Justin
Two Days Later
The only command from Madison following the desperate fight at the pier had been to take some time off and recharge. She had set a date and time for a command meeting, and told everyone to make themselves scarce until then. They had all needed the time off after the events of the previous days, and he had been glad for that. It had given him and Shay a lot of time to spend together, which he had used to help her heal, both physically and mentally, from what she had gone through.
He regretted that it had delayed this particular meeting, but his mate was in a much better state of mind now than she had been after first waking up after fainting.
A mental roar of delight came with the fact that he had acknowledged that she was his mate. Justin knew many of the legends of his people spoke of them having to bite the woman to make her his mate, but it just didn’t work that way. It was his bear that would—and had—chosen a mate for him. His human side took longer to realize it, but once his bear saw “the one,” that was it. He would never be with another. For him, that was Shay.
“There’s someone you need to say hi to,” he said as she slid off the back of his bike.
“Oh, and who is that?” she asked, doffing her helmet and looking around the cavernous garage of the warehouse. They had converted it into the new base of operations for the Underground after their previous one had been exposed. Justin liked it better than the club anyway. It was much more private here.
“I think that he means me,” a voice said, emerging from behind one of the trucks.
Shay spun, the helmet falling from her hands as she made eye contact with the newcomer.
Justin smiled, snagging it out of mid-air and placing it on the seat next to his own.
“Father?” she asked in an unsteady voice.
“Hi,” he said lamely.
“Father!” she shouted, and flung her arms around him as Justin watched.
He saw the older man’s eyes water, and he turned away to give the pair their privacy, even if he could still overhear what they were saying.
“You’re alive!” she said excitedly. “I was so worried about you. Then when I found out...” her voice died there, the excitement suddenly gone.
“I know,” he replied, and Justin heard the disappointment with himself in those two words. “I made a bad decision, and I’m sorry. To both of you.”
The Sentinel turned as Charles raised his voice slightly, not realizing that Justin would have heard him anyway.
“You are forgiven,” he said solemnly. “Whatever happened was in the past. When confronted with the reality of what you were doing, you did the right thing. To me and my team, that shows great conviction within you. Everyone makes bad decisions sometimes. It’s what makes us good that allows us to forgive that.” He smiled. “Just don’t do it again,” he said in a lighter tone.
Charles echoed the look of amusement. “Is your boyfriend always that philosophical?” he asked Shay.
She giggled. “No, he usually has trouble with three-syllable words, actually. But we’re working on it.”
Justin felt his jaw drop at the jab. “First I’m called shifter boy, now she’s arguing that I talk like a child. She must feel confident in my feelings of affection toward her.”
“Then prove me wrong,” she joked as Justin came up alongside her, leaving her sandwiched between him and her father.
He paused. “No.”
“No?” she said skeptically.
He sighed theatrically. “Let me put it to you in a way you might understand. I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request.”
After a moment of shocked surprise Shay burst out into laughter, leaning her head on his shoulder as she shook. Her father chuckled politely.
“I don’t even know what we’re talking about anymore,” she said, pulling him tight against her.
“Me neither,” he replied.
“So, what are you going to do now?” she asked her father as Justin steered them toward the command room.
Charles hesitated for a moment, then plunged ahead. “I think, if Madison will let me, that I’m going to join the Underground.”
Shay nodded firmly. “Good.”
“Good?” both Justin and Charles echoed the question at the same time.
“Yes,” she said, looking at both of them. “It means we’ll get to see more of each other, which I think is sorely needed.”
“We will?”
“You will?”
Justin and Charles looked at each other, then at her.
“Yes. I’m going to be joining too,” she stated firmly, then stopped and looked at Justin, pointing at him to ensure he didn’t speak. “You guys need a good driver, and that’s going to be me.”
He felt his jaw drop at the strength in her voice. She had a point. Shay was a damn good driver. Better than any of the other Sentinels, that was for sure. But she wasn’t a shifter, or even a half-breed that could accept the Extremis serum.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I won’t argue that your skills behind the wheel would help us. That would be a lie. But you would be extremely vulnerable in a fight, and you have to admit that,” he said. “We can’t guarantee that you would be able to avoid one.”
Shay frowned. “You have other humans on your team, Justin. They go into danger willingly. If they’re willing to stick up for what’s right, who are you to deny me doing the same?”
“I agree,” a new voice said as they walked inside.
Justin glared at Madison, but she just shrugged it aside. “You know I’m right,” the leader of the Underground said. “She will be a big help to us, and it is her decision.”
“I know,” he grumped.
“But you don’t want to see me in harm’s way, right?” Shay said, letting go of her father for the moment to hold him tighter.
Justin nodded.
“You can’t protect me from everything,” she told him.
“I can try,” he said immediately, but he knew that was a flimsy argument, and so did she.
“I know you can, and I love you for it,” she said, kissing his arm as she pressed her forehead to him briefly. “But this is my choice. You have to let me make it.”
He frowned, having realized as soon as she spoke that this was coming. “Fine, but you’re going to be armed with a tranq gun at all times, and you will practice every day until you’re an ace marksmen with it. No argument.”
Shay grinned. “I can do that. Only if you know a good teacher though. One who can, ah, teach me proper posture and, umm, positioning. One who can maybe help me earn top marks through after-class lessons?” she said with a wink.
Justin glanced around the room as the others chuckled or cat-called him. He felt his cheeks heat a little, and knew he was probably blushing.
He was saved by Charles clearing his throat. The reminder that she had just said all that in front of her father made Shay burst into bright shades of red.
“Okay,” Madison said, gesturing at the seats surrounding the table.
Justin noticed Charles hesitated, looking up at her. The leader of the Underground just returned his stare and nodded, gesturing once more at the seats, giving him her approval to stay.
“I hope everyone has had a productive few days off,” she said, pausing when Connor conveniently cleared his throat. She arched an eyebrow as chuckles ran around the table, then continued as if her mate hadn’t done anything.
Justin leaned back, one arm draped over Shay’s shoulder as they began to recap everything that had happened.
Finally he felt at ease; with himself, who he was, and what he was being called upon to do in this chapter of his life. He still didn’t enjoy killing others, but he was no longer tormented by nightmares about it either. What little sleep Shay had allowed him to get over the past two days had been peaceful and enjoyable.
Of course, the time spent awake had been just as pleasurable he thought, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
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