"Speak for yourself," Kate added with a raised brow.
“Who the fuck is messing with you?” Nathan said as he shot to his feet.
“See? My point exactly.” Kate said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“How about you, Ben?” Sybil asked. “Don’t you want a mate?”
“Me?” Ben asked. “Sure. I just …”
“I’m sure Matthew agrees with me.” She winked at Matthew.
"Well," Matthew said as he cleared his throat and got to his feet. "Meg will be waiting for us. You know she hates it when we're late." He glanced down at Catherine, who had a more relaxed look on her face. "Are you ready, sweetheart?"
She nodded and took the hand he offered. “Yeah, I’m getting cold.”
He pulled her into his arms, letting his body heat warm her. Sybil cast him a knowing glance, while Jason gave him a thumbs-up sign. “Let’s go home.”
Chapter Twelve
Dinner was just as lively as their sledding picnic. As soon as they got into the castle and freshened up, dinner was waiting for them in the small dining room in the East Wing. Meg had prepared a feast for twenty people, which was just enough food for six shifters and one human.
Despite her smiles and laughter, there was a pang in Catherine’s heart that wouldn't go away. How she missed this. Family. Bonding. Easy camaraderie. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to think of the distant past. Had it been so distant? Was she wrong in leaving behind what she had? But then, if she hadn’t left, she wouldn't be here right now. She glanced over at Matthew, then turned away quickly.
No. These weren't good thoughts. She was getting too attached already. She just wanted one night to lose herself in Matthew's arms, and now here she was, having a family dinner with him. Mustering up all her determination, she solidified her resolve to leave. Maybe by tomorrow her contact will have replied. But she still needed to figure out a plan to get out of here. Blackstone was like a fortress, but she could find a way to escape. She'd done it before and under more difficult circumstances. When they had parked the ATVs in the garage, she saw more vehicles in there, as well as where they kept the keys. It wouldn't be difficult to leave in the middle of the night. She could tell Matthew she had a headache and wanted to sleep in the guest room tonight.
“We should get going,” Jason said. “It’s getting late.”
“Yeah,” Sybil agreed, glancing at her watch. “I had tons of fun though. I don’t know why we don’t do this anymore.”
“It’s ‘cuz you’re all busy adulting now,” Kate said with a laugh.
They all stood up from the table, carrying their various dishes to the other room, which turned out to be a small kitchen. Meg and Christopher had gone home hours ago, so they didn't want to leave such a mess for them and the other staff to clean up tomorrow.
As soon as the dining room was clear and the dishwasher was filled, they all walked to the door said their goodbyes.
"It was nice meeting you, Catherine," Sybil said as they hugged.
“Maybe we’ll be seeing more of you?” Kate asked. “It’s nice not have such a sausage party around here all the time.”
Catherine gave a nervous laugh. “I know, right?”
"Stay safe," Ben said as he pulled her into a tight hug. Now she knew why it was called bear hugs, as the gigantic man enveloped her with his body. "And don't let this grumpy dragon boss you around so much."
“I’ll try,” she said.
Jason and Nate said their goodbyes (with polite handshakes and a wary glance at Matthew for some reason), and soon everyone left the castle. She and Matthew were alone again.
“Did you have fun?” Matthew said as he came up behind her and placed a hand on her lower back.
“I did, actually.” She was surprised herself. For the afternoon at least, she had forgotten her worries. She liked all of them, even foul-mouthed Kate. Catherine realized she’d been silly to feel jealous of her. Jealous? She shook her head mentally.
Yes, it was all going well, at least until the girls started asking about her past. It was a good thing Luke had saved her from having to lie to them, though she wondered if it was just good timing or deliberate.
“Are you okay?” Matthew asked as he led her up the stairs.
“Yeah … I was just wondering … if you don’t mind my asking … about Luke.”
“Ah,” he said. “Yeah, I’m sorry if he came off as rude and gruff. Well, the thing is he is rude and gruff.”
“That’s nothing to be sorry about,” she replied. “But, I don’t know, he seems lonely.” And secretive.
“He doesn’t like people. Except for us, maybe.”
“How did your parents come to adopt him?”
"It's a long story," Matthew said.
“Oh, I didn’t mean to pry.”
“It’s fine. It’s not a secret or anything.” He paused for a second as they stopped at the top of the staircase, then he led her to the East Wing. “Jason, Ben, Nathan, and I found him when we were kids.”
“Found him?”
He nodded, his jaw tensing. "We were playing out back, and then we heard this strange noise. A lion cub came limping out of the bushes and collapsed right in front of us. It was covered in blood and scratches."
Catherine let out an involuntary gasp and then touched his warm cheek with her palm. His eyes seemed far away, a hard glint behind the silvery depths. "What happened?"
"We called Mom and Dad, and they took him inside. They called a doctor who patched him up." His hand covered hers, and he turned his head to press a kiss to her wrists. Then, he tucked his hand under her arm and they began to walk. "Mom and Dad did everything they could to try and find his parents or any family. They called every lion pride they knew, even hired a PI to find his relatives. A whole year of looking and nothing. That's when they decided to adopt him legally."
“That was very generous of them,” she said.
He shrugged. "What else could they have done? Luke had been living with us; no one else would take him in. They tried to find a pride who would adopt him, but even the nearest one wouldn't take him in. They have this thing about blood relation and didn't want anyone who wasn't born to them."
The thought hit a nerve. Who would be so mean? Lions, of course. They were proud creatures, among other things. "Well, sounds to me like Luke was better off being raised by your mom and dad."
“Yeah, well, you’d think so. Despite that rough exterior, he’s a good person deep inside. Mom and Dad did their best. Mom especially.” For a moment, there was a flash of hurt on his face.
“What’s the matter? Did something else happen?”
He stopped and hesitated. "A story for another day. I don't really want to talk about Luke. Or anyone else." He nodded toward the door.
That cocky bastard. They were standing right in front of his room.
He opened the door and tugged her inside. As he closed the door behind him, he let out a deep sigh. “I love my family, but I’ve been waiting all day to get you alone,” he whispered as he stepped closer.
“Matthew …” Oh god, how she wanted this. Wanted him so bad she could feel it in her bones. It made her want to scream. “Then let’s not talk anymore.”
His kiss was rough, urgent, and sent whorls of heat straight to her core. Sliding his hands down her thighs, he lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist, letting her feel his erection through his trousers.
Matthew walked them to the bed and then lowered her on it. He stood back and began to remove the layers of clothes on his body. She did the same, peeling the snow pants down her legs and the sweater over her head. When he was fully naked, he climbed on the bed and removed the rest of her clothing.
“I want you so bad,” he said as he crawled over her and covered her with his body.
“Me, too,” she replied and wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him down for a kiss.
He took her mouth with such savage intensity, it scared her. But something inside her was
saying she shouldn’t be afraid of him. She was still planning on leaving, but well, one last time wouldn’t hurt.
His hand slid down her belly and cupped her mound. She was already wet and ready for him. He moaned against her mouth as a finger entered her warmth. She lifted her hips, eager for more. Her body exploded in a quick, intense orgasm.
He shifted away, reaching for the condoms in his nightstand. She closed her eyes and sighed, then felt his fingers touch her slick lips. She let out a whimper when he moved his fingers away, but her disappointment was short-lived when she felt the head of his thick cock pushing into her.
“Catherine,” he whispered as he stared down at her.
Her eyes fluttered open, and her heart thudded in her chest when she looked up. The expression on his face was intense, and his eyes seemed to burn with a fire she'd never seen before. Whatever it was, it was like she was feeling it too and it wanted to burn her alive. It scared her. And thrilled her.
She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. "Matthew … I …" The words evaporated in the air as he began to move. Rough, wild, passionate. He didn't start slow or deliberate, and she didn't care. The pressure building in her was threatening to burst. Matthew pulled her ankles over his shoulders, and the sensation was too much as he drove into her. She couldn't remember what she said or did. Maybe she cried out his name or raked her nails down his arms till she left marks. All she could remember was the pure, white heat that exploded from her body as her orgasm ripped through her.
He cried out her name as he thrust into her one last time. With a groan, he fell on top of her, bracing himself on his forearms, so his full weight wasn't on her. He lay his head between her breasts and closed his eyes.
Seconds ticked by. Catherine’s head was muddled. What happened?
Matthew pushed himself up and stared down at her. He brushed her hair away from her face. “Catherine … I think … you’re mine. You’re my mate.”
She was stunned into silence.
“I know this sounds crazy,” he continued. “You probably don’t understand because you’re human.”
She gasped. And her heart broke into a million pieces because she understood better than he thought. More lies upon lies.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“I … I’m tired.” It was true.
He nodded and kissed her forehead. “We can talk tomorrow.” He rolled off her and climbed out of the bed.
She turned to her side, away from him, and closed her eyes. When the door to the bathroom closed, she let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. Mates?
“Oh no.”
It couldn’t be. He was wrong. This whole thing was wrong. She didn’t want a mate.
“Catherine?”
She whipped around. Even as her brain told her to run and flee, her treacherous little heart made her stay put. Oh no, indeed.
“Are you alright?” he asked as he climbed back into bed.
She pasted a smile on her face. "Yeah, I am. As I said, I'm just tired."
He pulled the sheets back and climbed underneath. “Then we’ll get some rest. We can talk in the morning.”
Her body was aching, and her lids felt heavy. She was tired, so she slipped under the sheets, and he pulled her to him.
Morning would come too soon.
Chapter Thirteen
Catherine’s sleep was deep and dreamless. It was probably from yesterday’s activities. But the moment she did awaken, she was up with a start.
Matthew.
He was still asleep, thankfully. God, he looked handsome, even in his sleep. He was lying on his stomach, his face turned to her. A lock of hair fell over his forehead, and she ached to brush it aside.
No, she had to get out of there.
All this crazy talk about mates. A pain pricked at her, something she hadn’t felt in years. And more memories flooded her mind, ones she’d thought were long since buried, only making themselves known in her dreams.
No. She was no one’s mate. Not now, not ever.
Carefully, she crept out of bed. It would take her too long to get dressed in the clothes she had worn yesterday, so she grabbed his shirt and slipped it on. Big mistake as now she could smell him. But she couldn’t waste any more time, not if she wanted to get away.
She crept out and made her way back to her room. It was a good thing she didn’t even unpack. Grabbing the cleanest clothes she had, she quickly dressed. She put her coat and boots on, then slung her bag over her shoulder as she raced for the door.
“Catherine?”
Matthew’s bewildered face greeted her as she yanked the door open. “M-M-Matthew. You’re up.”
“I’m up?” he asked in an incredulous voice. “What are you—” he stopped short as his gaze landed on her bag. “Are you leaving?”
What could she say? She was hoping for a quick exit, but it was too late.
“Was it because of what I said last night?” He ran his hands through his hair.
“No, I—”
"Then tell me!" His eyes turned stormy, and his hands gripped her arms. "Why are you running away?"
“I’m not,” she said in a flat tone. “And please let go of me.”
“You’re not getting away from me,” he said with a growl. “I told you, we’re mates. You’re going to stay here.”
His words rang in her head. “You can’t keep me here against my will!” she shouted as she wrenched away from him. “I—”
“Matthew!”
They both stopped and turned to the source of the voice. Meg was sprinting down the hallway. She stopped in front of them, her breath coming in deep gasps. “Matthew … you have … to come … quick …”
“What’s wrong, Meg?”
“Chief Meacham,” she said when she caught her breath. “He’s here. And he’s not alone.”
Matthew’s face became a stone-cold mask. “Stay here,” he said, his voice deadly serious. “Are they out front?”
Meg nodded.
“Let’s go.”
Catherine watched him walk away, her heart thudding in her chest. Dread filled her gut. It was a Sunday morning, so she knew it wasn’t good news. There was no running now.
Ignoring Matthew’s order, she hurried down the hall and took the grand staircase two steps at a time. The front door was half open with Meg standing next to it. When the housekeeper tried to stop Catherine, she brushed the older woman away.
“Chief Meacham,” she greeted. She saw Matthew tense visibly when she appeared, but he said nothing.
Meacham was wearing his full uniform, hat on his head, and aviator sunglasses that obscured his eyes. “Miss Archer,” he said. “Glad to see you’re up. Mr. Lennox said you were indisposed.”
“What do you want?”
"You're going to have to come with me."
“What for?” she asked.
“I’m afraid you’re under arrest.” He waved a white envelope in front of her.
“No!” she cried. “I didn’t do it! I swear! I’ve never even owned a gun or fired one! I didn’t kill Jack Cunningham.”
Meacham's mouth pulled into a grim line. "I'm not here to arrest you for his murder."
“You’re not?” Now she was confused.
He shook his head. "No. We're arresting you and extraditing you back to California to answer charges for the murder of Clarissa Benton and Ivan Chesnovak."
“What?” The edges of her vision blurred, and her knees buckled. She braced herself against the door. “I didn’t kill them. Please, you have to believe me.”
"I've seen the evidence myself," Meacham said. "Your prints are all over the place and the murder weapon was found in your things. D.A. says it was a love triangle gone wrong."
"That's preposterous. I didn't do it!" She looked at Matthew. His face was inscrutable, his jaw hard and his eyes looking straight at Meacham.
“I have to do my job, Miss Archer,” Meacham said. “Now, please turn around and put your hands behind you—�
��
“No.”
Matthew's words were like a knife, cutting through the air around them.
Meacham took his sunglasses off. "Excuse me?" His eyes had that unearthly glow. Of course, he was a shifter, too, Catherine thought.
“You will not lay a hand on her,” Matthew said, his voice deadly serious. “If you want her, you will go through me.”
Meacham put his sunglasses into his front shirt pocket and shook his head. Then, he raised a hand in the air. A dozen red laser dots appeared on Matthew's chest. "I don't want to do this, Matthew," he said. "You know when I lost that last election for sheriff, it was your father who helped me become Police Chief here. But I swore to carry out the law and that's what I have to do. I've brought back up. I've got snipers ready to pump you full of sedatives. They've been told to fire if they see even one scale or claw."
“Don’t!” Catherine cried. “Please …” She looked at Matthew, then back at Meacham. “I’ll go. You don’t have to cuff me.”
“I—”
“You can cuff me in the car.” She didn’t want Matthew upset. Didn’t want to see him shot down. “Let’s go.”
Meacham nodded and took her arm, then led her to the waiting police car. She didn’t even glance behind her as they drove away.
***
Matthew stood still, his body numb, as he watched Meacham take Catherine away. Inside him, his dragon was screaming and roaring to get out.
He had hesitated. His mate was faced with wild accusations, and he had waited to defend her. Stood there and did nothing. Because he was hurt. Hurt that she had snuck away from his bed and that he had caught her about to run away. Why, he asked himself. He had told her she was his mate; he was ready to give her the world if she wanted it. But she threw it in his face like it was nothing. His heart was breaking, and he wanted to hurt her, too.
But his dragon wouldn’t let him. Mine. It knew that Catherine was in trouble. It didn’t care about the law or justice. No, their mate couldn’t be guilty. She wasn’t a murderer. She was good and kind. It was clawing its way out of him, ready to fight anyone who would dare take her away.
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