Page 104 of Shattered

Mackenzie got into his truck. Kalkin was right. He had a mate to bring home and a family to start putting back together again. As he pulled away from the courthouse, he didn’t look back. That part of his life was over. Now, he hoped the new chapter with Aurora and Abby would begin.

Chapter Fourteen

It felt odd leaving work while there were still some rays of sunlight in the sky, yet it was also something she could get used to. Thankfully, the day-shift supervisor had informed her less than an hour ago, working the day shift was on the horizon for her. A blessing, since working nights was stealing her ability to spend time with her new family and most of all Abby. However, she tried not to get her hopes up. Thing always had a way of happening, so for now, she’d keep it to herself until she knew for sure.

She slipped her key into the driver’s-side door of her car then got in. Since Mackenzie had court, Keeley had volunteered to watch over Abby for her. To say she felt bad about recruiting Keeley, was an understatement. While she helped wash dishes after Thanksgiving dinner, she found out the woman was already four months along in her pregnancy and was still tired. She knew Keeley didn’t say it to make her feel bad, but in a way, Aurora did, so she couldn’t wait to pick up her niece.

As she drove toward the Raferty compound, she’d also been a little disappointed with how the day went. She’d waited most of the afternoon hoping Mackenzie or even Kalkin would stop by and tell her what happened, but surprisingly, they’d all been scarce. Even the phone on her desk and her cell phone had remained eerily silent. The radio silence knotted her stomach. She worried about Mackenzie and Hayden, and it combined with the greater need of her mate. The two warring emotions left Aurora jittery and unfocused. Neither of them was a good combo when it came to her job.

“On no.” The sick feeling in the pit of her stomach increased when she pulled into the parking area of compound and only Keeley’s massive SUV was there. It wasn’t a good sign since she had learned that Raferty men were usually always around there somewhere.

The back door swung open, and Keeley stepped out onto the covered porch. It was the push Aurora needed to get out of the car. Whoever said Arizona didn’t get cold, fucking lied, and Keeley was proof of it. The alpha female had a pair of light-blue maternity jeans on with a pair of fur-lined boots and a very large blue sweatshirt with the word ‘Sheriff’ printed over her left breast. When she turned, Aurora caught a glimpse of Apache County Sheriff’s Department in bright yellow letters on the back.

“How’d you get one of those?” Aurora asked when she got close enough that she didn’t have to holler.

“Stole it,” Keeley smirked. “From the Sheriff’s bedroom drawer.”

Aurora chuckled. “They’re hard to get.”

“I know.” Keeley pinched the garment and stared down at it. “It’s a freaking sweatshirt, but how all the deputies act about them, you’d think it was threaded with gold.”

“They aren’t even offered to us lowly, support people.”

Keeley snorted. “You have an in now; you want one, Kal can get it for you.”

“I’d never take advantage of our connection,” Aurora replied.

Keeley laughed. “Then you’re an idiot.”

“This may be true.” Aurora glanced around the yard. On normal days, the yard was always filled with varying ages of children, running and playing. Not today. Another bad sign. “Where’s Abby?”

Keeley glanced over her shoulder, through the closed glass screen door. “Inside, with the rest of the wild bunch watching a movie.” Keeley led her over to the corner of the porch overlooking both hers and Danielle’s property. “It’s the first really cold day of the coming winter, and we had some snow flurries this morning. It makes the little beasties lethargic and lazy.”

“Ahh, like they’re bears preparing to hibernate,” Aurora answered. “Makes sense.”

“Kind of. The further we get into winter; you’ll find a lot of the shifters prefer to stay home after work and on the weekends. They like to cuddle on a couch and watch movies. On the flip-side, when the warmer weather returns, a lot of the female mates find themselves pregnant,” Keeley said, her gaze on Aurora’s stomach.

“We’ve just become mates.” Aurora didn’t like the way Keeley appraised her. It made her uncomfortable and a bit too vulnerable for her tastes.

Keeley smiled. “It’s a misnomer, you know.”

“What is?”

“Shifters, more importantly, wolves, don’t need the full moon to conceive. The chances are just higher, because wolves knot their mate, trapping their sperm inside of the female’s womb for a long period of time. But, according to Mrs. Martin, before she passed, there are wolves who can impregnant their mates outside of a wolf’s cycle.”

Aurora rolled her eyes at the other woman. “Thanks for the anatomy lesson.”

“It’s my goal to help.”

Aurora laughed. “This I know.”

Keeley cocked her hip against the railing. “Listen, why don’t you leave Abby here tonight and just go enjoy a quiet evening with your mate.”

Aurora went on alert, and the heavy feeling in her gut returned, only this time it felt as if her insides were being twisted into knots. “Oh, God, it was a bad trial day, wasn’t it? Did Holly get off on some stupid technicality?”

Keeley shook her head and chuckled. “No. Kal said Holly got exactly what she deserved. He’s just worried about Mac because it was an emotional day for all three of them. And when Mac left, he seemed to be in his head.”

That was dangerous in and of itself. Mackenzie tended to blame himself when he that occurred. “What about Riley and Liam?” As much as Aurora wanted to run off and find Mackenzie and comfort him in any way possible, they both had other, bigger responsibilities. Namely three children under the age of fifteen.

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