piqued.
“I’m sorry for barging in like this.” His apology was met with a raised eyebrow. “I had to see Valerie. You see, she is…” He didn’t know how else to do this but straight out. “She’s my mate.”
Valerie’s gasp drew his attention. He took her hand when he saw the dewy expression on her face. She wasn’t rejecting him. Far from it. She was happy, if her expression was anything to go by.
“We were just discussing how a shifter could have possibly bonded on a magical level with our daughter,” Edmund said quietly, observing their hands and the magic the swirled around them as they touched. It was clear her father was using magesight to follow the progress of the magic as it twined up their arms and around them both.
“I am the Alpha cougar in this region,” Keith confirmed, facing her parents, Valerie’s hand still firmly held in his. “I was raised among my father’s Clan after my mother died. Had she lived, I believe she would have taught me more about her family and abilities. As it is, I’m a cat shifter with poorly trained magical abilities.”
“Who was your mother?” Louisa asked, a hint of urgency in her voice.
“Andrea Thomasina. From what I was told, her parents disowned her when she married my father. They were mages.”
And there it was, his deepest, darkest, family secret. He wasn’t a pure blooded cougar, yet he’d risen to prominence in his Clan. He’d overcome his heritage to prove himself smarter and stronger than the other Alphas who ruled over their own small families. He was the Alpha they answered to around here. The direct link to the Clan, where his cousin, Grif Redstone, led them all. It was an important position. One he’d fought for both physically and mentally.
Never magically. In the fight for dominance, his magic had been a hindrance, not a help. Shifters didn’t trust magic users and vice versa. Keith had to ignore the magical part of his nature in favor of being all cat, all the time. The strategy had gotten him where he was today, but perhaps he’d have to amend it if he wanted to keep the peace between his new mate and her family.
“I knew Andrea. We were at school together,” Louisa admitted. “We were friends for a time. I never knew what became of her. I’m sorry to hear she has left this world.”
No doubt about it, Louisa Faber was a spooky witch. Her eyes saw too much and not all of it on this plane of existence.
“Clan Thomasina is a proud one,” Edmund added with a frown. “Too proud at times. It is hard to believe they would deny their own daughter on the basis of who she fell in love with.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that.” Keith took the opening and ran with it. “I didn’t expect this to happen, but Valerie is my true mate. I cannot be happy without her. If she feels the same…” He turned his gaze to hers and was immediately trapped in the liquid blue of her gaze. She had tears in her eyes, but a smile on her face. The magic around them swirled higher, engulfing them in sporadic little tingles of zinging light.
“I think that’s our cue to leave you two alone. I believe you have much to settle before we speak about the family ramifications of this union.” Edmund took his wife by the hand and led the way out of the room, closing the door behind them.
Keith barely noticed. He was caught up in his mate’s gaze, her presence, her very essence.
“We bonded last night,” Valerie spoke in whispered tones. “I wasn’t sure if you realized it.”
“I knew the moment I tasted your skin that you were my destiny, kitten. I will never stray from your side… If you’ll have me.” Uncertainty entered his voice and he waited in fear for her answer. Keith sank to one knee before her, holding her hand and gazing up at her. “I love you with all my heart, Valerie. Will you marry me?”
“Yes.” The smile that lit her face beamed with the light of her happiness. Tears glistened on her cheeks as she tugged on
“I’m sorry for barging in like this.” His apology was met with a raised eyebrow. “I had to see Valerie. You see, she is…” He didn’t know how else to do this but straight out. “She’s my mate.”
Valerie’s gasp drew his attention. He took her hand when he saw the dewy expression on her face. She wasn’t rejecting him. Far from it. She was happy, if her expression was anything to go by.
“We were just discussing how a shifter could have possibly bonded on a magical level with our daughter,” Edmund said quietly, observing their hands and the magic the swirled around them as they touched. It was clear her father was using magesight to follow the progress of the magic as it twined up their arms and around them both.
“I am the Alpha cougar in this region,” Keith confirmed, facing her parents, Valerie’s hand still firmly held in his. “I was raised among my father’s Clan after my mother died. Had she lived, I believe she would have taught me more about her family and abilities. As it is, I’m a cat shifter with poorly trained magical abilities.”
“Who was your mother?” Louisa asked, a hint of urgency in her voice.
“Andrea Thomasina. From what I was told, her parents disowned her when she married my father. They were mages.”
And there it was, his deepest, darkest, family secret. He wasn’t a pure blooded cougar, yet he’d risen to prominence in his Clan. He’d overcome his heritage to prove himself smarter and stronger than the other Alphas who ruled over their own small families. He was the Alpha they answered to around here. The direct link to the Clan, where his cousin, Grif Redstone, led them all. It was an important position. One he’d fought for both physically and mentally.
Never magically. In the fight for dominance, his magic had been a hindrance, not a help. Shifters didn’t trust magic users and vice versa. Keith had to ignore the magical part of his nature in favor of being all cat, all the time. The strategy had gotten him where he was today, but perhaps he’d have to amend it if he wanted to keep the peace between his new mate and her family.
“I knew Andrea. We were at school together,” Louisa admitted. “We were friends for a time. I never knew what became of her. I’m sorry to hear she has left this world.”
No doubt about it, Louisa Faber was a spooky witch. Her eyes saw too much and not all of it on this plane of existence.
“Clan Thomasina is a proud one,” Edmund added with a frown. “Too proud at times. It is hard to believe they would deny their own daughter on the basis of who she fell in love with.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that.” Keith took the opening and ran with it. “I didn’t expect this to happen, but Valerie is my true mate. I cannot be happy without her. If she feels the same…” He turned his gaze to hers and was immediately trapped in the liquid blue of her gaze. She had tears in her eyes, but a smile on her face. The magic around them swirled higher, engulfing them in sporadic little tingles of zinging light.
“I think that’s our cue to leave you two alone. I believe you have much to settle before we speak about the family ramifications of this union.” Edmund took his wife by the hand and led the way out of the room, closing the door behind them.
Keith barely noticed. He was caught up in his mate’s gaze, her presence, her very essence.
“We bonded last night,” Valerie spoke in whispered tones. “I wasn’t sure if you realized it.”
“I knew the moment I tasted your skin that you were my destiny, kitten. I will never stray from your side… If you’ll have me.” Uncertainty entered his voice and he waited in fear for her answer. Keith sank to one knee before her, holding her hand and gazing up at her. “I love you with all my heart, Valerie. Will you marry me?”
“Yes.” The smile that lit her face beamed with the light of her happiness. Tears glistened on her cheeks as she tugged on
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