Carnal Secrets

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

A knock at the door the next morning was quickly followed by Trick’s voice. “Shaya, you’ve got visitors. If Taryn’s right, you might not be too happy about it.”

As those words penetrated her sleep-dazed brain, Shaya groaned. She didn’t have to ask who the visitors were. Her mother had been trying to contact her nonstop over the past two days, but Shaya had ignored her calls. Caleb would have told her that Shaya had returned to Phoenix Pack territory. It had only been a matter of time before the woman showed up. Sleepily, she called out, “I’ll be down in a minute.”

“They’re waiting for you in the kitchen.” The sound of Trick’s footsteps faded down the tunnels.

Any other time, she would have been stumbling around the room on just waking. But knowing her parents were here was enough to galvanize her into action. Hopping out of the bed, she told Nick, “It’s got to be my parents. You might want to sit this one out.”

Frowning at the anxiety rushing through her, Nick instantly jumped out of the bed. “Your parents are here?”

“It’s okay, just stay here, I won’t be long.”

Following her into the en suite bathroom, Nick said, “No way. I don’t care how upset they are with me for not claiming you in the beginning, I’m not letting you deal with them alone.” Like her, he quickly washed up and brushed his teeth.

“It’s not just about that,” she told him as she returned to the bedroom and retrieved some clothes from her wardrobe. “My mother…she’s difficult, Nick. She likes to belittle me and insult me. I don’t want you to lose it with her—all you would be doing is giving her the drama she loves so she can act the victim of the world.”

Shooting her an incredulous look, he began pulling on his jeans. “I can’t just sit there and say nothing while someone insults you.”

“Exactly—so you’re better off staying here.”

Not a chance would he remain behind at a time when she’d need him at her side. “I promise I won’t lose it, okay? I can’t promise I’ll stay quiet if she’s upsetting you, but I won’t lose it. I’m not letting you face her alone.”

Appreciating his support, she smiled. “Thanks.”

When they were fully dressed, they walked hand in hand through the tunnels. The thought of seeing her mother again made her stomach sink, but the thought of Nick meeting her father made her heart pound. She could easily recall the times Stone Critchley had met her boyfriends, and just how those meetings had gone—just how badly those meetings had gone. “Um, when you meet my dad…if he scowls at you, don’t worry, you’re fine. If he smiles, well, be on your guard. And no sudden movements. And try to make eye contact with him as little as possible. Oh, and don’t—”

“Shay, relax.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly.

Relax? Ha. Not going to happen. Finally, they reached the large kitchen. Roni and Marcus were standing in the doorway, regarding her parents with studious eyes. Clearly Roni had wanted Nick to have an ally nearby. As for Marcus…well, she wasn’t sure why he was there. Although it was fair to say that he’d been a good friend to Shaya when she was going through all that crap with Nick in the beginning.

Instantly, the two people seated at the long dining table were on their feet. Her mother was, of course, looking the victim as usual. Her father’s expression was as indulgent as always.

Coming around the table, Stone took Shaya into his arms. “Hi, baby girl.”

She returned his tight hug. “Hey, Dad.” Pulling back, she said, “This is my mate, Nick.”

Stone’s expression immediately turned assessing. “Is it now?”

“Nick, this is my dad, Stone.”

“Pleased to meet you,” said Nick, shaking the human’s hand. He had the same eyes as Shaya, but there was none of her impishness there—instead, there was ruthlessness and danger. He and his wolf recognized a predator when he saw one, and the male before him was certainly one. He also knew that Stone would recognize Nick as a fellow predator, and that was important because he had no intention of letting anyone try to intimidate him.

“Likewise,” drawled Stone, sounding not at all honest.

Nick then turned his attention to Shaya’s mother, and he wished he hadn’t. The woman was practically sneering at her daughter, a statue of disapproval. His wolf growled, wanting Nick to warn her against hurting his mate. Nick was about to do just that when Shaya slipped her hand into his again and gave it a double-squeeze—a clear “please leave it.”

“Mom, Nick. Nick, this is Gabrielle.”

He merely exchanged a curt nod with the female. “Shall we sit?” Without waiting for a response, Nick took the chair opposite the one her father had claimed. The others quickly returned to their seats. Before anyone could speak, the door opened and Taryn entered. Going to stand beside Roni, she nodded at Stone in greeting, who returned the nod.

“Hello, Taryn,” said Gabrielle, flicking her braid of red curls over her shoulder.

Taryn gave her a withering look. “Mmm-hmm.”

Stone leaned back in his seat, arms folded across his chest. “So…you’ve finally decided to claim Shaya. I’m interested to know what took you so long.” It wasn’t a query, it was a reproach delivered with a snarl.

“Then you should ask Shaya in private,” advised Nick.

“I’m asking you.”

“Yeah, but I don’t explain myself to other people—only to Shaya.”

Stone narrowed his eyes, his gaze studious, but he said nothing. Nick had the feeling that his answer had won a little of Stone’s respect…or maybe the guy just liked that although Nick was a bastard, he wouldn’t be one to Shaya.

“How’ve you both been?” Shaya asked her parents, smiling, breaking the awkward silence. The tension in the air was practically crackling. Having Nick’s arm draped over the back of her chair and his fingers playing with her hair was a comfort she so needed right then.

Gabrielle answered instantly. “If you must know, I don’t feel good at all—not that you truly care. I haven’t slept in weeks. No doubt it’s stress, seeing as my own daughter has left me and barely answers my calls.”

Shaya held her smile in place. “Forgive me if I don’t enjoy being insulted and sent on a guilt trip for having my own life.”

“You’ve always been selfish and difficult,” Gabrielle claimed. “Never sensitive to my predicaments.”

Sensing Nick’s irritation building, Shaya squeezed his thigh under the table. “Have you consulted a healer?” It was second nature to feign interest.

“Yes. He said there’s nothing wrong with me.” She huffed. “Can you believe that?”

Well, yeah, Shaya could.

“What is it you believe is wrong with you?” rumbled Nick, wanting the woman’s focus away from Shaya. He had no tolerance for people who faked ill-health when there were so many people out there who were truly ill.

“I have a thyroid problem, I know I have. I don’t care what the healer said, I know my own body. And I checked my symptoms on the Internet. Maybe Taryn can take a look at me while I’m here.”

The Alpha female merely made a noncommittal sound.

“So you no longer believe you have heart failure, deep vein thrombosis, and a fractured ankle?” asked Shaya dryly. She hated herself for being frustrated and angry with her mother, but she’d really had enough of the emotional manipulation. The number of times Shaya had heard the words “I think I’m dying” was unreal, but there had never been a single thing wrong.

In the past, Shaya had over and over rushed Gabrielle to a healer; by the time they arrived there, her mother had gone from weak and pitiful to excited and chipper—she loved the attention. It had gotten to the point where Shaya’s life had revolved around Gabrielle and her “conditions.” It was part of the reason why Shaya had switched to the Phoenix Pack, though she had still gone to visit her mother at least every other day, feeling guilty if she didn’t.

Of course when Shaya moved to Arizona, there was no one to fuss around Gabrielle—Stone certainly didn’t “entertain her dramatics,” as he referred to it. As she’d expected, Gabrielle hated that. She believed she was entitled to Shaya’s time, attention, and aid. Gabrielle looked about to reprimand Shaya, but then Stone was speaking again. Not to Shaya, but to Nick.

“Tell me about yourself.”

Nick recognized that deceptively friendly tone all too well. He’d used it himself with the web designer. “I’m not applying for the position of being your daughter’s mate. I am her mate. We’ve claimed each other. If you want to ask me questions for no other reason than that you’d like to get to know me, I’d be happy to answer them.”

Stone smiled, making Shaya tense. “I tried to do a background check on you.” His tone was even, calm—that meant bad things, she knew. “No one would tell me anything. Why is that?”

Nick didn’t answer. He just smiled.

“If you have more contacts and allies than I do—and I have a lot—you must have won the loyalty of many people. All I’m really interested in knowing is if you’ve won the loyalty of my daughter and if you plan to give her the same in return.”

“Shaya’s always had my loyalty.”

“And he has mine,” Shaya told her father, leaning against Nick for a few seconds.

“You believe he deserves it?” It was a genuine question from Stone.

She nodded. “He hurt me, but he had his reasons for not claiming me—good ones. It’s complicated.”

Stone sighed, grumbling, “It always is with male shifters.”

Nick noticed his mate’s smile of amusement and gave her a mock scowl.

“What about you, Taryn?” asked Stone. “If anyone’s as protective of Shaya as I am—other than Nick here of course”—said with so much patronization that Marcus almost choked on a laugh—“it’s you. Is he worthy of her?”

Taryn snorted. “No one’s worthy of Shaya. But she’s right—he had his reasons for not claiming her initially. He’s proven over and over that she comes first. Also, he’s totally whipped, if that makes you feel any better.”

Nick scowled at the blonde. “I’m not whipped.”

“Of course you’re not,” placated Shaya, patting his arm, “you’re just well trained.” She laughed at his low growl. Turning to her father, she said, “I wanted to tell you, I have an interview for a mediator position. If I get it—”

“You’ll get it,” insisted Nick with utter confidence.

“—it’ll mean I get to go traveling. Maybe I’ll even see some of the places you used to tell me all about when I was little.”

Stone’s smile was genuine this time as he took Shaya’s free hand in his. He gave Nick a small nod, which could be translated to “I’ll accept you for now.” It might not be a gushing reception, but it was enough to lift her spirits. Then Gabrielle went and spoiled the moment.

“Traveling? Have you not learned anything from watching my relationship with your father? Mates shouldn’t be separated for long periods at a time.” She looked at Nick then. “You’ll soon have an idea how I’ve felt all my life.”

“I’ll be going with Shaya,” Nick told her, barely refraining from snapping at the woman. “Where she goes, I go.”

“Nice idea,” said Stone.

Gabrielle turned to her mate, spluttering. “You never took me with you.”

“I couldn’t have taken you into war zones, despite that it was an appealing idea at times. Then you’d have known what suffering really is. And maybe you would have stopped being so self-centered and paid attention to our daughter.”

Gabrielle gasped in outrage, but it was Shaya she snarled at. “It’s difficult to give attention to an ungrateful, inconsiderate—”

“Enough,” said Nick quietly, his voice still filled with authority. Gabrielle’s eyes widened. “No one speaks to my mate like that. Not even her mother. In my opinion, though, I shouldn’t have to order her mother not to do so.”

“You don’t know what it’s been like for me,” claimed Gabrielle. “You don’t know how hard it is to lose one child and then find that the other is selfish and—”

“One more insult,” rumbled Nick, “and you leave.”

Shaya rubbed her jaw against his upper arm, hoping to calm him. “I’ve never asked you for anything, Mom. But I’m asking you now…if you can’t be happy for me, if you can’t be part of my life without trying to hurt me, leave me alone.”

“Trying to hurt you?” echoed Gabrielle, her tone incredulous, but Nick was aware the female knew what Shaya meant.

“You displaced your guilt onto Shaya.”

Gabrielle gawked at Nick. “Excuse me?”

“You were heartbroken when your other daughter died in the womb—of course you were. You felt responsible, felt guilty. But you couldn’t handle the weight of that guilt, so you transferred it onto Shaya. And she’s carried it all her life, and you let her. The times you left her alone in the house…you did that because that was what your mate did to you, left you alone. You wanted someone else to suffer. All your life you’ve escaped your own pain by dumping it on Shaya. No more. As she said, if you can’t be in her life without hurting her, you need to leave it.”

Gabrielle spluttered again and looked at her mate, expecting him to defend her. He didn’t. Nick knew it wasn’t because the guy feared him; it was most likely that he knew Nick was right and that Shaya deserved better than what Gabrielle had to give.

“Well, what will it be?” Shaya asked, her voice strong.

Gabrielle averted her gaze, concentrating on a spot on the wall. She was quiet for a minute. “When is your mating ceremony?”

“In a couple of days.”

Without looking at Shaya, she said, “We’ll be there.”

Shaya knew that was the equivalent of Gabrielle saying she was backing down and wished to stay in her life, but it wasn’t the “sorry and I love you” that she would have preferred—not that she had expected, or would ever expect, to hear that, but a girl could dream.

Abruptly, Gabrielle rose to her feet and headed for the doorway, where she waited as Stone said his good-byes to Shaya and Nick.

Just as she was about to leave, Nick called out, “If you hurt her again, Gabrielle, the choice of whether or not you remain in Shaya’s life will be taken out of your hands.”

Again Gabrielle looked to Stone for support. Again, she got none. Still, she claimed haughtily, “Her father would never allow that.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that. Like me, he has Shaya’s best interests at heart. But you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” Swallowing hard, the woman left with her mate following behind her, who was shaking his head at the woman—looking exasperated.

Nick turned back to Shaya, pulling her into the cradle of his shoulder. “Okay, baby?” When she nodded, he nipped her earlobe. She gave a cute little yelp. “Don’t lie.”

She sighed, shrugging. “What do you want me to say? Sure, I wish things could be easier between my mother and me, but they’re not. At least she’s willing to try. That was more than I would have expected. It’s a relief my father seems to like you.”

“I’m not so sure he likes me, but he’s reconsidering the idea of shooting me with the Glock he’s carrying, which is good enough.”

Shaya smiled. “I wondered if you’d notice. He carries it everywhere.” She waved a hand. “No more about them. We have more important things to worry about.”

“Yes, unfortunately, we do.”

As it was important that Nick knew every inch of pack territory in preparation for the attack, Shaya took him on a thorough tour of the land while they were in their wolf forms after breakfast. She showed him every lake, every clearing, every hidden entrance to the caves. She even showed him the “hut”—the small building where trespassers were taken to be interrogated by Dante.

When they stopped at a particular lake, she shifted back to her human form. “This is my favorite spot on Phoenix land. Come on, I want to swim.”

Back in his human form, Nick glanced around, taking in his surroundings. Instantly, he understood. “You used to come here to be alone, didn’t you?” he asked, smiling. It was almost funny, considering she was so sociable.

“Yes,” she admitted, slowly going deeper and deeper into the lake. “Sometimes a girl likes a little alone time.”

He gasped in mock outrage. “All this time you’ve been poking fun at me for preferring solitude, and you actually have your own secret spot. I feel so betrayed.”

She laughed. “The main reason I used to come here a lot is that it reminds me of a spot in the land my dad and I used to go hunting on.”

Nick joined her in the water and pulled her against him, wanting her skin against his. “Tell me about these hunting trips.”

“Well, you know all shifters take their kids hunting; they shift into their animal forms and teach their kids how to hunt rabbits and other animals. Of course Stone couldn’t do that because he’s human. So he took me hunting with him in my human form. We used different weapons, eventually working up to shotguns and rifles. I like rifles best.”

“Your Alphas let you do that? Most shifters hate the use of weapons.”

“No, we weren’t allowed to hunt on pack territory. Occasionally, my dad would take me to a place called Oakdon Creek and rent the private hunting lodge there for a week. Well, ‘lodge’ isn’t really the right word. It was more like a huge rustic mansion. I used to love it—it was literally my favorite place in the world. It was peaceful and relaxing, yet wild and untamed. And it was my refuge too—or, at least, that was how it felt because they were the times when I wasn’t required to run around after my mother.”

“She had you doing that even as a kid?” Nick barely held back a growl.

Shaya shrugged, sliding her arms around his neck. “I was just a supply of attention to her.”

He rubbed a soothing hand up and down her upper back. “Do you and your dad still go on these trips?”

“No. When I was seventeen, the place was bought by a human company that hated shifters. They knew my dad belonged to a wolf pack and that I had to therefore be a half-shifter, so they saw him as a traitor and refused to let us rent the lodge anymore.”

Assholes. “How often did you used to come out here for some alone time?”

“I didn’t always come alone. Sometimes I’d bring Taryn. I also came here a lot with Marcus.” At Nick’s low growl, she quickly added, rolling her eyes, “We didn’t go swimming together. We just came and sat on that fallen tree over there whenever I needed to talk.”

“About what?” He found he didn’t like the idea of her confiding in another male.

“You. See, I never told anybody in the beginning. It was for two reasons, really. One, I was embarrassed and ashamed that my own mate didn’t appear to want me. Two, I knew that Taryn would break your nose and then the pack would force the claiming—I wanted you to come for me because you wanted me, no other reason. So I kept it to myself. But Marcus…He’d guessed I was upset about something, and he hounded me until I told him. Not out of nosiness; Marcus just has a very protective streak. He’s so easy to talk to that I found myself telling him about you being my true mate and stuff. Despite being an enforcer and very close to Trey, he kept the secret for me from even them.”

The idea of her feeling so embarrassed, of her carrying that painful secret around and feeling so unbelievably alone, almost put a lump in his throat. It also made him want to punch himself. “I’m glad you had someone here for you when I wasn’t.”

“Stop feeling guilty. You had your reasons; let it go.”

Like that would ever happen. Whether he’d meant to hurt her or not, he’d still caused his mate pain, and that was something he couldn’t forgive himself for. “Anyway, you don’t need Marcus anymore, you have me.”

“I can have friends too,” she chuckled.

He slid his hands down to cup that ass he loved. “Of course you can, and I’m sure you’ll still confide in them about things, but I’d like to think I’ll be your first port of call if you need to talk.”

That was when Shaya realized something—something she couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed before. “You feel threatened by my close friendship with Taryn.”

“Not threatened exactly. But I see how much more open you are with her than with anyone else.” And it hurt that she wasn’t that open with him. He’d told her when he claimed her that he wouldn’t allow her to hold back from him anymore, that he wanted all of her. And he did have all of her…but he didn’t have her total trust, and that was one of the most important things to him.

Feeling that it wounded him, she softly said, “I trust you as much as I trust her.”

“But?” He could tell there was one.

“But…it’s different with Taryn. I don’t mean she’s more important to me than you. It’s hard to explain.” After a short pause, she spoke. “She was there for me when I needed someone—since I was four, she’s been that one constant thing that I knew I could rely on. But really, I never relied on her; I wouldn’t let myself rely on anyone. She gave me the comfort of knowing that if I did want to rely on someone, she was there. But she would never demand it from me, so there was no pressure.

“With you…it’s something I have to give you at some point, but I don’t know how to emotionally rely on another person, how to trust them. I know I can rely on you, and I do in some ways. But holding back a little…it’s like my safety cushion. It means that if things mess up, I’ve kept a part of me safe, so it won’t utterly destroy me. I don’t know how to trust that I don’t need a safety cushion; that you’re all the safety I need. But I am trying. I really am.”

To some extent, Nick could understand that. He’d never relied on others either. As a child, it had been an act of defiance, a determination to be independent in every sense—most alphas were like that as kids. But then he’d gone to juvie and there had been no one to rely on; all he’d had was himself. When he’d been released from juvie, it was to be thrust into the position of Alpha and have others relying on him.

It could be said that Nick had ignored his own needs for a very long time, which had been helped along by his inability to fully connect with people. But with Shaya, he wanted that connection; he didn’t resent that she would be someone who would need to be able to rely on him. He liked the idea of being her source of security, just the way he liked how she balanced him out. Where he was unsociable and withdrawn, she was outgoing and had an ease with people. Where he was hard and remote, she was life and sensuality. Where he was often too serious and intense, she was light and laughter. She made him live, forced him to crack the shell he had around himself and try to accept others in his life.

No one else had ever gotten so close to him, because he hadn’t wanted them to. But he didn’t hold back with Shaya, never had. That was why it pained him so much that she didn’t feel totally safe with him. The fact that she considered him in some way a danger to her caused an ache in his chest.

Sensing how bad he was hurting, Shaya wished she wasn’t so messed up. “I’m sorry.”

He held her even tighter to him, giving her a pointed look. “Hey, don’t you dare apologize for what you can’t give me. It’s my own fault anyway.”

“No, it’s not. Even if you had claimed me that very first night we met, this trust issue would still have been there. As if that isn’t bad enough, there’s the fact that dominant/submissive pairs find completing the mating link hard.”

“Only those who believe that a difference in status is a problem and feel that they can’t complement each other. I know you worry I’ll grow to resent that you’re not dominant, but that’s just dumb. I want you exactly as you are. I’ve never seen you as weak. You don’t hold me back in any sense; you make me stronger because you balance me out. And I balance you out.”

“You do?” she said with a smile, amused by the utter confidence in the latter words.

He nodded, nipping her lip. “You’ve always made me think of a butterfly. Vibrant, graceful, colorful. But there’s another reason why you make me think of a butterfly—you’re damn hard to pin down.” She chuckled. “It’s true. I used to watch you, see the way you flitted from place to place and person to person, never still…because you’re trying to live your life for both you and your sister.” He could tell she hadn’t thought of it that way before. He stroked the curls away from her face, cupping her cheek as he softly continued. “You can’t do that, baby. You can use her as motivation, but you can’t live for two people.”

Stunned, Shaya struggled to find words. “I didn’t realize that was what I was trying to do. But you’re right; I was.”

“And if I hadn’t pointed it out, you would probably always have done it. This is what I mean when I say I balance you out. I keep you settled in one place—with me. I anchor you, ground you, make sure you don’t neglect your own needs, stop you from feeling alone, and give you and your wolf the security you need…but I don’t smother you in any way or try to take away your independence in doing that.”

And all of that was exactly what she needed, Shaya knew. “I still can’t believe I hadn’t seen this with Mika before now. It’s not like it’s a little thing.”

“She wouldn’t want you to be doing this, because it would mean you weren’t living a full life.”

It would also mean she and Nick weren’t living a full life together, and that wasn’t acceptable. “I guess, in some ways, I did it because I always felt guilty for being alive when she wasn’t.”

“Your mother made you feel that way, Shay.” He’d happily cut that toxic woman from Shaya’s life if he didn’t think it would hurt her not to give her mother a second chance. “It was wrong of her to do that. But you can’t carry on trying to live for both of you.” Jokingly, he added, “After all, I can’t deal with two mates. One’s enough.”

Narrowing her eyes, Shaya slapped his shoulder and reflexively snapped, “I don’t share.” Realizing how dumb she’d sounded, she groaned inwardly.

“I’m glad to hear it, because neither do I. You’re all I want. And you’re not something I’m prepared to lose. Ever. I already know how it feels to try to live a life without you in it. I don’t want to feel that ever again.”

“You tried to leave me the day you had the memory lapse,” she pointed out.

“Not leave you.” He kissed her lightly. “Protect you, put you first. I’ll always do that.”

“But not by trying to leave me again.” It was half question, half statement.

He shook his head. “No, baby, not that. It might have worked before we’d claimed each other, but it wouldn’t work now. We’re linked, for better or worse.”

“You’re healed,” she insisted, knowing what he meant by “worse.”

He hoped so, because the alternative was that Shaya would spend her life with a mate who didn’t even know who she was. “Come here.” Sliding a hand into her hair, he angled her head and brought his mouth down on hers. The kiss was slow, leisurely, and soft enough to be teasing and make her push for more. It wasn’t long before her claws pricked into his back—a demand for more. As if she quickly understood the demand would only make him prolong the featherlight kiss, she retracted her claws and released a sigh of frustration into his mouth.

“Shh,” soothed Nick. “It’s okay. I have no intention of making you wait.” Not when an attack was looming—it brought with it an acute awareness of the fleeting nature of time. Tucking Shaya’s leg over his hip, he thrust deep inside her. His eyes didn’t leave hers even once as he slowly claimed her all over again with each and every stroke. She clung to him with an almost desperate hold, and he sensed just how worried she was that by holding back from him, she’d drive him away.

He rested his forehead against hers. “Let me ask you something. When you turned psycho on me that first night and bloodied me, did it drive me away? No. When you rejected me over and over, did I leave? No. When you went on a date with that goofy human, did that drive me away? No. I’ve told you from the very beginning that you’ll never make me give you up. Start believing that.”

He kissed her again, hardening his thrusts as if it might just help him get through to her. When she finally came, triggering his own climax, she sank her teeth into his neck in a move that was as possessive as it was a reaffirmation to herself that he was hers. But the possessive bite wasn’t what had his wolf growling in satisfaction a few minutes later. Frowning, Nick fought the sated fog and smiled in both smugness and contentedness as he understood. “Our scents have mixed.” The head leaning on his shoulder suddenly shot up; her expression was pure wonder.

Shaya had been so deep in her dreamy post-orgasmic state that she hadn’t even sensed it. Well that certainly explained why her wolf was so relaxed and tranquil.

Nick tucked a curl behind her ear. “It means the bond is advancing, Shay.”

Maybe it was because they had talked some things through, or maybe it was because she had made the decision to stop clinging to Mika, to let her go, and, as such, it had given Nick the space to burrow deeper inside Shaya than he already was. She wasn’t sure, but she knew one thing. “I find I’m possessive enough to be smug that now everyone will know by just your scent that you’re taken and mine.”

He laughed, burying his face into the crook of her neck. “You smell even better now than you did before. Like the ocean, and cinnamon, and me.” He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth. “Mine.”

She nodded. “Yours.”

Entering the living area a little while later, they found Jaime, Dante, Roni, Marcus, Dominic, Grace, Lydia, and Amber. The smell of Nick and Shaya’s combined scents seemed to hit everyone at once, because they were all smiling—even Amber, despite that it was fake.

“Well, well, well,” said Jaime, delighted, as Nick and Shaya perched themselves on the gigantic sofa where everyone other than Roni and Dominic, who had each claimed an armchair, was sitting. “It would appear things are moving along nicely.” Jaime swapped places with Dante so that she was then sitting by Nick, winking at Shaya when he stiffened at her proximity. “How’s my BFF doing?” When Nick gawked at her, Jaime said indulgently, “Not you, sweetie, I was talking to your mate.” Shaya would have been pissed by people continually poking at him if she didn’t know this meant they accepted him.

“Fine, thanks.” Shaya patted Nick’s thigh soothingly.

“I’m glad things are working out for you guys,” said Roni.

“Me too,” said Grace. The others all nodded.

“Thanks. Where’s Mom?” Nick asked Roni. His mother spent a lot of time with Greta, and he couldn’t find it in himself to see that as a good thing.

“She went on a pack run with some of the others. I wanted to go too, but it seemed that Marcus, Dante, and Jaime suddenly found lots of things for me to do.” She threw them a scowl, folding her arms over her chest. She wasn’t stupid; she knew people were trying to keep her from shifting in case she disappeared in her wolf form again. They wouldn’t be able to stop her doing it during the attack tomorrow, though. Nick only hoped his sister came back afterward.

“Imagine if it turned out that Gok Wan’s actually straight as a ruler.” Yeah, that was Dominic—totally random. His eyes still on the TV, he gestured at the show. “The guy would be my hero if that was the case.”

Grace snorted at Dominic. “You don’t need to trick women into getting naked. They’re all too happy to oblige, from what I’ve heard.”

Lydia nodded. “It’s the same with Marcus, only the females are after his heart too because they fall for all that charm.” Marcus winked and flashed her a grateful smile that made her blush.

Dominic frowned, affronted. “I have charm.”

“But it’s a twisted kind of charm, honey,” said Lydia. “If you’d let Marcus teach you a few things, you’d be lethal.”

“I’m not sure if I want to be lethal if it means females will want more than sex.” Dominic shuddered.

“In other words, you’re a slut?” asked Roni.

“I guess you could say I’ve been a bad boy, Roni. If you want to send me to your room and—”

“Shut up, jerk,” said Marcus, rolling his eyes.

Hearing Taryn and Trey’s voices coming along the tunnels, Shaya smiled, eager for her best friend to hear that the mating link was developing. Thinking she might have just picked up another voice, Shaya cocked her head to listen harder. Then, to her surprise and delight, Taryn and Trey walked into the room with Caleb behind them.

Shaya practically jumped from the sofa and darted to the person whom she thought of as a brother. “Caleb!” Wearing a smile as wide as hers, Caleb wrapped his arms tight around her and squeezed. Then he froze at the sound of two low growls. Roni and Nick apparently didn’t like that another male was embracing her. Pulling back, she urged Caleb to follow her to Nick and took her mate’s hand in hers. At her tug, he stood. “Nick, you remember Caleb from Taryn and Trey’s mating ceremony, right?”

Nick’s voice came out dry. “I remember.” He awkwardly shook hands with the tall, brown-eyed wolf with stubble for hair. There was no desire in the guy’s scent or eyes, which meant he didn’t appear to have any interest in Shaya in a sexual sense; therefore, Nick could allow him to live. Still, Nick didn’t like other males hugging his mate, so it was pretty impossible to drop his scowl…even though Shaya was jamming her elbow into his ribs.

As Taryn came close with Kye in her arms, Caleb leaned in to her and said quietly, “I didn’t think I’d ever meet anyone who can look scarier than Trey.”

“Hey, your scents have mixed,” said Taryn, pleased—a total relief for Shaya. “It just proves that dominant/submissive pairs have every chance of fully bonding,” she threw over her shoulder, meeting Amber’s hard gaze.

“They’re not fully bonded yet,” Amber pointed out, “but I’m sure it will happen soon. They suit so well.”

She smiled sweetly, but apparently Caleb wasn’t fooled because he gave Shaya a look that said, “Seriously, what’s up with that?”

Shaya merely smiled and mouthed, “We’ll talk later.” Out loud she said, “Caleb, this is Roni—Nick’s sister—and Amber, the healer of his old pack.”

As Caleb exchanged greetings with the two females, Nick sank back into his seat and looped an arm around Shaya’s waist, pulling her onto his lap. Pettily jealous that her attention was on Caleb, Nick bit her ear. Clearly sensing he missed her focus being mostly on him, she gave him an amused sideways glance. But she didn’t return her full attention to him, and that just showed how well she knew him—it wasn’t at all good to let him have his own way all the time.

“When did you change your hair?” Shaya asked Caleb.

His smile fell, and irritation practically steamed from him. “When my little cousin decided to chop bits of it off while I was sleeping.”

Taryn cocked her head, studying him. “It suits you.”

He snorted. Then, his expression now serious, his eyes danced from Shaya to Nick and Taryn as he spoke. “When I heard what was happening, I had to come. I can help guard the entrances to the caves tomorrow night and make sure Kye’s protected. I need to play a part in this. I couldn’t sit home on my ass when I know something bad is going to go down here.”

Respecting the male for his loyalty to his friends and his offer to help when many submissive wolves would have opted out of the dangerous situation, Nick gave him a nod of thanks. “It’s appreciated.” His estimation of the male had now gone up.

Taryn gave Caleb a smile of appreciation. “Thanks for caring so much for Kye.”

“We’re grateful for the support,” said Shaya.

At the sound of the main door closing and two males laughing loudly, Taryn said, “Oh, Nick, that’ll be your brother.”

Nick arched a brow. “My brother?”

She shrugged. “Derren told me he was going to collect him and bring him here. Apparently the guy refused to miss out on whatever happens with the extremists.”

“That’s typical of Eli and his lust for action,” Nick grumbled to Shaya.

“I don’t like the idea of your brother in danger, just like I don’t like the idea of anyone here in danger,” said Shaya. “But if Eli’s willing to help, it would be dumb to turn him away.” A moment later, Derren entered the room with a powerfully built male who had the most enormous brown eyes. He wasn’t as tall or as broad as Nick, but he had the same indomitable look about him. Everyone exchanged nods with him—they had all seen him before at one point or another, as he often went with Nick to pack meetings or social gatherings and had actually been one of the wolves who fought alongside the Phoenix Pack against Trey’s uncle.

Grinning, Eli walked toward Nick, all self-assurance. “Hey. I tried calling to ask you to pick me up, but you didn’t answer your cell.” They exchanged one of those weird male body hugs, though Shaya could see Nick found the contact a little awkward. Clearly his brother was too used to that to care, because he didn’t comment or appear to be the slightest bit offended.

“I was a little preoccupied,” said Nick.

Knowing just what he meant, Shaya almost blushed.

Nick curled an arm around her. “You guys haven’t officially met. Eli, this is my mate. Shaya, this is the adrenaline junkie of the family.”

Eli laughed and then turned his attention to her. “It’s good to finally meet you, Shaya.” He cocked his head, studying her for a minute with an analytical gaze. Then he nodded, apparently satisfied about something. “Derren’s right. You’ll make a good Alpha female.”

Shaya frowned. “You don’t even know me.”

“Ah, but I know things about you. You evaded Nick for a long time, so you’re clearly smart. A number of the wolves here went all the way to Arizona to check on you and refused to leave until they could be sure you’re safe, which means you’re good at earning loyalty, and that says a lot about a person. Also, Derren tells me you insist on being at Nick’s side through all this, which proves that you’re brave and believe in protecting those who matter to you. If you’re Nick’s mate, you must be as strong as he is. Not physically, no, but being physically strong doesn’t make someone Alpha material. It’s a good trait to have, but that’s not the be-all and end-all.”

Shaya looked up at her mate. “I like your brother.” Eli gave her a winning smile.

Nick snorted. “Don’t let that smile fool you, baby. He’s a ruthless fucker.”

Shaya could believe that. Eli was almost as dominant as Nick, but he wore that dominance in a very subtle way—much like Dominic. Eli’s wolf, however, wasn’t so subtle. Shaya’s wolf could easily sense his wolf, sense his curiosity and edginess.

Eli’s expression suddenly turned serious. “Derren updated me on what’s been happening. In my opinion, it won’t matter what the verdict is tomorrow morning. The extremists will attack in any case.”

“But we’ll be ready for that,” announced Taryn. The others nodded.

“Ready and waiting,” rumbled Trey.

The next morning, the court hearing was held to hear the case put forward by the human extremists. And every shifter worldwide celebrated as the case was dismissed.