's white ones. As he wheeled her back, the others stepped forward to place their flowers. By the time everyone had filed past the grave, it was covered in a rainbow of tulips. Surely wherever Kelly's mum was, she'd be able to see this and be both proud of and happy for her daughter.
Just as Choden began to conduct the memorial service, Conner noticed Remi sharply turn his head away from grave and toward a stand of trees. Conner saw his nose flare and heard the low growl he made. Taking a deep breath himself, he caught a scent of a human female. It was familiar but he couldn't place it. Remi said something to Dominic before moving toward the trees. With a nod of his head, Dominic indicated Conner should follow. Conner bent forward to kiss Tina's cheek. "I'll be back in a bit, baby doll. Don't stray from Kit's side while I'm gone, okay? Barbara is still out there somewhere."
Tina nodded and the tear that slid down her cheek tore at his heart, he didn't want to leave her here without him. But he had to deal with what might be a potential threat against her, or some other member of his leap. He would not fail her again.
"I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise."
With a last quick kiss to her soft skin, he jogged after Remi.
As he reached the trees, he heard Remi growl low and quiet. Never a good thing with a shifter.
"Who are you?"
A woman's choked sob was the only response Remi received. Conner rushed past a large gum tree and froze to the spot. Remi had the woman pinned from behind in a bear hug grip, his nose pressed to her neck as the woman shuddered in his arms. Conner looked at the woman. Really looked at her. It had to be Gloria. She looked too similar to Tina to be anyone else.
"Are you Barbara?"
Remi's question brought another sob from the woman, in a shaky voice she murmured, "no. Not Barbara. Gloria, my name is Gloria."
Conner moved forward as he spoke, "she's Tina's mother, Remi."
Remi released her so fast she stumbled forward, landing on the ground on all fours. Conner stepped up close to her and offered a hand to help her up. As she rose, Remi's questions continued.
"If you are Tina's mother, why are you here hiding?"
Conner's body was tense. This was the woman who had caused his mate so much pain by abandoning her. But without all the events happening just as they had, Tina wouldn't have been in Rosebery. She wouldn't be with him yet. He would have found her eventually of course, but Gloria's actions had hastened the process for which Conner was grateful.
"She's hiding Remi, because she hurt her daughter. This devoted mother decided that once Tina was injured she was no longer worthy to be in her care. Isn't that right, Gloria? You knew Tina's days at competition level gymnastics were over and with it, your days of being able to bask in the glory of being the mother of a top athlete."
He watched as Gloria's eyes filled with more tears and her lower lip trembled. He almost felt sorry for her. But he wouldn't let his guard down until he knew why she was here, stalking Tina. He'd already failed his mate enough times. No one else would hurt her on his watch.
"Why are you here, Gloria?"
With a deep breath, she stiffened her shoulders. "I'm here to speak with my daughter. My reasons are none of your concern."
"Your reasons are very much my concern. Tina is my fiancé. I refuse to allow you to hurt her again."
With eyes wide in obvious shock, she covered her mouth with her hand. "Tina's engaged? She didn't tell me." Conner watched her pause to shake her head slightly as she closed her eyes briefly. "Of course she didn't. Look, I made a mistake. Several mistakes. I'm here to try to fix them, not to cause my daughter any more grief."
Conner wasn't sure what to do. He didn't have a problem with Gloria seeing Tina if she truly wanted to apologize, but in the middle of the memorial service was not the time or the place. Remi stepped in and handed Gloria a small packet of tissues he'd had in his back pocket. "How about I take Gloria over to the Top Pub? She can speak with Tina after the service. I don't think her attending the memorial is the way to go."
"Good idea, Remi. I agree, now is not the time. I'll let Dom and Adele know what's happening. We'll see you both over there a bit later. And Gloria? Your intentions better be pure. I will not stand for Tina being hurt again. Do you understand me?"
She gave him a shaky nod and Remi took her elbow to lead her away. Conner stood still, hands on his hips as he watched them walk toward the car park. Remi was standing closer than necessary. His posture looked protective, almost possessive. Remi's mate, Adele's mother, had died years ago so he was free to love again. He'd been told it wasn't as intense as the mating bond but it was still strong.
Remi deserved to find love again, but Conner wasn't sure Gloria was the right choice. She'd hurt so many who had loved her.
Remi had lost his mate when he was still a teenager. He'd impregnated Fleur with Adele, and her parents freaked out and sent her from France to Australia to live. Remi had then spent over twenty years searching for them. Sadly, he didn't find them until after Fleur had died from cancer. It was only because of all the trauma of being kidnapped by Cole, then bonding with Dom in their mating, that set off the dormant shifter genes in Adele that she was found at all. They had all assumed Adele was fully human, but after mating with Dom she'd shifted and their dad had done some fast research into her background.
Shaking himself free from his internal musings, he headed back to the others. He strode over to his dad who was now standing near Dominic and quickly explained what had happened.
"That's interesting. You intend to warn Dale before we head over there? Not sure he'd like that kind of surprise."
"Yeah, not sure I'm looking forward to this show down."
Conner moved back over to Tina. He hated being away from her, especially when she was upset. He ran his hand through her hair, massaging her scalp a little with his strong fingers. She leaned into his touch with a small sigh. Choden's strong voice chanting, brought his attention back to the ceremony which was just finishing up. He focused on the Tibetan words, allowing the sounds to soothe and calm him once again. It was going to be a long afternoon and he was going to need all the patience he could muster.
~ * ~
Tina allowed Conner to push her up the ramp at the back entrance to the Top Pub. Her mother was inside waiting. Rubbing the back of her neck, she had the sudden urge to run away.
"I can't do this, Conner. Take me home. Just-"
"Shh, Tina. It's going to be fine." He knelt down beside her chair and took her face in his palms. "Me and both our dads are going to be there. Dominic and the other cats will be close by. She won't hurt you."
Tina loved Conner's protectiveness, even when he went overboard. She could understand his guilt over not being able to protect her from Robyn. It wasn't his fault and she didn't blame him, but he wasn't ready to hear it yet.
"Conner, Mother has never physically hurt me. She does all her damage with her tongue or by leaving."
"She told me and Remi that she'd made mistakes, that she was here to make them right. All we can do is give her a chance to say what she's come to say. If you still don't want her to be part of your life after that, it's your call. I don't want to push you, but I think you'll regret it if you don't hear her out. I'll support whatever you decide."
Taking a deep breath, Tina wet her lips. "Okay, well let's just rip this Band-Aid off then. C'mon."
She started to push herself forward, and Conner proved he was learning her moods as he let her enter the private dining room under her own steam. She had to meet Gloria on her own terms. She needed to be strong, and being able to push herself into that room was a great start to keeping that appearance up. She didn't need her mother's approval. It was all a mask, but her mother didn't know that.
Once inside the door, she surveyed the room. Adele's father, Remi was it? Stood with his arms crossed over his broad chest in the shadows. His hard gaze was focused solely on the woman nervously pacing the length of the room. As her mother hadn't noticed her, she took a moment to watch. Her head was down. Her clothes were as perfect as always, but her shoulders were curled forward a little. She wrung her hands in front of her. The door closed behind Conner, and Gloria's head snapped up as her feet ground to a halt. Tina sucked in a shocked breath. Her mother's eyes showed pain and there were dark smudges beneath them, dark enough to be visible through her makeup.
