Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

K ari looked in the mirror and turned her face from side to side. The bruise that had been so dark the night before had already faded significantly, but the concealer Evander brought her was doing an amazing job of covering up what still remained.

He'd told her Clara was really good at buying things for people, but she had no idea how the woman had matched her skin tone so accurately. Of course, maybe that had something to do with the quality of the product, because she'd heard of the brand before, and it wasn't something she could pick up at the drugstore.

She glanced down at her work uniform and resisted the urge to wince.

Honestly, she didn't look that bad in her work tee and jeans, but compared to Evander, she knew she was seriously lacking.

Did that bother him? He didn't act like it did, and for that she was grateful, but she did wonder if he was happy being saddled with someone like her. She clearly wasn't in the same league as him, and nothing would ever change that.

She set the tube of concealer down and stalled by washing her hands. Again.

Evander was waiting for her in the other room, and that actually didn't bother her.What did bother her was how she felt about it. He seemed to accept her without any reservations, and once some of the fear subsided, she could feel the pull toward him. Unfortunately,nothing in her life had ever been easy, and she was already waiting for the other shoe to drop.

She didn't want to get hurt, but for the first time in what felt like forever, someone cared about her. Only it wasn't just some rando off the street. Evander was her mate, and though she didn't know much about her kind, she knew what mates were.

Could he really be interested in her that way, or was this all some sort of a game to him?

She thought back to the night before, and couldn't help but smile.

First, he had given her the option of whether or not to meet his friend, and then he'd returned with food. Tons of food. Apparently, one of the guys in his clan, Eron, really liked to cook, and everyone fought over his cinnamon rolls.

The bag had been filled with three dragon-sized sandwiches, two cinnamon rolls, some cookies, and two breakfast burritos stuffed with scrambled eggs, cheese, and bacon.

She couldn't even remember the last time she'd actually had breakfast, but Evander had given her explicit instructions about eating one of the burritos when she woke this morning, and she saw no reason to let the food go to waste.

The errant thought of whether or not it could be poisoned had crossed her mind, but she'd been starving when Evander had returned with the bag, and she'd decided that she didn't care. If he was going to kill her, he'd already had plenty of chances, and the only thing she had to eat in her place was cereal.

Her stomach had rumbled as soon as he'd returned with the bag, and though the incident had been embarrassing, he just gave her a knowing smile and set a large plastic container down in front of her. When she took off the lid, she'd gasped at the size of the sandwich, and Evander had just laughed, reminding her that he and his friends were dragons.

He was obviously used to eating a ton of food, but she wasn't, and there was no way she could finish it all. Especially not all that and a cinnamon roll, and she'd desperately wanted to taste the warm, sweet bread. Honestly, she hadn't needed the extra sandwich or the burritos because the half sandwich she'd left behind would have been fine for breakfast,but Evander had insisted.

He'd let her keep the extra cinnamon roll, too, and she'd already eaten half of the thing. She worried thatshe might get sick from eating so much, or that her hunger pangs would be worse once she didn't have it anymore, but for now, she was enjoying everything.

And Evander was right.

She already felt stronger.

She nodded once, and left the tiny bathroom. Evander was sitting on her tiny sofa again, looking at his phone, but he closed the device and slid the thing in his pocket as he stood.

"Do I look okay?" She asked, showing him her cheek.

"You look beautiful."

She felt her face warm, and laughed.

"You know what I mean. Is the bruise covered up enough."

"It is," he nodded. "Clara is certainly skilled."

"Yeah, she is."

A twinge of jealousy tried to take root, but she pushed it away. Once they started eating the night before, Evander had started talking, and she already knew who all of his clansmen were. Clara, the personal shopper, was the Alpha's sister and mated to Marcus, the clan healer. The other woman could apparently look at someone and bring back an entire wardrobe in their size, and she'd been able to pick the right concealer after asking Evander a couple of questions.

She was in awe of the woman personally, and she couldn't fault Evander for recognizing his friend's gifts. Especially not when he'd known the other woman for decades.

It turns out that dragons really are immortal, and Evander was nearly six times her age, even though he looked like he was in his early thirties.

She'd wanted to ask him if knew the dragons that had killed her parents, but what if he did? It wouldn't change anything, and it wasn't like she expected him to avenge her. Of course, she wanted those guilty to pay for their crimes, but things worked differently in the shifter world, and she doubted she would ever have closure on the incident.

"Are you ready to go?"

She nodded and scooped up her keys, ID, and phone. Evander had frowned at the cheap flip-phone when they'd exchanged numbers the night before, but he didn't say anything about it. Probably because he knew she couldn't afford something better, and even if she could, it would be stupid to own something like that in this neighborhood.

When she was ready, he opened the door and stepped out into the hallway first, and then nodded for her to follow. She wasn't worried about anyone bothering her with him around, and she had to admit it was nice to leave her place without looking over her shoulder.

The night before, he hadn't asked to stay—which she was grateful for—but he had promised to return to walk her to work. She'd declined his offer at first, but then wondered why. With Evander by her side, no one would bother her, and she secretly wished he would walk her home, too. She would never ask him to, though.

Getting used to that kind of treatment was dangerous, and she knew he had other things to do.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Evander placed his hand in the small of her back while he guided her across the street, and when he let it drop, she immediately missed his warmth. He was casual, but she didn't miss the way he scanned their surroundings, and she knew at least two of the people they passed had crossed the street because of the hard look he'd leveled at them.

"I don't like you living there," he said, after they'd walked for nearly a block in total silence. "I know you're probably not ready to move in with me, but that's what I want. I'm just putting that out there right now. Until then, I can rent you a better place closer to your job."

He wanted her to move in with him? Or rent her a better place? Was that some kind of joke? They'd barely met yesterday. She didn't know him well enough to move in with him, and she couldn't allow herself to be indebted to anyone.Some of her fear returned, and when he sighed, she knew he felt it, but she refused to feel guilty for her feelings.

"I'm sorry, Evander, but I can't let you do that. And I can't live with you, either. We just met the day before yesterday, and while you've been really kind to me, it's too much."

"I know," he nodded. "But the offer stands. If you get sick of that place, then we findyou someplace else to live."

She didn't tell him her plans aboutfinding another job, because she knew that he wouldn'tlike it, and she didn'twant to argue with him. He might be her mate—or claim to be—but he didn'town her, and he had no say on what she did with her life.

Besides, she could see the sports bar in the distance, and she had no idea if she would ever see him again.

"I'll be back, tonight," he said, as if reading her mind. "I'll meet you in front of the building."

"Evander, you can't just?—"

"I can, and I will. I'm not forcing you to mate me, or to move in with me, but I will keep you safe. If that means walking you to and from work every day, then so be it."

Was he crazy? He thought he was going to escort her to and from work every day? How would that even work? Didn't he have a job? Or responsibilities to his clan? He'd said he was part of the Guard, and she'd assumed that meant he was some kind of protector. How could he waste his time on her?

"Are you serious?"

"I am. I'll meet you out here at ten-thirty. There's no reason I should be running late, but if I'm not here, then wait inside that coffee shop." He pointed to the popular chain coffee place across the street. "They are open until midnight, and you'll be safe there."

She glanced at the coffee place, and then back to him. If she waited for him and he stood her up, she'd be putting herself in more danger by walking home later. Something she definitely didn't want to do.

A shiver raced down her spine, and she shook her head.

"I—"

"I won't stand you up, sweetheart, and I won't be late. Having another meeting spot available is just a precaution."

She glanced at the coffee place again, and then looked at him. She wanted to believe in him, but she was still afraid, and she definitely didn't want to walk home alone at midnight.

"You can trust me. It's going to be okay, Kari."

She nodded, and truly hoped it would be.

"Okay."

E vander walked into Alric's office and sank into one of the large chairs in front of the man's desk.

"I would ask how it's going, but I'm guessing not great," the King said. "Did you make any headway?"

"A little. She's still afraid of me, but it's not as intense as it was on the first day, and I think she can feel our connection. She doesn't trust it, though. Doesn't believe I'll stick around. Probably because of whatever happened with her family. She's been alone a long time."

He hadn't brought up her family again, but he needed to know the whole story. They all did. It was a matter of safety not only for her, but for them all, and he would do everything in his power to keep his mate—and his clan—safe.

"Yeah, we need to find out what actually happened. Dragons burning down homes sounds like something that happened a hundred years ago, not fifteen. It seems like this was a one-time event, but why?"

"Right, and I don't know. I don't have the names of her family members, but I did search for any fires with casualties around that time frame and didn't find anything. Maybe hearing her story will trigger something for one of us."

Dragon shifters were rare, but that didn't mean they all knew each other, and they definitely didn't keep tabs on what others like them were doing unless there was a need. Like a direct threat to the clan, or one of their members.

Once Kari started living with him, whether or not they were officially mated, she would be considered part of their clan, and that meant they would need to know as much as possible about the attack on her family. He doubted anyone was coming for her, but if they were, then they all needed to be ready, because no one was going to lay a hand on his mate.

"Alright," the King said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "No need to get all growly. We'll keep her safe, Evander."

He loosened his grip on the chair, and smiled at his King. They had been together a long time, and though he was closest with Anton, Alric was one of his best friends.

"I know," he nodded. "Obviously, I'm going to be unavailable for a little bit. I already told her I want her to move in, but of course, she thought I was crazy."

"Of course," Alric laughed.

"So, I will be flying there and back every day until I can change her mind. Which hopefully won't be long, because that shithole she lives in isn't safe, and I can't stand her being there."

Fuck!

His hands gripped the chair again, and he forced himself to relax. His mate was on the tall side for most humans, but compared to him, she was small, andhe hated the looks some of the people in the building had given her on their way out. And it wasn't any better once they hit the street. Kari hadseemed oblivious to most of it, but he was surprised that she'd only been assaulted once.

Next time, she might not be so lucky.

Except there wouldn'tbe a next time, because from now on, he would be by her side.

"Take all the time you need," Alric said. "That should go without saying, but I know you need to hear it. Everything is fine here, and if something goes down, we can take care of it. You need to focus on your mate."

He appreciated the King's words, but honestly, he didn't need them. He would do anything for his clan, but now that he'd found Kari, they were no longer his number one priority. Everything he did now was for his mate first, and his clan second.

"I will," he nodded, "and I'll keep you posted. As soon as she agrees, I'm bringing her here and either putting her in my room or the guest room across the hall."

"Sounds good."

He glanced out the door and stood when he saw Petra walking down the hall.

"Your mate is here, so I'm going to go, but can you do me a favor?" When the King nodded, he continued. "Can you ask Zane if he and his men can help Kari the way they helped Petra? She has a little knowledge about her kind, but there are some holes there, and I think it would be better for him to fill them in. Plus, then she can see that not all shifters are assholes."

"She's been bothered by other shifters? Wolves?"Alric growled.

"Yeah. She didn't go into details, but apparently, she's been harassed a lot in her animal form. She runs in the State Park, so maybe they've all been rogues. I really don't know much, but she's wary of shifters in general, not just dragons."

"I'll call him," Alric said, as Petra walked through the door and sat on the other man's lap.

"No changes?" Petra asked.

"Not yet," he shook his head, "but I'll keep you posted."

"Okay, good. I'm looking forward to meeting her. We all are."

And that was good, because Kari was completely alone in the world, and she could use a friend like the Queen. Petra's situation had been completely different, but the other woman had been alone when she'd arrived in the castle, too,so she knew first-hand what it was like to feel like she didn't belong at first.

And he had a feeling that Kari already felt like she didn't belong.

She was embarrassed about her place, and he'd seen her glance at his clothes a few times when she thought he wasn't looking. He didn't mind her looking at him, but he hated that she seemed to be comparing herself to him, and the look on her face after always told him what she didn't say.

She believed she was lacking in some way, probably because some of his clothes had designer labels, and hers didn't.

It was a silly comparison, especially because he didn't care about where his clothes came from, but he understood it. Anton had been the same way when they had first become friends, and though he wasn't wearing designer labels back then, his clothes were clean and well-cared for, and Anton's weren't.

In fact, Anton had hardly anything, much like Kari, but his friend had still fought his family when they'd tried to help him.

Unlike Anton, he wasn't going to let Kari get away with pushing him away for months. At least, he hoped it didn't take that long to get her in the castle, because once she was in his home, all bets were off. He had plenty of money—hell, they all did—and he wasn't above forcing gifts on his mate until she learned to tell him what she wanted. Or until she learned to use his money to buy what she wanted herself.

He walked into the kitchen and found Eron mixing something by hand.

"What time are you heading back?" Eron asked. "I have chicken parm in the oven, and I'm making protein bars. Does she need more breakfast burritos?"

He smiled at Eron and clapped him on the back. His friend truly loved to cook, but he also liked taking care of people with food, and even though the other man hadn't met her yet, it seemed that Kari was no different. He expected nothing less from their Second-in-Command, but the gesture still warmed him inside and out.

"I'm leaving at ten, but honestly, she doesn't eat that much. She didn't finish her sandwich from last night, and I left the third one with her, along with the burritos. I took a quick look, and only one of the burritos is gone, and I don't know if or when she'll eat the other stuff."

"Okay, so just take the protein bars tonight, and then I'll send the chicken parm with you tomorrow. Unless she has a request?"

Eron looked at him expectedly, but he just shook his head. He had no idea what kind of food Kari liked, and he wasn't sure he could get her to request something for Eron to make, but it was worth a try.

"I'll ask," he nodded. "Thanks, man."

"It's no problem. Make sure you eat, too. I made ribs last night, and nearly lost two fingers trying to save you some."

He laughed at Eron's description, and left the kitchen and headed to his room. The man could cook, there was no doubt about that, and though he was decent in the kitchen when he had to be, cooking wasn't really his thing.

He'd never cared before, but he suddenly found himself jealous of his friend's talents.

He wanted to be the one to make something special for Kari, but he knew if he did that, she wouldn't like it nearly as much, so instead he concentrated on what he could do.

He wanted to give her everything, but anything material was out of the question. A new phone or laptop were too expensive, and the phone wouldn't be safe for her to carry around, anyway. He hadn't been lying when he'd told her he would walk her to and from work, but he knew he couldn't be there every time she left her apartment—mainly because he doubted that she would let him know what every single one of her plans were.

Yet.

Hopefully, that would change as he earned her trust, but until then, anything with a high dollar value was out of the question.

Flowers were always nice, but if he knew her better, he could give a gift card to her favorite coffee shop, or bring candy from her favorite store. Of course, she could reject a gift card, too, and he pushed the idea out of his head.

Instead, he thought about her apartment, and the things he saw there.

Honestly, there wasn't much, but he had noticed a couple of sketchbooks on the little table next to the bed that she used as a nightstand. The books had looked worn, and well loved, and on top of the stack had been two regular-looking pencils, a pencil sharpener, and an eraser.

Did his mate like to draw?

He could be completely off in his guess, but he didn't think so. Those sketchbooks looked used, and though he hadn't looked inside her tiny closet, there wasn't anything else visible in the apartment that could help her pass the time.

He hated thinking about his mate holed up in that tiny space all alone, but he pushed the feeling aside, and glanced at the clock. He still had a few hours before he had to pick her up, but he didn't want to be late, so he ran to the roof, shifted, and flew off to complete his task.

Two hours later, he dropped the fancy pencil set he'd bought into the small shopping bag full of protein bars that Eron had given him, and raced to the roof again. Kari was off in thirty minutes, and though he was curious if she would actually wait for him in the coffee shop if he was late, he never planned on finding out the answer.

He wanted to be there for her, but she needed him to be there.

And he would never let her down.