by T. Cobbin
With her hands held together as if praying, Melinda whispered, “Thank you.” Picking herself up from the floor, Melinda threw herself on the sofa.
“Come on, imp, let’s go put your new climbing frame to use.”
With an excited “Weeeeee,” and his hands held over the top of his head, she whipped him up high and onto her shoulders and went out the back door. As soon as they were standing in front of the frame, Walker took off climbing over the apparatus.
Belle watched the kit play. He looked so much like his father, but he had his mother’s eyes. Only this morning Belle’s own mother had reminded her that she would turn thirty this year. Her mother had again tried to convince her to go out into the world and see if she could find her mate. Belle had rolled her eyes and sighed, telling her, “I’m happy here. Plus, I don’t want to leave you just yet. If fate wants me to find my mate, he will have to look for me here.”
Watching Walker play, her tiger moved inside her, complaining that it too was ready to settle down.
Don’t you start, she told the other half of herself.
You know you are ready to settle down too. Look at the boy. You could make you and your mother happy.
I’m not ready to leave them on their own yet. You know how Mum struggles now. If it was meant to be, it will do so here.
Her tiger growled low, and Belle chuckled inwardly.
“We have incoming,” Chris, one of their enforcers, alerted her telepathically.
She tensed. “Details?” she asked, and went on to inform Chris where she was in case of trouble. “I’m with Walker and Melinda at the Alpha’s house.”
“It’s okay. It’s the Alpha, beta, and the male they said they might be bringing in with them.”
Belle relaxed. “Melinda,” she called. Picking Walker up, she moved toward the house. “Come on, munchkin, let’s go see your daddy.”
Melinda met them at the back door. “What’s up?”
“Harris is back.” She smiled at her friend.
“Am I a bad mum to say thank God.” She chuckled nervously, then sighed in relief hearing her mate’s SUV driving toward their house.
Belle released a wriggling Walker and watched the boy toddle off toward the front door with his mother close behind him.
“I don’t know where he gets all his energy,” Melinda said. “He certainly keeps up with his father.”
For the second time that day, Belle bent over in laughter because as the front door opened, Harris, who’d been the first to walk through it, found himself with a bouncing toddler at his feet, trying to climb up his legs, shouting “Da-Da” as loud as he could to get his attention. Belle swore she saw her Alpha wince when the boy extended his claws and climbed up his father’s legs.
“Aww, did you miss your daddy?” Harris asked his son, whipping him up and throwing him into the air only to catch him a second later.
“Oh dear God, Harris,” Melinda shouted.
“It’s okay, chick. Remember, he has his dad in him.” Harris beamed at his mate and then engulfed her against his huge body.
“I forget sometimes, that’s all. You couldn’t do that with a normal seven-month-old.”
“A normal seven-month-old doesn’t have claws and can’t change into a cat either.” Harris kissed the top of his mate’s head.
“I missed you too,” Melinda said, kissing him.
Belle watched the couple and went all gooey inside. The love they shared was clear to see. She noticed movement behind them and stopped still when she met the eyes of a strange male. In between Harris and Felix stood a man with clear blue eyes that were looking straight into hers.
Her heart stuttered a beat, and her breath froze in her chest. Her tiger leapt to the front of her mind and roared. It looked like fate was coming to her after all. Her mate had just walked in the door.
Chapter 4
“Belle?”
Belle’s eyes flickered to Felix when he walked in front of the man, blocking her sight of him.
“Yes?” she asked. Did she miss something?
“You okay?”
“Are you going to introduce us?” She nodded toward the man with the gorgeous eyes.
“This is the newest occupant of our village. Shawn Burr, ti—”
“Tiger,” she interrupted.
Already her own tiger was roaring and scraping along the inside of her skin, wanting to get to their mate. Mate. It hit her hard. She had a mate and he was here.
Why was he just standing there staring at her? Why was she for that matter? Shifters knew automatically who their mate was. The general pattern of meeting them was see-fuck-mate, then spend years getting to know each other. But something inside her held back. She could smell the slight tint of blood coming from him and mixed in with it was...fear? One side of his face had the mottled mix of blue and green bruising. His eyes held the tired look of ‘been there, done that, don’t want to do it again’.
“Hi,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’m Belle.”
Felix watched her with a frown on his face.
“It’s okay,” she said, patting her beta’s arm as she walked past, her hand still held out toward Shawn. Briefly, she wondered why Felix would look concerned, but she wanted to feel Shawn’s skin on hers, to feel some kind of comfort or connection from his tiger knowing hers.
With a little hesitation Shawn lifted his hand, placed it in hers, and shook it with a slight squeeze. Warmth flowed through her, and her cat purred deep and low. She could feel the recognition from both of their tigers knowing each other. It was brief and fleeting, and when he released her hand after a few seconds, she felt the loss immediately. He moved his gaze away from her and looked over her shoulder, dismissing her.
“I know you feel it,” she whispered. As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt unsure. “Tell me you do at least…please.”
She was begging? Her, the big, bad enforcer female, was begging her mate to tell her she was right? A small growl left her. Shawn’s body tensed and frightened eyes looked back at her. What the fuck?
“Belle, we need to talk.” Harris’s voice came from behind her.
“But…” She swiveled her head toward Harris then back to Shawn.
“Belle!” Her Alpha growled low. It was a sound she couldn’t ignore; her Alpha wanted attention and would receive it.
Turning, she bowed her head toward Harris, her gaze firmly attached to the tiled floor. “Apologies, Alpha.”
“Come into my office,” he ordered her. Harris led the way toward his office, one arm around his mate’s waist and his son in his other arm.
With one last glance toward Shawn she followed.
“Felix, show our new guest his home,” Harris instructed his brother.
The shelves lining the walls of Harris’s office were filled with various books and an assortment of paperwork. Although the room was cleaner since he’d met Melinda, it was the one place in his house that her feminine touch hadn’t reached…yet. But Belle knew it wouldn’t be long before something pink or frilly found its way into the room.
Harris sat in his huge leather chair behind his desk and held a wriggling Walker on his lap. Melinda sat on a small couch near the window.
Harris kissed his boy on the head and turned his attention to Belle. “Mate?” he asked.
Belle nodded, automatically knowing he was asking about her and Shawn. She sat down in a chair opposite him. “As soon as I saw him, I knew. Are you going to tell me why we’re not jumping each other’s bones right now and why he is injured?”
It didn’t surprise her to already feel protective over the male. She wanted to find the person who had injured him and break every single bone in their body. She hated seeing the glimpse of pain and hurt in his eyes for those few brief moments she had looked at him.
“What I tell you now goes no further than these walls, unless he speaks the words himself. I will also tell you that it will be harder for him to admit than you will think.”
“I want
to know who hurt him so I can find them and snap them in half,” she growled.
“Belle.” Harris’s voice lowered a few octaves, and his eyes flashed bright blue, showing his displeasure she’d spoken out. She again ducked her head but kept her eyes on his. “He is in a world of pain right now, take it easy and slow with him. This mating for two shifters is going to be slower than normal. The person who harmed him is still out there—”
“He is safe here,” she interrupted, which only again led him to show his annoyance.
After a moment’s silence and her show of deference, he continued. “He has been in an abusive relationship for years.”
Belle was shocked. The thought of her mate hitting a woman was completely unacceptable. Now that she knew that, even if he was her mate, she couldn’t think of mating him. If he ever attempted to raise a hand toward her, he’d find himself on his arse. Was that why he was hurt? Had she fought back?
“Don’t even think it,” Harris warned as if he knew her thoughts. “Think, Belle. What does his attitude say? What was in his eyes? His scent?”
“Think what? He hits women and you bring him here to safety? Whoever is after him des—”
“Shut up!” Harris growled again, deep and low.
His son looked up at him, his lower lip quivered and tears welled in his eyes.
“Sorry, son,” he whispered. He kissed the boy’s forehead and gave him a little tickle on his belly.
Walker’s mood shifted straight away. Belle sat silently, watching her Alpha turn from leader to father. Once Walker was happy again Harris turned his attention back to her.
“What was his first reaction to you, and think about it before you open your mouth.”
Belle thought back. When his eyes had met hers it was shock first at seeing her, which was understandable...she had felt the same thing. Then there was nothing. He’d closed off, shut down. Until she’d held out her hand. It was fear she scented. His eyes showed pain, worry, and feelings of unworthiness?
“He was the one being abused?” she asked, unsure if that could even happen. Was this a joke? Did men get abused? How did they allow it? She knew not one of her team of enforcers would raise a hand to her or any other female in their village. Even when it came to sparring in their weekly exercises the men were reluctant to be her teammate. But to actually allow a woman to beat two shades of shit out of you on a regular basis?
“Yes. The last incident led to him being stabbed. His friend and boss managed to get him to admit it and make a statement to the police. Alas, it seems his ex-partner has disappeared, we think maybe with the help of her five brothers.”
“Really? How long had he been in the relationship?” she asked, slumping back into her chair.
“Around four years.”
“Fucking hell. How did he let that happen?” she asked, confused.
“What do you mean let it happen?” Melinda asked, sitting up on the sofa.
“Well… He’s a man…how could he let himself be abused like that? He could have walked out, left her.”
“What, just because he’s a man he can’t be the victim? Because he’s a man he shouldn’t have let this happen? I think he’s a fucking strong person to go through four years of abuse, four years of being trodden on like a bag of shit, to be hurt and not raise a hand to his partner. He must have loved her deeply to stay with her after the first time it happened, and I bet if you asked him what kept him in the relationship at the end, it was shame, embarrassment, and fear, and maybe the thought that he deserved to be there.”
Belle had never seen Melinda looking so angry. She sat thinking about everything her friend and alpha female had said, about everything she herself had thought. Melinda was right. If he’d been a woman, the first thought would have been to chase the bastard down and break bones. She now felt shame in judging him as she had.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered to Melinda, trying to swallow the lump in the back of her throat. “You’re right. It’s just hard to believe.” She stood and glanced toward the office door, the need to see her mate hitting her hard and furious. “I need to go see him. I need to understand, to be there for him. I want to be there to show him not all women are bastards.”
“The police had to be told where he was staying, they will need to talk to him more. If his partner—”
“Ex,” Belle interrupted Harris and received a glare for it. When she dropped her head, he carried on.
“If his ex-partner is found, then they will want to inform him. I’m letting you know because the enforcers will have to be on guard for visiting coppers who don’t know how to use the phone,” Harris said sarcastically.
“Thank you, Alpha.” Belle nodded and strode toward the door, eager to get to her mate.
“Just remember to take it easy, Belle,” Harris warned.
She again lowered her head a fraction in respect and left the office. Before the door shut behind her Walker’s giggles filled the air.
Chapter 5
After showing Shawn around the small, fully furnished one-bedroom flat Felix had left. He’d informed Shawn that Harris would come to see him in a few days, once he was fully healed and rested, to talk about work.
Shawn sat on the two-seater couch in the sitting room, feeling lost. So far he’d been treated well and shown that this new community cared about the people that joined them. The fridge was fully stocked as well as the freezer, and he had clothes hanging up in his new wardrobe, but the sense of loss seemed to hit him the hardest. He supposed he was still in shock. But looking around, nothing was his; the last four years of his life had been washed away so to speak.
Harris and Felix had offered to take him back to his house to pack up his clothes, but the thought of going back to the place had his heart thundering in his chest and cold sweats breaking out over his body. Harris had even offered to send someone else to do the deed once he was settled in Stonesdale, but again Shawn refused his offer. Rosie micromanaged everything, even down to his clothes. If he was to start again, he would do it his way.
On the trip to the village Harris had filled him in on all the rules and regulations that the community kept to. “Normally, anyone who wishes to join our community has been thoroughly vetted and informed of the rules then given a few days to either accept or decline. Alas, in your circumstance we are doing this now. But you aren’t the first we have invited to join us immediately. One part of your case, the vetting, was done before I met you. You will be safe here. We have enforcers that constantly prowl around the village, keeping a look out for unwanted visitors. Hopefully, you’ll be able to restart your life in a better circumstance. I am only sorry to see you lose everything in the process, but yet again, you aren’t the first.”
Shawn hoped his new Alpha’s words were true. But he knew it was going to be a bitch to try to put the last few years behind him and move forward. Over the last few days he had accepted the fact that he’d been in an abusive relationship, which was easier than admitting it to others. He kept a mantra going in his head when he felt most lost and down. What doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger.
Even feeling as rotten as he did, when they’d entered the Alpha’s small, quaint cottage Shawn couldn’t help but smile when the Alpha’s kit had climbed his father’s leg, eager to see him, shouting out “Da-Da”. However, the smile had quickly faded when he saw the most beautiful pair of lavender eyes he’d ever seen in his life. She had a thin layer of mascara on and what looked like a thin, black line of pencil on her bottom lid, but otherwise she was all natural. He hated the taste of lipstick anyway. Shock had torn through him as he stared at the stunning female...his mate? His tiger roared to life inside of him and stretched against his skin. His cock engorged with blood as he inhaled deeply to scent her. Honey and wild daisies, mixed in with a tigress.
Mate, go to her, grab her, fuck her, mate her, forget other horrible female, his tiger had urged.
For a split second he’d been close to taking a step toward her. He’d wan
ted to scoop her up into his arms, carry her off to the nearest bed, and fuck her stupid. His injuries were forgotten, and the years of abuse he’d suffered dusted and blew away while he looked into those eyes. But then in a flash the memories of the last few years came rushing back to him. Everything suddenly weighed him down when she offered her hand in greeting and introduced herself.
He placed his hand into her small one and felt the warmth and love come from both of their tigers. He knew they both saw each other as mates. But instead of acknowledging it, he pulled his hand back and shifted his gaze away from hers.
His tiger had roared in disagreement and sorrow, insisting that they needed her, that she could help them mend. But it was too soon. As much as he wanted to talk to Belle the thought of telling her about his life made him sick. It wasn’t the thought of Rosie that held him back; his love for her had slowly dwindled with each passing day. No, it was the fear of rejection, the fear of what she might think of him when she found out what had happened.
As he had watched Belle walk away from him, following his new Alpha into his office, Felix had offered to show him around the home they were going to rent him. And now here he was in a one-bedroom flat with the chance of a new life and his mate just down the road. Just the thought of her made him feel a little stronger. He knew she was the one he was meant to be with. He had a lot of what if’s. But if he chose to live his life in what if’s he knew he wouldn’t get anywhere. He’d done that for years now. Perhaps she will give me time to adjust.
A knock at his door brought him out of his turmoil of thoughts. Inhaling, he smelled wild daisies and honey and knew Belle was on the other side.
You can do this. We are together now. Shawn felt an overwhelming flow of warmth and love coming from his beast. He was glad his tiger was once again a part of him.
Opening the door, Shawn’s cock grew instantly stiff and uncomfortable in his jeans. As they stood staring at each other he could scent her arousal. He could imagine her wet and ready for him. They weren’t far from a bedroom...he could take her, fill her, and make her theirs. A sense of peace rippled through him, before his world crashed again with what if’s.
