Cady wiped her brow and then cursed under her breath, sure she left a smudge of dirt on her skin. She just finished cleaning the living room, and though on the surface it was clean, there was a lot of dust and dirt hiding in the corners and under furniture. It was clear that Jameson hadn’t been exaggerating how much this house needed a thorough cleaning. She shuddered to think of the condition of the rooms he said hadn’t even been entered in years.

She’d thought she was taking advantage of his generosity by accepting his deal, but maybe it was more equal than she thought at first. Still not completely on the same level, but closer than she thought, and that made this whole situation a little easier to accept.

She hadn’t seen Jameson at all so far today. She’d woken up early and gone downstairs to make breakfast. She didn’t know what time he left for work, or even what he did, but it was around six a.m., so she thought she managed to get it done before he had to leave. Covering it all to keep it warm, she went back upstairs and got in the shower, intending to make it quick. But the hot water was relaxing muscles that had been far too tight for a long time, and she enjoyed it too much to rush. By the time she got back downstairs, he’d already eaten and gone.

Picking up the cleaning supplies, she went to the closet and put them back inside, taking the dirty rags to the laundry room. This morning, when she realized he’d already eaten his breakfast and left, she’d mostly been relieved. The less time she had to be around men, interacting with them, the better. She hated how she reacted now, hated the bone deep fear she felt around them. And she didn’t know Jameson. Sure, he was nice, but that didn’t mean shit. Men, in her experience, could don a mask and be the sweetest man in the world, but the moment they had someone where they wanted them, they’d let the real, nasty, mean spirited person they really were inside have free rein.

But, there’d been this tiny sliver of her that was disappointed. She’d enjoyed their dinner last night, to her surprise. By the end of it, she was even relaxed some. Just look at the shit she told him about her time in foster care. Normally, she didn’t talk about it at all, to anyone. Yet when he asked about her parents, her mouth started speaking, with no real agreement from her mind.

At least she only gave him the bare facts. She’d seen some horrific shit, been subject to some of it herself. Not all homes had been bad, though. She was mostly given an insane amount of chores to complete each day, the foster parents citing her age as one of the oldest in their care for why she had so much to do.

That was how she learned to cook, and how she’d gotten as good as she was at it. And where she learned to clean properly. Not doing a good job had often resulted in no dinner, an increase in chores, and sometimes, a good slap to her face. She could still vividly remember being on her hands and knees, cleaning the bathroom tile with a toothbrush, after a tiny bit of dirt was found behind the couch. Cleaning thoroughly was second nature to her now.

Feeling grimy, she went upstairs to take another shower, wanting to be clean before she started dinner. This time she kept it quick, then toweled off before putting a pair of leggings on. Leggings, yoga pants, sweats, anything with an elastic band, were all she could fit in now.

But the wish that she could put on a pair of jeans and look nice whispered through her mind, and she froze as she was smoothing her oversized shirt out. God, she wished she didn’t know why she was hoping for that, but she did.

What the actual hell was she thinking, wanting to look good for Jameson? Had she fucking learned nothing in the last year? Yeah, he was nice, and incredibly good looking. Maybe one of the most gorgeous men she’d ever seen in person before. His features weren’t classically handsome, but to her, it just made him even more crazy attractive. Those heavy-lidded eyes were something else.

But the better looking they were, the more douchey they were. Sad, but true. And she’d had enough of prick, asshole men, to last her a lifetime. Really, Winston taught her a huge lesson. At least, she thought he had, but now she was beginning to question it. She’d never imagined she could feel desire for a man ever again, but she couldn’t deny she felt it for Jameson.

Was she an idiot or what? Clearly, she was one of the dumbasses in horror flicks who headed toward danger instead of away. Because here she was, having been taught a lesson a thousand-fold on how men really were, and yet she wanted to head right to the danger of another one.

But she took comfort in the fact that it wouldn’t happen. Even if she could get past her mental dislike, there was no way she could go there. Not with the way she couldn’t even stand being around men, not with the way she was so skittish and couldn’t handle the touch of one.

Besides. She had something much more important to think of than just herself now. And because of that, even if she wanted to start something with Jameson, she would never, ever let herself go there.

Jameson let himself into the house, wiping his boots on the mat as the smell of lemon cleaner invaded his nostrils. Cady had kept herself busy, then. He looked around the living room, taking in the gleaming surfaces. They hadn’t shined like that in longer than he could remember, even when his parents were still around. They’d been more interested in going out every night than taking care of the house.

He listened closely, but the first floor seemed deserted, and no smells of dinner were coming from the kitchen. No big deal, though. He was early. After breakfast this morning, he went to the warrior lodge, intending only to give some instructions before coming back. But Karis was at the end of his rope with Carter and some of the youngest warriors, and Jameson ended up staying to help. His friend’s mental health was more important than his need to see Cady, although it was hard at times today to remember that.

But he finally managed to get away, leaving some instructions for Krish, the trainer ranked second behind him. And then he sought out Karis, letting him know he wouldn’t be back unless absolutely needed until Cady left. He stopped to get the parts for her car and make sure Carlisle ordered the radiator, because the old tiger was often forgetful, and then came back here. He figured he had enough time to change the spark plugs and get a quick shower before sitting down to dinner.

He was just about to call for Cady, so he could get her car keys again, when a noise on the stairs caught his attention. Turning, his breath stalled in his chest as he watched her walk carefully down the stairs. Her hair was damp, indicating she’d just had a shower, the strands darker than they usually were. Her freckles were stark on her pale face, and even from here, he could see how long her eyelashes were, casting even longer shadows on her cheeks as she looked down. She was wearing leggings and another baggy shirt, and even though he suspected she wore them with the intent to hide, it was impossible. Fuck, she was beautiful. The most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, and his body reacted, everything from his heart to his dick.

He wished more than anything she was staying longer. For good, even. And it wasn’t just because he wanted to show her that there were good men out there, although that was true. It was because he wanted to get to know her, let her know him. He wanted her body, there was no denying that, but he wanted her mind just as much. Maybe… maybe even her heart.

But she wasn’t staying. Not long, anyway. Three days, tops. That was all he had with her, and he had no idea how to get her to stay longer. Really, he shouldn’t want her to. The tribe wasn’t in the best place right now, although it was better than it’d ever been before. And she was a human who didn’t know about shifters. The only human in a village full of tigers. It made her vulnerable.

Still, even with all the reasons she shouldn’t, he wanted her to stay. He could protect her. He was a fierce warrior, and that wasn’t just him being boastful. He could be everything she needed—friend, protector, provider, lover. He just had no way of getting her to agree to it.

You need to figure it out, and soon. She’s our mate, and we can’t let her walk away from us, his tiger told him.

Stunned, he was frozen as he watched her come to the bottom of the steps. Cady was his mate? Saying he was deeply surprised was an understatement, but really, it probably shouldn’t have hit him so hard.

He’d been attracted to her from the moment he saw her, far more than he’d ever been to anyone before. He enjoyed talking to her last night, when she stopped cringing away from him. And he desperately wanted to make everything better for her, help her with whatever emotional issues she had. And though his protective instincts often flared, he never felt this soul burning desire to help someone before.

Honestly, as horrible as it was to say it, as awful as it was that it was true, almost every woman in the tribe had emotional issues and hang ups. Until Kabir died and Kian took his father’s place as alpha, Durga hadn’t been a good place to live, and it was borderline horrific for the women.

They had no rights and were treated more like possessions than people. They had no say in their lives, couldn’t have jobs, couldn’t leave their parents’ homes unless they were mated. If they never mated, they could become servants, but all money earned went to their parents. And a select few who were younger and skilled could have tasks, like sewing, making soaps and lotions, or basket weaving. But their wages went to their mates or parents.

And they had no say in matings. The ultimate dream was a true mate, but so many of the men here didn’t wait or try to look for one. If they decided they wanted a mate and any woman would do, the women were rounded up for inspection and the man chose the one he wanted. The women had no say.

Kian changed all the rules, made women equal. But though it’d been close to five months, only a few women were coming into their own and embracing the changes, his sister being one of them, to his relief.

But so many had suffered for so long, and it made his protective instincts blare constantly. Even still, it never went this deep. He’d never felt this all-consuming need inside him to help a woman. Until Cady.

That, paired with the insane attraction he felt toward her, should have made what she was obvious to him. And he’d wanted a mate for so long, longed to find his other half and have cubs. But, even with all that, it hadn’t crossed his mind once that she was what she was to him.

Idiot, blind as hell man, table for one, please.

All his thoughts happened in the space of a few moments, and he watched as Cady stepped onto the floor. She began to turn toward the kitchen, and then, like she sensed him, like she was as aware of him as he was of her, her head whipped toward him. Her chocolate brown eyes were surprised, and he thought, as unmanly as something like this sounded, he could get lost in them and never find his way back out.

“Jameson! I didn’t realize you were home. I don’t have dinner ready yet. I thought I had more time. I’m so sorry. Don’t be mad. I was going to make lasagna, but I can whip up something else real fast that doesn’t take as long.”

He frowned as her features filled with worry and she sank her teeth into her bottom lip. It was obvious that she thought he was going to be pissed, and nothing could be further from the truth. He was early, and even if he hadn’t been, he wouldn’t be upset. His tiger was scrabbling in his chest and, needing to reassure her, he took a step forward.

Fear instantly flashed across her face, and she hastily took a step back. Her heel caught on the edge of the rug, and alarm crossed her features as her arms windmilled as she tried to right herself. He could tell in an instant that she wasn’t going to catch her balance.

Touching her probably wouldn’t go over well, but he didn’t have a choice. He couldn’t just stand there while she fell and possibly injured herself. Quick as a lightning strike, he grabbed one of her arms and yanked her forward. She let out an oomph as she came to rest against his chest, not moving a muscle.

Her eyes flicked up and they locked gazes as her mouth parted slightly. The first thing he noticed was the zing of awareness that danced across his skin, the way touching her made every cell on his body sit up and take notice. The second was how incredibly right she felt in his arms, fitting against him perfectly, like their bodies were made for each other.

And the third was the hard swell of her belly, pressed against him. It felt like… but it couldn’t be, right? He hadn’t noticed it before at all, but maybe that was because of those baggy shirts she wore. And it wasn’t her having a little extra padding around her middle. He wouldn’t give two shits if she had it, but the rest of her was so damn skinny, there’s no way she had that much weight on her stomach.

Swallowing painfully around a suddenly dry throat, he tried to wet his lips, willing his voice to work. “Cady, is that—that is, are you… pregnant?”

Eyes widening with horror, she yanked herself out of his arms and carefully backed up a few paces, crossing her arms underneath her breasts. That action pulled her oversized shirt in, and it clung to her belly. And he knew, before she ever spoke, that yes, his mate was pregnant. Fuck, he could be knocked over with a feather right now.

“So what if I am? I can still cook and clean. It doesn’t affect anything,” she said, voice wavering but still defiant.

“I never said it did. That’s really why you said no heavy lifting, isn’t it?”

She shrugged, avoiding his gaze before straightening her shoulders and meeting it straight on. “Yes. I’m sorry I lied to you, but I don’t like to let people know.”

“Are you… I don’t know, embarrassed or ashamed? You shouldn’t be. Having a baby is an amazing thing, a miracle. Congratulations, Cady.”

Her brown eyes softened as she gazed at him. Uncrossing her arms, one hand dropped to her belly, and she caressed it. “Thank you. And no, I’m not ashamed. I love this baby already. It’s just better if not many people know.”

“And that’s why you wear the baggy shirts.”

“Yeah.”

Pursing his lips, he thought things over, and reluctantly asked the question he wasn’t sure he wanted the answer to. “Is the father in the picture? Is that where you’re going, maybe, to meet up with him?”

Her brown eyes widened again and she shook her head a little too vigorously. “No! Hell no. I want nothing to do with him, and I never want him to know. I suspect he does already, but just in case. So you can’t tell anyone. Please, Jameson. No one can know. The more people who know, the more likely it is that it will get back to him if he still doesn’t know.”

Her words all ran together, and then she clamped her mouth shut. Brow furrowing, he studied her, taking in her tense, defensive posture, and the worry in her chocolate eyes. “I won’t say anything, Cady. Don’t worry about that. This is your business to tell or not to tell. But you realize, soon it won’t matter how baggy your shirts are. People are going to notice.”

“I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it, and hopefully be a lot farther away than I am right now.”

She was running from something. Well, someone. His suspicions were correct, on that score, at least. “How far along are you?”

A smile briefly curled her lips up. “Four months, almost five.”

“Do you know what you’re having?”

She gave a quick shake of her head. “No, not yet. I’ll be happy either way, though.”

Her body was still tense, held so tightly he was worried she’d break, and she was nibbling on her bottom lip again. But this time, it didn’t fill him with desire. It only made his worry kick up a notch, made him want to reassure her, take away her worry. As much as he could, anyway.

“I’m sure you will. I was coming to see if I could get your car keys again. I figured I could get the spark plugs changed and a quick shower before dinner. Lasagna, right? That sounds great. One of my favorite dishes.”

Brow furrowing, she studied him, searching his eyes. She slowly relaxed a little as she realized he wasn’t going to press her for more information, that he meant it when he said he wouldn’t tell anyone.

“The keys are on the table by the door. I’ll go get dinner ready. I’m not sure how long it’ll take you to change the plugs, but I think you have enough time. Lasagna takes a bit of time to make.”

He nodded at her and she looked at him for a moment longer before turning, walking to the kitchen.

Well. We wanted cubs, right? This baby isn’t technically a cub, but he will be unofficially, and we won’t love him any less, his tiger said, sounding as dazed as Jameson felt.

Whoa, slow down. They’re not ours yet. It’ll take a lot of hard work to get past her walls.

Then get started already.

Rolling his eyes, Jameson walked to the table and picked up her keys, heading outside. Jesus, it’d been surprise after surprise today. Finding out she was his mate, although really, that probably shouldn’t have been as much of a surprise as it was.

But her being pregnant… fuck. Unlocking her car door, he popped the hood and then walked to his truck that was parked in the grass, so he could get the parts. It’d taken some maneuvering to get it out of the garage back behind the house this morning, but he managed it. He wasn’t trying to get it back in there, though. Parking it in the grass was fine with him.

And he was avoiding his thoughts on her pregnancy like a damned pro. But hell, it knocked him for a fucking loop. He hadn’t expected that at all.

Unwrapping the package with the plugs, he thought hard about what it all meant, and if it changed his thinking at all. He thought it might bother a lot of men, humans and shifters alike. Especially shifters. Their animals could be fickle, and continuing the line was important. Their own line, their own cubs, their own family.

Not only was this baby not his, but it wasn’t even a shifter at all. But it clearly didn’t bother his tiger, and honestly—it didn’t bother him, either. It didn’t matter a bit that this baby wasn’t a shifter, just like it didn’t matter that Cady wasn’t. And it didn’t matter that it wasn’t his biological child, either. He knew he’d love it just as much as he would a baby that was his own flesh and blood.

So finding out she was pregnant changed absolutely nothing. Except the fact that the urgency he felt to convince her to relax around him, to give him a chance, to stay, was even more potent.

Cady was running from something. No, from someone. Most likely a man, and odds were, the baby’s biological father. His tiger let out a hiss at the word father, and Jameson had to admit, he agreed with his animal. Any man who could inspire the fear Cady tried to hide but couldn’t, the way she was running, who, based on the way she flinched and didn’t like him close to her, who probably abused her somehow, at some point…

He didn’t deserve the honor of that title. He was nothing more than a sperm donor, and that’s what Jameson would call him from here on out.

Living on the run was no way for a woman to live, but it was even more unacceptable when she was pregnant. How did she get prenatal care? What if she was on the road, and something happened? And all that fear, the terror, he could tell she felt, couldn’t be good for the baby.

Not to mention, his suspicions that she hadn’t been eating right. He’d been concerned enough before, but now it felt even more urgent. Growing a baby was hard work, and it took a lot out of a woman. He wasn’t sure if he was remembering right, but he thought he heard someone say once that the baby took what it needed from the mother, whether she could afford to lose it or not. And if she didn’t have it to give at all—well, that sounded like a crisis to him.

He couldn’t force her to eat, couldn’t even out and out mention it, the way things between them stood. And he was heartened by the way she’d been eating since arriving here, although he thought she could handle to eat even more. He’d just make sure he urged her to eat more, starting with lasagna tonight.

He was about to become a food pusher.

Exactly. Anything and everything our mate, and our cub, need, you give it to them, his tiger chimed in.

Jameson exhaled. The baby isn’t a cub, you know. It’s human. Don’t forget that and be disappointed if she’s still here when she gives birth, and it doesn’t have an animal in it.

Semantics, his cat said dismissively. I know it doesn’t have an animal, that it’s human. I’m not stupid. It just doesn’t matter. It’ll still be ours, still be a part of this tribe. Cub is appropriate. And we don’t want to raise it like it’s separate from the rest.

Sometimes, his animal surprised him with how insightful and smart he was. Of course the baby would be his, shifter or not. And it would still be part of the tribe, even with a human status. He never wanted to make the baby feel like it was different than them, or less than. It would still be a War Cat.

If he could get Cady to stay here with him, that is.

Determined to make sure she did, he set about getting the plugs changed. It was time to begin capturing Cady.

Frowning, he shook his head. That wasn’t right at all. It sounded like he was going to take her against her will, whether she wanted him and a life together or not. And he needed for her to want it.

He wanted to win her. That was it. He was about to set about winning Cady, and he was going to give it everything he had.