Page 12 of Shifter Mate Magic
“What did you do?”
“Nothing, then.” Now came the less pleasant part. “I was stealing from the pride, too. Everyone I cleaned for, even if they were as poor as me. Money, clothes, maps, anything I thought would be useful for an escape. I had stashes all over. When I saw it was too dangerous to steal any of the pride’s community vehicles, I convinced Ricardo and Ruben to buy themselves a motorcycle, so they wouldn’t have to ask Roehm for permission just to go get booze. Then I made those lazy asses think it was their idea to teach me how to drive it, so I could go get the booze for them.”
“That was incredibly smart.” He shook his head. “You’re a stronger alpha than I am. I’d have probably tried muscling my way out of the compound and gotten myself killed for it. I don’t like fighting.”
That startled her. “I’m no alpha. I’m a coward.” She made herself add the worst part. “And a murderer.”
His gasp didn’t surprise her. He was a deeply honorable man. She’d once been an honorable woman, too.
“Bullshit,” he growled.
She looked at him in shock.
He spared her a quick glance. “Who did you kill—Roehm?”
“No.” She fidgeted with the placket of her shirt. “Roehm promised the pride an all-night bash. He also invited a New Mexico wolf pack he wanted an alliance with to come party with them, meaning he’d have to deactivate the magic perimeter wards. Couldn’t have some drunk wolf stumble into them and get fried. I saw it as my last opportunity for escape because I was getting too fat to run.” She twisted her fingers together over her belly. “Everything went according to plan until Ruben caught me dressed for the escape, loading the motorcycle’s saddlebags with everything I’d stolen. He hit and kicked me, but he was so drunk, he could barely stand. I pleaded with him to just let me leave, but all he could talk about was the reward from Roehm. He fell on his hands and knees. Before he could get up, I pulled the bowie knife out of his belt sheath and slit his throat from ear to ear.” She took a deep breath to let out the tension. “I left him on the ground, bleeding out, and rode out like a bat out of hell. The only thing Roehm was ever afraid of was the Shifter Tribunal in Chicago, so that’s where I plan to go. They might take my illegal shifter child away, but at least they’ll look into Roehm’s activities.”
Trevor growled deep in his throat. “There’s no such thing as an illegal shifter child.”
“Right, just like there’s no auction for humans with shifter-mate potential.” She shook her head. “I know most of the stories I heard from Roehm and his degenerates are a load of crap, but there’s no way a shifter judge would let an ordinary human keep and raise a leopard-shifter child.” She couldn’t stop the tears. “I’ve tried so hard not to get attached, because either she was going to auction or some proper shifter family, but I love her.” She dropped her head back on the seat and let the tears flow. “I love her so much.”
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Trevor’s voice penetrated the downward spiral of her misery. “Where’s a fucking turnoff when you need one?”
His male impatience made her smile a little. She pointed to his clipboard. “Ask the magic map.”
She took a deep, watery breath and let it out with an audible sigh. Trevor’s hand appeared before her, holding a wad of tissues. She took them and used one to blow her nose. She half smiled when it sounded like an out-of-tune trumpet. One of her mother’s perennial jokes.
The truck slowed. She looked up to see a sign for a wildlife viewing area ahead. She wondered if mountain-dwelling shifters pranced around for the tourists, just to give them something to talk about.
Luck was with them, because the dirt road was easily wide enough for his truck, and bonus, it had a lone portable toilet standing at one end of the split-rail fence.
She sealed up her jacket against the ever-present wind, then opened the passenger door. Before she could move, he was standing on the running board and scooping her into his arms, then stepping down to place her on the ground. “I know you need to go, but we’re talking when you get back.” The wonderful man handed her a roll of toilet paper.
* * *
Jackie snuggled into Trevor’s lap, feeling guilty for enjoying it so much. “We can talk while you drive, you know.” They sat on the long, narrow bed in the cab’s sleeping compartment that she hadn’t known was behind her.
He tightened his arms around her, and sound rumbled from his chest. “Not for this, we can’t.” He kissed her temple. “First things first. You’re not a murderer, any more than a captured soldier is a murderer because he kills the enemy. End of fucking story.”
“Uhm, okay. But I still killed a man.” She couldn’t bring herself to feel bad that Ruben had died, but she’d remember the wet, gurgling sound for the rest of her life.
“It was you or him. I’m glad you won.” He kissed her head again. “Second, you are definitely an alpha. The best alphas know when to use their minds instead of muscles. There’s always someone who can beat you in a fight, or can outthink you, but damn few who know the right time to use each or both. That’s you. Anyone can die. It takes tremendous heart and courage to live.”
“I was scared all the time.” She breathed in the soothing scent of him. “They smelled it on me.”
“You should have been scared. The difference was, you didn’t let it stop you. If I’m ever caught behind enemy lines, I want you with me, because I know you’ll get us out.”
“I appreciate your confidence.” She touched the side of his jaw, where his beard would grow if he let it. “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to avoid any wars.”
“Me, too. I like peace.” He moved to kiss her a third time, but she twisted so he kissed her lips instead of her temple. He tasted so very good, and the bed beneath them gave her ideas on how best to use the small space, but she wanted to hear what he had to say. She pulled back to catch her breath.
He cradled her face in his palm and caught her gaze. “Third, whatever else happens, I will fight with every resource I have so you can keep your baby.”
She was honored by the stubborn determination behind his pledge. “Thank you.” She knew life was never that simple, but it warmed the depths of her soul to know he’d be in her corner. She caught a whiff of smoke. “Is something burning?”
He looked past her, and his eyes widened. “The threat map!”
She pushed off his lap so he could lunge for the cab. With lightning speed, he grabbed a bottled water and doused the scorching paper.
She moved closer, so she could see what went wrong with her magic. Unfortunately, it was just physics. A new swarm of red, coming from Laramie, had converged with the Colorado swarm into a hot, moving mass that was only an hour behind them at best.
She scrambled into her seat and fastened her seatbelt. “How fast can this thing go?”
He started the engine and fastened his, as well. “We’re about to find out.”
