Garin found himself relieved when he heard his Alpha Female’s voice and putting down Tammie, he sent Kala a grateful look seeing her expression change to one of confusion, but he didn’t know how to explain what was going through him.
Nodding his head to Kala, he headed to Trevor’s office ignoring Tammie’s petulant voice calling his name.
“I’ll be waiting for you,” Tammie repeated a frown coming to her face when he didn’t respond merely walked into the office and closing the door.
With a shrug of her shoulders unworried, Tammie turned to Kala with a smirk and then headed for the kitchen slowing down when she saw Daya standing at the counter cutting up peppers.
“I though you would’ve left, Daya,” Tammie gloated stepping closer to the counter.
Daya continued working. “I was asked to help out.”
Tammie laughed running a hand lightly down her body before taunting Daya. “I can’t go to work until Garin is done then we can continue where we left off. Maybe if you ask nicely, I will let you play with us.”
Kala, who had followed Tammie worried about Daya, snarled at her words although neither women noticed it. Watching Daya, she saw her hands’ still before she continued chopping even as she replied.
“I hope that you two have fun. As I said before, I rather have my lover focused on me, and only me.”
Tammie snickered her eyes flashing with anger. “Well, it’s a good thing then because I seriously doubt that Garin would be focused on you.”
With those words, and a toss of her hair over one shoulder, Tammie walked out of the kitchen to the backyard.
Kala walked over to Daya wanting to reassure after Tammie’s words, but she didn’t know what to say. Besides, it wasn’t her place to tell the young woman what was really going on and even Garin couldn’t tell her unless he was given permission by Trevor since it meant revealing their origins.
Garin knocked on the office door before stepping in without waiting for Trevor’s ‘come in’ getting a raise eyebrow from him.
“You wanted to see me,” Garin said respectfully. “Or did Kala tell me that to…”
“You were about to do something stupid,” Trevor admitted sitting back in his seat.
Garin groaned walking over to the window and stared out a tortured look on his face.
“I don’t know what the hell came over me,” he muttered harshly. “I’ve been around plenty of human females when they are on their monthly cycles since I shifted at 16, but this has been the first time I reacted like this.”
Trevor looked at one of his best members and frowned. “Is she your second mate by any chance?”
“Who?” Garin asked turning to look at Trevor in confusion.
“Tammie,” Trevor replied giving Garin a thoughtful look.
“Hell no.” Garin was quick with his reply and without hesitation.
Staring at him, Trevor thought about asking about another woman but decided not to go there just yet since he knew Garin probably wouldn’t admit to it.
“Garin,” Trevor found himself sighing shaking his head at the young man.
Blue eyes looked over at him with a confusion that Trevor found puzzling. “I wasn’t thinking about Tammie when I was overcome with lust.”
“What?” Trevor asked in astonishment getting up from his seat.
Sighing, Garin leaned back against the window sill. “I was thinking about Daya,” he groaned closing his eyes and putting it back against one of the window panes. “She was sitting right there when I carried Tammie inside the house. I’m sure she is gone by now.”
Trevor studied Garin with thoughtful eyes. “Let me clarify this, Garin,” he said slowly a hint of a smile starting to make its way across his face. “You were hit with lust from Tammie’s monthly cycle, but instead of grabbing the woman that you wanted, you grabbed another although technically she was the one who spiked your arousal hormone in the first place.”
Garin nodded his head unable to meet Trevor’s narrowed eyes because he couldn’t explain it.
Dumbass, his wolf uttered in contempt.
“My wolf was yelling at me to stop,” Garin admitted grimacing at his wolf’s anger with him. “It was the reason Kala was able to catch us before I made it upstairs.”
Trevor shook his head slowly unsure of how to explain what he thought might have been the reason for Garin’s situation. “I never heard of that happening before, Garin, so I don’t know what to tell you,” he finally admitted honestly since he hadn’t heard of it happening, and yet the concept of second mates was one mystery that not even the shapeshifter society has been able to figure out fully.
Trevor eyed Garin thoughtfully while this information filtered around his head. “What do you want to do, Garin?”
At the sudden question, Garin’s head shot up his eyes direct at Trevor.
He could see in Garin’s eyes, but he had to be sure of what he was reading. “You have two choices when you leave this room,” he suggested straightening up from the desk watching confusion flick across Garin’s face which was hard to see on his arrogant and confident fighter. “You can go out there and find Tammie to finish what you started,” having to smile at the scowl which dispelled the confusion, “or you can go into the kitchen where Kala cajoled Daya into helping her with some chopping for the party and explain to her what happened.”
“But...” Garin began his eyes widening when Trevor’s words sunk in. “Are you giving me permission to…?”
Trevor found himself smiling which turned into a chuckle when Garin stared at him suspiciously. “I don’t know Daya personally because I haven’t technically met her, but Kala likes her, and I have a feeling that she is stronger than you believe her to be, so yes, I’m giving you permission. The decision is yours to make, though, Garin.”
Nodding his head at Garin, Trevor headed for the door and walked out deciding to join the party although he bypassed the kitchen for the moment. He would meet the young woman soon enough, if he was correct in what choice Garin would make.
“Alpha, it is about time you left your office.”
Garin watched Alpha Trevor walk out shock flaring through him at what he was just told since it was forbidden for a shapeshifter to tell a human what they were unless the person was their mate.
Unless given permission by your Alpha to do so, his wolf reminded him with a gruff growl.
Garin found himself grinning strolling out of the office and to the kitchen where he saw Daya right away, but to tease his wolf, he stepped past her to look out the window. He heard his wolf growl lowly before he chuckled and spinning back around, Garin walked around the counter.
Daya lifted her head meeting his eyes, and he watched them grow wide and a second later he swept her up over his shoulder.
“GARIN!”
Her shout echoed around the kitchen, but Garin merely tapped her on her rear end. “I’m stealing your helper, Alpha Female,” Garin stated walking out of the kitchen laughing when he saw the shock on Kala’s face.
“What…” Daya uttered her voice small and filled with shock, but Garin ignored her taking the stairs two at a time.
Daya hit his back once, and he winced slightly at the contact, but he didn’t slow his stride knowing if he thought about what he was doing, he would actually talk himself out of it.
True, his wolf muttered in agreement.
Garin grunted but continued up the last flight of stairs to the third floor where he headed straight for his room. Entering it, he walked over to the bed and tossed Daya down before going back to the door closing and locking it.
“Garin,” Daya protested sitting up on the bed.
Garin knew she was about to leave, he could see it in her face, and taking a deep breath he let it out slowly.
“I have to show you something,” he said quietly studying her intently, and he saw her eyes go wary at his words.
“Garin, it isn’t necessary,” she started to say sliding to the edge of the bed.
“You
need to know what I truly am,” he pleaded taking a step toward her, and he watched her eyes go wide.
Taking another deep breath and letting it out, Garin took one more step toward Daya before he shifted into his wolf allowing him to take the rein stepping closer to Daya.
In that second, Garin found himself hanging on what Daya would do next when her eyes grew wider than possible and her hands came up to cover her mouth. His wolf took another step closer to her while Garin found himself holding a little piece of hope that he hadn’t realized he still had waiting for her response.
Chapter 5
Staring at his wolf in awe, Daya collapsed back on the bed lowering her hands to rest on the mattress. His wolf was a dark gray with those blue eyes flickering out at her, but what she found most astonishing was the blue hue of his fur. Daya felt tears fill her eyes at the honor he was giving her by showing his wolf to her, but then she gasped her mouth opening wide while his wolf stepped closer nudging her leg with his large head.
“You are beautiful,” she whispered lifting a hand to run it through his fur feeling his body vibrate with a silent purr. “But you will get in trouble with your Alpha for showing me.”
At her words, those blue eyes flashed at her while his wolf sprung away before he shifted back into his human form.
Daya shifted her eyes to her thighs a blush covering her cheeks while Garin strode to the dresser and pulled out a pair of boxers yanking them on.
“Explain, Daya, how you know that,” Garin ordered in a soft voice sitting down next to her.
Daya lifted her head to meet those amazing blue eyes and swallowed. “What do you want to know?” She asked her tone slightly husky.
Garin was silent for a second before he leaned over her toppling her back against his bed, and Daya gasped flailing against him in anger.
“Let me up,” she demanded narrowing her eyes at him that still shimmered with tears. “I don’t want to lay on the same bed as all the other women in your life.”
Garin didn’t hurt her, but he used his strength to hold her in place leaning down to kiss her.
At the touch of his lips, Daya felt fire flicker through her and she kissed him back, and a second later he pulled back.
“Not fair,” Daya muttered hoarsely staring up at him with tears slipping from her eyes.
“Oh, honey,” Garin muttered leaning down to lick her tears away. “You are the first woman to be in this room besides Kala, I swear it.”
Daya looked up at him on confusion. “But all your other women…”
“I take them to a room we use for such occasions,” Garin told her leaning up on his hands. “We know that we will share these rooms with our mate one day although normally we move down to the second floor when we find our mate.”
“But…” Daya remarked seeing something on his face.
“I like this room, and so, I’ve made sure to never bring a woman here although,” he hesitated briefly, and Daya saw something flash across his face which told her more than he wanted her to know, she surmised.
Daya decided to let him off the hook about it for now. “Did you get Alpha Trevor’s permission to show me your wolf?”
Garin shot her a relieved look before he uttered sharply, “You weren’t afraid of my wolf, were you?”
It wasn’t a question, but more a confirmation. “No,” Daya admitted. “Like I said, he is beautiful.”
Garin stared at her, and Daya could almost see the questions flying through his head at what she revealed.
“How did you know that showing you my wolf could get me in trouble,” Garin asked an urgent note in his voice. “You also know that Trevor is my Alpha. Do you also know…?”
Daya nodded her head before he even finished the question.
“Who are you exactly, Daya?” The question came softly with a touch of worry and concern, and Daya smiled softly reaching out a hand to Garin’s cheek which was prickly letting her know that his five o’clock shadow was coming in.
Daya sighed closing her eyes briefly before opening them to meet Garin’s steady gaze. “I’m human, Garin, but I’ve known about the existence of shapeshifters since I was old enough to talk and understand that some people were different than me.”
Garin narrowed his eyes but nodded his head for her to continue while interlocking their hands next to her head.
“My aunt was born between a shapeshifter and a human female,” Daya explained after a second letting her eyes close again. “She was the youngest daughter of two while my mom was just a normal human born from a hook-up with an old boyfriend. My grandmother was a good woman, but she wasn’t much into being a mother although she did love her girls. When my aunt was ten, her father came back to town and once he learned he had a child, he talked my grandmother into letting him take her. My mom was upset since she didn’t like the idea of being stuck in that town, so she talked herself into going along not realizing what she was getting into.”
“Your aunt’s father let her go with them,” Garin asked in shock.
Daya shook her head. “According to my aunt, no, she followed them, and her father didn’t have time to take her back, so she was stuck with them.”
Garin winced, and Daya gave a slight laugh. “It gets worse, but not in the way you think. My aunt was learning she was a half-breed while my mom was learning she was just ordinary…”
“Wait,” Garin said shaking his head. “Your mom wasn’t scared or shocked at learning…”
“She was, but she learned to get over it, or so my aunt tells me,” Daya stated with a shake of her head. “Then my mom wanted to belong, be just like her sister. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like it does in the movies.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Garin agreed watching a sad smile drift across Daya’s face.
“My aunt was having a hard time herself, then my mom goes and gets pregnant with me,” she said. “She met a man at one of the get togethers’ like Kala throws here, and she thought he was another shapeshifter. It wasn’t until after they hooked up that she found out he was merely a human who knew about shapeshifters and worked with them. Well, it wasn’t what she wanted, and neither was I so after I was born, my aunt adopted me, and my mother took off.”
“Where is she now?” Garin asked shifting to the side turning Daya to face him while they laid on the bed.
“She died when I was about ten in a car accident,” Daya replied. “The ironic thing is she died after visiting me for the first time since I was born.”
Allowing her head to rest against Garin, she continued. “A few years later, my aunt met another shifter and learned he was her mate. They went to go live on his pack territory…”
“And you,” Garin asked a frown on his face.
“I went to stay with Grandma Ana, who was his babysitter when he was young,” Daya explained a soft smile on his face. “My aunt’s mate was from a big pack and yet this pack weren’t too fond of humans. Aunt Jacqueline was having a hard time herself, so she didn’t want to bring me into a situation like that, if it was possible.”
Garin’s mouth flattened at her words knowing packs like that who didn’t like humans even to the extent of rejecting a human mate. It didn’t make much sense to Garin, but then again, there were a few packs who believed they were superior because of who they were.
“I’m guessing your aunt’s mate wasn’t fond of humans either,” Garin remarked watching Daya’s jerk up at his words.
“No, my uncle wasn’t like that, but it is hard to change a common belief,” Daya stated with a wince.
“So, what happened?” Garin asked trying to keep her talking as long as possible.
“I grew up hearing all the stories about the pack along with a few other things most children my age wasn’t privy to,” Daya explained her voice lowering. “When I was twelve, my uncle came to see me. There had been an attack on the pack and my aunt didn’t survive. He made a promise to Aunt Jacqueline to always protect me, so he took me back with him to the pack.”
; Garin frowned wondering why he would do that knowing how the pack felt about humans. “Why would he take you to a pack he knew wouldn’t accept you?”
“Because he wanted me to be with him,” Daya said in a soft voice. “I already knew how the pack may react since my aunt talked to me about everything even when she met her mate, so we both knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”
“Why go then if you were going to be looked down?” Garin asked.
“He was my last relative although it wasn’t by blood,” Daya admitted softly. “I wanted to be around the other person who knew my aunt maybe a little better than I did because of their bond.”
Garin hugged her to him, and Daya relaxed in his hold enjoying the feel of his arms around her.
“But the pack doesn’t know that I’m his niece,” Daya admitted feeling Garin’s surprise at her words. “We didn’t want the pack to show favoritism because of the bond even though they didn’t like humans, and I didn’t want to be used because he was my uncle, so we told the pack he adopted me.”
Garin was confused by her words, but he didn’t say anything letting her words sink in.
“He, and a few others who loved my aunt, accepted me without hesitation while the rest of the pack held me at arms-length,” Daya continued yawning. “My uncle had me trained just to defend myself against humans and shifters although against them I would still be at a disadvantage.”
“How well were you trained?” Garin asked in a teasing voice.
Daya’s eyes shot open and before he could blink, she had pushed him onto his back a hand at his throat pressing lightly on a soft spot that could immobilize him if hit exactly right.
Daya stared down at him seeing the shock on his face, and she giggled. “You and I both know if you had been more alert, I would’ve never been able to reverse you especially a fighter wolf like yourself. He believed having any advantage was better than having none.”
“How did you know I was a fighter wolf?” Garin asked shock still threaded throughout his voice.
His Wolf's Choice Page 7
