10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

S torm sat in the passenger seat of King's SUV with his hands clasped between his knees and his head bowed. He really didn't see what the big deal was, but his mate had been pissed at him for the past three days.

He wasn't the only one, either. A lot of people he didn't know had ranted and raved about his "performance" down at the lake. Priya had been particularly irate. Some guy he'd been told was a film director had just about shit kittens over it.

Damien, however, had found the entire ordeal hilarious. He still couldn't remember the guy, but he was beginning to see why they were friends.

"Don't do anything weird tonight," King bit out from the behind the wheel.

Was that meant to be offensive? Should he be offended? "Weird how?"

"For starters, try to keep your clothes on."

Ah, so they were back to that.

He wasn't claiming King didn't have justification for his anger. The poor guy had endured his share of the ass-chewings being dished out. He'd also been stressing about the possibility of being fired from his position at the hotel, although nothing had come of that. Not even a reprimand from his boss.

Still, Storm wasn't oblivious to the havoc he'd caused. He just didn't understand why everyone was getting so bent out of shape over it. So what if a bunch of strangers had seen him naked? It wouldn't be the first time. He was a shifter for fuck's sake.

Apparently, pictures and videos of him at the lake had ended up on some kind of clock website. He wasn't clear on the details, but that was what he'd gathered from Priya's screeching.

"You're all over TikTok!"

A bunch of timekeeping enthusiasts posting pictures of him didn't make a hell of a lot of sense, but everyone had been pretty upset about it. The word "scandal" had even been tossed around, which sounded like a bit of a stretch.

"Can you please just talk to me, darlin'? I honestly don't know what I did wrong to piss you off."

King gripped the wheel tighter and sighed. "I know you don't, and I'm not mad at you. I'm angry with myself." Slowing, he turned on his indicator light as he merged onto the highway that would take them into Colorado Springs. "It's not so much about what you did. It's more about who you are."

"You said I'm famous." An actor with legions of devoted fans.

Since Storm's earliest memories were only a few days old, he was forced to take the guy's word for it. Still, his journey from a farm kid in the Texas panhandle to the glitz and glamor of the silver screen sounded unbelievable.

According to more than one person, his introduction to films had happened during an open casting call during college. He and some of his friends had decided to audition as a joke, and the rest, apparently, was history.

Of course, Storm couldn't remember who he'd been or why he'd made the choices he had. All he had to go on was the person he was now. For that person, the joke part of the story resonated, but he couldn't reconcile his decision to continue in the industry. Especially when he had no desire for fame.

"Exactly," King confirmed. "Until things go back to normal, I just don't want you to do something you might regret once you have your memory back."

That was fair, and Storm appreciated that it came from a place of caring. His mate was essentially trying to protect him from himself, or at the very least, protect a potential future in case Storm decided to continue down that path.

It was all quite confusing, and frankly, he didn't want to think about it anymore. Time to change the subject.

"Tell me about your family."

"What do want to know?" King's fingers tightened around the wheel again, and the muscles in his shoulders tensed.

"Let's start with their names."

"Well, my parents are Tim and Daniella Mathers."

"What do they do?"

"My dad is a cosmetic surgeon. My mom—" King shook his head. "—doesn't work. She supports a lot of causes, though. Mostly to do with animals."

Both respectable uses of time, so he didn't understand why his mate sounded so apprehensive. "You said you have siblings?"

"Yeah, Reina is the oldest. She'll take over dad's clinic when he retires. Rhiannon is a district judge. She prefers to go by Rhia." He licked his bottom lip and took a deep breath before continuing. "Royal is a robotics engineer, but don't ask me to explain what he does. I don't understand half of what he says."

Storm chuckled in solidarity, but he wasn't concerned. Even if he didn't understand their jobs, he figured they could always find something else to talk about.

His mate had quite the impressive family. Some might even say intimidating. He imagined there was a lot of pressure to live up to the family legacy.

"And you're the youngest?"

"Yeah, my brother and sisters are all two years apart, but Royal is fourteen years older than me."

"That's quite the gap."

It did explain why King claimed not to be close with his siblings, though. They would have all graduated by the time their baby brother started kindergarten.

"Yes, but my mother swears I was planned." He flipped his blinker on and checked his blind spot before changing lanes to pass a slower moving vehicle. Then he shrugged. "Maybe she was bored."

Well, that was a pretty bleak way of looking at it. Sure, waiting that long to have a fourth child might not be the usual, but it wasn't so strange. He also considered the possibility that King's birth had been a happy accident, and his mom had told a small fib to protect his feelings. That still didn't mean he had been unwanted.

Clearly, there was more to these family dynamics than his mate let on. Instead of interrogating him about it, however, he decided to wait and find out for himself when he met the Mathers clan.

Which turned out to be sooner than he had anticipated. The last signage he'd seen had reported another twenty-two miles to Colorado Springs, but a few minutes later, King exited the highway and turned onto a narrow, two-lane road.

Businesses gave way to residential neighborhoods, which eventually became rows of densely packed trees with the occasional glimpse of mountain peaks in the distance. They didn't speak, and King appeared to barely be breathing, growing more tense with each passing mile.

After a while, King slowed once again, turning onto a paved lane that led to a massive wrought-iron gate set into what appeared to be a brick wall. Reaching overhead, he pressed the center button on a remote attached to his sun visor. With a loud creak and a low rumble, the gate parted, rolling away to permit them entry.

The lane turned out to be a long driveway with lush, manicured lawns on either side. A fountain topped with a life-size fairy was displayed like a centerpiece in the middle of the circular part of the drive. Carved from white stone, it glimmered in the fading sunlight while waterspouts skipped merrily over the surface of the basin.

The house itself was an interesting mixture of traditional and modern with large bay windows, more white stone, and dark wood trim. The porch stretched the length of the home, though apart from a few potted plants, it didn't appear as if the residents spent much time there.

No chairs. No swing. Nothing to indicate it was for anything more than decoration.

Exiting the vehicle, he met King at the bottom of the front steps and offered his hand. He wouldn't push the issue, but he wanted his mate to know he was there if King needed him.

After a brief hesitation, King smiled and linked their fingers together. "Are you ready?"

"Ready."

"I'm just going to go ahead and apologize in advance for anything my family might say. They have absolutely no filter."

The guy didn't seem to realize he wasn't responsible for the behavior of others, but he was dealing with enough stress at the moment. As such, Storm decided to keep his comments to himself and wait for a more appropriate time to discuss it.

Besides, he fancied himself easygoing with a fairly high tolerance for bullshit. If they wanted to offend him, the Mathers would have to work hard for it. As long as they didn't disparage his mate, he could take whatever they dished out to him.

"I promise not to take it personally."

He knew he'd said the right thing when King nodded and let out a deep breath before leading him through the front door. The sounds of conversation came from deeper within the house, but even when King called out, no one came out to meet them.

Following his mate through a beautiful sitting room decorated in neutral shades of sand and sage, he couldn't help but notice how unused everything appeared. The mocha-colored sofa and its matching armchairs had probably cost a fortune, but there was no sign that they were actually used for their intended purpose.

The walls were decorated with eclectic pieces of art, including metalworks, wood-carved masks, and modern paintings. The mantel over the fireplace contained vases of fresh flowers, along with half a dozen miniature sculptures. A stack of self-help books adorned the coffee table, and weird bowls of wicker balls sat atop a long table just beyond the foyer.

Nowhere, however, did he see a single photo, or anything else that might hold meaning. Honestly, it kind of felt like walking through a museum, and he tucked his hands into the pockets of his chinos to avoid even accidentally touching anything.

From there, they passed through a wide corridor that reminded him remarkably of a waiting room. With a brick wall on one side, and a glass wall on the other that looked out onto a courtyard, the only thing that occupied the space was two benches and some fairly generic paintings.

They hung a left at the end of the hallway and entered an expansive dining room with a long, marble-topped table surrounded by eight leather chairs. More generic paintings took up valuable space on the walls, and a couple of fake palms in wicker baskets filled each corner of the room.

An arched doorway led to a kitchen that appeared small and outdated compared to the rest of the space, but Storm only caught a brief glimpse. The main attraction was the east wall, which consisted of glass accordion doors that stood open to a covered patio that abutted a huge pool, complete with a natural rock waterfall.

That was where they found King's family, gathered in another sitting area with two sofas and four additional armchairs. Directly behind one of the sofas was a fully stocked tiki bar, which the Mathers seemed to be putting to good use.

"King!" A young woman with golden curls just like his mate held up a colorful cocktail with an equally colorful paper umbrella. "What are you drinking?"

"That's Rhia," King muttered from the side of his mouth.

Before King could do anything more than nod, the matriarch spoke.

"He'll have water."

Daniella Mathers was undoubtedly beautiful, with a curtain of wheat-colored locks that brushed the tops of her shoulders. Despite the casualness of the gathering, she wore a full face of makeup, as well as a fitted black dress that looked more suited to a five-star restaurant than a pool-side patio.

"Mom." The other sister—Reina, if he remembered correctly—brushed her chestnut hair over one shoulder and sighed. "Relax."

She wore an understated sundress and a disapproving scowl as she squared off with her mother. Storm liked her immediately.

King cleared his throat and shuffled forward. Storm followed, linking their hands together and squeezing to lend his support.

"Everyone, this is my mate, Storm Black. Storm, this is my family."

He started with Rhia, and went around the group, introducing each one by name. The two sisters smiled and nodded. The brother, Royal, beamed and gave him a big wave. Daniella folded her hands together at her waist and bowed her head.

King's father, Tim, however, didn't move from his seat on the sofa, other than to briefly glance up from the book he was reading. His expression held only the barest hint of acknowledgement without any sort of welcome. Since he was just as ardently ignoring his own children, however, Storm didn't take it to heart.

Clearly, the guy had been coerced into the gathering by his wife and felt they were all intruding on his time.

"Beer?" Royal saddled up beside them and held out a bottle by its neck.

"Thanks." He accepted the drink, but before taking a sip, he turned to King. "What about you?"

King shook his head quickly. "I'm not a big fan of beer. Enjoy."

"Here, drink this." Bouncing over to join them, Rhia pushed a cocktail of some electric pink concoction, ringed with yellow and topped with at least half a dozen cherries, into King's hand.

"Uh, what is it?"

His sister shrugged. "The Rhia special."

King's gaze flitted to his mother, then back, before he took a tentative sip. He must have liked it because his head popped up, and his eyes widened. "It tastes like candy."

Rhia smirked. "Told you so."

"Just be careful," Reina warned. "It definitely packs a punch."

While Storm appreciated her concern, he wouldn't let anything happen to his mate. "Just have fun. I can get us home."

King answered by leaning into him with a warm smile and a quick nuzzle under his chin.

"Okay, be honest," Rhia blurted. "He totally slipped you a love potion, didn't he?"

"Don't be stupid," Royal argued. "How would he know if he'd been given a love potion?"

Reina scoffed. "You're both idiots. A potion would wear off. It's obviously some kind of spell."

The tone of the conversation was light and teasing, and it was obvious none of them actually knew how potions or spells worked. To Storm, it was nothing more than some good-natured ribbing of their baby brother.

Yet, King wasn't laughing. Hell, he was hardly breathing, and he looked for all the world like he wanted to crawl under the nearest rock and disappear.

"Interesting theory," he noted casually. "Have you considered that I'm the one who gave him a love potion?" He tilted the mouth of the bottle toward them with an arched eyebrow. "I mean, he is pretty cute."

"That's fair," Rhia allowed as she reached out to muss King's curls. "He gets it from me, of course."

"King," Daniella called from the open doorway. "Come help me in the kitchen." Then she met Storm's gaze and smiled. "Please, make yourself at home. We'll be ready to eat soon."

"Thank you, ma'am. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Oh, no, that's okay. We'll manage." Her smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. "King?"

"Coming, Mother." He rolled his shoulders back and took a deep breath. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I'll be right back."

When Storm turned back to the siblings, he noticed identical looks of concern on each of their faces as they watched their little brother disappear into the house.

"Shit," Reina cursed. Without preamble, she snatched the cocktail from her sister's hand and downed the remainder in one swallow.

For a moment, it looked as if Rhia would argue, but after a moment, she simply shrugged.

"What?" Storm asked. "What's wrong?"

Royal shook his head. "It's probably nothing. Just, sometimes, our mom has a tendency to be a bit critical."

"Especially when it comes to King," Rhia added. "She's always been harder on him."

Storm had simply assumed that Daniella wanted to talk to her youngest about…well, him. Now, he was wondering if allowing King to leave his side was the right call. Worried for his mate, he kept one ear on the conversation while tuning into what was happening in the kitchen.

"Oh, honey, you're a mess. Just look at this shirt. It's dreadful."

For the evening, King had chosen a pair of black dress slacks with matching loafers. His black polo fit him beautifully, and the bands of red on the sleeves and collar complemented his creamy complexion.

Storm thought he looked quite dashing, and he failed to see how Daniella could find fault in the outfit.

"You've put on more weight, too." Her disapproving tut was followed by a long sigh. "We talked about this, yes?"

"Yes, Mother. I'm sorry. I'll do better."

It broke his fucking heart to hear how beaten down and defeated King sounded. Especially since there was no basis for Daniella's complaints. King was perfect just the way he was, and Storm loved his soft curves and adorable bubble butt.

"Have you been avoiding carbs like I recommended?"

"Sometimes."

"That's good. Remember, if you're hungry, drink green tea. It'll help."

Oh, fuck that. There was no way in heaven or hell he was going to allow his mate to starve himself out of some misguided desire to please his overbearing mother. What the hell was this female's problem, anyway?

"So, you've been all over social media this week," Royal said, interrupting his eavesdropping. "That was quite the show you put on."

"I just wanted to swim." It really wasn't a big deal.

Reina nodded sagely. "I get that. It must be exhausting having people dogging your every step."

"Dogs aren't the problem." What a strange thing to say. "It's people that suck."

Little snorts escaped Rhia's nose, and her eyes started to water. Eventually, she couldn't contain it any longer, and she barked out a sharp, shrill laugh.

"I'm putting that on a T-shirt."

Loud throat-clearing drew their attention to the other side of the patio. Rhia instantly ducked her head and stopped laughing, looking properly abashed.

"Sorry, Dad," she mumbled.

King had told him he wasn't close to his siblings, but from what he could tell, they were a pretty good bunch. Yet, how they had managed to turn out so normal with such hypercritical parents remained a mystery.

"Now," Daniella was saying when he returned to the conversation going on in the kitchen. "Have you started looking for another job?"

"I like my job."

"Yes, dear, but it's not exactly suitable, is it?

Storm failed to see how honest work wasn't suitable . He didn't have to wait long to find out, though.

"Your…partner is famous," she continued. "How is it going to look for him to be with a maid ?"

"Storm doesn't care about stuff like that."

"Do you honestly believe that? Of course, he cares. How could he not be embarrassed?"

Pretty bold of her to make assumptions about someone she didn't even know.

He might not have all of his memories, but he liked to think he'd never been a prick who cared about status or money. King liked his position at Blackhaven Manor, and he enjoyed the people he worked with. It was also a perfectly respectable job—just like any employment that didn't involve criminal activity.

"I just don't understand why you won't apply yourself. Do you want to clean up after other people for the rest of your life?"

"Yes," King answered, and he sounded confident. "I like cleaning. It's calming. All the better that I get paid for it, and I like knowing I can make guests' lives a little better. Even if it's just coming back to a tidy space after a long day."

"Oh, don't be so stupid, Kingston. Those people don't care about you."

Her statement was followed by a loud crash and the sound of breaking glass.

Both sisters gasped, and Royal cursed as they all jerked at the sound of the commotion. Storm, however, had a very different reaction. Instead of shock or surprise, he chose violence.

Driven by instinct and incapable of rational thought, all he knew was that his mate was in danger. Maybe. Whatever. Whether King was in peril or not, it didn't matter. Even a possible threat needed to be neutralized.

Permanently.

While everyone else remained distracted, he kicked off his shoes and stripped out of his shirt before sprinting toward the kitchen. He started his shift as soon as he cleared the patio, and by the time he'd crossed the dining room, he was clawing out of his chinos.

As a cougar, he was bigger, stronger, and a hell of a lot more lethal. While he would have preferred a moment to settle into his sable fur, that wasn't an option this time. King needed him.

Hissing and snarling, he bounded into the kitchen and leaped onto the kitchen island, sending metal pans and ceramic casserole dishes flying in every direction. He flicked his tail in agitation as he bared his teeth and growled.

The low, menacing rumble echoed through the room, but it couldn't compete with Daniella's high-pitched scream.

"Storm!" King yelled, rushing over to him and stroking the fur on his neck. "Calm down. Please do not eat my mom!"

"What is that? What's happening?" Daniella screeched.

"It's a cougar," King responded calmly. "Well, technically, he's my mate." Then he went right back to ignoring her as he rubbed both hands along the sides of Storm's neck. "Come on, big guy. Ease up."

At least, Storm thought that was what he'd said. It was kind of hard to tell with all the screaming and wailing going on.

"He tried to attack me! Call the police! Call the park rangers!"

"Shut up, Mother!" Entering the kitchen with her siblings close behind, Reina breathed out a deep sigh when her command shocked the matriarch into silence. "That's better."

Royal snickered. "This might be the best day of my life."

Unfortunately, Daniella recovered quickly and began screeching again. Only, this time, she wasn't passive about it. Grabbing an empty cookie sheet from the floor, she gripped it in both hands and began swatting at him with it.

"Back! Get back! Shoo!"

When one of her attempts brought the pan near his muzzle, Storm caught the edge of it between his teeth and ripped it easily from her hands. Apparently, that was Daniella's tipping point because she dissolved into hysterics as she ran from the room, slipping and tottering on her four-inch heels.

Completely ignoring the monstrous cat in their kitchen, the siblings rushed forward to surround King.

"Are you okay?" Reina asked as she brushed his hair back from his face. "Are you hurt? What happened?"

"I'm fine." King looked more confused than scared. "I was hoping you could tell me what happened. Why is my mate losing his mind?"

"We all heard the crash," Royal explained. "I think Storm was trying to protect you."

"Crash?" King glanced around at the chaos. "Oh, that. I hit that ugly tea pitcher with my elbow and knocked it off the counter."

Royal bobbed his head. "Best. Day. Ever."

Oddly—or maybe not, all things considered—none of them seemed to be particularly worried about their mother. Under different circumstances, Storm might have felt sorry for her, but she had kind of brought it on herself. It also hadn't escaped his notice that at no point during the ordeal had King's father made an appearance or shown any concern for his family.

Calm now that he knew his mate was safe, he lowered onto his haunches and relaxed his tense posture.

He'd done a decent job of clearing the countertop during his initial assault, but he'd missed a small bowl near the corner. It obviously wasn't bothering anyone. It sure as hell wasn't a threat. He still couldn't stop himself from nudging it with his paw.

"Storm, stop that."

He jerked his head up to look at his mate, but his foot seemed to have a mind of its own as it continued to push the bowl right off the edge of the island. It tumbled to the floor and bounced, but it didn't break. Bummer.

"Storm!"

There were a couple of snickers from the siblings, but Storm ignored them, distracted by a hand with manicured nails reaching toward his head.

"Sorry," Rhia said. She stopped moving, but she didn't retreat. "Can I? Please?"

She did realize she was asking to pet a grown ass man, right? Humans were weird. Still, it cost him nothing, and if it made her happy, he could play along. With a soft purr, he dropped his head and stretched his neck toward her.

Giggling like a child, she tentatively ran her fingertips from his brow to his crown. After a couple of repetitions, her confidence grew, and she began scratching behind his ears.

It was actually kind of nice.

"We should probably go," King said a few minutes later. "I don't doubt that my mom really will call the police."

"Good idea," Reina agreed. "Go on. We'll sort things out here." She looked over her shoulder toward the patio doors. "Uh, should we find his clothes?"

"It's fine. He can ride home like this." He arched an eyebrow when Storm whined at the suggestion. "I don't want to hear it."

Unsure of what he'd done wrong, Storm whined again and nuzzled his mate's cheek. King, however, wasn't swayed.

"No, sir." He spoke with resolution as he pushed Storm away. "You had one job. Just one."

Storm meowed. The closest he could get to a question in his current form.

King's lips turned down at the corners, and he huffed. "All you had to do was keep your fucking clothes on!"