Chapter 3

3

Raelynn

" T hank you so much! You guys are the best!" I yell over the roar of the audience.

Lu-na! Lu-na! they chant as I run off the stage for the last time tonight. The stadium is at full capacity and the sound is incredible .

When I reach the backstage door, I stop and take a moment for myself. Let my fans' appreciation sink into my bones. It was a great show. I had tons of energy, the audience was amazing, and my voice held out, thank goodness.

But my dad won't be satisfied. He never is. He watches all my shows and notices every little flaw. The time my turn wasn't quite fast enough. The time I missed the high note because one of my backing dancers was literally spinning me around over his head.

I lay my hand on the door and heaviness weighs down on my shoulders. I wish I had someone other than dad waiting for me on the other side. Someone special, who'd me a hug and tell me they love me, even if I suck. But I've never even had a boyfriend. Dating isn't easy when you're a ‘mega star', and with my dad being so controlling…

Well, it can feel real lonely sometimes.

I take a deep breath, push open the door, and a hundred heads snap in my direction. Immediately, I'm caught up in hugs and congratulations and compliments.

While I'm busy saying thank yous and posing for selfies, I look for Jason in the crowd. He's the next best thing to a boyfriend. Probably even better, because I know we'll always be there for each other, no matter what. And we just totally get each other. I don't know if I'll ever find that with a partner.

"Rae-Rae! You were electric tonight!"

My heart leaps. Here he is. My handsome best friend, in a sharp suit and button-down, all signs of his natural outrageousness tamed for now.

"Jason!" I rush over and squeeze his hand. I want to hug him tight, but I hold back. I'm supposed to tease my fans, keep them guessing which of the eligible bachelors I step out with is actually my boyfriend.

Ha, that's none of them. If only my fans knew—I've never even kissed a guy before.

"That was the best !" His eyes are shining, and I know he means it. "You were so athletic. The way you did that catwalk…" He whistles. "Off the charts, Rae-Rae!"

My heart warms. "Thanks, Jay. That means a lot coming from you."

"Oh my god, you guys are soo cute together!"

I turn to locate the voice. "Just friends," I tell Jae-Min. He's the lead singer in Eclipse, the hottest new K-Pop band. He's a nice guy, but right now he's brandishing his phone and a big grin.

He tilts his head winsomely. "Selfie?"

I give a mock sigh, but a moment later, all three of us are making V-signs at the camera. Jae-Min puts his arm around my waist and pulls me in closer, and Jason leans in one the other side.

And… an almighty sound tears through the air.

I freeze. WTF ? It's like the growl of a feral animal.

Then some gigantic thing grabs me from behind.

Everything happens so fast. It's like I black out for a second, and when I come to, a pair of massive arms are imprisoning me, someone is screaming, and Jason and Jae-Min are both on the floor, holding their heads.

I stay very still, like a rabbit caught in the sights of a predator. Coarse hair is tickling my forehead. A scent reaches my nostrils—something outdoorsy, like pine forests and woodsmoke and fresh water. A big chest rises and falls against my back, with a rhythmic rumbling sound. For no reason at all, I feel calm. Separate from this madness.

"Stand down!" And there's my dad, sprinting toward me like his ass is on fire.

A deep, guttural snarl sounds in my ear and whatever's holding me lets go.

I stagger away from it, turning around. And I gasp.

A pair of blazing golden-brown eyes are staring into mine. They belong to a huge, huge guy. Literally the biggest person I've seen in my entire life. He's wearing a suit and shirt, but his muscles are rippling like he's about to burst out of it. I take in a thick beard, short dark hair, and tan skin. His nose is broad and his eyebrows are so thick, they almost obscure his eyes. Almost , because those eyes are so intense, nothing could hide them.

My heart pounds. I'm tingling all over.

What the hell is happening?

"What are you doing?" my dad bawls, squaring up to the guy. It's kinda funny, because he doesn't even come up to his shoulder.

The guy's eyebrows hitch, and that stare gets even more mesmerizing. "Eliminating a threat," he grunts.

Wow. That's not just a voice. It's an avalanche of rocks. A boom of thunder. A volcanic eruption. Deep and guttural and powerf?—

"We talked about that!" Dad's face is beet red. "A lot of people want to touch Raelynn, have their photos taken with her. She's a freaking object of desire. Not all of them want to hurt her. If the media gets hold of this, we'll be finished?—"

The eyebrows drop down again. "Can't take any chances," the stranger bellows, totally drowning my dad out.

Whoa. No one ever talks to dad like that.

Dad kinda shakes himself, as if his version of the world is being recalibrated. He plants his hands on his hips. "I'm hiring you, you beast. You'll do what I tell you!"

A roar bursts from the guy's mouth. An animal roar. That's the only way I can describe it. "You hired me to protect your daughter. And that's what I'm gonna do, as long as there's breath in my body."

"What?" I gasp. Did he say what I think he said?

He'd basically die protecting me?

I blink up at him, and something darts through me, something sharp and sweet at the same time. Suddenly my eyes are stinging.

My mom died when I was eight. My dad's parenting technique is all business.

I'm not used to feeling protected .

"What's going on?" I demand.

"I've hired a full-time bodyguard for you, Raelynn. This guy is a shapeshifter, so he's real tough. He'll be with you, night and day from now on."

Hot lava pours through me. "I did not agree to this!"

My father gives me that patronizing, I-know-best look of his. "We need to keep you safe."

He needs to keep his commodity safe is what he really means.

I clench my teeth, feeling like steam is coming out of my ears. "I'm fine. I've always been fine. And I'm not comfortable being guarded by a shapeshifter?—"

"Guys, I'm so sorry to interrupt, but we're running late." Annika the publicist scurries between us, hands clasped apologetically.

"You're right." I look for my friends. Shit. Jae-Min is rubbing his head, while Jason is helping him up.

"I'm so sorry, guys," I gasp out.

Jason shoots my new bodyguard a filthy look. "Not your fault."

"Are you okay?" I lay my hands on Jae Min's shoulders.

"I'm fine Rae. Just a shock is all." He forces out a laugh.

"I'll make it up to you," I tell him, but Annika is already pulling me away.

I sense the beast man close behind me as we head to the stadium exit.

Outside is pandemonium. Metal barricades line my route on both sides, and my fans are massed behind it. There are so many of them, waving banners and placards and screaming my name. It's unreal. My heart gives a little dance and I skip over to the nearest bunch of shrieking girls, ready to hug and clutch hands and sign autographs.

"No!" a voice booms.

I come up short, my head whipping around. "Huh?"

The beast man is glaring at me. "It's not safe, Luna."

"I always do this." I wave my hand. "They're my fans."

"Some of them want to hurt you."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Guys, come on." Annika shoves both of us in the back. "We can talk about this later."

I give a limp wave to all the kids who've probably been waiting for me for hours, and I allow myself to be shepherded to the waiting car.

"Not you!"

I whirl around. The beast man is clutching Jason by his upper arms. Jason isn't small, but he doesn't look like he's going anywhere.

"Get your hands off me, you lunkhead," Jason hisses.

"Enough!" I snap, jabbing a finger at the beast man. "Jason is coming. No arguments. And quit making a scene."

Something flashes in his eyes. He looks… wounded?

I don't have time to think about it. Instead, I grab Jason's hand and pull him into the car, and the beast man follows after him.

When the door slams, I let out a long breath.

"Who is this?" the beast man demands as the car pulls away.

Anger crackles through my limbs. I don't like the disparaging look he's giving Jason one bit. "Who are you?"

"I'm Kael."

I frown. "And what are you—a grizzly bear?"

"Yup." He looks at me levelly.

"Figures." He's the first shifter I've met in my life, but it's not hard to see the animal behind the man. "Well, Kael, Jason is my good friend, and tonight, he's my official date."

"Date." Kael spits out the word, working his massive jaw back and forth.

"You have a problem with that?" I'm not usually this feisty, but he's sure rubbing me up the wrong way.

"He's your boyfriend?" Now his lip is curled, and the feral look in his eyes sends a shiver down my spine.

"No—"

"He wants to be. I'll rip his head off if he touches you!"

A snarl breaks from his lips, and I jump.

"What the hell?"

Kael's eyes lock onto mine. They're glowing like hot coals. "It's my job to protect you from everyone , Luna."

My heart gives a little flutter and I bite back the combative thing I was about to say. "You don't need to protect me from Jason. He's on my side."

He shakes his head, grumbling like a wild beast. "People want to hurt you."

"Huh? Oh… you mean on social media, right?"

"They're threatening to kill you. To rape you?—"

"Hey! You think it helps her to hear that?" Jason barks. He looks about ready to deck him.

I swallow hard. I know all that stuff. That's why I never look at my own social media accounts.

"I'll kill them all." Suddenly Kael's face looks more feral than ever. Like he could burst out of his skin at any moment.

"It's normal. When you're a female pop star, anyway."

"It's not normal, Luna. Now I'm protecting you, I'll hunt down and destroy anyone who makes any kind of threat to you."

"Good luck, buddy. They're all over the globe," Jason cuts in.

But I hardly hear him. All my attention is on Kael, and that mesmerizing stare of his.

As weird as it is, I kind of believe what he says.

"You can call me Raelynn," I tell him. "That's my real name."

"Raelynn." He repeats it a bunch of times in a soft voice, as if he likes the sound of it.

Then his attention snaps to Jason. "Why haven't you been protecting her?"

"It's not his job," I reply.

"Like hell it isn't!"

I exhale slowly. I need to deal with this. "You're my bodyguard, so everything I tell you is confidential, right?"

"Yup. Your father said he'd have me garroted if I breathed a word about you and your life to anyone else."

I shudder, but Kael looks unmoved. Guess things are different in his world.

"So…" I clasp my hands. "Jason is my best friend. Not my lover. Not some creep who wants to get in my pants. He's gay."

Kael's heavy brow furrows. "Gay? What's that?"

Jason lets out a peal of laughter. "Dude, are you for real? Do you even live on the same planet as us?"

"You really don't know what gay means?" I ask.

Kael shakes his head.

"It means I prefer other dudes. Romantically," Jason says.

Comprehension flashes across Kael's rugged features. "You take a man as your mate?"

Jason shrugs. "Uh, if you wanna put it that way. Man. Men. Sometimes."

"Ah." Kael looks relieved. "Good."

Jason's eyebrows shoot up. "You happy with that?"

Kael shrugs his massive shoulders. "Of course."

"At least he's not a homophobe." Jason leans over and taps my knee. "He's got one thing going for him. But that doesn't mean I like him."

I grin. Guess I can't blame him. I glance at Kael. He's peering out of the window intently.

I shouldn't like this man-beast, either. He's uncivilized, taciturn, bossy. But there's something about him… something about the way those wild eyes lock onto mine that makes my heart beat faster.