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Chapter Four
Heath
M y tattoos throb to the beat of her heart. I watch across the room as Juliana speaks to the doctor. Hunter stands beside me, his arms crossed.
“She’s the one,” Hunter says quietly.
“Yes.” I’m attempting to control every urge I possess that’s telling me to take her in every way a mate can. She is human, and I’m grateful to the dick, Stanly, for telling her about our world. Even though she’s aware, that doesn’t mean she will fall into my arms, accepting everything I am destined to do to her.
“Do you have a plan?” Hunter asks.
“What?”
“I’m assuming you don’t want her out of your sight. That might be a problem,” he points out like an asshole.
“I’m working on it.” I can’t force her to live with me. She has a life and work. I didn’t expect the universe to give me a human mate. I didn’t think I would have one at all.
“Lie,” Hunter says, and I glare at him. “Make something up for tonight. You will be crawling the walls if she goes home.”
“What do you suggest? She isn’t na?ve. She doesn’t have an animal inside her demanding to take her mate.” If I didn’t think Hunter was trying to help, I’d kill him. He may call me his boss, but he is a powerful jaguar shifter. We are friends, yet he works for me and defers to me for orders.
“Use her brother,” he says. “She has a soft spot for him.”
“I would like to stay on her good side,” I say dryly, but I toy with the idea. I swore if I ever found my mate, I would do anything to keep her. Lying isn’t beneath me. I have to have her by my side tonight. My snake is slithering against my skin, demanding to be released. He doesn’t want to hurt her; he wants to show off. His emotions are mine, yet different. His logic is simple. He senses his mate and wants to mark her, turn her, and be with her forever. The human side wants the same, but I understand the complexity of a human.
“Are you going to tell her she’s your mate?” he asks.
“She’ll run in the other direction if I say that tonight.”
Juliana nods at the doctor, and we step forward when she leaves the room.
“He’ll be fine,” she says. I heard every word but didn't want to point it out. “He can leave. They wrapped his ribs, but they can’t do anything else.” She touches Levi’s shoulder. “We can go after I sign some papers and arrange payment,” she whispers.
“Shit, Sis,” Levi groans. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s taken care of,” I say, and they look at me.
“What?” Jules asks.
“We can go.” I take a step toward Juliana, and she holds up her hand.
“I don’t understand,” she says.
“He’s my fighter. He got hurt in my place. I take care of it.” I would never pay a hospital bill for someone who voluntarily got into the ring.
“That’s—” She drops her hand and allows me to move to her side. “I always pay my bills.”
“I’m sure you do,” I say, sliding my arm around her waist. “You don’t have to this time.” I guide her toward the door, and Hunter helps Levi.
“Why?” she asks, staring at me.
“Not here.” My hand flexes on her hip, reveling in the closeness of her body. Her sweet scent draws me in more with every moment we are near. I want to coil around her and soak it up. “Are you in pain?” Now that we are walking outside and I’m delving deeper, pain is mixing with her natural smell.
“Oh, I guess my feet hurt.” She looks down and then at me. “How did you know that?”
“I have a very sensitive nose.” I unlock the car and open her door.
“Crap,” she mutters as she gets in. I smirk, shutting the door and walking to the driver's seat. Yes, I smell her desire for me. “You can smell everything?” she asks as I get behind the wheel, sliding my cane beside me.
“Yes.” I start the car and then lean over. “You don’t need to be in pain.” I slide my hand down her calf, grab her shoe, and remove it. I repeat the action with her other foot, and she groans. I don’t care whether it was caused by relief or desire; either way, it’s because of me.
“Thanks,” she says, watching me as I straighten. Her gaze darts to the back seat, but her brother is asleep.
“I have a suggestion,” I start while I navigate the parking lot. “Your brother may have complications through the night. Having Hunter close would be an advantage. Would you agree to stay at my place? You both would have your own room.” I can practically feel Hunter’s eyes roll. “We would be able to help him right away.”
“Your house?” she asks.
“I would never hurt you. Ever,” I say firmly. “Do you work tomorrow?”
“Not in the morning,” she says.
“Once we are assured Levi is on the mend, we can help you get him home.” My hand tightens on the wheel. I fear she can see I’m grasping at any excuse to have her with me. It would be much easier to throw her over my shoulder and lock her in my home. But she’s human, and that would only get me further away from my goals. Luckily, human mates feel the bond slightly, but never as severe as the shifter until they are mated.
“You think something will happen to him?” she asks, and I feel like an ass. Only she can make me regret it.
“Probably not,” I concede.
“Will you answer my questions if I come with you?”
“Yes, after you get some rest,” I say. She must feel the pull of the bond on some level. Her instinct is to trust me.
“Why do I want to agree?”
“You believe I would never hurt you, and if Hunter tried, I would kill him without hesitation,” I rumble. “He would never do it, though. He works for me, but we are friends. Your safety is above all else.”
Silence settles after my words. I wait for her decision, and she makes me wonder. If she denies me, I will be forced to camp outside where she lives. I refuse to leave her alone. Now that I found her, her life has changed. She’s mine, and I will not live without her.
“Fine,” she says. My body relaxes slightly. “One night. I want answers.”
I nod. All I need to do is convince her she needs me just as much as I need her.
I sit on the couch, holding my head and listening to Juliana in the shower. She said nothing when I returned to the club, but followed me through the thinning crowd. Her curiosity flared as I led us down to my home. Her brother spoke nonstop, excited even through the pain of seeing where I live. My mind was rebelling at the thought of allowing others into my safe space, but I would do anything for Juliana. Inviting her brother was a necessary step to get her to trust me.
Levi is sleeping in the first bedroom. The doctor gave him medication to take the edge off, and Hunter was thrilled to pick it up. When he returned, he threw it at me and went upstairs, escaping quickly. I asked him to stay close for the night and he’s not happy about sleeping in one of the fighters’ holding rooms on a lumpy couch.
Juliana is in my shower and in my bedroom, her scent filling the space and driving me crazy. I gave her a shirt of mine to wear. She locked the bathroom door as I left, and I don’t blame her. It would be so fucking easy if she was a shifter.
Picking up my phone, I scroll until I find Quinn’s name. “Do you know what time it is?” he growls.
“I do,” I sigh.
“What’s wrong?” he asks alertly.
“I met her,” I say.
“Who?”
“I met my mate.” I stand, pacing across the room.
“Fuck,” he says. I hear a door shut. “When?”
“About two hours ago,” I say, looking at my watch.
“Where?”
“At the fights.”
“How?”
“Her brother fought, and he got hurt,” I explain.
“Not the best circumstances,” he mutters.
“No shit,” I snap.
“Where is she now?”
“In my bathroom,” I grit out. “I can smell her all around me.” I tip my head back. “My beast wants out badly. I don’t know if I can hold him back.”
“Shit. You have to,” he says.
“I fucking know,” I hiss.
“She’s human?”
“Yes. Her brother’s friend is a coyote shifter. She knows we exist but not much else.” I walk to the doorway and back to the couch.
“How did you get her to stay with you?”
“You don’t want to know.” I sit. “Hunter is annoyed, but the result is her with me.”
“You didn’t call Micah,” he whispers.
“I didn’t want this news to spread through the whole fucking group. He would tell Sally, and it would be over. This is hard enough; I don’t want interference.” Tomorrow, I would have the whole crew at my door.
“True,” he mumbles. “They are best friends. He can’t seem to keep anything from her.”
“Did you know Sally was coming?” I ask.
“No,” he chuckles.
“She works for you.”
“That doesn’t mean shit. She asked for a few days off to recharge. I didn’t ask what that meant,” he says and sighs. “You’ve had an eventful night.”
“Understatement,” I grumble.
“Are you going to tell her?”
“I have to. She knows something is off. I think she’s surprised at herself for being here. Her brother is sleeping.”
“Tell her the truth.”
“Yeah,” I scoff, laughing abruptly. “Tell her I’m a snake shifter. I’m going to turn her into one, and she can never leave me.”
“Maybe phrase it differently,” he says lightly.
“Fuck you.”
“Listen,” he says quietly. “You have waited for the perfect person for the universe to put in your path. Would they send you someone who couldn’t handle you?”
“I don’t know.” I rub my face. “I don’t know anything about her.”
“Trust it. You deserve her.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“Are you going to let her walk away? Find some human to be with?”
My blood sparks. “Fuck that. She’s ours,” I growl, my beast speaking with me.
“That’s what I thought,” he says, and I swear I hear his lips curve.
“Asshole,” I say, but without heat.
“Talk to her.”
“Alright,” I agree, reluctantly getting to my feet. “Do not tell anyone.”
“I won’t. At some point, you will have to let us support you.”
“I’m not ready.” I have relied on myself for so long that letting others in is difficult.
“We’ll see.” He hangs up on me, and I curl my lip.
He is an asshole. I toss my phone onto the couch and realize the water stopped.
I silently move out of the room and down the hallway. Stopping at my bedroom door, I close my eyes and concentrate on her. Her heartbeat is steady, and her breathing is deep. She’s asleep. I turn the knob and ease the door open with my foot. My head tilts and my vision fills with my delicious mate on my bed, on top of the covers, her feet on the floor. She was tired enough to fall backward, her hair wet and her body covered in my black shirt.
Cautiously moving toward her, I admire her. She’s fucking perfect. Her black hair is shoulder-length and thick. She's curvy in tempting ways that make me want to explore. Her green eyes are shut, and I miss their gaze on mine.
Could she handle my beast?
Leaning over, I slide the covers down as far as possible before scooping her into my arms. Her eyes remain closed, and she snuggles close. My eyes roll back, and a rumble spreads through my chest. I take a deep breath, taking her scent in, letting it fill me up.
I shudder and curl my fingers under the covers, pulling as I put her head on my pillow. Satisfaction fills me. She is here. In my bed. I fear every minute I am near her, the beast won’t give her a choice to leave. The thought is disturbing enough to cause me to move quickly to my closet, grab sleep pants with little thought, and leave the room.
Escaping into the living room and shutting the door, I strip and roll my shoulders. I slide into the dark blue pants. As much as the suits are necessary to hide the tattoos, they also help me demand respect. The effect on my skin is suffocating. It’s always a relief to bare my chest, allowing it to breathe.
The universe has never done me any favors. Shifters are taught to believe we will be gifted with the one person who will stay by our side and love us no matter what. I have always craved a mate but doubted a woman could match me. I have seen Micah and Quinn find that perfect mate, so I know it can happen; I just didn’t think it could happen for me.
I have spent almost three hundred years living alone, with no hope of finding someone to share it with. I have purposely isolated myself for much of my life. The idea of Juliana accepting this world and being my mate is tantalizing.
I have had little love in my life. The affectionate touch of someone has never been something I’ve experienced. The women I have been with have been about physical release and nothing else. They have used me just as much as I did them. I have been a mystery, the dangerous man, and the unknown. It’s been easy to leave them. I treat all women respectfully, but no one has moved my soul.
The magic of the mating bond has fascinated me, yet I doubted it. Meeting Juliana has made me believe. I don’t have to know her to believe I will kill for her. She just became the most important person in my life. There is a burning in my chest that only gets stronger by the minute. Panic flares at the thought of her walking out the door tomorrow, knowing nothing about our bond or my need for her. I dread revealing the truth of my world and having her fear or feel disgust because of it.
Sitting on the couch, I turn and lay flat, curling my arm under my head. I won’t be sleeping tonight. I don’t need much, but the night will be long with my mate so close. Nightmares used to fill my dreams and forcefully bring memories back. I have worked for years to shove the guilt and anger deep inside. I don’t regret my actions, but I wish things had been different.
My dad was big, loud, and proud to be a snake shifter. My mom was his fated mate and human. It was a different time, a simple time, but the people weren’t as accepting or willing to believe the unusual. Shifters hid in the dark even more, especially snakes. My parents are the only snakes I have been around. I don’t know how Dad convinced her to mate with him and be turned. As the years passed and she had three children, the more she lost pieces of her human life, and one day, it all caught up to her.
She grew increasingly unhappy, angry, and mean. Dad ignored this and believed she would come around. My younger brothers didn’t understand her hatred of her snake. They loved to shift and show off their bodies. Something she enjoyed at first became increasingly shameful, and she made all of us feel that shame.
Lost in the past, I failed to realize Juliana was no longer asleep. Her steps move quickly down the hall, and I roll to my feet, reaching for my shirt as the door opens.
“Heath?” she whispers, sliding through the door. I shrug on the shirt but don’t get it buttoned in time. She stops abruptly, her gaze on my chest.
“Fuck, Juliana,” I say, too late to dim the color. She closes the door and tentatively steps forward.
“What do they mean?” she asks softly.
“My life. My power.” I swivel my head, watching as she advances, my snake creeping to the surface.
“They’re beautiful,” she whispers, stopping in front of me. Her eyes flick up, and her hand reaches out.
“Don’t,” I hiss, grabbing her wrist. My eyes change, eliminating the color that makes them acceptable to walk among humans.
“Sorry.” We stand immobile, neither moving away.
I grind my jaw. “I’m having a hard time controlling my animal.”
“Why?” she asks, and I remove my hand.
“I don’t think you are ready for the truth,” I say.
“Hearing the truth would be a nice change,” she says dryly, her lips curving slightly.
“How much do you know about my world?”
“Not much. Stanly didn’t share anything but the fact that he is a coyote shifter.” She looks down my chest and back to my eyes. “Tell me.”
“Our world should be protected. It is against our law to reveal it to anyone. Stanly shouldn’t have shown you his animal. Most humans know nothing about us. It would cause panic, fear, and war if it was made public. We want to be left alone.” I ease closer, her chest a breath away. “My animal does not usually control me. He does not dictate my actions. I am a private man and don’t let many close, and definitely not in my home. There is only one reason a shifter should bring a human into their world.”
“What is it?” she asks, tilting her chin further.
“When a shifter meets their mate, and they are human.” I move my gaze to her lips. “It is up to the shifter to reveal our world and convince them to complete the mating bond.” I close my eyes, inhaling. “Your scent calls to my beast.” I open my eyes, aching to take her. “You are my mate. The one person the universe deems my equal in every way. I lied. I couldn’t bear the thought of you leaving my sight. Your brother is fine. He’s hurting but will heal. Hunter is upstairs and pissed I used him.” I lick my lips, an inch apart from hers, our breath mixing. “I crave you. I want to keep you here, with me, doing unspeakable things to you. Making you want me as much as I want you. If you leave and never return, I will follow you. I can’t live without you.” I whisper my lips against hers once, twice, and pull back. “I have been asked many times recently what my animal is, yet you haven’t asked. I would cause fear in those who know me, and terror to those who don’t understand me. This information I will give you freely. I am a snake shifter. I am rare and have been alone in this world for more years than you can imagine.” I pause, surprised she isn’t running for the door. “Is that enough truth for you?”