Page 86 of Fated to the Wolf Cowboy
They openly discussed my powers and many joked around about how I’d nearly driven Brady to the looney bin. Many of them seemed to get a good laugh about that, but I felt like it was still a bit of a touchy subject for my mate. Still, there were plenty of good laughs to be had on the subject.
Brady had been right, they went out of their way to make me feel accepted just as I am. I didn’t have to hide any part of me. It made me feel vulnerable and exposed for it to be so out in the open, but every time my nerves began to spike, he’d just reach over and squeeze my hand, wrap his arm around me, ordrop a sweet, possessive kiss on my temple like he knew I needed a little something at exactly that moment.
I’d never really stopped to think if I wanted Brady as a mate. He was my true mate and the overwhelming draw to that had left it unquestionable. But as I watched him, hyper aware of his every action throughout the day, and I saw firsthand how much people cared about him and his family, I knew this was exactly what I wanted in life—community, family, and a man that I knew would take my breath away.
Sure, we were going to fight. We were both stubborn and too passionate not too. Exact opposites. Fire and ice. City and country. But we had similar experiences and trauma that we’d overcome as well. I was still overcoming I supposed, but with him by my side, I knew everything was going to be okay.
“Hi, it’s Tricia, right?” a woman asked me.
“Um, yeah. Hi.”
She smiled warmly. “I’m Ginger and this is Talia and Brenda. We wanted to stop by and personally welcome you to Collier.”
“Thank you so much. I’ll admit this is all a bit overwhelming. But it’s so nice to meet you.”
Brenda hugged me. I was starting to get used to that.
“You are not alone, my dear.”
I looked at her curiously and she winked at me.
“We’re very excited you’re here,” Talia said, throwing her arms around me. “Ginger can camouflage herself.” I looked over at her. On second she was there, the next she was gone and then she was back again. “Cool, huh? Brenda is super fast. And I’m a shadow walker.”
“Witches,” I whispered. They were like me.
Talia shrugged. “We don’t really think about it. It’s just who we are.”
“And people here are okay with it?”
“Not much they can do about it. We were all born this way, same as you. It’s common knowledge, but not something we make a big deal about. The rumors floating around here are saying you accidentally outed yourself. That sucks. You don’t have to hide who you are. People around here will accept you. We’re all proof of that. But if you didn’t want everyone to know, then I’m sorry that happened to you. It’s a part of you and you should be able to share or not share as you’re comfortable with.”
Ginger reached out for my hand and squeezed it. “But you are not alone here,” she assured me.
I struggled to keep my emotions in check and when the three of them hugged me, I started to sob.
“Thank you.”
Brady must have sensed my heightened emotion because he nearly ripped them away from me to get to me.
I smiled and laughed. “I’m okay. Better than okay.”
“We’ll be in touch soon, if that’s okay with you,” Brenda said.
“I’d like that very much.”
“Are you okay?” he demanded.
I hugged him. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For all of this. For accepting me as me. I feel stronger here and with you, I finally feel safe.”
He kissed me so hard that it caused people nearby to take notice and cheer him on. My cheeks burned from embarrassment.
How was this my life now?
People came and went for several more hours. By the time the last one left I was physically and emotionally exhausted.
