“I’m sorry this happened to you,” he sympathized. “Come here.”
Tessa gladly fell into his hold. The touch sent that odd sensation through her body. The idea of a species knowing who they were destined to be with for eternity made Tessa question everything she’d ever known about being a human. “I wish I was a bear so I could protect myself when he comes for me.”
Drake’s body froze, but his hold did not waver. Tessa didn’t know if she’d said anything wrong. Maybe telling him she wanted to be a bear was frowned upon in his shifter world? She still didn’t know everything about them, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to ask any more questions. She’d already been too inquisitive with him when she’d found out.
Oh, but she wanted to ask questions.
“Your former mate will never touch you,” he vowed, kissing the top of her head. “I’m going to grab a table in a corner so I’m out of your way. Will you bring me some coffee?” The question was posed with a sexy smirk, and she wanted so bad to rub her thumb over his bottom lip. Instead, she gave him a wink and left the backroom with him following.
Rex was waiting down the hallway and stepped aside as she passed. Tessa found it odd and had noticed that little quirk recently with his brothers. They never touched her, or even got close to her in any way.
Drake and Rex took their seats and Tessa got to work. The diner was already open, and Gaia was taking an order out to a table. When she returned, the older woman had a smile on her face. Her wrinkles pulled at the corners as her eyes brightened. “I see you have a male suitor.”
“He’s just a friend,” she shrugged.
“Don’t lie to me, Tessa,” Gaia scolded. “Tulley called me.”
“Great,” Tessa sighed.
“If the Morgan men want to watch over you for a while,” she began, inclining her head toward Drake, “then you let them.”
“You know them?” Tessa asked, wide-eyed. She thought they hated humans.
“I knew their mother,” Gaia said in a rush, ducking her head. She wouldn’t look Tessa in the eye. “I have a table to serve. Get Drake and Rex some coffee, please.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she replied. That was weird. Tessa wondered how Gaia knew Drake’s mother, and if she knew that they were shifters.
Tessa filled two coffee cups and grabbed the sweetener and cream to take to the table where the two men were sitting. Drake watched her as she crossed the diner. His eyes heated, and there was a very faint, golden glow to them. She wondered what his bear was thinking, and if it was okay with being in this environment.
“Excuse me,” Rex said with a smile as she set the cups down. She stepped out of the way as he pushed the chair far away and stood up.
Rex looked like Drake, but his hair was lighter. The patrons in the diner were not oblivious to their presence. Both men were huge in comparison to the average human. Drake was well over six feet tall, and Rex matched him in height. Gunner was only slightly shorter, but by no means was he smaller.
“Why do Rex and Gunner stay so far away from me?” she asked as she set the creamer in the middle of the table.
Drake grunted and looked around the diner to see if there was anyone within hearing distance before he answered, “Because once we mate, if a male touches you, it will hurt you.”
“Hurt me?” she pressed.
“A male’s touch will be painful.” He shook his head sadly. “It’s said to feel like you’ve been burned.”
“Oh, no,” she shook her head, “I don’t want that, Drake.”
“In my world, males don’t touch mated females,” he promised. “It’s bred into us that we only touch a female who is mated if she is in trouble.”
“Then how long does it last? This burning sensation?” Tessa continued. She’d told herself not to keep asking questions, but she’d make an exception to this rule. This sounded important.
“Until her mate touches her to ease the pain,” he replied, taking a sip of coffee. “Can we not talk about this here? The diner is filling up.”
“Are you okay with being here?” she asked, lowering her voice. “Is he okay being around this many people?” She indicted her meaning by pointing to Drake’s chest. The last thing she wanted to do was mention anything about him being a shifter in public.
“I’m going to be just fine, little one,” he drawled.
“I’ll have more questions later,” she warned with a smile and turned to leave, but not before she saw a sexy smirk on his lips.
Gunner pulled up the information on Tessa he’d found online. She’d been married to Bradley Ward for around three years before filing for divorce. There was no record of any arrests on either one of their parts during that time.
However, Bradley Ward had a laundry list of arrests after Tessa left him. His crimes were drug and violence related. He’d been charged with possession a few times, assault twice, and he was still out roaming the streets.
If that had been a bear shifter and he’d laid his hands on his mate, or any female for that matter, the clan would’ve killed him on the spot. They didn’t treat women with anything other than the utmost respect. Hell, if Gunner had a mate, she’d be treated like a goddamn queen!
Tessa was a beautiful woman, and exactly what his big, grumpy brother needed. Gunner wouldn’t say it out loud, because Drake would surely kick his ass, but since Tessa had showed up on their land, Drake had been calmer, less…well, grumpy. Whatever needed to be done to get those two to accept each other, he was all for making it happen.
This ex-husband of hers was going to be a problem, and if Drake kept his eye on Tessa, Rex and Gunner could find him and take him out without the female knowing. The last thing they wanted to do was upset the female in any way.
Gunner closed his laptop and grabbed his hat. It was time to get out into the field to plant, and he was already burning daylight. He’d have to work for the next few weeks to get the seeds in the ground while Drake watched over his mate.
“We need to be getting back to the land,” Drake mumbled as Tessa walked away from the table they’d been at all morning.
“Gunner is already planting,” Rex confirmed. “He’s been out since five.”
It was just coming up on noon, and Tessa was finishing her shift. Gaia, her boss and owner of the diner, came by and cleaned away what was left of their lunch. She gave Drake and Rex a nod, and the sparkle in her eye wasn’t missed when she turned away.
“She’s always watched out for us,” Rex smiled.
“That she has,” Drake replied, watching his mother’s best friend move around as if she was still a young female. If he remembered right, Gaia was close to fifty, and had owned the diner since he was in his teens. She had to have been barely twenty when she acquired the place. Not once had she ever missed a day opening the diner in all the years she’d owned it.
“I’m ready,” Tessa announced as she approached the table. Drake stood and took her hand. Tessa waved at Gaia over her shoulder and returned to her position close to Drake’s side.
Outside, the sun was shining bright, but there was a slight chill to the air. Tessa shivered as she nervously looked around the parking lot. Rex took his keys and walked ahead to unlock the truck. Drake’s eyes cautiously scanned the area. His bear wasn’t on edge, and he trusted his beast to warn him if something was amiss. The only fear he felt was from Tessa.
A shifter’s senses were heightened above what humans experienced, or at least that was what he’d been told. The humans couldn’t smell lies and danger like his kind. In the heat of a fight with an enemy, bears could taste the fear of their opponent on their tongues. It was a taste of victory.
“In ya go, little one,” Drake said, lifting Tessa into his tall truck. She buckled her seatbelt as he closed the door, remaining quiet while Rex shook Drake’s hand and left them alone to drive his own truck back to the farm.
“Can I see him again? The bear?” she asked with a soft blush on her face.
“You like him?” Drake beamed,
laughing when his bear made a satisfied sound in his mind.
“I do,” she grinned. “I mean, if that’s okay?”
“Yes, Tessa,” he agreed, “it’s okay. We can go play in the woods behind the house after dinner.”
“I’d like that,” she offered, and turned to look out the window of his truck. “I enjoy the forest. It soothes me.”
If seeing his bear brought her peace, he would shift every day. Tessa didn’t understand his world, but he knew she was going to be his end game. The human was his mate, regardless of how much he hated them and what they’d done to his family.
Maybe she was right. Maybe not all humans were bad. Tessa was kind and gentle. After watching her work today, he realized that the humans who ate at the diner were decent. Not once were there any altercations. Not that Gaia would allow any of that to happen in her business, but regardless, everyone greeted each other with a warm smile and a handshake.
Drake looked in the mirror as they pulled out of the lot. Gaia was standing by the door and nodded in his direction. She smiled and turned to walk away. He knew things about her that no one else did, and he and his brothers were tasked to keep that secret safe.
“How did your mother know Gaia?” Tessa asked, biting her lip. Drake stared at her for a moment before turning to look at the road.
“My mother worked for her at the diner for a few years,” Drake explained. He wasn’t lying. His mother had worked for Gaia when he was a teenager.
“What was her name?” Tessa continued.
“Maria.” He swallowed hard. Just hearing her name fall from his lips caused a sadness to squeeze his heart. “My father’s name was Amell.”
“Thank you for telling me.” She smiled and continued to stare out the window.
“Tulley has given you the week off with pay,” Drake announced. He knew it was best not to tell her while she was at the diner. One thing he’d noticed about Tessa was that she was a proud female and wanted to earn everything she had.
“What?” she barked. “Oh, no, no, no. I can’t accept that.”
“Too late,” Drake shrugged. “He’s already put it in your account.”
“Damn it,” she swore. “Tulley has been so good to me. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay him for the things he’s done for me.”
“I’ve known Tulley for a long time,” Drake said as he turned south on the two-lane highway south of town. The drive would take a good twenty minutes, and his mate’s scent of honeysuckle was already driving him insane with lust. Her soft sighs and thick legs in her denim jeans wasn’t helping much either. “He’s a good man.”
“For a human?” she asked, looking over at him with a smirk.
“For a human,” he agreed.
“See, you aren’t as grumpy as you played it off when we first met,” she teased, waving her hand to indicate his large body.
“Oh, no, little one,” he grinned. “I assure you, I can be very, very grumpy.”
“When?” she pressed. The little human was playing with fire. She didn’t know not to test the beast, but she was, and he wanted to play.
“When I’m hungry,” he began, ticking off all the things that irritated him. “When humans come on my land. Ahhh, and when my female teases me.”
“I’m your female?” she asked with a grin.
“Yes, Tessa Ward,” he answered. “You are.”
Tessa nodded and continued to stare out the window. Drake would occasionally glance over at her, and he swore he could see her mind churning. He chuckled to himself as he wondered what questions she’d have for him at dinner. He was surprised when he realized he was looking forward to whatever she had to say.
When they arrived at his home, Gunner was just coming from the barn. He’d been in the field all day, and Drake was anxious to find out what he’d learned about Tessa’s ex. When his baby brother made eye contact, Drake frowned. Gunner shook his head slightly, telling him now was not a good time to talk about the male.
Whatever Gunner had found wasn’t good.
Tessa walked ahead of Drake and entered the house. She made an excuse to shower, and he waited until she descended into his room to head back outside to meet his brother. Rex had arrived already, and the two of them were waiting on the porch.
“What did you find out?”
“All I could find was public records,” Gunner cursed. “This guy has been in a lot of trouble the last three years. He’s been arrested for minor drug charges and two fights. I don’t know why the humans haven’t kept him in jail.”
“Because he hasn’t hurt someone bad enough for them to keep him,” Rex answered, his voice lowering to a deathly growl.
“I can’t find anything about his current whereabouts,” Gunner continued. “Our best hope would be to talk to the sheriff.”
“Hmmm,” Drake growled. He had weird trust issues with their sheriff. He didn’t care that the male was a Watcher, a guardian angel sent to protect the panthers. Drake didn’t care much for the male, but he needed him. It was more important to keep Tessa safe than his aversion to anyone coming on his land. “I guess I should call Sheriff Lynch.”
“I would advise it,” Gunner said, raising his hand when Drake started to speak. “He’s our only hope of getting more information on the male.”
“I’ll see if I can get a face to face meeting with him,” Drake promised. “Right now, my mate needs food and she wants to go for a walk in the woods before dark.”
“We will leave you two alone,” Rex offered.
“No,” Tessa said from the door. All three men turned as she was coming out the door. “Please have dinner with us.”
“Yes, have a meal with us,” Drake agreed.
“Please?” Tessa repeated. “I haven’t had much time to get to know you. I’d like to spend some time with everyone.”
“We can do that.” Rex nodded and pushed his brother playfully. “Go cook, little man.”
“Man, fuck you,” Gunner began, but stopped abruptly when Drake narrowed his eyes. “Sorry.”
“No need to be sorry,” she laughed. “I say ‘fuck’ a lot when I’m mad.”
All three of them stared at her with wide eyes. Drake couldn’t believe she had cursed like it was nothing. Maybe this human female really was meant to be in his and his brothers’ lives? She sure was making him start to rethink his disgust of humans.
Chapter 8
Drake refused to let Tessa lift a finger when it came to dinner. She wanted nothing more than to help them since she was a guest in their home, but the brothers refused her help and Drake banished her to the small living room in the main part of the house.
She clicked on the television and found the local news station just as the weather was coming on. Rain was coming later in the week, and the temperatures were going to hover right around the sixty-degree mark. Spring was coming, and she was ready for the warmth of summer.
“Would you like some wine?” Drake asked from the kitchen.
“Actually, yes,” she called out. “I would love some.”
When was the last time she’d had a drink? It seemed like forever since she’d had a night where she could just relax. Since Tulley had given her the week off, Tessa was now off for the day after her shift at the diner ended at noon. Otherwise, she’d have not been home until six or seven, preferring to eat whatever she could find and go directly to bed.
Drake returned with a glass of white wine for her and a bottle of beer for himself. He sat next to her and rested his ankle on his knee. He was still wearing his dark-brown boots with the spurs attached. She’d noticed he wore them a lot, and she liked to hear them clang with each step he took. The rhythmic sound was soothing.
“So, bear man,” Tessa joked, “I kinda like the spurs.” She leaned over, and using just her index finger, spun the tarnished metal at the back of his heel.
“Well,” Drake flirted, “you never know when you’re going to need to mount something.”
The laugh that bubbled up fro
m her chest caused Drake to chuckle beside her. He was a slow-talking southern man with expressive eyes and a sexy smile. That was…whenever she could get him to smile.
“What’s for dinner?” she asked, sniffing the air. She couldn’t quite make out what it was, but it didn’t matter. It smelled delicious.
“Chicken Marsala,” he answered. “Gunner is a pretty damn good cook, and we’ve learned to trust him not to kill us. So, he’s in charge of dinner.”
“I’d like to cook for y’all one night,” she offered. “If you don’t mind.”
“That would be welcomed,” he began, “but you are on your feet all day. Gunner will cook.” He said it like his words were final, and from what she’d learned about Drake Morgan, he liked things left alone. Change wasn’t a part of his life.
“I can cook,” she argued. “Gunner is working the fields while you watch me all day.”
“It’s in our nature to care for our females,” he reminded her.
“Do your females do anything?” she asked. From the way Drake talked, the females of his den would be lazy and unproductive. Tessa didn’t want to do nothing all day.
“They work,” he assured her. “My mother worked at the diner, and eventually started working in the office once my father begged her. Our business was booming and he needed help. If a mate wants to work, she can, but we males prefer she rest when she’s not.”
“Well, that’s just crazy,” Tessa chuckled. “I will cook tomorrow night. Do you like pork?”
“We’re bears, Tessa,” he pointed out, his eyes heating as he looked her over. “We’ll eat everything.”
Tessa took her glass of wine and turned it up for a healthy gulp. She liked when he teased and flirted with her. The big, grumpy bear was growing on her.
“Food’s ready!” Gunner hollered from the kitchen.
Drake held out his hand to help her up from the couch. He didn’t release his hold as they walked. There was a warmth to his calloused hands that seeped into her body. His touch made her feel safe.
Mating Season (Morgan Clan Bears, Book 1) Page 7
