by Sway Jones
“Oh,” she sounded still disconcerted by the whole affair. “So you’re saying you want to be – married?”
“That is one way to put it especially for humans. Yes I would like to marry you. If you’re willing?” he said hopefully.
The eager way he looked at her almost did her in. But she couldn’t get over how fast everything was happening. This kind of thing happened in Vegas after a lot of drinking, not in a barn in Montana where baby cows were being fed.
“I can’t,” she finally said hating to see his discouraged face. “I mean, I’d like to see where this relationship can go but I can’t marry you right now. It’s too soon. We don’t know each other at all.”
“I know you are beautiful and perfect for me,” he interrupted her. “My bear and I can also scent that you are our mate. Your pheromones are so – greedy for us. Your body is ready to be with us.”
“Wait a minute,” Delilah said, holding her hands up to stop this line of bullshit because that was what it was. There was no way this incredible man was interested in a long-term commitment with her. Maybe he thought this would be the way get her into bed but she wasn’t going to let that happen no matter how much her body might have wanted it.
“Oh shit,” she whispered with the sudden realization that what he had been saying to her was true. Her body did want him and he could tell, him and his bear. She wasn’t aware of giving off any signals of attraction other than that kiss, but evidently her body was working overtime to grab Hank’s attention.
“But don’t worry,” Hank continued. “I won’t take what you don’t want to give me no matter how tantalizing you smell to me and my bear.” He smiled tenderly at her.
“I think a date would be a good place to start,” she reaffirmed their plans. “I don’t know about marriage but a date I can do. Is that ok?”
“More than ok,” he said smiling brightly. “I would love to take you on a date. Tomorrow night?”
“Uh, ok. Can we go somewhere you like to go so I can start to get to know you better.”
“Sure. There is a shifter restaurant/bar out in the woods behind our fields. We can ride up there and have dinner.”
“That sounds great. Except I don’t know how to ride a horse.”
“No problem. We can take my truck. There is somewhat of a road there.”
“Ok. Sounds like a – plan.”
“Yes. Now I see you’re shivering. Let’s get back into the warm house.”
He held out his hand to her. After a slight hesitation, Delilah put her hand in his and let him lead her back to Waverly’s and Ryan’s home.
She couldn’t keep the smile off her face. She, the Amazon woman, was going to go on a date with a bear shifter. Never had she met a man who seemed to be attracted to her curves and her looks. The only thing most men wanted to know was did the carpet match the drapes. Needless to say none of them that asked ever found out.
Waverly loved Delilah’s alabaster skin and red hair, telling her it made her beautiful and sexy, unique, just like Waverly’s dark skin and black hair made her not the norm either. Now it seemed that she had finally found a man who thought as highly of her as her best friend.
Please don’t be an asshole, she pleaded with him silently. I don’t think I could stand the disappointment.
Chapter 6
“I am so glad the snow has stopped falling for a little bit anyway,” Hank said, incredibly thankful that Delilah was able to make it back to the farm for their date that evening. He had picked her up at Waverly and Ryan’s place and taken her down the miraculously plowed path that led to the Bitten House restaurant and bar.
The owner, an elk shifter, probably kept some kids on payroll through the winter to keep the road plowed. It was worth it to him. While Hank was driving to the place, most shifters preferred shifting and letting their animals take the lead on getting there. But in the winter when the snow was so high, a plowed path was an added incentive to get to the restaurant even in your bear, elk, deer, or wolf form.
“This is such a nice place,” Delilah commented after the waiter took their order. “Would never have known it was back here.”
“It is kind of a secret.”
“Really? I won’t say anything.”
Hank laughed at her seriousness. “It’s not a state secret but it’s mostly for shifters so we don’t talk about it with humans all that much.”
“Oh, should I not be here? I mean will you get in trouble for bringing me here?”
“No,” Hank said hesitantly. He hoped nothing would happen. It had been a while since a human had been to the Bitten House as far as he knew. But it was a good place to expose his woman to all kinds of shifters so that she would be comfortable with his shifter friends and family.
“Has Waverly been here?” Delilah asked a little uncomfortable with being there if she wasn’t wanted. Hank had said it was fine but he hadn’t been real unequivocal about it.
“No Ryan detests eating out. He’d rather have something less than good homemade than something ‘bland’ as he says from a restaurant.”
“Good thing Waverly seems to like cooking. We always ate out together because neither one of us could cook.”
“I did most of the cooking before Waverly got here. I’m not great but I can put something together if need be.”
Delilah frowned at him. “You probably need a wife who can cook,” she said sadly. “Perhaps your bear needs to take in some other facts before making such an important decision.”
“He has and he doesn’t particular care that you can’t cook,” Hank told her seriously. “Cooking is not high on his list of priorities. Are you a good person? Will you make a great mother to our cubs? Are we sexually compatible? These are the questions that matter to him and me.”
“Cubs?” she squeaked. “You mean actual bear cubs?”
“Hey it’s ok,” he said laying a heavy hand on hers when the color drained from her face. “They’re bear shifters. Born human but have the ability to shift when they reach puberty.”
“Oh ok. That’s – ok. I was a little worried that … well it doesn’t matter. You want to have children then?”
“Yes lots!” he said with a smile. “How about you?”
She blushed. “I have always wanted a big family,” she confessed. “I grew up in a lot of different homes but always felt so alone in all of them. But one time I lived with a family that had six kids of their own and they welcomed me with open arms. I was treated like one of theirs. So I always picture, as my perfect family, six kids related to me and a couple more adopted.”
“Were you a foster kid?” Hank asked hesitantly, not wanting to shame her but wanting desperately to know more about her.
“Yeah,” she answered softly. She looked away from him and stared off into space. “My parents left me at a fire station when I was four years old. I moved around a lot. I was only with that family a few weeks. Seven was too many for them according to family services. I begged them to let me stay but they wouldn’t. I still miss them. They were the kindest people to me.”
“Some weren’t as kind?” he asked, discerning the look of abject longing on her face for a family she couldn’t have.
“No,” she said shaking her head. “Not even close. I was always the outsider. Most only wanted me for the monthly check they got. Some were too busy to care about me as long as I stayed quiet and didn’t act out.”
“That doesn’t sound like you.”
“No, it isn’t,” she said looking back at him with a small smile on her face. “I was a good girl. Never caused anyone any trouble. Never told anyone about all the bullying and teasing I got as a redhead in school and at home.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that at such a young age,” he tried to comfort by squeezing her hand. “But you made it through and you came out on the other side a beautiful, sweet, kind, woman.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I like to think I somehow figured out how to love people despite not having m
any role models in my life. But I find it hard to make friends and am so grateful for Waverly who has been a lifeline to me. She makes me believe that maybe I’m not such a bad person.”
“You’re not a bad person.”
“I know. It only seems that way when your parents don’t even love you enough to keep you.”
“Why did they leave you?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. Nobody knows. Sometimes I like to think that they left me because they couldn’t afford to keep me. But most of the time I think that they left me because I wasn’t lovable enough. I’m pretty introverted and shy. Maybe they wanted a better child, a more fun child.”
“That sounds like your four year old self trying to make sense of losing your parents.”
She looked at him in surprise. “I never thought of it like that,” she said. “I mean I guess it does sound like the logic of a child.”
“It does. But you know that you aren’t any less lovable than any other person, right?”
He saw a flash of hurt in her eyes before she moved her gaze away from him. Looking to see if she was crying, he was relieved when he didn’t see any tears. The last thing he wanted to do was make her cry.
He leaned over, pushed her hair behind her ear and then whispered, “You are incredibly lovable. Your parents missed out on having such a sweet little girl in their family.”
She finally looked back at him; a small smile graced her full lips.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “That means a lot coming from you.”
“Because I’m your soul mate?” he teased.
Her smile broadened. “Because that is your first impression of me,” she explained, looking back up at him through her eyelashes. “Right?”
“Yep!”
She chuckled. “That’s why it means a lot. I’m at least good with my first impressions.”
“Well every minute I spend with you is a good impression,” he said seriously. “Waverly thinks much of you too. So that’s two favorable impressions of you. Ryan thinks you’re sweet, as does Jai. I’m sure Jonathan will say the same.
“Thank you for telling me,” she replied her voice quavering slightly with emotion. “I appreciate you all being so kind to me and welcoming me in as Waverly’s best friend.”
“And my mate,” he tacked on. He was so involved in their conversation he didn’t see the man dressed in a black suit come up to their table and overhear the last part of their conversation.
“Mate!” he exclaimed, loud enough for several patrons nearby to raise their heads to find out what the hell was going on.
Hank took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He had hoped they wouldn’t see Jeremy there tonight. But it seems the Goddess was busy elsewhere and not answering his prayers.
Hank stood up and held out his hand to the equally tall but not quite as wide interloper.
“Hello Jeremy,” he gritted out. “How are you?”
“Doing well, but not as good as you I hear. Found your mate have you?” the smarmy wolf shifter questioned looking down at Delilah. Hank immediately stepped in front of her to hide her from the wolf’s offensive eyes.
Jeremy chuckled at the possessiveness and protectiveness of the bear. As if he could keep other shifters away from the human.
“So what is she?” he asked, knowing full well she wasn’t anything. “Bear shifter? A little too small for that. Not wolf, I would know. What mockingbird with that red hair?”
“She’s human,” Hank growled, knowing how this conversation was going to progress and not liking it at all. “As you well can tell.”
“Ahh, human. Interesting. I had heard that your brother had also taken a human bride.” The man ‘tsked’ before continuing. “You know how that is frowned upon. Really Hank. If you boys were that hard up for pussy, you should have come to see me. I could have gotten some for you from the various shifter communities I know outside of our little radius. I mean you’ve pretty much fucked every single shifter woman within our little town but there are more out there. Why don’t you take your human home and come back so that we can discuss your mate among your own kind.”
“Hank?” Her little voice sounded scared and dejected.
“Listen Jeremy,” Hank began, loud enough so that Delilah could hear him. “I have found my mate. Her name is Delilah and she and I will be married soon just like my brother and his new mate Waverly. The two women happen to be human but that doesn’t need to concern you or anyone else for that matter.”
“You dare to bring a human here!” Jeremy began offended. “At least your brother knows not to bring her to our world. But you felt the need to parade her around us knowing full well how her kind is not welcome here.”
“Only by you Jeremy,” Hank retorted. “We were having a very nice dinner among these good shifters until you showed up. We’d like to return to our date so please leave us alone.”
“Hank you are the head of your clan,” Jeremy announced. “You should know better than to let your brother marry a human and then to take one yourself. Have you no plans to repopulate our world with more shifters? Are you so selfish as to take a human wife and put her through the agony of miscarriage after miscarriage because she cannot bear a shifter’s baby?”
“You don’t know that will happen,” Hank said, getting louder as his patience was wearing thin. “Just because your human wife couldn’t bring a child to term does not mean all human women are like her.”
“Don’t talk about my wife,” Jeremy snarled.
“Don’t talk about my future wife then,” Hank snarled back.
“Hank I am only trying to save you and her some intense heartache,” Jeremy sighed. “But if you won’t take my advice then perhaps you are more bullheaded than I knew you to be. The Council won’t like this. Both Garrison bears mated to humans? Meaning your land will go to humans and not fellow shifters? It won’t be tolerated. We’ve lost enough already in Montana when all those movie stars decided to move out here. We need to keep our lands in shifter hands. Not human hands.”
“Don’t worry our cubs will inherit the land as they have done through generations of Garrison shifters. Don’t you or the Council worry your pretty little heads about my land.”
Jeremy stared at him a moment longer. Not seeing what he wanted, he smartly turned on his heel and left the restaurant. Hank waited until he was out the front door before he sat back down in his chair.
“Sorry about that,” he apologized, looking embarrassed. “He’s not the norm.”
She was concerned but didn’t want to push the topic if he wasn’t willing to talk. “It’s ok,” she began hesitantly. “I – uh, do you still want to stay?”
“Of course I do,” he said with absolute certitude. “I’m not letting that rabid dog run us off. Everything he said was his opinion Delilah. Don’t worry about it. He’s an old wolf shifter who has been dealt a lot of bad cards and so he tries to control other people’s lives as a way to have power over something.
“His wife died during child birth and the pup didn’t survive either. So he has made the assumption that all human women cannot bear shifter babies.”
“Was she a frail woman?” Delilah asked not sure what to think about all this new information.
“Yes. Much too frail to have children period, I believe. She was always on some diet or pill to lose weight even though she was less than one hundred pounds soaking wet. She wasn’t healthy. Jeremy thought she looked great but his taste runs to the unhealthy as far as I am concerned.”
“Do you know of any human women who have been pregnant and given birth without complications?”
“No but I don’t think there have been many instances of it here in Montana. It’s a rather insular community despite the fact that humans have known about us for years. We’ve stuck to ourselves mostly.”
“So you have slept with all the single shifter women in the area,” she prodded mercilessly.
“Between me and my brothers yes. I won’t hide f
rom that fact. But that doesn’t mean I’m settling for you. My bear knows you are our mate and that is all that matters to me.”
“Hank I don’t want to turn you and your family into piranhas. Are you sure you want to be seen with someone like me? I mean if you are going to marry a human perhaps you should get the best one out there for you.”
“You are the best one,” he said confused by her sudden shift. “You are perfect for me and my bear.”
“No I’m not. I’m a reject who is too tall and too fat to pass as pretty.”
“You’re right. You are too tall and too curvy to pass for pretty. You’re beautiful. You’re gorgeous. And more importantly you are the kindest, sweetest woman I have ever met, besides Waverly. Even you considering leaving me is made out of sincerity and altruism. A less than perfect woman would be salivating at the thought of inheriting all our lands.”
“I don’t care about inheriting anything. I only want what is best for you,” she pleaded. “I don’t want to cause you problems. You don’t deserve that.”
“First of all you are what is best for me. Second these problems are not our problems, it is their issues. Third I don’t deserve you but I’m bound and determined to make you mine anyway. I love you Delilah. I know it seems too soon to be saying that but every second I am with you I feel more and more deeply for you. I can wait. I’ll be patient for you. But one day soon I hope you will realize how much I can offer you and what you have to offer me.”
“Ok,” she said simply, not able to argue with his heartfelt words.
“Really? You’re ok with all that?”
She smiled at the surprise on his face.
“Yes. I’m ok with everything you just said,” she replied genuinely. “I agree. These are their issues and not ours. I find myself caring for you a lot more and more every minute I am with you. With every word you say. You’re perfect. And even though I don’t quite believe everything you say, I want to. I’m tired of living like a stranger in my own life. I want to be with you.”
Hank got up and pulled Delilah up out of her chair in order to hug her fiercely. He didn’t think he’s ever let her go. His chest filled with emotion at her words. If he didn’t know before, he knew then that she was definitely his mate.
