by V. Vaughn
“I do. I don’t suppose that Luke of yours has a widowed father who’s available?”
“Miranda! What would people think?”
She rolls her eyes at me. “Who the hell cares?” She chuckles before she sobers to study me. “Be careful, Xena. Don’t go getting too serious, because we both know the council would not approve of you mating with Luke.”
I nod because she’s right.
While Kane, one of our council members who’s mated to a hybrid himself, might be sympathetic, there’re too many older members with prejudice that runs deep, and I don’t think the sentiment is going to change anytime soon. I glance over at my sexy werebear and wonder what I would have done if I had known what he was before I discovered he was my mate.
I return my focus to Miranda’s hair as I wind it around a roller. When I look up, Luke’s gaze captures mine. Like a magnet, I’m drawn to him, and I think about how we’ve had this attraction since the first time I saw him. Knowing what he was may not have made a difference at all, because I don’t think I could have denied my mate no matter how hard I tried.
Chapter 9
Opal’s nostrils flare the moment she steps in the salon. A tool clatters as Luke and Mitch clean up, but they stop speaking when she hisses.
She stares right at Luke. “What the hell are you doing here?”
My cat begs to be let loose as my hackles rise with my need to protect my mate, and I storm over to grab her arm. “Mother, they’re replacing the window someone broke with a brick last night.”
She glares at me as her cat flashes in her eyes. “A brick?” She throws off my grip. “This is all your fault, Xena.” She turns back to Luke. “Is this what you want? To get my daughter thrown out of her clan and endanger our lives?”
Luke steps forward as he glances at me with concern. “Of course not, Mrs. Lewis.”
“Mom, you’re being dramatic.” She turns to gaze at me, and I say, “Nobody’s going to die over this.”
Opal lunges forward to get in my face, and the scent of her fear seeps through the adrenaline of anger. “You think you know so much, but you’re very wrong. I’ve seen it happen. Being with a werebear could get you killed.”
Now my claws extend, and Gigi stops my shift when she places a hand on my shoulder and says, “Let’s everyone calm down.” Her touch makes me step back from my mother to take a deep breath as Opal does the same. My friend takes my mother’s arm. “How about we get a cup of coffee and move to the back room while the guys finish up?”
Mitch says, “We’re done and leaving now.”
I glance over at Luke. He’s scowling, and I wait for Gigi to lead Opal away before I go to him. “I’m so sorry you had to witness that. My mother is from a different generation.”
“She’s not wrong to be worried, Xena,” says Mitch. “Somebody is not happy about you being with Luke.”
“I know.” I gaze at Mitch, and realization must come to him as his mouth opens.
Mitch asks, “You’re mates, aren’t you?”
“Yes. But—”
Mitch says, “I won’t tell anyone.”
I nod in thanks, because if the council finds out, we’ll be called in for a judgment.
Luke takes my hand to say, “I think someone better explain this to me if I’m going to keep you safe.”
“If you two plan to mate, Xena will need to get permission from the council,” says Mitch.
I ask, “Do you think they’d let us stay here?”
Mitch glances at the shiny new window. “Even if you managed to get permission, your life around here wouldn’t be easy.”
Luke squeezes my fingers, and it might as well be my heart when he says, “I can’t let you do this, Xena.”
He releases my hand as I cry out, “No!” The cotton of his T-shirt is warm in my fingers as I grab at his chest. “Please. There must be a way we can figure this out.”
Luke stares down at me as tears fill my eyes. He takes my wrists and pushes me away gently. “Maybe there is, but until we do, I think it’s best I leave you alone. If anything happened to you—” His voice cracks.
“But—” I gaze into his glassy eyes as the pain of loss fills me. I know he’s right, and it’s not just me who’s in danger. I can think of a number of my kind who would revel in killing Luke. I whisper, “We have to find a way. I love you, Luke.”
He closes his eyes for a second, and when he opens them again, his bear is evident as he speaks with resolve. “I love you too. I’ll figure this out, Xena. You can count on it.”
I nod as tears roll down my cheeks, and Gigi places her hand on my shoulder. When the bell on the door jingles, I turn to my friend as Luke and Mitch leave. She pulls me into a tight embrace, and my sob escapes.
She says, “There’s got to be a way, honey. You’ll see.”
I want to believe her, but the thought of being without Luke even for a day is almost too much to handle. The uncomfortable urge to get out of my skin pricks at me, and I realize it might be because Luke is no longer around. I wonder if the strange sensation of things not being right for the past few weeks has had something to do with my mate. He must have arrived here about the same time I started to experience it. We need him.
My mother comes out of the back room with a cup of coffee in her hand. When I gaze at her stern look, a knot of anger forms in my stomach. I know she’s only worried for me, but I can’t help my rage.
She stands for the prejudice in my clan, and I glare at her. “Happy? I finally find my mate, and I can’t have him. I guess I’m going to be just as miserable as you are, aren’t I?”
Always the peacemaker, Gigi says, “Xena.”
I shake my head as I walk out of the salon. I’m not sure where I’m going, but I can’t be around the person I fear I’ll become. I’m sure Gigi will take care of Miranda for me, and I walk down the sidewalk as rain soaks my clothing. Water splashes when a car drives by, and I don’t bother to avoid the puddles as I step. A shiver makes my teeth chatter by the time I get to the diner, and the door is heavy as I push my way in to get a hot drink.
I regret my decision the moment I see Zander. But before I can leave, he spots me and stands up from his booth to rush over. He reaches out a hand but stops as if he’s thought better of his actions.
He asks, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine, just wet and cold.”
Before I finish speaking, he’s removing the flannel shirt he has on over his tee. “Here, put this on and let’s get you some coffee.”
Zander has always been more than a sometimes boyfriend for me. Throughout the years, we’ve both comforted each other over broken hearts and difficult times. Next to Gigi, he’s my best friend. The soft fabric is warm as I pull it over my arm. “Thanks.”
He leads me to a booth that’s empty and calls out to Jenny. “We need hot coffee over here.” I sit across from him, and Zander’s eyes are warm with compassion as he asks, “Want to talk about it?”
I reach for his hand. “I don’t deserve you. Why are you always so good to me?”
Zander shrugs. “I can’t help it. Besides, I could say the same about you. You were a godsend when my mother died.”
I smile as I squeeze his hand. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Luke?”
I nod and release Zander’s hand when Jenny arrives with our coffee. It splashes into our cups, and we remain silent until she walks away.
Zander asks, “Do you remember the promise we made to each other when we were in high school?”
The first time Zander and I dated, we wanted to believe we were mates, but when it was apparent we weren’t, the two of us made a pact. We promised to be together if neither of us found a mate.
“Zander—”
“Look. I know you don’t want to be my mate, but I think you might need to be to stay safe. People are talking, and...” He glances over at the men he was sitting with when I came in. He says, “I’m willing to do that for you even though I know I’m
not your first choice.”
“Wait. What are people saying?”
Zander leans in close. “Your window was only the first message. There’s more that will come if you continue to see the bear.”
I sit up as I say, “Luke replaced the glass this morning, but we broke things off. Should I be worried?”
“I think you’re okay. Arriving here upset was a good move. I’ll make sure everyone knows you’re no longer with the bear.”
I lean back in my seat in relief. “Thanks.”
But I think this is far from over. I sip on the bitter taste of black coffee in an attempt to warm up as a shiver runs down my spine. I gaze over at the men who keep stealing glances at us. I reach out and place my hand over Zander’s. “I should go. Want your shirt back?”
He shakes his head. “No. It’ll look better if you keep it on and let me give you a ride.” His eyes twinkle as he says, “If you kissed me, it would be even better.”
I chuckle at his suggestion. “Same old Zander.” I lean forward and kiss his cheek before I whisper, “You’re the best ex-boyfriend a girl could have.”
He grabs my face with his hands and kisses me on the lips. His gaze is warm when he says, “Right back at you, Xena.”
But an icy sensation races through me when he does.
Chapter 10
Zander’s truck has the odors of fresh-cut pine and his musk. Both are soothing to me as I slide over the leather seat of his cab. The engine roars to life, and air blasts at me as he cranks the heat.
I place my hands in front of the vent. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Any time.” He cuts me a sideways glance. “He’s more than a boyfriend, isn’t he?”
I don’t want to lie to Zander. “He’s my mate.”
Zander remains quiet, and I notice his knuckles are white as he grips the wheel. He breaks the silence to ask, “So is the mate thing as amazing as everyone says it is?”
My heart surges with my love for Luke, and I can’t help the gushing way my words come out. “It really is, Zander. Take your most intense feelings of love, and imagine them tenfold. And you know how you long to be with someone? My need to be with Luke is a constant ache that is only satisfied when we’re together.” I notice a muscle jump along Zander’s jaw, and I stop talking.
He pulls up in front of my apartment, and the truck clunks into park.
I say, “I’m sorry.” Zander turns to me as I add, “It will happen for you some day, and you’ll wonder what you ever saw in me. I swear it.”
A police car siren cries out in the distance as he says, “I’m not so sure. I think I would have met her by now.” The blare of a fire engine horn makes me jump, and I watch a truck fly by.
Tiny hairs stand up along my body as I whisper, “Luke.” Zander’s keys rattle when he turns on the truck, and the tires squeal as he pulls out to follow the fire engine.
He says, “It might not be him.”
We live in a sleepy town where not much happens, and every fiber in my body knows otherwise. “Of course it is.”
Luke’s apartment is only a few blocks away, and as we turn the corner, I see flames and black smoke billowing out the second-story windows over the pharmacy. I jump out of the truck before Zander pulls to a full stop. People are milling around on the sidewalk, and I search frantically for Luke. The acrid odor of the fire is thick in my nostrils, and I sneeze as panic sends adrenaline through my veins. The urge to shift is strong, because my cat wants to go inside and save her mate. I do too, but there are too many humans present.
I begin to run to the door. Maybe once I’m inside, I could— “Xena!”
I turn to Mitch’s voice and discover him covered in soot. His clothing is torn, and I suspect he shifted in it as I race over to him. “Where’s Luke?”
Mitch bends over in an uncontrollable cough before he rises, and I notice his bloodshot eyes as he speaks. “I got him out, and a friend of mine is taking him to Jim’s. I’ve stayed to talk to the police.”
The law enforcement in town is composed of humans, and they would have wanted to take Luke to a hospital.
“Oh my god.”
“He’ll be okay once he shifts.” Mitch begins to cough again.
“Where is he?”
Mitch shakes his head. “This is serious. You can’t go to him.”
He glances around, and I turn to see where his gaze stops. A group of men who belong to my clan are watching us. Zander’s friends. Their sneers send a chill down my spine.
Zander is next to me, and he puts his arm around my shoulders as he whispers, “He’s right. This guy wouldn’t want you to risk your life to see him.”
Mitch stares at me. “This was an explosion that was meant to kill him, Xena. I was just leaving when it happened, and if I hadn’t been so close, Luke would be dead.” He glares at Zander.
Bile rises in my throat, and I swallow it back down as my body begins to tremble. When Zander pulls me against his chest, I hold on tight, but it’s not because I want to be close to him. I’m controlling myself from shifting so I can attack his friends. Did Zander know this was going to happen?
Zander says, “Let me take you home.”
I gaze up at Zander with a million unspoken questions. I wonder if I should be afraid of him, and now I’m sure he must know more than he’s telling me. I nod, and he kisses my forehead before releasing me. I’m numb from shock, and Zander’s grip is firm as I let him lead me away by my hand.
When we get to my apartment, I begin to pace. Even though Luke and I haven’t completed the mate bond, the desire to be with him makes me feel like an addict in need of a fix. Couple that with the idea that Zander isn’t really on my side, and I’m ready to jump out of my skin. “I’m not sure I can do this, Zander. My cat wants to run and find Luke.”
“You have to find a way,” he says as he plops down on the couch. He lifts the remote and snaps on the TV.
I stop in front of him. “What the hell are you doing?”
He leans out with the remote to look around me as he says, “I’m keeping you safe. My truck out front will tell people that I’m here, and if I spend the night, we’ll both be able to sleep.”
A woman’s laughter sounds from the television as I say, “I don’t think I’m sleeping tonight. For all I know, you’re a killer.”
Zander’s cat flashes in his eyes. “I had nothing to do with that.”
Right. I recall how he drove to the explosion quickly and appeared to be as afraid as I was. Maybe he didn’t know how far his friends would go. But I bet he was all in for running Luke out of town.
I take a deep breath to calm myself as he says, “I’m here to make sure you don’t do anything stupid like shift and run off in search of your mate.”
I sigh and move toward the kitchen. “I have appointments this afternoon.” Cups clash as I lift them from the drying rack to put them away. These are the coffee mugs Luke brought us this morning. My heart feels like it’s being gripped by a vise, and my throat is thick as I swallow down the urge to cry. “I should go back to work. Do you plan to come with me?”
Zander grins as he flips off the TV. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
I glance at the man I used to love. I wonder what happened to him, and why he wants me so badly. Is it because he thinks I’m the best he can do? Or is it male pride? “Why do I feel as if you were assigned to me as a guard?”
He stands up to come to me. “Look. You can deal with this in one of two ways. You can make the best of the situation or the worst, but either way, I’m stuck to you like glue until things settle down.”
My phone buzzes with a call, and the cell is slick in my fingers when I retrieve it from my purse to see it’s from Gigi. I say, “We’re not done with this conversation,” before I answer.
“Xena! Mitch just told me what happened. Where are you?”
“Home.”
“You shouldn’t be alone. I’ll close the shop and be right over.”
“Actually, I wa
s just coming in. I’ll go crazy here with nothing to keep my mind off things.”
“You must be dying to go to him, honey. But promise me you won’t.”
I glare at Zander. “That’s not going to be a problem. I have a guard who won’t let me.”
“Guard?”
“Zander’s here.”
“Good.”
“Really, Gigi? Now you’re on his side?” I walk over to the window to gaze out at the street below and notice the rain has stopped.
“How about I’m on the side of keeping you alive? That explosion was no accident. I’m not so sure you’re not next on their list.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense. They want Luke gone so I won’t mate with him.” I turn away to find Zander watching me. I stare at him as I ask Gigi, “Why would they bother if they planned to kill me?”
“You’re making the assumption that this is rational. At least I’m sure Zander would never let them kill you. So please don’t leave his sight,” says Gigi.
I suppose she’s right, and I say, “Fine. Hold my three o’clock for me. I’m on my way.” After I hang up, I say to Zander, “I need to change into dry clothes, and then I’m going in to the salon.”
“I’m ready.”
I scan his body with my gaze. I’m not thrilled I’m being watched under the guise of my ex-boyfriend caring about me. I say, “My customers are in for a treat. You’re going to be a mighty fine shampoo boy.”
“What?”
I chuckle as my bedroom door clicks shut so I can change, but it’s a dry laugh, because I’m not the least bit amused.
Zander is true to his word and spends the afternoon in the salon. I was true to mine and made him wash hair, and I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s so charming the ladies tip him heavily.
I’m at the front desk with my mother, and she whispers, “It’s nice to see you with Zander again. You two are a good match.”
I don’t have the energy to get into anything with her, so I lie, “He’s a good friend,” and I walk away. After a haircut appointment that’s due to arrive in a few minutes, I’m free. I can’t get the need to be with Luke to go away, and I’ve been fabricating escape plans that can’t possibly work. I walk into the back to clean up a bit while I wait.
