The Shifter's Mate (Other World Series Book Three)

by Ramona Gray

  The wolf shifter, he was short and built like a barrel with long black hair and dark brown eyes, was surreptitiously touching her hair. He blushed and gave Reese an apologetic look.

  “I’m sorry, human. I just wanted to see what your hair felt like.”

  “I don’t mind,” Reese smiled cheerfully at him, “as long as I get to touch your hair in return.”

  He laughed and swept his hair forward. “Go ahead, human.”

  She touched his long hair and marvelled at the softness of it before grinning at him. “Your hair is softer than mine.”

  “I take very good care of it,” he boasted.

  From the corner of her eye, Reese could see Kane edging closer to them as Teagan gave her a curious look. “Do you have hair on your body, girl?”

  “Oh, um…”

  “I asked the blonde one.” Teagan pointed in Adina’s direction. The woman was standing on the other side of the clearing, surrounded by a few of the male shifters and about five female shifters. “She said she had a little. Is it different for you because of your dark hair?”

  He eyed her stomach and reached out and grasped the bottom of Kane’s shirt. She took a nervous step back and Teagan followed her. He was actually lifting her shirt when Kane appeared and growled angrily at him. He knocked Teagan’s hand away and snapped his teeth. “Keep your hands off of her, Teagan.”

  Teagan gave him a startled look and bowed his head. “I am sorry, Kane. I did not mean any disrespect. I only wondered if her skin was as smooth under her clothing.”

  Kane glared at him as Verna said helpfully, “If our alpha does not choose her, perhaps Reese will mate with you, Teagan. Then you can find out.”

  Teagan gave Reese a hopeful look. “Will you, human? I find you pretty and would be happy to take you to my bed.”

  “I, uh,…” Reese stared at the shifter as beside her, Kane began to growl under his breath. “That’s a very kind offer, Teagan, but I’m not sure that I – “

  “My dick is large,” Teagan said eagerly. He reached for the button on his pants and grabbed her hand. “Here, you can touch it and see for yourself.”

  “Teagan!” Kane snarled, his fangs glowing in the setting sun. “Touch her again and I’ll take your head.”

  Teagan dropped Reese’s hand and backed away. “Easy, Kane. I meant no disrespect.”

  “Aye, you keep saying that but you are asking our alpha’s potential mate to grab your dick.” Kane snapped. He gripped the back of Reese’s neck and tugged her back toward him. “Have you gone mad?”

  Teagan didn’t reply and Reese tried to ease away from Kane. He scowled and pulled her even closer. “Stay still, human.”

  He fixed his glare on Teagan again. “Apologize to her.”

  “I’m sorry, human.”

  “Her name is Reese,” Kane snarled

  “I – I’m sorry, Reese.” Teagan was giving Kane an odd look and Reese stepped on Kane’s foot. The shifter’s grip eased and she pulled away from him and gave Teagan a small smile.

  “Apology accepted, Teagan. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to say hello to Deena.”

  She walked toward Borek and Deena who were sitting alone near the campfire as Kane growled again at Teagan. “Do not touch her again, Teagan. Even if Dagon does not choose her, you are not to touch her. Do you hear me?”

  “Aye, Kane.” Teagan bowed his head again and Kane glared at Verna until, with a small whimper, she bowed her head as well.

  * * *

  “Hello, Deena.” Reese sat down on the log next to the shifter. The woman was staring at her hands and she glanced up as Reese touched her shoulder.

  “Flower. Kane’s pretty flower.” The woman turned to her husband and stroked his cheek. “She is precious to him.”

  “I know, my love.” Borek smiled at her. “As you are precious to me.”

  Reese, her stomach twisting nervously, shook her head. “Kane hates me.”

  Borek snorted laughter as Deena ran her fingers through the thick beard on his face. “Does he now?”

  “Yes.”

  “Deena, does Kane hate the human?” Borek asked his wife.

  Deena giggled before touching Reese’s cheek. “Precious flower. He bathes her and holds her so tightly in his bed. He will never let her go.”

  Borek raised his eyebrows at Reese. “It does not sound like Kane hates you.”

  “Please,” Reese gave him a desperate look, “you cannot say anything, Borek. Kane has been, uh, kind to me but he does it only because Dagon ordered him to. I would freeze to death if I didn’t sleep in his bed.”

  “Borek, please.” She begged again when he didn’t reply. “I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

  Borek touched Deena’s hair before staring gravely at Reese. “I know you saved her from drowning.”

  He sighed heavily and stared at the ground between his feet. “I know what my pack mates say behind my back. I know what they say I should do to Deena and that they believe it is an act of mercy, but I love her.”

  He gave Reese a tortured look. “Have you ever loved someone so deeply that you would die for them, human?”

  “I – no, I don’t think so,” she whispered.

  He stared at his wife. “I wish every day that I had not allowed her to go into the forest alone that day. She was so strong though, so stubborn, and I could refuse her nothing. It is my fault.”

  “It isn’t, Borek,” Reese said. “Blaming yourself isn’t going to help.”

  “What do you know of blame, human?” He said bitterly.

  “My parents died. I was supposed to be with them but I wasn’t because I’d had a fight with my father a few days prior and I was still angry with him. My father died without knowing how much I loved him and that’s my fault. I shouldn’t have been so petty and childish.”

  Deena took her hand and she squeezed the shifter’s fingers gently. “I spent months blaming myself. I actually believed that if we hadn’t fought and I had been with them that day that they wouldn’t have died. I finally realized that my father wouldn’t want that. I loved him and I know he knew that, even if I was angry with him before he died.”

  She took a deep breath and smiled at Borek. “Deena loves you, that’s easy to see. Despite what your pack mates believe I do not think she speaks nonsense.”

  “She doesn’t,” Borek said softly.

  Reese hesitated. “Except for the stuff about me being Kane’s precious flower. That’s complete bullshit.”

  Borek stared at her and then burst into loud laughter. Deena clapped her hands and giggled as Reese grinned at both of them. After a few moments, Borek’s laughter tapered off and he took Deena’s hand and squeezed it affectionately.

  “My love, look at me.”

  She turned to her husband obediently and he kissed her lightly on the mouth. “Will you do something for me? Will you keep Kane’s love for his flower a secret between us?”

  Deena raised her finger to her lips. “Shh.”

  “Aye, that’s right, my love,” Borek said gently. “It’s very important that you speak to no one but me of Kane and his precious flower. All right?”

  “Aye, Borek,” Deena said softly. She turned to Reese and pressed her finger against Reese’s mouth. “Shh, flower.”

  “Yes, shh.” Reese agreed solemnly before touching Borek’s hand lightly. “Thank you, Borek.”

  “Thank you for being so kind to my love,” he said hoarsely. “It has been many months since she has had a friend.”

  “You’re welcome,” Reese replied.

  The smell of cooking meat drifted to them and Reese’s stomach growled lightly as Borek made a face and Deena put her hand over her nose.

  “It smells good to you, does it?” He said curiously.

  “Yes.” Reese laughed. “You have no idea how good.”

  She was suddenly starving. She had eaten nothing but the bit of rabbit that Kane had cooked for her this morning and despite her menstrual cramps, she was looking forwar
d to eating dinner.

  Dagon stepped closer to the fire. He clapped his hands sharply and the rest of the pack grew quiet as he cleared his throat. “Come, my brothers and sisters. Let us welcome the new members of our pack with a hearty meal. We have prepared meat for you in the manner you are accustomed to, although,” he grinned at Adina who gave him a tentative smile in return, “you will have to learn to appreciate the smell and sight of raw meat.”

  He pointed behind him where a table was set up. Platters covered in raw meat covered most of the table and a smaller section had bowls of greens.

  He nodded to Anna. “Anna, feed our newest members first.”

  “Aye, Dagon.”

  The shifter pulled the rabbit from the spit over the fire and working quickly, pulled the meat from its bones. Reese’s stomach growled again and she licked her lips eagerly as Anna handed plates of meat and greens to Adina and Ghita.

  They took their plates with a nod of thanks to Anna and Dagon raised his eyebrows at them. “Will you not thank your alpha?”

  “Thank you, my lord,” Adina said politely.

  Ghita, tears standing in her eyes and her hands shaking so badly she could barely hold the plate, swallowed nervously. “Th-thank you, my lord.”

  Dagon rolled his eyes in irritation as Anna walked to where Reese was sitting with Borek and Deena. She handed the plate over and Reese stared at in confusion. There was nothing but plants on the plate and she caught Anna’s arm as the shifter began to walk away.

  “Anna? Could I have some of the meat as well, please?” She asked.

  Anna shook her head. “No, I’m sorry, human.”

  “Why not?”

  Anna hesitated and Deena shrank back and made a small moan of fear when Dagon appeared in front of them.

  “You are too fat, human. Only plants for you until you are more pleasing to my eye. Do you understand?” He took a short whiff of Reese and stepped back a few feet, his nose wrinkling.

  “Well, do you?”

  Reese, her face burning, stared down at the plate before looking across the clearing. Kane was standing with Raina, his body rigid and his hands clenched. He gave her a look that she had no trouble reading.

  With extraordinary willpower, she swallowed down her scathing reply and smiled at the alpha. “I do, Dagon. Thank you for the plants. It is very generous of you and I’ll enjoy them.”

  “Aye, I’m sure you will,” Dagon replied before walking to the table of food.

  Chapter 20

  “Wake up, Reese.”

  Reese squinted at Kane before pulling the covers over her head. “Go away, shifter. I’m tired and hungry and in a really bad mood.”

  “I know. I have something for you.”

  “Unless it’s food, I’m not interested.”

  She closed her eyes and held tightly to the blanket and sheet as Kane sighed loudly. After dinner, the pack had spent a few hours talking and laughing and sharing stories. Surprisingly, most of the shifters had been rather friendly with the them and even Ghita had managed to relax a bit by evening’s end.

  Reese, starving and her stomach throbbing with cramps, had smiled and nodded and tried to be friendly with Kane’s pack members. But she couldn’t hide her relief when the others had finally started to return to their own cabins, and Kane had taken her arm in a rough grip and marched her back to his.

  She had immediately drunk some tappin root tea, hoping it would both ease her cramps and fill her stomach as Kane had paced anxiously in the small cabin. Finally, just when she was going to snap at him to sit down, he had pulled open the door and growled at her to stay in his cabin before leaving.

  She had flipped him the bird but he had already slammed the door shut. She had considered leaving the cabin just to piss him off. But in the end, a headache starting from lack of food and feeling tired and defeated, she had simply gone to bed instead.

  Now, she pulled away when Kane touched her hip through the blanket and ignored his grunt of disapproval.

  “Like I said, unless you have food I’m not interested in anything you have for me,” she said peevishly. “You could have warned me that your stupid alpha would starve me. I would have loaded my pockets with charkas before we got to your stupid house. How was your stupid meal, by the way? Did you enjoy it? You certainly looked like you were enjoying it.”

  “If you would stop your talking and take a deep breath, you would know I have brought you food, human,” Kane snapped at her.

  She pulled the covers down just enough to inhale and sat up when the delicious smell of cooked rabbit hit her nostrils. “You brought me food!”

  “Keep your voice down, Reese!” Kane said with a scowl.

  He stood and went to the fireplace. A rabbit was cooking over the fire and Reese slid off the bed and joined him.

  “That smells so good.” She moaned as her mouth watered.

  He tore pieces of meat from its body. “Wait until it cools, Reese,” he admonished gently as he handed her a plate piled high with the meat.

  She sat down cross-legged on the floor and held the plate like it was gold. She eyed the meat as Kane stretched out on his back beside her and stared at the ceiling.

  “What time is it?” She asked.

  “Late.”

  “Where have you been?”

  “I went to Borek’s and Deena’s for a while and then I went hunting.”

  “Why did you do this? Won’t you get in trouble?” She picked up a piece of meat and blew on it before eating it quickly. “Oh my God, that’s so good.”

  He smiled happily at her. “You are enjoying it?”

  “Hell, yes.” She stuffed more of the rabbit into her mouth and closed her eyes. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

  Kane sat up and pressed his large body against hers. “You’re the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

  She blushed and slapped his thigh lightly. “I’m not sleeping with you while I have my period, Kane. Let’s make that clear.”

  “I know.” He kissed her cheek and lay back down on the floor, one big hand rubbing her lower back lazily. “How is your stomach? Do you want more tea?”

  “No, thank you. Don’t avoid the question, Kane. Why are you doing this? If Dagon finds out, he’ll be angry with you.”

  “I do not care.” He shrugged.

  “What happened to obeying your alpha’s every command?”

  “I will not obey a command that puts my ma – “

  He stopped and gave her an oddly guilty look. “I will not follow Dagon’s rules when it means another must suffer.”

  “How nice of you,” she said dryly. They sat in silence while she finished eating. When she was done, he took the plate from her and gave her an anxious look.

  “Do you feel better, Reese?”

  “Yes. Thank you.” She shivered lightly and he stood and tugged her to her feet.

  “Come. I will warm you in my bed.”

  “How much colder is it going to get?” She asked.

  “Why?”

  “Because there aren’t any warmer clothes to fit me, and I’m trying to decide if I need to go into the forest and kill a bear or something for its pelt.”

  “Do not go into the forest alone, Reese. Do you hear me?” He shook her lightly. “It is very dangerous. I will keep you warm.”

  “That’s not exactly a solution, Kane. I won’t be in your cabin forever. I need something warmer to wear.” She frowned at him. “I can’t stay indoors all winter and I – “

  She gasped as eyes glowed at her from the window. Kane immediately thrust her behind him and blocked her with his large body before growling threateningly. After only a few seconds, he relaxed. “It is only Deena.”

  “Well that explains how she knew about the bathing and the feeding and the holding me in your bed,” Reese replied.

  Deena disappeared from the window and she frowned at Kane. “Why is she out there so late?”

  Kane shrugged. “I do not know. Her brains are addled, Re
ese. There is no explanation for what she says or does. Why Borek does not take her into the forest and – “

  “Don’t say that!” Reese slapped him sharply on the back. “I know this will be hard to understand for someone who doesn’t want a mate and is content to fuck whoever will spread her legs for him, but think about it for just a minute. If you were in love, if you did have a mate, would you be able to just take her out in the forest and kill her because she’s suddenly different?”

  His face paled so abruptly that she thought he was ill. Despite her anger with him, concern flooded through her and she touched his face gently. “Kane? Do you feel sick?”

  He shook his head and took her arm. “No, I am fine. You are right, Reese. It was a thoughtless thing to say.”

  He led her to the bed but she balked at climbing into it. “Deena shouldn’t be out there by herself. You said the forest was dangerous.”

  “She’ll be fine. She is still a shifter.”

  She frowned at him and with an irritated sigh he left the cabin. He returned only a few minutes later. Reese was still standing by the bed and he urged her to lie down as he stripped off his clothes.

  She refused. “Did you take her back to Borek?”

  “Borek was already leading her back to their cabin.”

  “Good.” A look of relief crossed her face and he smiled at her. He loved that his mate was so concerned about the members of his pack already.

  “Climb into bed.”

  She hesitated. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Kane.” She tugged nervously at the hem of his shirt as a thunderous look crossed his face. “I’m going to sleep on the floor by the fire. I’ll use the bear pelt to keep warm.”

  “Get into my bed, Reese.” He scowled at her.

  “Just hear me out. What if one of your other pack mates peek in the window or just come wandering in like Verna did earlier this evening? If they see us in the bed together, we’ll both be in trouble with Dagon.”

  “My bed, now. I won’t ask again,” he snapped.

  “You didn’t ask in the first place!” She retorted.

  He growled angrily and she gave a squeal of surprise when he pulled his shirt over her head, leaving her in just her underwear. He lifted her up and dumped her on the bed. He covered her body with his own and pressed her into the bed, trapping her wrists with one large hand when she tried to smack his broad chest.