Page 52 of Shattered

He sat back, shock registering on his features then confusion. “I’m sorry. What?”

“This is a long story.”

“I’m all ears.” His gaze locked with hers. His irises were the cobalt blue she’d associated with the Raferty family, not the ice blue of his wolf. At least if she told him now, he’d remember.

Aurora explained everything from the beginning. She told him about her sister, Abby’s mother, and she told him about her never finding the right moment to do the deed. “So, you see, you’re my first.”

He sat there for a long time and didn’t say anything. She feared what he might say when he did find his voice. He glanced at her and ran his tongue over his bottom lip. “You’re telling me, I took your virginity, can’t remember it, and you’re also Abby’s aunt, not her mother?”

“Yes. I know how this looks or-or sounds.”

“You don’t know anything.” He chuckled; the sound filled with disbelief. “I don’t know if I should kick you out or hug you tight. I don’t know if I should hate you or love you.” He shook his head as he stood up. “It’s one thing to protect a little girl. It’s another thing to lie.”

“I didn’t have a choice. When her sperm donor started acting like he’d take Abby away from me, even after he signed over his rights, I did what I had to do.”

Mackenzie scrubbed his face, half pissed at himself and half angry at Aurora, even though he didn’t have a reason to be. However, the bite of deceit at the back of his mind, coupled with the images of Holly standing in his kitchen, crying about Hayden, being afraid of what might happen next... Then, the ten years he covered Holly while she plotted and schemed. How Holly wormed her way into his family to eventually try to rip it apart. “What do you get out of this little ‘arrangement?’”

“Huh?” She stared up at him with a perplexed gaze. “Nothing, except for being poor, not having a life, and living for Abby. I came here because it was small. I could hide here. I came here because it’s dry and hot, something Abby needs with her condition. I came here because I couldn’t stand Washington anymore. I couldn’t stand being alone.” She stood then and got into his face, the best she could since she only came to his chest. “If I wanted you only for a soft bed and a hot-blooded wolf, I would’ve taken you up on your offer to move in with you. But, you, you stubborn, hardheaded, old man, I turned you down because I won’t be someone’s charity project.”

“I didn’t ask you to move in with me.” Surely, he would have remembered if he had. Since he’d woken up naked in his bed while Royce pounded on his door, he’d been trying to put his day together. He recalled leaving the house, going to see Danielle, meeting the newest Raferty, and getting a call from Charles Franks. He recalled going to the county courthouse for a brief meeting where they’d been given new information about Nico and Hayden then, when he should have gone straight home because he had shit to take care of there, he started driving toward Aurora’s apartment. He snarled in frustration because the moment she opened the door wearing a sleep shirt and nothing else, he’d gone insane. The wolf sat up inside of him, nudging him to continue to remember what happened next. “We got into an argument.”

“We did,” she answered. “About the shit quality of my place. You yelled at me about my mate not taking care of me.”

He spied the fading mark at her neck. “You have a mate. What we did shouldn’t have happened.”

“Shut up, Mackenzie Raferty.” She snorted shaking her head. “You marked me, Halloween night. You shifted into your wolf. You prowled toward me. You knocked me down and you licked me. L-licked the crotch of my jeans then you-you buried your snout in the crook of my neck and nipped me. Then for the past three weeks, you’ve come to my house on my nights off and stalked the place. If I didn’t know any better, which I don’t, I’d swear you were marking your damn territory.” She pointed at him, waggling her finger. “Did you know I lied to Logan to cover your ass, because he thought you were a stray, or worse, a rogue wolf? If I hadn’t been there, he’d have shot your ass.”

“Might have been for the best,” he muttered.

“Maybe,” she snapped. “For you.”

“I still don’t understand what all this has to do with me?”

“You’re my mate, dumbass!” she said in a biting tone.

Shock jolted him. He’d shifted. Danielle had told him such. He’d even told her to burn the clothes he’d been wearing. A fear reaction, of sorts or at least what he’d been willing to admit. His wolf had been dormant for more years than he could count. A phenomenon that happened usually with a wolf who didn’t know what he was. The only difference between him and them, was the fact those wolves never birthed wolves or shifters of any type. If they did, it was genetically rare. So, for Mackenzie to go dormant for so many years was unheard of, yet, he was.

“Fuck.” He sat down on the couch hard. “Does anyone know?” Stupid question of course, everyone knew, and they were trying to push Aurora and him together.

“Which part? The part where I’m a virgin or the part where I’m your mate?” She narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms.

“Me being your mate,” he answered. If he felt anything, he couldn’t describe it. Mostly, he was neutral.

“No. I slept up until it was time to go get Abby,” she answered.

“Then you haven’t.” He sighed. “Aurora, I can’t be a mate. I...” He shook his head. “I’m not good at this.”

“‘Not good at this?’” She snorted. “I’m not even sure what ‘this’ is. I don’t even get the shifter lingo, other than mates are a thing.”

“Shit. We’re messed up.” He gave a self-deprecated chuckle.

“You more than me,” she snarked.

“I can’t disagree with you.” Mackenzie stared at her for a moment. “What do you say to something between friendship and mating?”

She stared at him. “I’m not sure.” She rubbed her arms and tucked her bottom lip between her teeth. “I feel like I’m forcing a situation. I don’t think you want this. Am I wrong?”

No, she wasn’t. He couldn’t think clearly. Between the trial and his wolf and now this? His life was a steaming pile of shit, but at least if they were friends with benefits, or whatever the younger generation called it, he could have her in his life and still not have to fully claim her. With his reputation, she should have been happy with that agreement. Yet, as he sat there with her, it didn’t feel right. His wolf once more turned his back on him, blocking all of Mackenzie’s senses. He couldn’t smell her. He couldn’t scent her truths and lies.

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