Chapter 7

SEVEN

K ira strode down the dimly lit street, her mind still reeling from the day’s events. The investigation was a mess of dead ends, and all she wanted was to curl up in her apartment with a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream and forget the world for a while.

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice the shadowy figures lurking in the alleyway until it was too late. A group of female shifters emerged from the darkness, their eyes glinting with malice as they surrounded her.

“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice sneered. “If it isn’t the little half-breed cat.”

Kira’s heart sank as she recognized the wolf shifter she had confronted at Rex and Nash’s building. The woman’s face was twisted in a cruel smirk, her lips curled back to reveal sharp, gleaming teeth.

“What do you want?” Kira demanded, her voice steady despite the pounding of her heart.

The woman let out a harsh bark of laughter. “What do I want? I want you to stay away from Rex and Nash, that’s what. They don’t need a pathetic little half-breed like you sniffing around, trying to worm your way into the pack,” she growled. “They need a strong woman as their third. Their triad won’t be strong with some useless cat.”

Kira’s anger flared hot and bright in her chest. She dealt with prejudice before and had faced those who looked down on her for her mixed heritage. But to hear it from another shifter, from someone who should have known better...it really pissed her off.

“Who the hell do you think you are? I don’t give a damn what you think,” she spat, her hands curling into fists at her sides. “You’re nobody, so your opinion means nothing. Rex and Nash are grown men. They make their own decisions about who they want in their lives.”

The woman’s eyes flashed with rage, and before Kira could react, she shifted, her body morphing into that of a massive gray wolf. The other females followed suit, their forms blurring and changing until Kira was surrounded by a pack of snarling, snapping beasts.

But Kira was not about to back down. With a roar of defiance, she let her own beast free, her body expanding and rippling as she shifted into her lioness form. She felt the rush of power and strength that always came with the change, felt her senses sharpen and her instincts take over.

The gray wolf lunged at her while the others continued to circle her. Her teeth and claws flashed in the moonlight. But Kira was ready for her. She dodged and weaved, her own claws raking across fur and flesh as she fought with everything she had.

The gray wolf yelped when Kira bit down on one of her paws, the sound of crunching bone a satisfying song in the darkness. The sounds of snarls and yelps echoed through the empty streets. Kira took her fair share of hits from the wolf, but she was a fighter and she’d be damned if this woman would give her orders. She tasted rust in her mouth, could feel the sting of cuts and scratches on her skin.

The gray wolf roared and the other wolves were closed in on her. A deep, commanding voice rang out through the night.

“Enough!”

The wolves scattered, their tails between their legs as two massive, imposing figures emerged from the shadows. Kira blinked, her vision blurry with exhaustion and pain as she realized it was Rex and Nash.

She shifted back to her human form. The men’s faces were tight with worry and anger as they rushed to her side. Rex shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, covering her naked body and holding her tightly. She felt the pent-up anger and fear and sensed his warring emotions. Then Rex pulled back and Nash took her into his arms for a much softer hug. A gentler hold that calmed some of her own frustration.

“What the hell happened?” Rex demanded, his voice rough with anger. “Are you all right?”

Kira nodded, wincing as the movement sent a bolt of pain through her battered body. “I’m fine,” she rasped, her throat raw from the roars and growls of the fight. “Just a little banged up.”

Nash shook his head, his green eyes dark with concern. “We need to get you home, get you cleaned up.”

Rex growled. “What the hell was Jenna thinking…” He trailed off, his jaw clenching with barely contained rage.

Kira let them lead her back to her apartment, too tired and sore to protest. She knew they were just trying to help, knew that they worried about her. But a part of her bristled at the idea of needing to be rescued, of being seen as weak or helpless.

“What-why are you here?” she asked a little sharper than she meant to.

She was still stewing in her own thoughts when they reached her door, Rex’s jacket still draped around her shoulders.

“We wanted to see you. See how your day went.”

She frowned. “Yeah. I’m fine. I’ve got it from here,” she said, trying to keep her voice light and unconcerned. “You guys should go, get some rest. I’ll be fine.”

Rex and Nash exchanged a loaded glance, some unspoken communication passing between them. Finally, Rex nodded, he closed the distance between them and cupped her jaw. The pull between them was magnetic. It was as if she had zero control over her body with him. He kissed her. Not his usual hard, commanding, and needy, though she really liked those kisses.

This was a deep, soulful kiss. Their animals connected and lust immediately flared to life in her blood. Her body throbbed for a whole new reason. His hand brushed a stray lock of hair from Kira’s face.

“All right,” he said, his voice soft and low enough to make her body press into him. “But if you need anything, anything at all...call us. Me. Nash. Both. Either. It doesn’t matter. We’ll come. We will always come to you.”

Kira swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Thank you,” she whispered, managing a small, grateful smile. “I mean that.”

She slipped inside her apartment, closing the door behind her with a soft click. For a moment, she just leaned against it, her eyes closed as she tried to process everything that happened.

Then, with a sigh, she pushed herself off the door and headed for the bathroom. She needed a shower, needed to wash away the blood, sweat, and grime of the fight.

She let the hot water cascade over her aching muscles, the steam rising around her in a soothing cloud. She watched as the water swirled down the drain, pink with blood and dirt, and tried to let her mind go blank, tried to focus on nothing but the sensation of the water on her skin. That Jenna chick was going to be a problem. She could feel it.

She was just stepping out of the shower, a towel wrapped around her damp body, when a knock sounded at the door. Kira froze, her heart leaping into her throat. Who could it be at this hour? Rex and Nash had just left, and she wasn’t expecting anyone else.

Cautiously, she padded to the door, peering through the peephole. To her surprise, it was Nash, his face drawn and worried as he shifted from foot to foot.

She opened the door, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Nash? What are you doing here? I told you guys I was okay.”

He gave her a sheepish smile, holding up a bag of takeout. “I know you said you were fine, but...I just wanted to make sure.” He shrugged. “I thought maybe you could use some company, some comfort food, and a cheesy rom-com to take your mind off things.”

Kira felt a rush of warmth and affection flood through her chest. She should probably turn him away, should insist that she could take care of herself. But the truth was, she didn’t want to be alone. Nash’s sweet, kind personality was exactly what she needed to help her relax after what happened. If Rex were there, she might end up hurting herself more by getting down and dirty with him.

“Come on in,” she said, stepping back to let him enter. “ I hope you brought enough food for two. I’m starving.”

Nash grinned, his eyes sparkling with relief and happiness. “Oh, I brought plenty. And I even got your favorite - pad thai with extra peanuts.”

Kira laughed, shaking her head in amazement. “How did you know?”

He shrugged, his expression turning soft and tender. “I know a lot about you. We have made it our business to know the woman we hope will become our third. We want to know everything about you, Kira. The big things and the small things. The things that make you happy and the things that make you sad. We want to be there for you in every way that we can.”

Kira let out a breath, overwhelmed by the depth of emotion in his words. Other than her sister and mother, no one had ever cared about her like this or wanted to know her so completely.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “For being here, for...for everything. Was Rex angry when he left?”

Nash set the food and the movie on the coffee table, then pulled her into a warm, comforting hug. “No. We’re a team. We can sense what you need. Rex was too angry with Jenna to help you calm down. He had to go for a run to let out his anger. Plus, he was going to deal with the women.”

They settled onto the couch, the movie playing softly in the background as they dug into the food. For a while, they just ate in comfortable silence, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

Finally, Nash spoke, his voice gentle and curious. “Can I ask you something?”

Kira nodded, swallowing a mouthful of noodles. “Sure. What’s on your mind?”

He hesitated, seeming to choose his words carefully. “What was it like, growing up around humans? I mean, I know it must have been strange, finding out you were different from your sister, from everyone around you.”

Kira sighed, setting down her chopsticks as she considered his question. “It was...confusing,” she admitted, her gaze distant and thoughtful. “I always knew I was different, knew there was something inside me that I couldn’t quite explain. But I didn’t have the words for it, didn’t have anyone to guide me or teach me what it meant.”

Nash nodded, his expression sympathetic and understanding. “That must have been hard, feeling so alone in your own skin.”

Kira shrugged, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “It was, but...it also made me stronger, in a way. It taught me to rely on myself, to trust my own instincts and intuition. And when I finally did learn what I was, when I finally learned how to shift...it was like a whole new world opened to me.”

Nash grinned, leaning back against the cushions. “I bet you were a terror as a cub, all that pent-up energy and curiosity.”

Kira laughed, the sound bright and carefree. “Oh, you have no idea. I was always getting into trouble, always picking fights, and sticking my nose where it didn’t belong. My mom used to joke that I had more lives than a cat, the way I kept landing on my feet no matter how many scrapes I got into.”

“So how did you learn to fight like that?” Nash asked, his brow furrowed in curiosity. “I mean, the way you took on those wolves tonight...that was impressive.”

Kira ducked her head, feeling a flush of pride and embarrassment warm her cheeks. “My mom put me in self-defense classes when I was a kid,” she explained, her voice soft and nostalgic. “She said if I was going to keep getting into trouble, I might as well learn how to handle myself. And I guess...I guess it just stuck with me. Gave me an outlet for all that restless energy, a way to channel it into something productive.”

Nash nodded, his expression thoughtful and admiring. “Your mom sounds like a smart woman. And a good one too.”

Kira smiled, feeling a pang of love and gratitude pierce her heart. “She is. She’s the best. I don’t know what I would have done without her love and support.”

“Do you see her often?”

She shook her head. “Not really. When I was a kid she married my stepfather and they had Maggie. Several years ago they retired and moved to Costa Rica to live in a house by a beautiful rainforest. She keeps asking me to come visit, but I haven’t really had the time. Maggie sees them twice a year.”

“Do you not want to go see her?”

She frowned. “Why would you say that?”

“Because if you wanted to, you would.”

She sighed. “My mom is human. She had a fling with a shifter and ended up with me. My father was killed during a territory war and the pride never acknowledged or wanted me. I wasn’t full blood. My stepfather is human too. They see life through a different lens. They don’t get a lot of what I do and I think I confuse them. So I stay away.”

He nodded slowly. “Have you tried talking to them about this?”

“No. I don’t know if I am ready to hear them tell me all the ways they don’t understand me and how different I am from them.”

They lapsed into silence for a moment, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Then Nash spoke again, his voice soft and hesitant.

“You know, growing up in a pack is different. There’s always someone there to guide you, to teach you what it means to be a shifter. But there’s also a lot of pressure, a lot of expectations. You’re expected to follow the rules, to fall in line, and do what’s best for the pack.”

Kira nodded, her expression sympathetic and understanding. “That must have been hard, feeling like you had to live up to someone else’s standards all the time.”

Nash shrugged. “It was, but...it also gave me a sense of belonging, of purpose. I knew that no matter what happened, I would always have a place in the pack, always have a family to come home to.”

Kira felt a twinge of envy, a longing for that sense of connection and community. She had always been an outsider, had always felt like she was watching the world from behind a pane of glass. She wished she had a real relationship that was connected. Like what he and Rex discussed.

A triad with both men could give her all she needed in her life. It was late when Nash went home, but when he did, Kira was already feeling much better.