Shifters of Shadow Falls Collection (Books 1-3) by Crystal L. Shaw

alpha, their needs come before my own.  But my mate.   My heart hurts for her.  She doesn’t trust me or anything that she’s feeling.  For Christ’s sake, she thought I drugged her!
    “You could let her go back to Lizie.  Caleb and Dom are going crazy.  She won’t come out of the bathroom and she’s crying again.  Something is really fucking wrong with her.  That’ll give your mate something to focus on.”
    “Did you get their paperwork from Vince yet?”  The silence from Lev answers my question.  “He still isn’t back yet, is he?”  I clench my fists and scowl before I can catch myself.  Luckily, Ariana has fallen asleep on my chest.  I’m flooded with relief.  The last thing I need to do is to frighten her anymore.  As soon as she wakes up we need to have a talk about why she bolted. 
    “Not yet.”
    “When he gets back, I’m gonna kick his ass.”  Mother fucker can’t listen to orders for the life of him.  I know it has to do with finding his mate, but he could’ve waited until things were settled here.  “What about Caleb?”
    “Haven’t heard from him yet.  He’s probably still packing up their stuff.”  I nod my head even though he can’t see me.  The smell of Ariana’s hair wafts towards me and I push my nose deeper into her to breathe her in.  She smells just like she tastes, like candied apples.  My mouth waters at the memory.
    “You want some privacy alpha?”  I can hear Lev’s laugh.
    “Fuck off.”  Even as I say it I smile.  I’ll get my mate’s worries worked out and then everything will be perfect. 
    “Where do you want all of their shit when it gets here?” 
    “I want it set up exactly as it was in their place.  Put it all in the east wing.”
    “That’s weird.”  I shake my head.
    “No, it’s smart.  They need comfort and privacy right now.  They want to go home so we’ll give them their home to run to.”
    “That’s fucking crazy Dev.”
    A low growl erupts from my chest causing Ariana to whimper.  Fuck.   I stroke her back and gently kiss her hair.  She calms in her sleep. 
    “I’m surprised she’s bothered at all by your growl.  I could feel those vibes you threw at her.  It knocked Jude on his ass.”  I can hear him chuckle.
    “Oh yeah, it didn’t get to you too?”  I know it fucking did.  It took everything in me to get her to bow.  The moment she did though I regretted it.  She’s my equal.  I shouldn’t have let my anger get the best of me.
    “Course it did.  But I stopped doing my laps and bowed like a wolf.  Jude fucking dropped like a pussy.”  I chuckle and the movement wakes Ariana.  At first she’s content and almost nuzzles back into me.  But then her eyes open wider and she stiffens.  
    Damn it.  This isn’t how finding your mate is supposed to work. 
    “Well your mate is human.”  I purse my lips at Lev’s words.  I run my fingers through Ariana’s hair and she melts back into me. 
    I sigh heavily, loving the added weight of her on my chest.  This would be so much better if she were a shifter.  So much easier if she knew what to expect.  If Ariana had witnessed a heat first hand, maybe she would’ve recognized it.  At least her body recognizes me as her mate.  That’s more than I can say for Dom and Caleb’s mate. 
     

Chapter 10: Lizie
     
    I’m scared shitless, huddled in the corner of the shower with the curtain closed as though they don’t know I’m in here.  I wonder if they know I’m not human.  I pray they don’t.  I can’t go back.  I can’t be what I once was. 
    I’m not even completely sure what I am other than latent.  They said I was useless and a waste.  They sold me and those assholes beat the shit out of me, trying to coax my wolf out.  Tears stream down my face and my body shakes without permission.  They’re going to hurt me again.  Dom looks just like him .  Like the shifter who brutalized my body over and over again.  I shudder