“Bears are always stubborn.” She teased. “I have no worries he’ll see my way in the end.”
Thorben laughed and left.
Taber turned to her. “So that’s how it is, mate? You’re planning to wrap me around your little paw, are you?”
“There’s always a good woman behind every man.” She smiled. “If it means I have to wrap you around my paw for you to do what’s right, then yes. I have faith you’ll keep me safe, and I don’t think your family is a threat we need to worry about. You speak of them with such love. I know if it wasn’t for me you’d never give it a second thought and you’d be on that plane with Thorben now.”
“You’re an amazing woman.” He pulled her tight against his body and kissed her forehead. “I wish you were meeting them for a better reason—at a better time.” He released her and stepped back. “I’ll grab the bags.”
“One thing, just in case…I need more bullets.” It wasn’t that she didn’t trust his family, but it was better to go armed, than need it and not have it. He nodded and padded to the bedroom to finish dressing and to gather their things. She followed and stared at the gun. Her stomach heaved. I killed a man tonight.
Chapter Twenty-One
Tension surged through Kallie as the helicopter landed at the small airstrip on the Brown’s family property. Meeting your mate’s family was always a nerve-wracking experience, but add delivering the news that Travis died betraying Taber, only made the situation tense. Stepping out of the helicopter, she zipped her thin jacket closed.
Knowing Taber was from Nome she expected him to live on the outskirts, not on an island inhabited only by the Brown family. The island was beautiful, stunning homes spaced off in the distance and plenty of undisturbed nature to make any shifter happy. Flying in, she had seen a small dock on the other side of the island, providing them easy access to Nome until the water froze.
Damn is it cold. She rubbed her hands together and bounced on her toes to keep warm. Because she didn’t know she would be flying north, she had left her heavy winter jacket at the compound.
Taber slipped his arm around her and ran his hand up and down her arm, trying to warm her. “Nome is always colder and the breeze from the water causes it to always feel like winter here. Even in the hottest summer months the temperature barely reaches fifty degrees.”
Years of being Wesley’s pet had taken away her enjoyment for the cold. She seemed to have lost the ability to keep warm. During her captivity she had only been outside a few times. Taking a deep breath, she pushed those haunting memories from her mind. “I’m okay.”
Before they landed, Taber had strapped additional weapons to his body and handed her a knife she had attached to her thigh. They left their bags in the helicopter with the hopes to escape back to the compound in the coming hours.
She told him they could stay as long as he needed, but he reminded her the Elders still needed his help to find Pierce. There was also the on-going search for Robin, if the rogues got their hands on her before the Alaskan Tigers it would mean her death, and they would never find out whatever information she had, leaving them a step behind Pierce.
“That’s my parents’ house.” Taber nodded toward the large log house sitting on the edge of the tree line. “But I thought we’d wait for Thorben. He should be here soon.”
She knew he’d want Thorben with him when he told his family of Travis’ death. Mates had the ability to remove physical pain from each other, but she was helpless against the grief he suffered with. She snuggled into him just to let him know she was there for him.
A plane engine hummed as it loomed over the trees, and landed on the airstrip. Moments later the small airplane shut down and Thorben stepped out, jogging toward them. He abruptly stopped in front of them, looking toward their parents’ house. “I’m surprised Mom isn’t out here. She had to have heard us land.”
“I haven’t seen anyone but Theodore,” Taber said. “Four houses over, under the deck asleep. He created a cave under there for his afternoon naps. When we were growing up, Mom never allowed us in the house in our animal form. She complained we were too large and always broke something. Under the deck has always been his spot.”
She followed the direction of his pointing finger and saw a sleeping bear. If he hadn’t told her Theodore was there she’d have never noticed him, he blended in the surroundings so well.
“Standing around, putting this off won’t make it easier. Let’s get this over with.” Taber kept his arm around her waist as he moseyed across his parents’ front lawn. With each step his back grew more rigid, most likely apprehensive about delivering the sad news to his mother.
As they neared the house Kallie’s stomach twisted in knots. This moment was very personal for a family, something she had no right to be part of. It wasn’t how his family should meet her. What if they thought back on how she came into their lives and they always remember this moment? At the bottom of the porch steps she paused, forcing Taber, who had his arm still around her waist, to stop with her.
“What is it?” He frowned.
“I should wait out here. This is a family moment, I shouldn’t go in. I’ll wait with Adam and Korbin.” She glanced over her shoulder at Adam still in the helicopter, Korbin outside leaning on it. She’d rather be freezing with them than go inside the house.
“You’re family.” Thorben smiled and reached for her hand. As his fingers wrapped around hers, electricity poured through her, sending goose bumps over her already chilled skin. Her hand sizzled as though she touched fire, tearing her breath away. “What the hell?” He released her hand.
Growling Taber pushed her behind him. “She’s mine!”
“What the hell is going on here?” At a complete loss for what happened, Kallie glanced between the brothers. If she hadn’t already mated with Taber she’d have sworn she was destined to be with Thorben, but that wasn’t possible. Shifters only had one mate.
The brothers glared at each other.
A woman stepped out of the house, her brown hair streaked with gray, and holding a little extra around the middle of her body, but it was the woman’s height that caught Kallie’s attention. She stood over six feet tall. Her gaze shined at her boys. “Damn it, you two! You’re not home five minutes and you’re already fighting.”
Kallie noticed how quickly the demeanor changed between the brothers. Instead of arguing with each other, they turned to their mother, both sighing and stepping next to Kallie on different sides. Electricity soared through her arms. What the hell is going on?
“Bring her with you. You’ll need to explain what’s going on between the three of you. I’ll find your father and brothers, they’re hunting.” She sauntered down the steps and off toward the trees. Over her shoulder she hollered back. “No fighting while I’m gone.”
“Explain what?” Kallie’s body fought for control as a turmoil of emotions poured through her.
“Come sit.” Taber held her waist and forced her forward.
She slowly climbed the steps, exhausted as if climbing a mountain. He led her to one of the wooden rockers decorating the porch. When she sank onto it, he reached for her hand. Thorben stayed back, leaning against the railing, his fingers white where he gripped the banister. He stared at her, his eyes wild and full of desire.
“Will someone please explain what the hell is going on?”
“Occasionally bear shifters will mate like we do in the wild, where there are multiple men for the same female. It is rare, but it does happen.” Taber’s lips pressed tight together.
Kallie’s vision blurred. “No!” She knew where this conversation was going and didn’t want him to continue. As if it wasn’t bad enough I found a bear as my mate, fate has decided to give me two!
“Kal, I’m trying to explain.”
“Damn it Taber, I know where this is going and I’m telling you here and now, no. This is not going to happen!” She wanted to rant and rave until she lost her voice, but deep down she knew this rare occurre
nce wasn’t Taber’s fault. Taber and Thorben had no more say in this than she did, and from Taber’s first reaction, he was even less happy about it than she was.
“Mating doesn’t give any of us a choice.” Thorben finally spoke, his tone both furious and compassionate. “From the day we’re born we’re destined to a particular mate. There have been cases in the past when one of the mates die the one left behind will eventually find another, but I don’t care to test the theory.”
“What if I refuse this?”
“Have you experienced the desire with Taber? Has the need gotten so bad that it’s painful?” Thorben shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and met her gaze. “That’s what it will be like if you deny one or both of us.”
Taber, still holding her hand, stepped in front of her. “You’re talking about sharing her. We both know that won’t work. It’s been years since we got along for more than a few hours and now you want to implant yourself into our lives, and take my mate as your own.”
“Do we have a choice, Taber? Because I don’t see one, but please enlighten me if you do.”
Kallie snatched her hand, annoyance coursing her thoughts. “We don’t have time for this shit. We’re here to tell your parents what happened to Travis. We didn’t need this now, and we sure the hell don’t need you two going at it.” The men stared at her, and she shook her head. “Why would I be mated to brothers?”
“I think I can answer that question better than my sons.” Taber’s mother stood at the far side of the deck.
“Mom, I’m not sure this is the best time.” Taber peeled a heated glare off his brother, to look at his mother.
“Actually it’s the perfect time. It will help explain this bizarre situation to your mate.”
“Ma’am, I’m Kallie. I apologize for the timing.”
“No ma’am here, I’m Ava.” She claimed the rocker next to Kallie. “I’m afraid your current predicament is my fault.”
“Mom, be serious, this has nothing to do with you. Fate makes the decision.”
“Taber, you know better than to interrupt your mother. Now sit and listen to what I have to say.” Ava turned her attention back to Kallie. “My mother, Annabell, was in the position you find yourself in now. My fathers were twins and both mated to her. They sought high and low for a way to break their joined mating—for something that would remove the connection and allow them to each find their own woman.”
“And?” Kallie probed when Ava paused.
“They found nothing.” She smiled at Kallie. “When denying the mating the longing became excruciating. They were left with no choice than to return to my mother.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell us this?” Taber raised a brow.
“It didn’t matter prior to now. My parents were gone before you were old enough to remember them. It seemed useless to bring up something unless I had to. But know this, I loved both my fathers and was never ashamed of them.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “My fathers were just like you two, but over the years they learned to work and live together. They were not only my mother’s mates and her lovers, but they were also her protectors.”
“So it’s the twin connection?” Kallie started to understand. “But it would make more sense if the twins were close and shared willingly. These two…” She glanced at Taber and Thorben.
“These two boys can barely get along for more than ten minutes when they’re together.” Ava tapped Kallie’s hand. “Trust me they weren’t always like that. Years ago they were as close as any two bear cubs. I don’t exactly know what happened, but you’re the woman to bring them together. Identical twins have the same DNA, which is why they normally end up with the same mate. It’s rare for bear shifters to have twins. I was blessed with two sets, which means I believe it will be time to tell Turi and Trey what’s possible for them.”
“I won’t share my mate.” Taber stalked toward the railing.
Kallie wanted to go to him, to wrap her arms around him, and let him know he wouldn’t have to share her. But fate didn’t work that way. What choice did they have? She already sensed the claws of the painful longing for Taber, and it was not something she wanted to endure again.
“Son, you don’t have a choice. You might be willing to accept the pain of denying your mate, but would you put Kallie through it as well?” She turned from Taber to Thorben. “Would you, Thorben?”
When neither man said anything, Kallie broke the silence. “I’ve already mated with Taber.”
“Child, that doesn’t matter. He claimed you and that would make the mating desire clear to all of you. Thorben didn’t sense it until he touched you. Now that the connection has been made it will only be a matter of time until the longing sets in and it will be worse than before. You need to claim both your mates for the mating bond to be fully cemented.” She rose from the chair. “You three need to figure things out. Take the time and then join the family for dinner. It would be nice to spend time getting to know you.”
“Mom wait.” Thorben stopped his mother before she went inside. “Where is Dad, and the rest?”
“Dad returned while we were talking. I heard him at the back door. I suspect he’s having a shower. Your brothers will be back later. Why?”
“I’ll get him.” Taber walked to the door and pulled it open.
And in a few seconds the focus changed. The brothers had to break the news to their family before Kallie could even consider her own problem with the twins.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Kallie sat at the kitchen table with Taber, Thorben, and their parents. The brothers’ grief ravaged her. She could barely tell what feelings and sensations were theirs and what were hers. She tightened her grip on the mug of hot tea with honey. Ava swore the tea would help her discomfort, but she still felt like a ship lost in the turbulence of a stormy sea. Making her nerves worse, she sat between Taber and Thorben, while their parents sat across the table, waiting for the news that would devastate them.
Taber began. “There’s no easy way to tell you this. Travis led a group of men to the cabins tonight, to kidnap Kallie. Mom, I’m sorry, but we were left with no option. He was killed during the attack.”
Kallie noticed his explanation left out the fact Travis tried to kill Taber.
“What?” Tears fell from Ava’s eyes as she stared at her sons. “Why would he do that? He didn’t even know Kallie. Are you sure it was Travis?” Their father wrapped his arm around Ava’s shoulders as she wept.
“I was there, and it was him. Travis had been hanging out with bad people. We haven’t figured out all the details yet, but the Elders of Kallie’s clan were able to trace money that was transferred from one of Pierce’s accounts to Travis. He was paid good money to kidnap her.” Taber retrieved his cell phone from his pocket and hit a couple of buttons before sliding it across the table. “Twenty thousand dollars was delivered into his account an hour after I called home to let everyone know I’d be at the cabins for a few days.”
Taber’s father, Devon, glanced at the screen and read the information before looking back at Taber. “What would he need that money for?”
“He said he wanted to get away from Alaska, away from the family. There was nothing we could do. Travis attacked.” Taber lowered his head. “We tried to detain him, but—”
Ava’s sobs cut off Taber’s words. “I need to see him. Where is he?” Ava begged.
“We brought him home.” Thorben rose from the chair. “I can bring him in.”
“No, sit down,” Devon ordered. “We’ll need to tell your brothers first. They deserve to know before they see you carrying his body.” He turned to his mate, his hand gently caressing her arm. “Love, why don’t you lie down? I’ll tell the boys. Kallie, will you see she rests, while we talk to the rest of the family?”
Kallie rose from her chair, thankful for something to do. “Yes, sir.” She walked around the table and took the larger woman’s hand. “Come on, Ava.”
Long past midnight Thorben s
at on the porch with a beer in hand. His head rested against the back of the rocker, eyes closed. Someone passing by might think he was asleep, but his thoughts wouldn’t allow him rest. His mind reeled from events that happened in the last twenty-four hours.
He was supposed to be grieving for Travis and instead all he could think about was Kallie naked. The demand to mate had invaded his rational thinking. What kind of man thinks about sex when they’re grieving a sibling? “No wonder Taber doesn’t want me anywhere near his mate. Hell, when she has the golden child of the family, the one who can do no wrong, why would she want me? She deserves better.”
He stopped mumbling when he heard the screen door swing open, but he kept his eyes shut, hoping whoever it was would think he was sleeping and leave him alone. Bare feet padded quietly on the porch and eased into the chair beside him. The fresh scent drifting through the cool breeze could only be—Kallie. Shit. He debated keeping his eyes shut, ignore her, and maybe she’d go back inside.
“Thorben,” she whispered and laid her hand on his arm.
Her voice was like a caress against his shaft, making it instantly hard. He opened his eyes, meeting her gaze.
“I think we need to talk.”
“What’s there to say? You have Taber. You don’t want another mate, right?” He pulled his arm from under her hand, not able to stand her touch any longer.
“Thorben, give me a chance. I never expected this to happen. I rejected Taber at first too. I need some time to adjust to everything that’s happened.”
“You think I expected this? I’d have stayed away if I did. I’d rather not be mated than have to put any of us in this situation, especially you.” He set the half-empty beer bottle on the armrest of the chair.
“Your mom explained to me, even if you wouldn’t have come to us now we’d have begun to suffer from the longing for each other, until Taber’s touch became too painful for me because I was longing for you as well. We couldn’t have changed this, and fighting it now isn’t going to make the situation any easier.”
Alaskan Tigers Box Set 1 Page 39
