Filed to story: Luna Lovette and Alpha Kodak Story
And I checked my symptoms on the Internet. Maybe Lovette can take a look at me while I’m here.”
The Alpha female merely made a noncommittal sound.
“So you no longer believe you have heart failure, deep vein thrombosis, and a fractured ankle?” asked Shaya dryly. She hated herself for being frustrated and angry with her mother, but she’d really had enough of the emotional manipulation. The number of times Shaya had heard the words “I think I’m dying” was unreal, but there had never been a single thing wrong.
In the past, Shaya had over and over rushed Gabrielle to a healer; by the time they arrived there, her mother had gone from weak and pitiful to excited and chipper-she loved the attention. It had gotten to the point where Shaya’s life had revolved around Gabrielle and her “conditions.” It was part of the reason why Shaya had switched to the Phoenix Pack, though she had still gone to visit her mother at least every other day, feeling guilty if she didn’t.
Of course when Shaya moved to Arizona, there was no one to fuss around Gabrielle-Stone certainly didn’t “entertain her dramatics,” as he referred to it. As she’d expected, Gabrielle hated that. She believed she was entitled to Shaya’s time, attention, and aid. Gabrielle looked about to reprimand Shaya, but then Stone was speaking again. Not to Shaya, but to Nick.
“Tell me about yourself.”
Nick recognized that deceptively friendly tone all too well. He’d used it himself with the web designer. “I’m not applying for the position of being your daughter’s mate. I am her mate. We’ve claimed each other. If you want to ask me questions for no other reason than that you’d like to get to know me, I’d be happy to answer them.”
Stone smiled, making Shaya tense. “I tried to do a background check on you.” His tone was even, calm-that meant bad things, she knew. “No one would tell me anything. Why is that?”
Nick didn’t answer. He just smiled.
“If you have more contacts and allies than I do-and I have a lot- you must have won the loyalty of many people. All I’m really interested in knowing is if you’ve won the loyalty of my daughter and if you plan to give her the same in return.”
“Shaya’s always had my loyalty.”
“And he has mine,” Shaya told her father, leaning against Nick for a few seconds.
“You believe he deserves it?” It was a genuine question from Stone.
She nodded. “He hurt me, but he had his reasons for not claiming me-good ones. It’s complicated.”
Stone sighed, grumbling, “It always is with male shifters.”
Nick noticed his mate’s smile of amusement and gave her a mock scowl.
“What about you, Lovette?” asked Stone. “If anyone’s as protective of Shaya as I am-other than Nick here of course”-said with so much patronization that Marcus almost choked on a laugh-“it’s you. Is he worthy of her?”
Lovette snorted. “No one’s worthy of Shaya. But she’s right-he had his reasons for not claiming her initially. He’s proven over and over that she comes first. Also, he’s totally whipped, if that makes you feel any better.”
Nick scowled at the blonde. “I’m not whipped.”
“Of course you’re not,” placated Shaya, patting his arm, “you’re just well trained.” She laughed at his low growl. Turning to her father, she said, “I wanted to tell you, I have an interview for a mediator position. If I get it-“
“You’ll get it,” insisted Nick with utter confidence.
“-it’ll mean I get to go traveling. Maybe I’ll even see some of the places you used to tell me all about when I was little.”
Stone’s smile was genuine this time as he took Shaya’s free hand in his. He gave Nick a small nod, which could be translated to “I’ll accept you for now.” It might not be a gushing reception, but it was enough to lift her spirits. Then Gabrielle went and spoiled the moment.
“Traveling? Have you not learned anything from watching my relationship with your father? Mates shouldn’t be separated for long periods at a time.” She looked at Nick then. “You’ll soon have an idea how I’ve felt all my life.”
“I’ll be going with Shaya,” Nick told her, barely refraining from snapping at the woman. “Where she goes, I go.”
“Nice idea,” said Stone.
Gabrielle turned to her mate, spluttering. “You never took me with you.”
“I couldn’t have taken you into war zones, despite that it was an appealing idea at times. Then you’d have known what suffering really is. And maybe you would have stopped being so self-centered and paid attention to our daughter.”
Gabrielle gasped in outrage, but it was Shaya she snarled at. “It’s difficult to give attention to an ungrateful, inconsiderate-“
“Enough,” said Nick quietly, his voice still filled with authority. Gabrielle’s eyes widened. “
No one speaks to my mate like that. Not even her mother. In my opinion, though, I shouldn’t have to order her mother not to do so.”
“You don’t know what it’s been like for me,” claimed Gabrielle. “You don’t know how hard it is to lose one child and then find that the other is selfish and-“
“One more insult,” rumbled Nick, “and you leave.”
Shaya rubbed her jaw against his upper arm, hoping to calm him. “I’ve never asked you for anything, Mom. But I’m asking you now…if you can’t be happy for me, if you can’t be part of my life without trying to hurt me, leave me alone.”
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?