Chapter Two
It was time to go home. The threat against Lori and Clifford was over, and there was no point in him sticking around any longer. He needed to get back to his military post, anyway. Even though he’d been promised as much time off as he needed, he was getting anxious to get back… even if he was the only shifter on his team and the others ostracized him for it. More than once he’d almost been kicked off because of how they treated him.
In their line of work, they had to trust and rely on each other. Despite everything they had gone through together, his team didn’t trust him. He couldn’t rely on them. Here, working with Clifford, it had been different. It had felt like a team was supposed to.
Serena slipped into the room. Her chocolate-brown hair tumbled in soft waves around her, and she chewed her lip while twisting her hands. Tristen almost froze up seeing her. Even though she was quite young, she always had a way about her that made her seem like the most mature person in the room. This uncharacteristic vulnerability made him want to wrap his arms around her and assure her everything was going to be fine.
He averted his gaze quickly. He’d been battling such thoughts for months now. It was shocking how much his views of her had changed since he had come to help Clifford. She wasn’t the starry-eyed little girl he’d met in times past. She was a full-blown woman with enough determination to put his own to shame.
“Hello, Serena.” He threw her a half-smile. “Is everything okay?”
“Well… I suppose. I was just coming to see if Clifford had talked to you about staying.”
Tristen shook his head. “He’s been busy with Lori and the twins.”
“Oh. Yeah, he has. Have you heard that my grandmother is going to turn over leadership of the clan to me?”
At that, Tristen nodded. When he had first heard, it seemed only natural that it was time. Later people started commenting on Serena’s age, and he was once more reminded that she was, in fact, still a young woman. He had no doubts that she was going to be brilliant at it, though. With her intelligence and drive, there was nobody else better suited for such a task.
“I… I have to have a mate soon,” she blurted. “From your home clan. Milly Terrance has been very vocal about wanting things to change and I think she’ll challenge me to be the matriarch of the clan. She’s a good person but far too impulsive to be a good leader. So, I need to have a mate as soon as possible.”
“You want me to introduce you to some of the young men from my clan, then?” Tristen ignored how his bear snarled and snapped at the thought of any of them with their arms around her. They weren’t all terribly immature. Besides, it would be beneficial for Serena to get to know someone her own age…. Right?
Serena’s face stained pink and she shook her head. “There will be challenges and games for them to compete in, and whoever wins will have the right to be my mate. The matriarch’s mate has to protect her, after all, and we have to make sure mine is up to the task.”
“I’m not sure what you’re asking of me, then.” He had an idea and his heart slammed into his ribs.
She squared her shoulders. “Can I be fully frank with you?”
It was a bad idea. It was only going to end with one of them disappointed. But he nodded anyway.
“I have always known that this day would come. I had hoped that I would be older. I’m a firm believer that two people ought to know who they are before they settle down together expecting forever.”
Tristen couldn’t help but smile at that. “Are you saying that you don’t know who you are?”
“What?” Serena’s brow furrowed. “No. That’s not what I’m saying at all. I’m saying I wanted to be older so that my mate would be, too. I don’t want to have to deal with some immature little boy who only wants me because I’m pretty. Or, perhaps worse, someone twice my age who thinks that he’ll be able to puppet me around and do as he wishes with the clan. That’s not his job. I will be matriarch and I’m not going to have a mate who tries to control me.”
Tristen nodded in agreement, though he still didn’t know where she was going with this.
She lifted her chin a little and stared him in the eye. “I want you to join the fights and win me as your mate.”
Perhaps he should have seen that coming. Perhaps he should have thought that it was obvious that she was building up to that. But in truth, he hadn’t expected it–at least, not all of it. Certainly not the fighting part. He opened his mouth and closed it again.
“I know that this is a… strange request. But I have given it a lot of thought. You have experience on your side, so you’d be more apt at winning. It would allow me to choose my own mate, and we have proven that we get along well. Even in situations when you and I have had disagreements with regards to safety measures, you haven’t tried to overrule me at all. You—”
“I am twice your age.”
Serena swallowed hard and nodded. “But you wouldn’t try to control me because you think I’m some dumb kid.”
That was true enough. He shrugged, uncertain. “Well… I can’t.”
“Why not?”
Tristen shook his head. Within a few years, she would regret her choice if this happened. “Because of my military background. My ties with non-shifters can influence my judgment. There are qualifications that one has to pass before they’re permitted to compete.”
“But your military training would help protect me better than some random—”
“I can’t.”
Her hands started to twist again and she began chewing on her lip once more. “Okay. Well, in that case, can you… can you teach me something?”
He didn’t reply, waiting for her to continue. His bear nudged him, trying to make him move forward, but he didn’t budge.
“I would like it if you could teach me… how to be seductive. How to be with a man.” Her face went completely red and her wide chocolate eyes glittered. Her gaze trailed down him in a way that made his bear practically purr with delight. Something tightened inside of him. Serena moved a little closer and licked her lips. “I know that I have to take the mate that is chosen for me, unless he is truly repulsive, but that doesn’t mean that I have to avoid physical pleasures before we even meet. I’ve never had the chance to be with a man, and I want to…”
She trailed off. A look of uncertainty crossed her face. If it wasn’t for that look, he would have followed his bear’s roaring and swept her into his arms. But that look… if she wasn’t completely certain she wanted this, then he had to think she was only picking him because he was here and they had a bit of a connection.
He turned his back on her. “That would be grossly inappropriate, Serena. You’re my best friend’s niece. I’m not willing to risk my relationship with Clifford for a one-night stand.”
“Oh.” Her voice was small. “I didn’t even think of… I’m sorry.”
Tristen winced as he turned. “Look, I know that this is a hard situation for you. If our places were reversed, I never would accept a mate I didn’t choose myself. Not that I have ever wanted a mate. Seems like an awful hassle to me…”
She ducked her head.
“You are a beautiful woman, Serena. And whoever wins this fight? He’s going to be a lucky bear. You don’t have to bed him right away, either.” He hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up again. “Sex is overrated, anyway. It’s meant to be this earth-shattering thing, but at best it’s mildly pleasant. You can take your time to get to know your mate before you sleep with him. And if he tries to pressure you into something you’re not ready for? Rip his guts out.”
Serena managed a small smile after that. “Yeah, I guess that’s a possibility, too. Thank you.”
He nodded in return. Serena left the room, and Tristen let out a pent-up sigh. It was the right decision to make. So why did his bear insist on growling at him to run after her and scoop her into his arms?
Tristen fished his phone from his pocket. He might not be able to fight for her, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t going to try his best to ensure that she had a proper mate. One that would treat her with the respect and gentleness that she deserved.
His brother answered after the second ring. “What’s up?”
“Robert. You know the fights to choose a mate for the matriarch of the—”
“Yup, I know about them. People can’t shut up about them.”
“I want you to enter them.”
There was a brief moment of silence, followed by a chuckle. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“No. I want you to enter them.”
“Okaaaaaay… Why?” Robert sounded curious.
“Because the new matriarch, Serena, is Clifford Boone’s niece. She’s important to him and so she’s important to me. I want to make sure she has a mate that will treat her right.”
“And you thought of me? Bro, I’m touched.”
Tristen rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes. I thought of you. Look, Serena is smart. She’s confident, intelligent, knowledgeable. She loves to work in her garden and she never backs down from a fight. I know that you’re not looking for a mate, but she… honestly, she would be perfect for you. The two of you would be able to talk about what you expect from each other and you’d be able to set ground rules and—”
“Okay. I’ll do it.” Robert chuckled. “Sounds like it might be fun, at that. Don’t get mad at me if I lose, though. There are a lot of tough guys in this thing.”
Tristen had to repress a growl. “Yeah, fine. Whatever. Just enter it.”
He hung up. His bear growled, clearly unhappy. Tristen tried to ignore the feeling. It was the best solution. Robert was a good kid. A bit spacy at times, but what did that matter? He was Serena’s age, he had a great deal of respect for others and he was a good fighter. He was smart. He’d be perfect to protect the new matriarch.
Tristen continued to pack, but his hands were slow. Perhaps he should stay, just to see what happened… then he’d go back. But first, he would see who was chosen to be Serena’s mate.