17. Tate

SEVENTEEN

TATE

If Harley knew where I actually had to go, I was sure she'd change her mind about allowing me into her life. Miles had set up a meeting with an Alpha from a wolf shifter clan to the south. They'd also had pack members disappearing, but unlike a lot of the others, they'd found the bodies. We wanted to talk to him and try to figure out what he might know. We also wanted to see if the body we found and had buried was one of his. If so, we'd give them the location so they could get some closure.

We met him at a rest stop off the highway halfway between our towns. The spot was always pretty deserted, which made it a good location to meet up. No one would hear what we were talking about. The others were already there when I pulled up.

Steff, Miles, and Blayne were already in conversation with the Alpha as I walked up. The Alpha glanced up and said, "Is this the other guy?"

Miles glanced at me. "Yeah, this is the last of us."

He stepped forward and put his hand out, "Doug. Good to meet you."

"Tate. Likewise. So, what did I miss?"

Miles said, "We were talking about the body we found. It's not one of theirs."

Doug nodded. "Yeah, the description doesn't match any of my missing guys. Doesn't sound like anyone I know from the other wolf packs around here. Could be a guy who was on his own, maybe getting close to going feral. Sorry I couldn't help with that. I'll keep an ear out if I hear anyone looking for somebody."

"Have you or your guys noticed any new people around? People who have maybe just moved in, or somebody who came to town for work or something?"

Doug mulled it over for a minute. Then he shook his head. "Nothing that rings a bell, but there was something I wanted to bounce off you guys."

My ears pricked up. "What do you have?"

"Well, we've lost several members. Two of them we… found, afterward. Both were in similar shape to the one you guys found out in the woods. Tortured, killed." He paused and looked off into the distance. I could only imagine how tough it had to be to find a member of your pack, a friend, like that. "Anyway, both of them had something in common before they went missing. They each mentioned seeing a woman. Someone following them. She wasn't familiar to either of them. They didn't think anything of it, just thought it was weird. I didn't either until the second guy disappeared."

We all looked at each other. Strange. Shifters sometimes dated human women, but it was always a short-lived casual affair. For the most part, we never told anyone what we are, plus you couldn't mate with or have kids with humans. Well, at least we thought that couldn't happen—until me. The same woman hanging around shortly before two shifters were abducted, tortured, and killed? Pretty damning evidence.

"Hunters?" Miles asked.

Female hunters weren't unheard of. They weren't even that rare. The thing was, it took one special kind of woman to take down a wolf shifter. Usually, men led the way when it came to attacking and killing shifters. That's the way it had been for hundreds of years. Things could always change, though.

We nodded in agreement. Nothing made sense other than it being a group of hunters. The only one who didn't nod was Steff. He'd been standing off to the side, staring at the ground, deep in thought. He finally pulled a folded manila envelope out of his back pocket and stepped forward.

"It's a witch," he said.

We all froze and stared at him. Witches were not a common occurrence, even in the world of shifters. Oh, they were out there, but I'd never had any dealings with them.

"What makes you say that?" Doug asked.

"This," he said, holding up the envelope. "Pictures I took of the body we found." He pulled them out. The image of the desecrated man brought a new wave of nausea to my gut. "The cuts here all across the body. Some of them are from a silver knife or something, sure. Miles smelled the silver, but most of these wounds aren't from a blade, they look more like a whip or a lash. Look."

We passed the pictures around. I was the last in line, and I had to force myself to look at the wounds. He was right. Most of the wounds were thin and even, like a slice of a knife. The bigger wounds were laid open, like the skin had split. It did look like he had been whipped. I frowned as I handed the pictures back to Steff.

"A silver whip?" I asked, thinking it sounded stupid even as I said it.

Steff shook his head. "Not possible. They could have maybe had a custom-made cable woven from silver and used that, but the wounds would have been even bigger. No, this is magic. Witches can use their spells like weapons. In my old pack, we worked with a coven once. I watched them use their magic like that, like a weapon. One of the spells they used the most was like a whip of mystical energy. It worked just like that. When I saw this body, I knew the wounds looked familiar, but it took me a little while to remember where I'd seen it before. Either a witch is hunting shifters, or even worse, a group of hunters has recruited a witch to help them."

The news slammed into us. Hunters were dangerous in their own right. They knew about us, had learned how to track and find us over the centuries, had specialized weapons and equipment, but to also have a witch working with them? It was like giving a nuclear missile to a splinter terrorist group. There was nothing worse.

"Well, the only way I know of to catch a witch is with the help of another one. I know who to call. I'll be gone for a couple of days. She doesn't have a cell phone or anything," Miles said.

"Are you sure that's safe?" I asked.

He nodded. "I'll be fine, I'll keep my head on a swivel. I'll text you guys every few hours so you know I'm good. I better get going."

With that, our little group broke apart, scattering to the wind as we left in our separate cars. I drove back to Lilly Valley, my mind swirling with the implications of what we'd discovered. A witch? Fucking terrifying. A human I could kill. Another shifter? I knew how to fight that. A witch? I was in the unknown. Unlike Miles and Steff, I'd never met one. How would I know when I met one? Would I have any way of knowing?

Once I got back to town, I stopped by the auto shop to check on Harley's car. It would take another day for the repairs, and yet another day for the paint job. Leaving, I called Harley to see if she had any plans for dinner.

"Hello?" she answered.

"It's me. How's it going?"

"Things are fine. Is your work meeting all done?"

"Yeah, I stopped to check on your car. Still another day or two until it's ready. I wanted to see what you guys were doing for dinner?"

"Well, the girls made some new friends and went out for pizza with them."

I laughed. "Didn't you guys have pizza yesterday?"

"Tate, they're teenagers, they'd eat pizza for every meal if I let them."

"Fair enough. What are you going to have for dinner?"

"With the girls out, I was thinking maybe a bowl of cereal or a grilled cheese, something like that."

"How about I pick something up? Bring it over there. Is there anything you've been craving?"

There was a long pause, then she finally said, "Tate, you don't need to do that, I wouldn't want to put you out."

I sighed. "Harley, I'm getting myself food anyway. I'm going to take it home to eat, and I live like a hundred feet from you. It is literally no trouble. In fact, it will be more trouble if I don't bring you dinner. I'll be over at my house eating a delicious meal, thinking about you sitting by yourself eating grilled cheese. Now, what are you hungry for?"

She laughed. "Pasta. I want carbs. All the carbs. Please and thank you. Garlic bread, too."

I laughed, happy that she was letting me do this little thing for her. "Okay, cool. I'll call it in and be there in a little bit."

I called in an order to the little Italian place in town. I liked the place. The little old man who ran it was a funny character and made great food. When I pulled in, I was surprised to see Mariah and Jordyn sitting inside with some other kids. Harley had told me they went out for pizza. I shouldn't have been surprised to see them here since this was the only Italian place in the whole town. There were a few boys sitting with them, and my dragon gave an irritated growl at the way the boys were looking at them.

I got that under control, and went inside to pick up my food. As soon as I walked in, Jordyn spotted me and waved at me like a crazy person. Her arm swung back and forth so madly that she almost elbowed the boy next to her in the nose. I chuckled as she got up and ran to me. It was funny but also made me feel really good. To be wanted and needed was something I wasn't used to. I thought I could maybe get used to it.

Mariah followed Jordyn over. "What are you doing here?"

I nodded toward the counter. "I stopped by to pick up dinner for me and your mom."

The girls locked eyes, mischievous grins blooming on their faces. Jordyn turned back to me. "So, do you like our mom? I mean, do you like her?" she said, drawing the word out dramatically.

I rolled my eyes at them and walked toward the counter. "You girls have a fun night, now."

Jordyn shrugged. "Fine. See you later."

She went back to the table with her new friends, but Mariah hung around while I paid for the food. I looked at her questioningly.

She seemed nervous. "I know you're the dad of Mom's baby, I mean. I heard you say it to her while the guys were installing the security system."

"Well, shit," I muttered.

Mariah waved that off. "It's okay. Adults make mistakes, too. I mean, it's not a big deal as long as it's a happy mistake, right? It is a happy mistake, isn't it?"

I studied her, then I said, "I think it might be, yeah."

She nodded. "Good." She then turned serious and lowered her voice. "You know, it's been a long time since we felt safe or protected. Basically since Dad's been gone. Plus, ever since he died, Jordyn and I have thought Mom seems so lonely. She's really alone, and we're always worried about her. When she first met Luis, we thought maybe she'd found someone, but we never really liked him. There was always something about him that seemed… fake." She looked at me with eyes far too old for her age. "What I'm trying to say is, I'm glad you're the father of the baby. I have no idea how that happened, but I don't really care. I just want my mom to be happy."

The seriousness evaporated as she walked backwards to her table. "Enjoy your night together," she said with a smile, then turned and joined her friends and sister again.

I watched her go, and my connection to the girls clicked into place. Almost like there was a switch inside my chest that had been teetering on being flipped, and it had just been switched over.

The owner of the shop appeared from the back, carrying packaged meals. "Ah, Mr. Mills. Here is your order. Good to see you again. Everything good?"

I smiled at him. "Yeah, I think they are."

When I got to Harley's house a few minutes later, I could tell she'd been thinking about my earlier proposal. She had a hard time looking me in the eye, and kept twisting her hands together like she was nervous. It was weird. We'd spent hours together earlier in the day talking, but now it had gone back to being awkward. At first, I wondered if I'd done something wrong. I assumed that she was still trying to figure out how to act around me.

I was pulling the containers out of the paper bag in the kitchen when I asked, "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, why?"

I leaned against the counter. "You know, this whole shy, unsure, timid thing you've got going on is cute."

She frowned. "What does that mean?"

I nodded at her hands. She was twisting and untwisting the hem of her T-shirt. She glanced down and immediately stopped fiddling with it.

"The thing is, I've seen you naked, Harley. I know what your moans sound like. After all that, I don't know why I still make you nervous."

Her face went scarlet, and her jaw dropped slightly. She finally grinned. "I was drunk, okay."

I laughed. "You weren't that drunk. But if that's the excuse you want to use for all the dirty things you did, then I'll let you have it."

Harley gasped but was smiling when she did it; her face grew even redder. "What a jerk."

I laughed and went back to the food. "I got the garlic bread and pasta with cream sauce, pasta with red sauce, and a side of meatballs too. I wasn't sure if you wanted some protein to go with your carbs. And there're two pieces of cheesecake for dessert."

"Oh god," she groaned as she saw the food. It was an almost sexual sound, and I was immediately aroused.

I shook the thoughts away. "When I checked on your car, it actually looked pretty good. It was all just surface damage. Nothing mechanical. It should be good as new once they're done."

"Thank you again, Tate. For everything. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"No problem at all. I'm happy to help with everything." Changing the topic, I said, "The girls were at the restaurant when I picked up the food."

"Yeah? I guess that makes sense."

"Mariah came up and told me she knows."

"Oh," Harley said. "Yeah, she told me she knew, too."

"Are you going to tell Jordyn soon?" I asked.

She sighed and slumped into a chair with her plate. "I want to, but she's so young. I'm not sure she'll really be able to get her head around the situation."

I sat beside her with my own plate and nodded reluctantly. "I can see that, but do you really want her to be the only one in the dark? The longer it goes on, the more likely she'll put it all together. She may be hurt if she realizes she was the only person who didn't know. Even small secrets can hurt a family. Mine, for example, was big on secrets. It was part of what drove us apart."

I didn't elaborate on the biggest secret they kept. The fact that they'd planned a mating ceremony without my knowledge or consent. Had demanded I mate with the girl they'd picked for me, and then disowned me when I refused. Secrets were not a healthy thing. Thankfully, Harley didn't pry.

"I guess you're right. I can't have her stumbling around in the dark while the rest of us knows. I'll have to find the right time to tell her. It'll take me some time to figure out how to explain it."

"Well, I'll be there with you, so that should make it easier," I said.

She seemed surprised by my offer. I smiled and shook my head again. "We are working on being together. If I'm in your life and the baby's life, then that means I'll be in Jordyn and Mariah's life. It's only right that I'm there for things like this. I'm not just in this for you or the baby. If this works out, I want to be what those girls need, too."

Harley's eyes misted over, and I had an overwhelming urge to comfort her—in fact, my dragon demanded it. I lifted her and set her on my lap, gently wiping away the tears that had spilled down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I'm a big blubbering mess. I think it's the hormones."

I didn't want her to apologize for something I understood. "It's okay. You can cry whenever you need to. I've got a shoulder ready to cry on any time."

Harley smiled and looked at me. Our eyes connected, and I couldn't look away. She stared into my eyes, and it was like she was staring right into my soul. Neither of us spoke as the tension built. Our eyes stayed locked on each other as the seconds ticked by, and each second increased the feeling that something needed to happen. I knew exactly what I wanted. I stared into Harley's eyes and remembered the way we'd been all those months ago in New York. The taste of her nipples, the sound of her moaning, her hand on my cock.

"Fuck it," I mumbled and kissed her.

This wasn't a quick peck on the lips like I'd done before. It wasn't even the deeper kiss we'd shared earlier today. This was hard, wet, and intense. Our tongues twisting and fighting, our breath mingling as our breathing got heavier. Harley's hands ran through my hair, and I picked her up and carried her to the couch.

The kiss broke for a moment as I laid her on the couch. She had a hungry, demanding look in her eyes that told me she wanted what I wanted. My dragon was ready to claw its way out of my chest if we didn't get to it. I peeled her clothes off until she lay naked beneath me. The girls would be home soon, so this would need to be fast. I'd take my time to fuck her brains out next time. Right now, it was going to be all about her.

Sliding to my knees in front of her, I grabbed her legs and nudged her toward me. She laughed until I slid my face between her legs and slid my tongue along her pussy, flicking her clit with the tip of my tongue. Her laugh turned to a gasping moan. Her fingers dug into my hair as I slid my tongue in and out of her. One hand slid around and massaged her clit while another grabbed her breast, gently pinching the nipple. She rocked against my face, in time with the thrusts of my tongue.

"Fuck," she breathed out as I started moving faster.

I slipped my tongue up to circle her clit and her back arched, a trembling breath escaping her lips. The sound drove me crazy. I slid a finger inside her, her body went rigid, and then shuddered. I sucked on her clit as I fucked her with my fingers.

"Oh God. Oh God." Her hips were nearly vibrating as she edged closer to orgasm.

Harley grabbed her breasts and massaged them. Her mouth opened in a silent moan, her eyes half-lidded and staring at me while I worked her closer to climax. She looked so fucking sexy I had to bring a hand down and free my cock from my pants. I stroked myself hard and felt myself already getting close.

I went faster, flicking my tongue across her pussy, sliding my finger in and out of her. She was getting close. I could tell by the way she writhed beneath me that she was ready to explode. Like she wanted it, but was afraid of it. Afraid it would be too strong. That was exactly what I wanted. I wanted to blow her mind, to leave her spent and exhausted. I pressed my lips to her pussy and slammed my tongue into her. Each time I pulled it out, I slid it across her clit.

Harley clutched at the fabric of the couch, her head thrown back, her entire body quivering uncontrollably. She nearly screamed as she came. Her face was red, veins showing on her neck; her body bucked, and she pressed her hips into my face. Unable to control myself, I came just as she climaxed. I jerked myself off right there on the hardwood floor as she shivered and collapsed on the couch. Harley was spent and already nearly asleep. I sat back on my heels, breathing heavily.

Suddenly headlights shone through the window as a car pulled into the driveway. "Shit!"

As fast as I could, I pulled my shirt off, and used it to clean up my mess. I kicked Harley's clothes under the couch out of sight and scooped her up, rushing up the stairs and into her room with her clinging to my body. The bedroom door swung shut behind us just as the front door opened. I chuckled, thinking how awkward that would have been. Harley was already asleep in my arms as I gently set her down in her bed. She groaned quietly in her sleep as I tucked the covers around her. For a few seconds, I watched her sleep. Deep inside me, the bond with her deepened. All my life growing up, I'd watched mating bonds develop and grow. Seen the way men acted when it came to their mates—those protective instincts, the urge to always be near their mate, that unbridled need . My heart fought to break free from my chest, and I knew, by some strange miracle, that she truly was my mate.