“Are you done playing around with me?” Jared called from a seat toward the front of the plane.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“We’re all aware you’re gorgeous. You don’t have to throw it in my face.”
“Like I said, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I tied my wet hair up into a ponytail and sat down next to him.
“You’re a piece of work.”
“I suppose that’s better than being a piece of ass.”
He groaned. “Let’s just stop the games for a few minutes. We’ve got work to do.”
I grinned. “All right, what’s the plan?”
“The plan is to get to the island and make sure Allie and Levi are okay.” He gritted his teeth. “And if you say another word about me wanting Allie I’m leaving you on the deserted island.”
“You know I only did that to make you mad.” I crossed my legs. “I realize you aren’t that much of a shmuck, or at least I hope you’re not.”
“How’d you know it would work?” He watched me.
“Because I can tell Levi is important to you. He’s like a brother.”
“Observant. He’s more like a brother than my actual brother is.”
“That sucks.”
He shrugged. “Not really. I mean it sucks that my brother turned into a traitorous idiot, but it was his choice. No one made him do it.”
“Are you sure?” I decided to take the chance of pressing him. “I mean how do you know he made the choice? Or more likely that he didn’t regret the choice once he made it?”
“You’re talking about yourself again.” He pivoted so he could look at me better. “You’re talking about your own choices.”
“No. I’m talking about your brother.”
“Do you regret your decision to leave home? To leave Casey?”
“Did you have to leave that last part in? The extra jab?”
“It’s the only real part. It’s all about Casey. All your guilt, all your regrets.”
“I guess we have that in common.”
“Regrets and guilt over Casey?” He leaned back against the seat. “I guess we do.”
“How many people are we meeting? Just Owen?”
“He’s the only other one meeting us on the island. We have a whole team ready to move in on our signal though if it turns out we need it.”
“Why not go in with an all-out attack? Bring everyone?”
“Because if Tiffany was lying, and they’re safe and enjoying their honeymoon, bringing in an all-out attack probably wouldn’t go over well.”
I laughed. “If that’s the case, none of this will go over well.”
“True, but I’m hoping that’s the case. I’d prefer him being pissed at me rather than him being dead.” He looked off.
“Let’s hope Tiffany was just running her mouth. They may be fine.”
“I wish I could believe that.”
“You’ve got a bad feeling?”
He nodded. “Yes, and Hailey had one too.”
“But it’s not like it was a random feeling. You both knew that things were crazy. The wedding party was attacked.”
“That just makes it more likely that we’re right.”
“It also makes it more likely that you’d have the bad feeling. It’s not the out of the blue gut feelings that always turn out to be right.”
“Do you get those a lot?”
“The gut feelings?” I nodded. “Way too often. I got one before the boss showed up. Murphy kept saying they wanted to help Casey, but I knew they didn’t.”
“She’s fine.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Not any more than you know Levi and Allie are okay.”
“I never said I knew they were ok, I just said they might be.”
“Let’s stop while we’re ahead. There’s no reason to stress each other out more.”
“You’re nothing like I expected you to be.” I suppressed a yawn. He probably wouldn’t have taken having someone yawn in his face particularly well.
“You mean because I’m not a good enough kisser for you?”
I laughed. It was a natural kind of laugh I’d missed having. “No, because you have a brain and heart.”
“And those two things didn’t come across when you first met me?”
“When we first met all I knew was that you were elitist and that you hurt my baby sister.”
“No more bringing that up.”
“Whatever. I’m just saying you’ve surprised me.”
“You’ve surprised me too.”
“Oh?”
“In one of the same ways.” His eyes twinkled with amusement, and I wondered what he was thinking about.
“Which one?”
“The heart part.” He stretched, accentuating the muscular chest hidden beneath his fitted t-shirt.
“Does that mean you don’t think I have a brain?”
“I didn’t doubt that when I first met you. That came across right away.”
“I came across as smart, yet heartless. Interesting.”
“Well, I came across as stupid and heartless. Even better.”
“I thought you were attractive.” I let my eyes scan his body again. “You had the looks going for you.”
“Well, that’s something.” He smiled slightly. “I’m going to go talk to the pilot. Try not to get yourself into too much trouble.”
“I’ll try.”
He walked off, leaving me by myself. I sat there staring out the window wondering how I’d ever gotten myself into the position I was in.
“You should buckle up. We’re getting ready to land.”
I turned away from the window and looked up at him. “Aren’t you going to sit?”
“I don’t have to.”
“Then why do I?”
“Because I’m a Pteron.”
“And I’m a bear.”
“Fine. I’ll sit.” He sat down next to me. “And just to make you happy, I’ll buckle.”
“How would that make me happy?”
He reached over and buckled my seatbelt for me.
“Uh, did you just buckle me in?”
“I told you to do it, and you weren’t moving.”
I could already feel the slow descent, and I knew we’d be down on the ground before we knew it. “Who knew you were such a softy?”
“A softy?”
“That you care so much. I guess you’re trying to show me how wrong I was about you not having a heart.”
“No, I just want to avoid any injuries. I can’t afford to have you slow me down.”
“Yeah, that’s it.” I smiled.
The landing was bumpy, and I was glad Jared had insisted on the seatbelt. Without it I would have undoubtedly been thrown from my seat. Even with it on I held onto my armrest for dear life. We were jostled as the landing gear made contact with the ground. From the looks of it, we weren’t landing on any sort of runway. I hoped they had good insurance for plane repair.
Once the plane came to a complete stop, Jared unbuckled and stood up.
After a few moments my heartbeat returned to normal. “What, you’re not going to unbuckle me?”
He leaned over and carefully unbuckled my seatbelt. “I didn’t realize you needed my help.”
“I didn’t say I needed it. I just wanted it.”
He shook his head. “You’re worse than me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I followed him off the plane. We’d only made it a few feet away before the plane started moving again.
“Stay close,” he called over his shoulder as he walked off the grassy area that functioned as a runway and onto the sand.
I listened. I didn’t feel like getting squashed by the plane as it made use of the makeshift runway again.
“Owen’s supposed to meet us here. I’m surprised he’s not here yet.”
Jared pulled out his phone. “No signal. Wonderful.”
“What did
you expect? We’re on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific.”
“Well, we aren’t all that far from Guam.”
“Far enough that you’re not going to get cell reception.”
He shoved his phone back in his pocket. “I guess we’ll just wait a few minutes then.”
I walked down the beach and looked out at the water. “If things weren’t so insane I’d love to go for a swim.”
“I bet you don’t have any issues skinny dipping.”
“And you do?” I turned, not surprised to find him right behind me.
“No, but most girls are weird about it.”
“And I’m not most girls. You’re not used to shifters. I know you Pterons like your humans and all, but you’d think you’d at least be used to the girls in your family.”
“There aren’t many female Pterons now a days.”
“There aren’t that many female bears either. I’ve never understood that.”
“It’s just something with the genetics I guess. I don’t know.”
“Next time give me the right coordinates, jack ass,” someone shouted.
I whirled around, watching another Pteron approach. This one had blonde hair and a scowl on his face. I assumed this was Owen.
“Oh, hi.” He looked panicked. “I forgot Jared wasn’t alone.”
Jared laughed. “Way to make a good impression.”
“The impression was fine. I’m just glad you’re here. We were getting tired of waiting.” Sometimes the best way to get rid of tension is to make some of your own. “Are we ready to get going?”
“This is Casey’s sister?” Owen asked.
“Yes, can’t you see the resemblance?”
“In looks yeah, but that’s where it ends.”
“Are you trying to say I’m bitchier than Casey?” I put a hand on my hip.
“I don’t know her well, but she always seemed quiet and sweet.”
“Good. I’m glad she hasn’t been corrupted.” Sweet and quiet were definitely not words someone could use to describe me, but they weren’t bad ones. Although from the little I saw of Casey, she was stronger than I think anyone gave her credit for.
“I see why she’s got your attention.” Owen kept talking like I wasn’t there. That wasn’t going to fly.
“If you’re going to talk about me, at least have the decency to look at me.”
“Oh, sorry.” Owen looked legitimately sorry. “I’m just used to giving this guy a hard time.”
“So am I.” I held out a hand. “I’m Vera, and I guess we have something in common.”
“I’m Owen, and it’s nice to meet you.”
“You never slept with my sister, did you?”
“No.” He shook his head then suddenly stopped. “Not because there’s anything wrong with that, but…”
“Save your breath. I was just checking whether you should be on my bad list too.”
“Am I still on your bad list?” Jared moved closer.
“No. You saved her so that cancelled it out.”
“Funny how you’re still treating me like crap.”
“So kissing you is treating you like crap?”
“Kissing?” Owen laughed. “I thought there was nothing going on, Jared.”
“Shut up, both of you,” Jared grumbled.
“Gladly, but let’s get moving. I’m tired of wasting time.” I bit back a smile. These guys were both fun to rile up. If all Pterons were like this I’d have to make sure I spent more time with them. Well, all of them but Jared. He was way too dangerous for me to be around.
“She’s right. Let’s quit wasting time.” Jared pulled off his shirt and tossed it. “You ready?”
I wasn’t sure who he was talking to, but I answered anyway. “Absolutely.”
I waited impatiently for him to wrap his arms around me.
“You’re really excited for this, aren’t you?” He whispered in my ear.
“What? Is this when I’m supposed to say yeah, I’m dying for it?” I said in my seductive voice.
He laughed. “You’re actually fun.”
“You say that like it’s a surprise or something.”
“It is. I just don’t know if it’s a good surprise or a bad one.”
“It’s good. Trust me on that.”
“If you say so.” He wrapped his arms around my waist, and we took off.
My stomach lurched as my feet left the ground, but I gradually adjusted to the sensation. I fought the wind to keep my eyes wide open. It was going to be a short flight, and I didn’t want to miss a minute of it. I’d always been an adrenalin junkie, but this was something else entirely. Not for the first time in my life, I was unbelievably jealous of Casey.
Chapter Twenty
Toby
I had no idea what kind of ceremony Gareth was talking about, but I didn’t actually care. Casey was back to normal. I could see it in her color and the way her eyes shone. But really she was better than normal. She seemed even stronger, and I knew the strength was real. No matter how many things she accomplished, she always found a way to downplay her abilities. For the first time she seemed to be seeing herself for who she really was. She finally understood her strength.
Being inside Casey’s head was strange. I felt like I was doing something wrong, witnessing thoughts and fears I was never supposed to see, but it was also enlightening. Casey was even more amazing than I already knew. At her core Casey was such a good person. She wanted to do what was right even if it meant hurting herself. She also trusted me. I finally had my proof of that.
“Toby?” Gareth called my name, pulling me from my thoughts. I was waiting out on the top of the steps to the house for Casey to finish getting ready inside.
“Yes?” I wasn’t exactly sure how I was supposed to address or deal with this man. He was clearly a respected leader, but he was a bear and in that way I was technically his superior. I decided to focus on the age difference to keep my behavior in line with what he expected.
“I haven’t had a chance to talk to you yet.”
I prepared myself for whatever his agenda was. There had to be a reason he wanted to see me alone. “I didn’t realize you wanted to talk.”
“Come for a walk with me.” He gestured for me to start down the stairs.
“Sure.” There didn’t seem to be much harm in it. He was the one who let me on the island to stay closer to Casey in the first place.
As soon as we reached the ground he started with questions. “What are your intentions?”
“My intentions?”
“Yes. What do you intend to do with my daughter?”
Daughter. He was really sticking with that? “I intend to spend my life with her.” I’d had no doubts before, but now my conviction was even stronger. We belonged together, and I was going to make sure that happened.
He smiled. “I thought so.”
“We’re in love, now I just have to convince her that a long term commitment isn’t a bad thing.”
“She knows it.”
“What makes you say that?” This guy had just met Casey. He couldn’t know something I didn’t know.
“Because of her reaction when you walked into the room.”
“That told you she was ready for commitment?”
“Yes. Her whole being changed. She wanted you with her. It wasn’t just a smile. It was more than that. That’s how you know when a woman has chosen her mate.”
“A woman has chosen her mate?” From what I’d seen it was always the man choosing.
“Yes. Although to keep with tradition it is the father who must give the blessing, in our clan it’s the woman who gets the final decision on who she mates with.” He smiled. “Just like with all relationships, right? It’s always about the woman’s mind.”
I smiled. “That’s a good point.”
“From what I understand you are from a high ranking Pteron family?”
I nodded. “Yes. I am the new patriarch of the Blackwells.”
He nodded appreciatively. “That’s a lot to offer a woman’s family. It could be quite the alliance.”
“Alliance?” I wasn’t planning on going down that road.
“Yes. Casey is my daughter. Being such you’d need to discuss the alliance with me.”
“Not to bring up old wounds, or not so old ones, but Casey is also Robert’s daughter.”
“Yes…. And if it’s easier for you then consider this an alliance with Casey’s mother’s family. She is my mate after all.”
“What kind of alliance were you looking for?” I wondered what it was he wanted. He had to have an agenda. Everyone has an agenda.
He brushed my questions aside. “We can discuss the details later.”
“What kind of ceremony is this going to be?”
“The official Clan Rights Ceremony. We’re welcoming Casey home.”
“Oh. That’s not bad.”
“No, although I should warn you, I’ll have to follow tradition.”
The fact that he was warning me couldn’t be a good thing. “And what kind of tradition are we talking?”
“Any of my men can petition her to be her mate.”
What? He couldn’t be serious. I guess the Mr. Nice guy act was over. “Yeah, that’s not happening.”
He laughed. “She’s already chosen you, Toby. But that doesn’t mean the men can’t petition. Unless you are worried about her changing her mind, it will be over quick.”
“Did anyone warn her about this? I can’t imagine she’s going to love that kind of attention.” Casey didn’t enjoy being the center of attention at all.
“I’m sure her mother is preparing her.”
“You love Taliana.” I said it as a statement. I was just hoping for some more insight. They’d already explained more of what had happened with Robert. Although I was still desperate to better understand Tiffany’s motive. Hailey said Jared hadn’t explained much. I guess we’d have to wait to see him to get more answers.
“I’ve always loved her. I knew I wanted her as my mate from a very young age. Unlike with everyone else, the clan leader can claim a mate. I crossed my fingers I wouldn’t have to. And I didn’t. She willingly accepted my proposal.”
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