Page 21 of Mismatched Mates (Special Bear Protectors)

JANE

T wo weeks later

The door swung open, and I was hit by a wall of noise and warmth that made me want to retreat back into the frigid evening air. My house had apparently been invaded by a small army while I was at work.

"Mom! You’re home!" Lance's voice cut through the racket as he barreled past me. Brandon, hot on his heels, slid across the hardwood floor. Apparently they were engaged in an impromptu chase of some sort.

I blinked, trying to process the scene before me. Toys were strewn across every surface, the air thick with the rich aroma of beef stew simmering away. And there, lounging in the living room like they owned the place, were Luke, Victoria, and... my mother? Two times in two weeks was a bit much.

"Surprise!" Mom chirped, her smile a touch too bright. "We thought we'd pop by for a visit."

I narrowed my eyes. "All of you? At once? How... convenient."

Luke chuckled. "Come on, Jane. Can't a guy just want to hang out with his favorite bear?"

"Sure," I drawled, kicking off my boots. "And I'm secretly a unicorn shifter."

As I moved further into the living room and towards the kitchen, long shadows danced across the walls, courtesy of the early winter sunset outside. It should have felt warm, inviting. Instead, my stomach churned with suspicion.

"Alright, spill," I said, crossing my arms. "What's really going on here?"

Victoria, bless her, at least had the decency to look a little guilty. "We just wanted to check in on you, sweetie. See how you're doing."

"Uh-huh." I raised an eyebrow. "And it takes all of you to do that?"

The boys chose that moment to race back into the room, a whirlwind of energy that made my head spin. How did they still have so much life in them after a full day of school and soccer practice?

“Sit down,” Mom fussed, steering me away from the kitchen and back into the living room. “Let me put the TV on.”

“What?..”

“Good idea,” Luke said too enthusiastically, squishing up beside me. “Here, you switch it on, Tori.” The three of them were exchanging glances, a silent conversation happening right under my nose.

Victoria snatched the remote out of the air from where he tossed it to her, and switched the TV on to the local news channel.

"Okay, seriously," I said, planting my hands on my hips. "What aren't you telling me? Because if this is another intervention, I swear I'll shift right here and hibernate until spring."

Lance and Brandon fought over the armchair in the corner, only for both to end up taking it, squished together awkwardly. Mom hovered in the doorway, and Luke put his arm around my shoulders. “Just shut up and watch,” he said, nudging me in the side.

I opened my mouth to argue back, but at that precise moment, the picture changed to one of Grant—a face I'd been trying desperately to forget.

Grant Elston, looking unfairly handsome and composed, smiled into the camera. My heart did a traitorous little flip in my chest.

"Oh," I managed, my voice suddenly hoarse. "I see.” And just like that, I understood why my living room was currently hosting a small shifter convention.

It was clear that this was halfway through an interview, with Grant standing outside Sentinel headquarters. The building loomed like some sort of futuristic fortress, all gleaming glass and sleek angles. A large S adorned the front, making it look like some kind of supervillain’s lair.

I turned to Luke. “Turn it off. Please.”

“Now, there have been some rumors about your current relationship status,” the interviewer asked, and I went cold all over. Goosebumps erupted across my skin. Now my personal life was going to be aired on local TV. Perfect. Everyone was going to know that he had publicly fucked me over.

Grant tilted his head, a little like he was cracking his neck.

“Please,” I whispered to Luke—to anyone. I’d have left the room if my legs had worked.

"Jane," my mother's voice cut through the numbness. "Sweetheart, why don't you sit down properly? You look like you're about to faint."

I snorted, but perched myself on the sofa arm. "Faint? Please. Bears don't faint, Mom. We... strategically nap."

But even as I joked, my stomach was doing somersaults.

“I know it’s not something you usually comment on,” the interviewer asked. “But we were hoping you’d make an exception.”

It was as though my body had locked up, my thighs glued to the sofa. Everything about this entire situation made me want to run away.

Grant turned to the camera with the same half-smile he sometimes aimed at me. Like there was no space between us at all, just him and me and this moment. “Actually, I’m glad you asked me that,” he said. “There is something I want to say. Jane, if you’re watching this, I need you to know that there was never anyone else. The moment I first met you, it was over for me. Those photos are from ages ago—check the background. I know it’ll take time to trust me again, but if there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that I want to be with you.” His eyes seemed to bore into mine for a heartbeat too long. Then he turned back to the interviewer.

I zeroed in on Grant's face, as if I could flesh out the truth if I stared hard enough. He looked... different. Softer, somehow. Less like the arrogant wolf who'd propositioned me on our arranged first date, and more like the man who'd held my hand under the table at Luke's wedding.

“That’s all I have to say on the subject. Thanks for your time.” And with that, he abruptly ended the interview.

I sank back in shock.

Ages ago?

"Well, shit," I whispered.

Luke squeezed my shoulder. "You okay, sis?"

I shook my head, not trusting my voice. Because the truth was, I didn't know if I was okay. I didn't know what to think, or feel, or do. All I knew was that Grant Elston had just turned my carefully rebuilt world upside down. Again.

Victoria switched off the TV and took a seat. “I know it looks really bad, especially with his reputation,” she said. “But the pictures really were taken a long time ago. Publications are always trying to sensationalize a story. Especially in our small town, there’s not much to write about.”

“You guys certainly seem convinced.”

“You’re mates,” Luke said. “And, trust me, when the mating bond falls into place, there’s no way you’re interested in anyone else.”

I hadn’t been, but then, I’d always been strictly monogamous; I hadn’t been interested in anyone else when I was with Jason, either. But Grant had never seemed to form deep connections with other people—although the more I’d gotten to know him, the more I’d felt as though I understood his reasoning. It was just a layer of protection.

“He reached out a couple days ago,” Luke said. “Explained that the pictures weren’t recent and that he wanted to prove to you how much he cared, because he felt like he’d messed up in not telling you before.”

He’d shown it. Going to bat for me with Jason, turning up at my door with flowers and helping with the charity event. But he’d never said anything that made me certain his heart was invested.

“And I looked into it, but even before I did, I believed him,” he continued. “Because like I said, when you’ve met your mate, there’s never anyone else.”

“So we agreed to help him out and make sure you saw the interview,” Victoria said.

I looked around the room, at the boys bouncing excitedly and Mom sitting with her hands on her lap like this was a normal Wednesday afternoon and not some kind of come-to-Jesus intervention on behalf of the man who broke my heart. “And everyone knew?”

“We didn’t want it to be a surprise when—” A knock at the door interrupted Victoria, and she broke off. “He comes for a visit...”

Oh no .

“I think you should get the door, Janey.” Luke practically shoved me off the sofa. “I’ll put the TV back on. Come back in here when you’ve made a decision.”

Crap. My hands shook as I left the room. My senses kicked in as I approached the front door, reminding me forcibly that this was Grant. His scent, wild and piney, the aura that emanated from him, and the tight feeling in my chest that drew me closer.

There was no denying this feeling any longer.

I opened the door.

He looked just as he had in his interview, but his hair was windswept and his expensive car was slalomed across the driveway.

My heart, fickle as it was, leaped in greeting.

“I saw you on TV,” I said after a second, holding onto the door with white-knuckled determination so I wouldn’t throw myself into his arms.

“That was only half of it.” His eyes were unusually serious. “And I only agreed to do the interview if I could say that much. My father doesn’t usually allow us to mention our personal lives when discussing business matters, but I told him that I needed to make a public statement.”

“And he agreed?”

His scar twisted as he gave a crooked smile. “He did when I told him I was your mate.”

I blinked, opening my mouth then closing it again. Over the past few days, I’d come to the same conclusion—Luke and Victoria were right, there was only one explanation for it. But to hear him say it was another thing entirely. The impact was like a knife to my gut, but instead of pain there was only relief.

Grant stepped closer, pulling me into his arms. “I told him that you’re my mate and that I love you, and if I had to choose between my pack and my mate, I would choose you every time, even if you didn’t choose me back.”

I stared into his face. The face of my mate, so perfectly crafted to appeal to me. My heart sang for him.

“But,” he murmured, his head bending until only a whisper separated our mouths, “I’m hoping that you will choose me back.”

My heart stuttered. The world stopped spinning. I tried to drag in a breath, but all I could smell was him.

“I've spent my whole life thinking I wasn't good enough, that I'd never measure up to what my father wanted. And then I met you, and suddenly I had this incredible connection that I didn't earn, didn't deserve."

“I want to make a life with you and work out what that looks like. It doesn’t have to happen all at once, but I want it. And I’m sorry for not figuring out how much I wanted it until I almost lost it.” His thumb stroked my cheek. “And I needed to say all this in person, because it was killing me not being able to tell you how much I love you.”

Because I’d blocked him .

“The article said it was the night after the wedding,” I whispered.

“I know. I know, and I don’t have any explanation for it except that someone has been trying to ruin my reputation for a long time now. Or maybe it was an honest mistake. But I was home that night, sitting on my sofa and pretending to watch a movie while I messaged you.”

I choked on a sob. “It killed me to think you played me like a fool.”

“God.” He pulled me closer, like he could put all the splintered pieces of hurt back together. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. But when I said it’s only ever been you since the first day we met, I meant it. You’re it for me. I could never, ever want anyone else.”

If this were anyone else, I’d probably tell them to be very cautious about trusting someone who had hurt them so badly. But the sincerity in his voice rang in my chest, like I could taste the truth in his words.

He was my mate, and I knew he meant every word he’d said.

“I missed you,” I said, and tipped my face up to his, not caring that the neighbors could see, that my mom and brother and little boys were in the back room. He kissed me eagerly, and the fire that had never been extinguished in my belly burned hot and bright again.

I caught his wrist, holding his hand against my face as I broke away. “We’ll have to take it slow,” I warned. “I need stability for the boys.”

He nodded, still holding me. “I need to figure out what good parenting looks like. I was hoping to learn from you.”

The last of my resistance broke down. He was here, pushing back against his family’s expectations the way he hadn’t about any of his father’s other decrees, and if it was all a misunderstanding, then what reason did I have to turn him away?

“Everyone’s in the living room,” I said. “I think they’re hoping I’ll bring you in.”

“Well.” He linked fingers with me and brought the back of my hand to his lips. “It would be a shame to disappoint them, don’t you think?”

We stepped into the living room, and I swear I could hear the collective intake of breath as everyone pretended they hadn't been eavesdropping.

Amateurs.

"Mommy!" Lance yelled, launching himself at me. "Is Grant gonna be our new Daddy?"

I choked on air.

"Whoa there, buddy," Grant chuckled, ruffling Brandon's hair. "Let's start with being friends first, okay?"

My eyes met Luke's, and I saw the knowing smirk on his face. "What?" I challenged.

"Oh, nothing," he said innocently. "Just thinking about how right I was."

I groaned. "Don't let it go to your head."

As the boys chattered excitedly and my family tried and failed to act casual, I felt Grant's steady presence beside me.

It was terrifying. Exhilarating. And completely unexpected.

I didn't know what the future held. There were still a thousand obstacles to overcome, from Grant's family drama to my own trust issues. But standing there, surrounded by the chaos of my little family, with Grant's hand in mine, I realized something.

I was ready to find out.