Page 33 of Baseball and Shifters

“My father is a very traditional man. He’s a tiger, and grew up believing one mate is the norm. Ever since I can remember, he’s looked down on anyone who’s had more than one mate. When he found out I have four, he started calling me a whore and a slut. Said my existence brought shame to his family name. That’s why I can’t let him see this. He can’t know I’ve found any of my mates. I don’t know what he’ll do to them, or me.”

I’ve never told a living soul. I never could have imagined how good it would feel to share that burden with another. My body feels lighter at the admission. As my friends look at me with a mix of cold fury and understanding, I thank the fates for putting them in my life.

“I need you to know your father’s wrong, Rachel. You’re not a slut or a whore,” Dallas all but snarls. “I can’t believe anyone would say that to their own daughter. What a piece of shit.”

“Dallas,” Aubree hisses.

“No, Aub. She needs to know,” Dallas snaps. “No one should ever talk to you like that. Let alone your flesh and blood. He better hope I never meet him.”

“I thought having multiple mates was normal?” Maya says.

“It is,” Dallas growls.

“It may be normal, but to my father it’s wrong. And he’s already showed up once unannounced so I have to cover this mark in case he comes back.” I shrug.

“Well, fuck him. Wait, since when were parents allowed to randomly roam campus? That was one of Mama Andi’s biggest complaints, she wouldn’t be able to ‘surprise’ us with lunch.” Dallas adds, rolling her eyes.

I can’t help the laugh that bursts free. “I wish I were as strong as you, Dallas, then maybe I wouldn’t be so afraid. My father is a shifter triad member for The Eternal Council, he gets to do whatever he wants.”

“Oh shit!” Aubree gasps. “You mean Ranger St. James is your dad? I should have put two and two together. If that’s the case this is an easy solution. Why don’t we just call the news stations and tell them how he’s been treating you.”

Cold fear runs through my veins, turning them to ice. “Absolutely not! You cannot tell anyone what I’ve told you. Please trust me it will only be bad for me and possibly for you. He gets what he wants when he wants and no one can stand up to him.”

“You only feel that way because you’ve been conditioned to be your father’s punching bag. But don’t worry, we won’t tell a soul and I’ll help you find the real you hidden beneath the good girl veneer.”

“We all will,” Maya says.

“Anything you need,” Aubree agrees.

“Even if it means helping me hide my mate marks?”

“I don’t like it,” Dallas grumbles. “But if it’ll make you feel better, yes. We cantemporarilyhide them. But mark my words, by the time I’m done with you, you’ll accept your mates and your marks. To hell with what your father says.”

“Thank you, Dallas.”

I have no doubt she’ll spend the rest of her life trying to convince me to give my mates a chance. If I’m honest with myself, I’d say yes today if it weren’t for my father.

Liam

No matter what I do I can’t seem to escape her. She’s fucking everywhere and has been since the first day of classes. I scented her the moment I walked into Film Studies and even though my wolf is definitely not in agreement, I decided right then to stay as far away from her as possible. Imagine my dismay to find her in both my English and my Math class as well. I can’t fucking escape her. She’s everywhere I turn.

That’s why I’m not surprised that even now, when all I’m trying to do is give my wolf some time to run, her scent is invading my space. I try to avoid her, but my wolf has no such qualms. He stays locked on her forest and lavender scent, always managing to stay close enough that the smell of her invades my mind, no matter where she runs. Even when I refuse to look, I see her in flashes. She shifts back to two feet, all soft curves and delicate beauty. That long obsidian hair, that always looks like it was made to be tangled in someone’s hands, blowing in thebreeze. Her eyes are the worst. They don’t just look at you, theyseeyou. And I hate how much I want her to see me.

I prowl just beyond the treeline, watching as she makes her way towards her dorm. The pungent smell of her terror has us reacting on instinct. I don’t even hesitate, jumping from the tree line and attacking that fuckhead, Trent.

The things he said to her. He’s lucky I have such strong control over my wolf. He wanted to tear that stupid kangaroo to shreds instead of simply scaring him away. I’ll have to keep a close eye on him from now on. I’ve seen the way he leers at her in class. I thought learning she’s Lucas’s mate would deter him from whatever sick game he’s playing. Apparently, I was wrong.

After he scurries away from my mate like the fucking coward he is, I take a moment to assure myself that Rachel is unharmed then bound away to prowl the edge of the woods making sure Trent goes back to the dorms. The back door opens and my happy-go-lucky twin walks out, chipper as fucking ever. He even says hi to the kangaroo fuck who just threatened his mate.

I snarl at the thought and his eyes snap to mine. When he sees it’s me and not some other predator, he smiles and jogs towards me, shifting when he’s only a few feet away.

We may be identical twins, but we’re opposites in almost every way. Our polarity is so soul deep it even manifests itself in our wolves. Most identical twins and even our siblings who are identical triplets are identical in both forms. You can’t tell them apart in wolf form. But Lucas’s stark white fur is the yang to my pitch black pelt.

Our wolves chase each other through the trees, nipping at each other’s tails as we play. It’s the first time I’ve felt so free in weeks. Lucas’s white coat gleams silver in the moonlight, sleek and fast. While mine is shadow black and built thicker through the shoulders. We’ve always been opposites, even in wolf form. It’s like fate wanted to make sure no one ever confused us.

We come to the end of the tree line and arrive at the huge lake with a white sandy beach surrounding it. It reminds me of the lake house we used to spend summers at before Kurt and Bishop were born.

Before we became miniature parents to our siblings we did all sorts of things as a family. I’ve wished often in life that my parents had stopped after Kurt and Bishop, I mean there were already Lucas and I and the triplets. Surely they didn’t need more than the seven kids they already had. But then I think about my younger siblings and how much I love them and feel like shit for feeling the way I do. I just wish my parents had been able to spend time with us like they did back at the beach house. I shift back to ask Lucas if he remembers our summers there.

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