Chapter Five
Thorn stood there for a few moments to compose his treacherous body. When he had it under control, he reached out and found their private mind path. Once they connected, he relaxed slightly. ‘I’m very happy we’ve finally met, love.’
‘Me too. You can find me anytime at the new coffee shop right next door from where we met.’
This news surprised him. ‘Okay, you know if you ever need or want me just reach out, I’m always with you.’
‘Thank you.’ Her voice sounded soft and sexy.
Thorn relaxed enough to compose his body and thoughts as he walked over to Dante and Aiden seated at the back of the restaurant.
Dante stood up and hugged him. “Hey, Dad, you run into ladies often? That chick was something altogether. Maybe a hot mess, who was she?”
Aiden chuckled. “I think that pussy has his tongue.”
Irritated at the two of them, Thorn frowned. “Really, boys?”
Aiden smirked. “Don’t you think you have enough women following you around? Trying to pick up babies now.”
Aiden stood up, and they clasped elbows as the men always did with him to pay their respects. “It’s good to see you, Thorn. You know we’re just messing with you.”
Thorn loved his men. After meeting Jayden, the love he’d felt had grown to a height he would have never imagined possible. It was true what they’d told him about finding your true love and mate for a Lycan. He ignored their earlier comments and let them have their fun. He wasn’t prepared to tell anyone yet he’d met his mate. Although he wanted to shout it from the rooftops, until he claimed her, it was necessary to not give anyone ammunition to use against him.
It reminded him of Najha and their earlier argument. Now, he had another woman in his life to worry about.
They all sat down, and Dante asked, “Dad, who was that woman anyway?”
“What’s going on with you two?” He avoided the question altogether.
“Nothing you don’t already know about. Why are you avoiding the question?” Dante’s tone turned from teasing to direct, instantly.
“She’s nobody you need to worry about.” His tone told both men to leave the subject closed.
Thorn couldn’t control his mind from spinning, and he couldn’t remain calm around the men. He stood and leaned toward the table. “I need a break from you. I’ll be back.”
Aiden stood up and joined him. “I want to seriously fuck her until both of us are unable to walk. That is one hot little piece of pussy.”
Thorn grabbed Aiden by the collar. “You’ll do no such thing, respect her!”
“I knew it. Dante, your dad has a secret, and he just might want to share it with us. Thorn, you know you can trust both of us. Who is she?” Aiden brooked no argument.
Thorn realized his mistake. He needed these men to protect Jayden and how could they if he, himself, didn’t trust them. He knew he fucked up, Aiden’s wolf was near the surface. The man had tried to control his wolf, but in the position Thorn had put them, he wondered if he wanted to defend his title. He clenched his teeth together and ground out, “Calm the wolf down, Aiden. I’ll tell you if you sit your ass back down.”
“You stupid motherfucker,” Aiden bit back.
He let go of the collar, patted the leather and snarled, showing his teeth to Aiden. With the calmness of an alpha wolf, he said, “Enough. Sit down.”
Aiden lowered his head, looking down at the table. He submitted easily enough and gave respect to Thorn.
Clearly, the issue was finished if Thorn wanted it to be, but instead, he chose to share the information with these two, “I know you’re wondering what the hell is going on with me. I wanted some time alone to digest everything that happened in the past.” He glanced at his watch, “Half of an hour. Give me a bit, and I’ll tell you guys.”
Aiden nodded, “Let’s get this meeting over, I’m hungry.”
“Where’s Lucien?” Thorn was hungry too. With a lot on his mind, he didn’t want to tell anyone about Jayden quite yet. What if it was a fluke and she wasn’t what he thought she was? Well, that was ridiculous…he already knew she was his mate.
“He’s not coming in. They had to make a run to Seattle. He said he’d see you on his next visit to town.”
“That’s good enough. I’ll call him later.” Thorn knew he’d risked a chance meeting without calling and confirming with Lucien. “What do you want to meet about?” Dante asked.
“We need to clean up the shit that moved into town.” Thorn knew his men would question why their Alpha couldn’t handle a situation with the calmness of a leader. He’d made a mistake earlier with the woman, now he would fix it. Aiden was an elite warrior, and it took a lot to lose his trust. A strong and fearless Lycan, he’d been the only man who’d been with him since they were young boys from the old country. No leader would ever behave as he’d just done. Not over something they all teased about.
Women in an MC were property under the human code. Thorn didn’t allow his men to behave that way, but on the surface, it appeared as if they treated their women like whores and property. Then behind closed doors, they got more respect than their counterparts, the men.
Thorn would have to give both Dante and Aiden an explanation, but not where others could hear, especially in the café.
If they didn’t act and speak as an ‘old lady’ as they were referred to, their men could punish them. It had been something they’d all agreed upon together. All the women who were with a male from the Black Ice had done Thorn proud. Those women could be so submissive, it was actually quite comical. In the Lycan world, their women were just as strong.
The talk they’d had earlier was just that, an act. Why did it bother him as much as it had? The darkness drowning him lately was completely gone. He’d actually been in a good mood. Thorn leaned over to both men. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I’ll speak to you later.” He pointed to the humans who’d walked in.
“You okay?” Dante’s eyebrow rose slightly.
Ignoring the question completely, he knew he would gain back the trust of his men. A Lycan didn’t hold grudges or hold onto an argument. Indulging this information could bring danger to Jayden, Thorn knew she would need his men if something happened to him. “Her name is Jayden, and she’s my mate. Now, I’ll trust both of you to keep this information to yourself. I haven’t claimed her yet.”
Aiden’s lashes flew up in surprise. “Seriously?”
Dante leaned forward and patted Thorn’s shoulder. “It’s a relief, Dad. Take care of what you need to do with her. You were too close the past century. Remember, until you claim her, you’ll be in danger of turning. Don’t wait.”
“Is that why I feel the need to kill any male when she’s around?” Thorn knew Dante would know the answers.
“Yes, in the scrolls, it said until a woman is claimed, she is open to other males who could possibly be her mate as well.”
Thorn couldn’t believe this. “You’re saying she could mate another man as well as me?”
Dante had studied the history of their people and recorded it in the old world scrolls. “Yes, according to the scrolls it had happened a few times in the past. Go and claim her or you could lose her.”
He remembered when his son had asked him to have the position on the council, he’d immediately agreed to let him have it. Dante had to hang up his warrior’s sword and pick up the pen to help their people. Thorn prayed for both of his sons to find their mates. He knew both Dante and Jonas had been chasing away the darkness far too long already.
With the position Dante held, he no longer needed to kill. He was over two hundred years old, and it was only a matter of time before he succumbed to the dreadful darkness. Jonas, Dante’s full brother, decided not to stay among the pack. He’d moved away when he was a still a pup. He lived among the humans and kept his secret safe and to himself. He trusted his sons would end their own life before they’d let him kill them, or at least he hoped they would.
He knew he would never be able to kill one of his own children if they turned rogue.
He’d asked Aiden to become an executioner. The man had taken his duties very seriously. Aiden remained as one of the few who had a mate, she was a young pup still, so he hadn’t claimed her. Then their love for each other grew stronger each year. Taraji was a talented healer.
He hoped both of his men respected his decision to remain silent to gather his thoughts. Nodding to Dante and Aiden, he said, “Okay, now that’s settled. I’m going to order food, I’m starving.” He couldn’t remember when he last ate. Thorn needed to hunt and devour wild game to satisfy his carnivore cravings. “I need to go hunting, what are you doing tomorrow?”
“I guess we’re hunting.” Dante winked.
“Alright then, what’ll you have today?” The waitress walked up with her pad in her hand.
“I’ll take a cheeseburger, fries, and a large glass of milk,” Thorn ordered.
“Do you want the milk with your meal?”
“Yes, please. Thank you, Melissa.” He liked her, she was a sweet young girl who’d lost everything, including her parents at a very early age.
“How are you doing?” Dante asked.
“I’m doin’ just fine, love.” Her face turned slightly red.
Thorn wondered what, if anything, had happened between Dante and Melissa. They seemed friendlier than before.
After the men had ordered, she asked, “Anything else?”
“No, I think we’re good. Can you give us some privacy?” Thorn asked.
“Sure, darling.” Melissa would respect their privacy and let them meet. Thorn needed to check on her once in a while, her parents had been murdered by an MC that had been exceptionally brutal a few years ago.
Aiden nodded his head toward the retreating figure. “Dante, you keeping track of Melissa?”
“Yeah, she’s doing okay. Dad, I think we need to help her with a few mortgage payments. Her folks left her the property, but it was far in debt.”
“How much does she owe total?” Thorn wanted to take care of her indefinitely. Her father had been a good friend and ally.
“Two hundred and some thousand,” chewing on a straw, Dante answered.
“Go to the bank tomorrow and pay it off,” Thorn murmured.
Aiden nodded.
Dante coughed slightly, looking shocked. “Really?”
“Did I stutter?” Thorn teased.
“Thanks, Dad.” Dante leaned forward and squeezed his hand.
Thorn felt proud of his son, he’d matured into a respectful and kind individual. He appreciated the fact Dante took care of her. A young single mother whose baby’s daddy had taken off right after her parents died. That man never made it outside Shades Run, however. Dante had taken care of him.
Thorn stayed silent and let the other two talk to each other as they waited for their food. Thorn’s mind had trouble wrapping around the fact he found her. Troubled thoughts raced through his brain. He didn’t know what to believe anymore.
Jayden still felt shaky as she finished the last dish and ran it through her new washer.
Thorn, the most feared Lycan in Shades Run, was her mate? Wait until she told her mother the news, she was about to have a heart attack. No one, including her parents, should allow such a union, but she knew they would have to.
What in the world could she do about it? Nothing. When a Lycan found their mate, she felt pretty sure it was like the vampire. They claimed them. It was a matter of life or death. The Lycan males were as close to darkness as their counterparts, the vampire. She was surprised Thorn hadn’t bitten her right then and there. Jayden didn’t think she could handle the conversion. Throwing the dishrag into the sink, she yelled out, “A wolf, really?”
To actually touch and kiss Thorn today reminded her of how much she needed and wanted the male. She recalled as a small child how she hoped her mate would be a vampire, she didn’t realize how close to the truth it would be. A Lycan was just as powerful as a vampire. She was a lucky woman to have such a man in her life. He would protect her with his life.
She cleaned off the rest of the counters and glanced around to admire what she’d accomplished in such a short time of preparation. Her shop was beautifully designed and ready to open. Her entire life savings had gone into the interior. From the super automatic espresso machines to the high-end coffee pots, brewing up the four different kinds of coffee her customers desired. The main floor dining area had tables and chairs along with booths set up to seat one hundred people. The stairs leading to the upstairs were spiral and took her to a loft which would seat another fifty people. She’d put leather couches, loveseats, and large chairs up there for the comfort of home to her patrons.
She’d designed the entire store to suit herself. Jayden had been able to shop and buy the best of everything. In Romania, she’d worked for Lucien’s mother and had been paid well for her service. Being a personal attendant to the Queen, Jayden had been able to save enough money to take care of her for a long time to come. Now though, she didn’t know if she could keep it all. What did the mate of the Lycan leader do?
For the past week, Jayden had spent the majority of her time cleaning, decorating, and setting up the shop. Now only a few days away from her grand opening, she worked on getting the building and health inspectors to come in and do the final walk-through.
She’d spent her entire life preparing to be an attendant and supporter of the vampire. But it never prepared her to be a mate to the Lycan leader. What was she going to do, and how could life be such a roller coaster ride always going uphill? She had to wonder what good could come out of a union such as hers and Thorn’s.
Until she spoke to her parents and Lucien, she wasn’t sure of anything at this point in her life. She flung the dishtowel over her shoulder and moved to the brew area. She started to put away the final dishes upfront.
She finished that project then went back into the dishwasher and finished setting up the new dishes to continue washing everything. The steam of the hot water dampened her hair and caused her curls to go crazy curly in every direction. Her hands were dripping with water and soap as she pushed the mess back behind her ears.
She thought about Thorn constantly since meeting him and was amazed how handsome he truly turned out to be. His black hair drawn back with a leather tie gave him a distinguished but rugged sexiness which only added to his mysterious good looks. His tall, brawny stature actually towered over her in the entry, as if he could control his surroundings with just his body.
Jayden didn’t think she could submit to a man. It was something she wasn’t good at or prepared to do. Her parents raised her to be independent and to take care of herself first. Her future husband would be second and everyone else in her life after that. If she’d been a mate to a vampire would it be different? She grabbed another glass and mumbled, “Who the hell are you kidding, woman? All men are controlling when they want to be.”
Finishing the dishes, she filled her mop pail. Lifting the heavy container, she set it down on the floor before kneeling down to wash the kitchen floor on her hands and knees. Jayden knew it was a little overboard but didn’t care. She wanted this restaurant perfect.
She couldn’t imagine sitting around worrying over a husband. Would Thorn be any different? How could she possibly imagine life with a Lycan when she had no idea what they did from day to day. “Why am I thinking and planning, just let it happen.”
As a decedent of the gypsy race, she’d learned a long time ago, never judge a book by its cover. Thorn could be a blank canvas to her. It frustrated her to know she couldn’t and hadn’t ever been able to see inside him. The darkness he carried around had always prevented her from seeing the real man or wolf. When discovering she had the ability to read a person and know them inside and out within seconds of touching them, he’d scared the daylights out of her, until she learned to control her special gift.
Thorn remained a mystery to her. She wanted to know everything about him. In the entry, he’d thrown up a wall quickly as he’d done every time they’d been with each other in their dreams. What was he hiding?
Jayden threw herself into her cleaning. She wanted to forget about Thorn and concentrate on her shop opening. Marriage and, hopefully, children would come another time.
Her father, Eric, had explained to her a few years ago, she was single because waiting for her one true love sometimes took a while. They’d always believed she would find someone special to grow old with. There was no real rush in finding true love, right?
She knew the history of her family’s ancestors and how they helped the vampires escape from certain death and how her great-great-great grandfather, Eric Foster, had been the man responsible for saving an entire race. He’d arranged safe passage to a land of unknown and made it work.
Lucien had sworn to protect her and her family here in the States because of that great deed. After a few centuries, Lucien’s parents moved back to their home country, Romania. They’d taken Jayden’s parents back with them. She’d been born over in Romania and grew up there. She was groomed to serve under Lucien’s mother, until her death a few years ago.
Jayden missed Romania. She came to America and had become a citizen. It’d taken a toll on both her and her parents. They’d finally settled in, and Jayden had purchased the shop. Again, her life was surely going to take a turn finding Thorn as her mate. Frustrated at the thought, she put all her energy into cleaning the now spotless floor. After another round of the room, she threw the sponge into the water and sat back on her feet. With the back of her hands, she shoved her long, heavy hair out of her eyes.
Tears gathered in her eyes as she tried to hold them in, frustrated more now than before. Jayden’s body felt sore and tired, and she knew she needed to sleep. Calling it a night was tough to chew. She stood and pushed herself to empty the water and put the bucket away.
To fit in like a normal human being was a necessity. She needed to help and protect the vampires, keeping them safe while they slept during the daylight hours. If someone found out the myth was true, it could mean the end to their people. She couldn’t risk that ever happening because of something she did.
Lucien had helped her by purchasing the building. He gave her a chance to build it into what she wanted. His only condition, she reported to him anything that appeared out of place in Shades Run. She would never allow herself to screw up. Confident in her skills that she could do a good job for him meant she couldn’t let meeting Thorn today turn her thoughts to mush.
She couldn’t let her entire brain think about him constantly. She would have to figure out what she could do to still be able to work for Lucien and her little coffee shop. Thorn would have to let her or she wouldn’t even consider this whole mate destiny thing. She made her way to the front of the shop. “Dammit, girl, there is no way you’re in love with that man.”
Jayden knew her rambling wasn’t helping her state of mind. She knew something weird was happening to her, but she needed to concentrate on getting her shop opened, and it wasn’t helping her thinking about that beast of a man. She knew her love for Thorn was from having him with her all her life. Whenever she needed him, he’d been there in her dreams. After the grand opening, she would pursue him and make sure they loved each other enough to spend the rest of eternity together.
She’d finally decided with all that was on her mind, she wasn’t going to be able to sleep. Needing to make sure everything was perfect for tomorrow, a cup of tea sounded perfect.
After she had fixed a cup, she walked over then sat down to rest her feet and back. Opening her books, she decided to get the rest of her work done and make sure she was ready for her grand opening. Taking a sip of the hot liquid, she closed her eyes. “Yum.”