Three days later
Tess finished unpacking groceries and slammed the last cabinet, muttering to her empty kitchen the whole time. “He knew for weeks that he was suffering from that damned mating curse. Did he come looking for me? No. Did he tell me when he found me? No. Did he tell me when I told him I loved him? No.”
She shoved the empty cloth bag into a cabinet. “Men are stupid. They need to be taught how to discuss their feelings and curses and other crap.”
Two arms snaked around her waist from behind and she went still, holding her breath. When she exhaled, she said, “Please be real.”
“Hello, beautiful.”
Her heart thudded back to life at the sound of his hoarse words. She said, “You pissed me off.”
He hugged her and snuggled against her neck. “I’m sorry I scared you. How long was I out?”
“Three days, six hours and something like twelve minutes.” She hadn’t looked at her watch since the groceries were delivered, but she’d counted minutes the entire time Cole slept in her apartment.
“How did you get the Guardian to bring me here? Not that I’m complaining, just surprised.”
“Oh, he planned to take you wherever giant eagles live, but I put my foot down and reminded him that I was your mate and the only one who’d believed you could survive.”
“I shouldn’t have survived. I remember waking for a second and thinking I was dead, then the Guardian telling me the curse had been broken. It’s all blurry. I don’t understand. It should have been impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible if you believe enough, and I did,” she answered quietly, waiting to tell him everything that had happened until he’d had a little time to be awake. She’d been standing at the door to her bedroom when Cole’s eyes had opened and the Guardian had spoken those words about the mating curse.
She’d wanted to push the Guardian away so she could look into Cole’s eyes again, but Cole had passed out.
He clearly thought the Guardian had saved him.
She’d tell him the truth soon, but she wanted to just feel him, alive and breathing, next to her right now. The last three days had been a roller coaster through insanity, and she never wanted to get on that ride again.
First Cole had been dying, then he changed back to human form and she’d been relieved, only to have him black out from blood loss. She’d thought he had died after all, but the Guardian had put his hands on Cole’s chest and declared him alive ... and beginning to heal. Cole changed one more time on the way to her apartment. His men and their guardian hadn’t batted an eye.
At this point, she didn’t care if he changed into a giraffe. She’d find a place to live with tall ceilings where he wouldn’t have to bend over. He and Gray Wolf were hers.
She was a little nervous, but also excited about getting a chance to go into the woods with Cole and see Gray Wolf again soon.
But she never, ever wanted to see him with blood dripping from his fangs and wounds.
Once Cole’s black ops shifter friends had him settled in her apartment, the Guardian explained that Cole’s healing was accelerating from two shifts into his wolf. Evidently, as long as Cole was on the mend, and his wolf was calm, he wouldn’t shift again until he woke up. The Guardian explained that Tess had a calming influence on Gray Wolf now that she’d mated with Cole, which would also help him heal.
The only worry she’d had at that point was her father, but he’d shown up at her apartment right behind them, delivered by the Guardian’s men. The senator had been badly shaken, but he was alive and unharmed. She’d hugged him and cried, happy to have him back.
Instead of issuing orders and trying to take over the situation as he normally would, he’d stayed unusually quiet, subdued even, until the Guardian had turned as if to leave.
Her father had stepped over and shown her the man she’d grown up admiring when he thanked Cole’s boss for saving his life. The Guardian gave him a gracious reply before leaving. After giving Tess another hug and gaining her promise to come home so they could talk, her father had left with two of Cole’s friends who had been instructed to accompany the senator home.
That moment with The Guardian was a start, but her father could do more and possibly would, now that he knew first hand, and undeniably, that not all shifters were bad. At least the door had been opened for future conversations.
Remembering something she had to tell Cole, Tess first said, “I’m sorry about Sammy. I know you were close. I’m just so sad about him and Katelyn.”
Cole squeezed her and said nothing at first. After a quiet moment and in a voice laden with hurt, he said, “I am, too, but Sammy was ready to join Katelyn. He was suffering more every day. I refused to believe he was gone already, but he was, even before I saw him the last time. The Guardian tried to tell me, but I think I had to see for myself to accept that we couldn’t bring him back. I miss him so much it hurts, but I’m glad he’s at peace. I hope he and Katelyn are together.”
Her eyes misted. She’d thought of Sammy many times over the past three days, hurting for him, for Cole, and the rest of his team. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she said, “The Guardian said once you were better, he would call all of you together to say goodbye to Sammy.”
She could feel Cole nod against the side of her neck, as though unable to speak.
She gripped the powerful arm wrapped around her middle. “I don’t want to delay anything, but I’d like a little time together before we have to walk out the door and face everything.”
“I want that, too. I’m honestly surprised the Guardian doesn’t have us both in one of his facilities,” Cole said, snuggling his head against hers and giving her a kiss on the temple. The sound she made should be bottled and labeled happiness.
“That wasn’t happening and your boss knew it,” she explained. “When he said you would heal on your own, I made it clear that I wanted you at home—with me—and he agreed.”
Looking back on her confrontation with the Guardian, she realized how he’d allowed her to get away with ordering him around.
Rory and the other guys had stared at her as if she were a mouse swatting at a tiger.
But the Guardian had given her a smile and said, “Do you know what you are?”
“A pissed-off mate at the moment?” she’d replied, ready to get Cole out of there.
“You saved him. That required an extraordinary power. You must be a Gallize female.”
“But ... Cole told me about their traits. I don’t fit the criteria.”
“That is perplexing and we’ll have to review it again with you, but I don’t make a habit of arguing with success.”
The men had cheered again but this time just for her.
She’d been in tears and not caring who saw her cry.
When the room had quieted, the Guardian said, “You have earned the right to decide for your mate.” That’s when he arranged to have Cole brought to her place and left a contingent of shifters guarding them.
Cole brought her back to the present by nuzzling her neck, getting his tongue involved. She flashed hot all over and her energy that had been buzzing happily kicked up a notch, but satisfying that hungry energy needed to wait a little longer.
There was too much to talk about.
She had to make him understand, so he’d knock off this stupid martyr complex he had going when it came to her. She patted his arm. “I think the Guardian knew better than to cross me on this.”
Cole groaned, but it was all for show. Admiration flowed through his voice. “The Guardian respects power. I bet he loved you being all bossy and figured you’re not going away as long as I’m alive, which better be true.” Cole kissed her neck again and sighed. “He even said something similar about believing in the impossible last week when I told him there was no way for us to be together.”
She smiled over the compliment and over Cole thinking his Guardian was allowing her to stay around out of the goodness of his heart. She didn’t think a man like him made decisions that way. “The Guardian did say when you were feeling better to bring me to his bat cave so we could join forces to work on stopping the Black River wolf pack.”
“Bat cave?”
“Eh, he might have said his penthouse.”
Cole pulled her tighter. “You’re too adorable, even when you were ranting about me when I came into the kitchen. I really am sorry I scared you, baby.”
She swallowed the emotion choking her and said, “I’m not pissed about you scaring me, because you sleeping for three days is not anything close to watching you fight two massive animals to the death. But I’m furious that you would risk dying rather than give me the chance to decide about being your mate.”
His sigh brushed over her hair and he dropped his chin on her head. He tucked her closer to him and she went willingly. He said, “I don’t want to see you lose your father over a shifter after you lost your mother that way, or face conflict over being with someone like me.”
One day, she would teach this man to stop trying to give her a perfect world. All she wanted was one full of love. “My mother didn’t die because of a shifter. In fact, before I was kidnapped, I spoke to the alpha of a pride. He was there the day my mother died. He was trying to protect her. When the jackal tried to mug my mother, that alpha intervened and ended up arrested because of shifting. The shifting and the battle wasn’t his fault. I think my mother would have been just as terrified and still had a heart attack even if a human had mugged her. But that alpha was with her while she was still alive and passed along a message from her that I should follow my heart. That’s what I’m doing right now.”
“Your father will never accept ... me.”
“That’s his choice, just like it’s mine to choose who I want to spend my life with. I was terrified when they kidnapped him and unbelievably relieved when your boss and your team saved my father. I love him and he loves me, but our relationship has been little more than polite for a long time. That’s going to change. At the moment, I’m pissed at him, though, because he’s been interfering with my job and not respecting my choices. When you’re healed, I’m going to find out who referred Brantley to my father, because I found out that my father got Brantley his position with SCIS.”
“We’ll find out, and it’ll be taken care of,” Cole said, sounding like a man about to lead a charge.
She spun in his arms. “See? There you go again. You’re fine with my dad not dictating my life, but you better understand that you and your bunch of Gallize shifters are not going to make my decisions, either.”
“Tess—”
“I saved you for me, Cole. My power bonded with yours.” She hadn’t planned to spit it out like that, but her emotions were running unchecked.
Cole stared at her. “I ... thought I dreamed about us bonding.”
“You don’t feel the bond?” For the first time, she feared having done it wrong.
He stood there, a mix of emotions flickering in his eyes. “Yes, but I thought, hell I don’t know. I thought the Guardian had done something to heal me and that was the reason for this incredible peace I feel. Even Gray Wolf is truly calm.” He lifted his hands to grasp her arms. “We really did bond ...?”
“Yes. As you lay there dying, my energy went into overdrive and I begged Gray Wolf to give you back to me,” she whispered. “I promised to be a good mate to both of you. Forever.”
Pure shock rode across his face, then a smile that she would remember for the rest of her life. He picked her up, kissing her as he swung her around.
She was laughing and crying. “Put me down you brute. You’ll hurt yourself.”
“Holding you could never hurt me.” He pulled her back down in front of him. “You’re sure my power didn’t harm you in any way?”
She put a hand on his chest. “No, and for your information, your guardian said I’m a Gallize too, so you’re not the only hot shit here these days,” she bragged, not the least bit bashful about it. But as she thought again about how close she’d come to losing Cole, she couldn’t hold the smart-ass tone. Her voice broke, coming out a whisper. “That’s why I was able to save you when no one else could, not even the Guardian.”
Cole’s jaw dropped open. “But you don’t have two of the traits, just the blue-moon birthday month.”
“When your guardian said he didn’t understand either because the Gallize women are always second born, I came home and did some digging to see if there was anything else I didn’t know. My parents lost their first child. She only lived a week. I’m sure it was devastating so I don’t think they could handle talking about her. Then when my mom died, my dad would not talk about anything from the past. That has to change for us to move forward. His stubborn determination to have his own way may have put me in real danger because of Brantley and that may actually shock him enough to open a new door for us. I’m going to find a way to work through all this with him, but I’m in your secret club now.”
Cole just stared at her in awe. “You’re really a Gallize.”
The wonder in his voice snuggled up next to her ego and gave it a warm hug. She’d never felt more special than now.
He ran a hand over his head, trying to take it all in. “Oh, shit, that means ... that means I can tell you everything.”
“Damn straight.”
That earned her a smoldering kiss. She hoped he was healing fast, because he was revving up her energy and she had plans for that body.
He pulled her close to him in a hug that let her know she was his and said in a humble tone, “Thank you for saving me. I thought our bonding was me fantasizing, but I remember hearing your voice like an echo deep in a cave. Slowly, Gray Wolf receded, then I started hearing you clearly when you said you wanted to be my mate forever. That’s the moment I thought I had died and gone wherever lucky shifters went in the afterlife, because I felt the power and love of opening up to join with you as my mate.” He kissed her head. “You broke the mating curse for me. That’s not something any other power on Earth could do.”
She experienced a rush of pride at truly being his equal.
He smiled at her. “That means there is nothing more powerful than your love, but mine’s just as strong for you.”
She burst into tears.
Cole hugged her to him, whispering words of love and running his hands over her. “I’m so sorry, baby.”
Tess stopped crying, sniffled hard once and said, “You should be. Keeping that mating curse from me was a total dick thing to do.”
His chest moved with his laughter. “My woman is never one to sugarcoat it.”
“The men in my life had better learn that, too.” She pushed back so she could face Cole. “Are you feeling better?”
He gave her a wicked look. “Want me to show you how good I feel?”
Tess’s wild energy had calmed to a feeling of just being very alive, but that threatened to rev it right back up again. He had better get ready for a mate who wanted his body all day and night. But first she had something else to say. “I want to go to Virginia next week and talk to my father.”
Disappointment crossed Cole’s face briefly, then he said, “Of course, and I’ll support whatever you decide.”
She frowned. Did he think she was going alone? She arched an eyebrow at him. “Good, because you’re going to be right there with me when I announce our engagement.”
His lips parted. He closed his gaping mouth then asked, “Are you sure you want to do that?”
“Listen up, shifter, I’m one hundred percent your mate, but I’m also human. You’re marrying me.”
Cole’s eyes were suspiciously shiny. “I was planning to ask you the night I left seven years ago. From the moment I bought a ring that afternoon, I’d started feeling strange. I didn’t realize I had taken you as my mate at that point. By the time I got to your place, I couldn’t stand being in my body. I thought I was sick and left to get my shit together. That’s when everything spun out of control.”
Her chest clenched at being reminded of how much they’d both been through to reach this point. “You better be able to find that ring. That’s the one I intend to wear.”
His blue eyes sparked with love. “It’s the only thing I kept from my original life. But ... we’re going to go out to dinner and let me ask you like I planned.”
“Okay.” Why did she sound like a little girl?
Maybe because her dreams were coming true?
“Do you plan to tell your dad I’m a shifter, because he’ll find out eventually?”
“I already told him when they brought him here after the Guardian rescued him. I told him I couldn’t go home with him while the man I loved was in my bedroom healing from his battle with another shifter. It might be a little surprising to find out it’s you, but we’ll explain what happened during your missing years. He’s about to get a new education in shifters from his daughter.”
“I’ll go anywhere with you, but I don’t want you being caught between—”
She put her finger on his lips. “My dad is healthy as an ox. His heart is fine. I’m not living my life based on what-ifs. My mom constantly told me to not do things just to please him. She would have thanked the shifter who intervened the day she died if she’d lived long enough to do it.”
“I always liked your mother. She was her own woman.”
Tess gave him a watery smile. “She liked you, too. She was a fair and open-minded person. She’d be cheering me right now and would love having you, a wolf shifter, as her son-in-law. I will expect no less of my father if he wants a relationship with me. It may not be smooth sailing for a while, but I’m good with that as long as I have you.”
Cole kissed her with enough heat to burn her panties off. “I’m yours forever, baby.”
“And I’m your mate forever, wolf.”
The End.
Thank you for reading my new shifter series. I hope you enjoyed it and would appreciate a review wherever you buy your e-books.
Coming up next is MATING A GRIZZLY, Justin’s story. All the books are stand alones, so you can read them in any order. If you’d like to be notified of each future releases and special deals I offer my readers, just sign up for my newsletter at and/or join my PRIVATE READER COMMUNITY Group on Facebook. I DO NOT share anyone’s information. I hate to have mine shared. All I do is send you occasional news, extra content and exclusive material from time to time.
coming in Jan 2018
Raves about Dianna’s other series:
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Belador urban fantasy:
“When it comes to urban fantasy, Dianna Love is a master.” Always Reviewing.
"There is so much action in this book I feel like I’ve burned calories just reading it." D Antonio
“There are SO many things in this series that I want to learn more about; there’s no way I could list them all.” Lily, Romance Junkies Reviews
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Slye Temp romantic thrillers:
"...suspense, thrills, excitement, danger and a super romantic couple...Dianna Love writes romance suspense so well, as I consider her one of the best at creating believability and hooking us in from the start all the way to the exciting climax." ~~ Barb, The Reading Cafe
"Dianna never disappoints! ... would have give it a 10 if they would let!!! Very enjoyable read, can't wait for the next one :-)." ~~ Amy, Goodreads
“...one of those books that you wish would go on forever.” ~~Billie Jo, Romance Junkies
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Red Moon young adult sci-fi/fantasy series by Micah Caida (pen name of collaborators Dianna Love & Mary Buckham):
"Time Trap is amazingly original and unexpected...I loved every second of reading it!"~~ Alexandra F, 15, who has read The Book Thief, The Hunger Games, and Anna Karenina.
"I was totally captivated by every scene in the first book...The imagination of Micah Caida takes the reader on an exhilarating journey...TIME TRAP is originality at its best." ~~Amelia Richard (adult), SingleTitles.com
"Reading this book is like riding on a roller coaster, getting to the top and not knowing when the next drop is."~~ Alex B, 12 years old and has also read all of Rick Riordan’s books, the Hunger Games, the Chronicles of Nick, and the Rangers Apprentice series.
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