Chapter 5

Duke woke slowly, his lion snoring happily, thanks to their new mate. Ree slept next to him, tucked safe and warm in his arms. They’d spent most of the night talking in between making love, and he could honestly say that it was nothing short of love, because he was full-on crazy about her. She was witty and sweet; family was important to her, which was something they shared. Although her upbringing had been entirely different than his, they found common ground and similar interests.

Glancing at his phone, he saw that it wasn’t even six a.m. yet, and considering that they’d been up until after three, he was surprised he was even coherent, let alone waxing poetic about his mate’s finer qualities. He wanted to stay in bed with her all day, but he knew he needed to speak to his parents as soon as possible. The sooner he talked to them and accepted the exile, the quicker he could get back to Ree and her sweet embrace. Slipping from the bed as stealthily as possible, he managed to get dressed without waking her. He went into the kitchen and found a notepad and pen, and scribbled a message.

Ree, I’ve gone to speak to my pride about our mating. Make yourself at home. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Your mate, Duke

He looked at the message and then added his cell at the bottom in case she wanted to get in touch with him. Leaving the note on the pillow next to her, he took one last look and then walked out, shutting the bedroom door softly, and exiting the apartment. He texted Titus as he jogged down the stairs.

Keep an eye on Ree. I’m going to talk to my parents.

Not waiting for a response, he tucked his phone into his pocket and walked out into the bar. Pushing open the back door, he hurried to his car and pulled out of the parking lot, his foot on the floor and the engine roaring. His lion didn’t much care to leave their mate in the apartment, but it was a secure floor, in a secure bar, and he knew she’d be safe.

His parents were early birds, and it was a habit that he’d inherited. He couldn’t sleep much past sunrise, even on the nights when he was out late hunting. He would have had a good reason for staying in bed late this morning, considering Ree’s sweet scent called to him like nothing he’d ever experienced before, but he’d rather handle things with the pride now while she slept. He’d told her a lot about the pride, but he’d left out the part about being next in line for alpha. She didn’t really understand that hierarchy, and she was already worried about him giving up so much.

She just didn’t realize that it was no hardship. At the end of the day, his title – or even if he had one – didn’t matter. It was strange how quickly his perception of what mattered changed, from wanting only the best for himself to only the best for his mate.

He parked in front of his parents’ home, turned off the engine and got out, striding up the walk to the front door. He knocked twice and pushed the door open.

“Mom? Dad?”

“Duke? What are you doing here?” his mom called from the kitchen.

He walked down the hallway at a fast clip, finding his parents sitting at the table, coffee mugs in hand and the newspaper spread out before them.

“I hope you don’t mind that I came over without calling,” he said, sitting. “I wanted to talk to you in person.”

“Is something wrong?” his dad asked.

“No, actually, everything is really great.” He paused for a moment, and then said, “I found my mate last night.”

Both of their mouths fell open, which under other circumstances he would have found humorous. At the moment, however, it was anything but comical.

“Her name is Ree and she’s human. She came into the bar last night, and I… I just knew. I left her sleeping in my apartment so I could come tell you.”

His dad opened his mouth and Duke put up his hand. “I know what you’re going to say. Yes, I know that breaking the mating contract nullifies my alphaship, and also is grounds for exile.”

His dad cleared his throat. “Are you certain she’s your heart-match?”

Duke nodded. “I mated and marked her last night. The only reason I left her in my apartment is because I wanted to get this ball rolling. I know you need to convene the elders and rule on this situation. But yes, I’m one hundred percent positive that Ree is my true mate, and my lion is doing backflips just thinking about her.”

No one said anything for several moments. Duke watched as his parents stared at each other silently, almost like they were communicating telepathically, although he knew that wasn’t actually what they were doing.

His mom stood and said, “Give me a hug! This is cause for celebration.”

He stood and hugged his mom, thankful for her acceptance.

“She’s looking forward to meeting you.”

“Good. Maybe for dinner tonight?”

“That would be great.” He looked at his dad. “What am I supposed to do about the contract?”

“I’ll send for Abbie. I believe that you will need to be present to break the contract, and then Abbie will take it to Madison’s parents,” his dad said. “I’ll call for the elders now, and you can share your story with them. That way it will be a firsthand account instead of my word.”

He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Will this take long?”

“They’ll be here soon,” he said as he picked up his cell from the table and began to dial.

“Okay.”

He wished he’d gotten Ree’s cell number so he could call her and check in. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he looked at the screen and realized that Titus hadn’t texted back. He stepped out of the kitchen and dialed Titus’s cell.

He answered on the third ring. “Yah?”

“You didn’t respond to my text.”

“You texted me?”

He growled. “Yes.”

“Oh, sorry,” he said, yawning. “I had a couple of beers with a lioness and we hooked up at my apartment. What the fuck time is it anyway?”

His mind spun for a moment. “A lioness? From our pride?”

“Nah. From Lewiston.”

His lion snarled in worry. He hadn’t been aware that any Lewiston lionesses were even in Kedrick, let alone in Tails.

“What’s her name?”

“Emma. Why are you asking so many questions about my love life anyway? You found your heart-match, let the rest of us enjoy life where we can.”

“Was there anyone else with Emma?”

“I don’t really remember.”

“Is she still with you?”

There was a rustling sound and then he yawned, “Nope. Bed’s cold. I’ll try not to take that personally.”

A solid blade of fear spiked through him. “Go knock on my apartment door. If Ree doesn’t answer, use your key. I’m with my parents. I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

Because Titus was such a good friend, he didn’t ask any questions, simply snapped into gear with a clipped, “On it,” before ending the call.

“What’s wrong?” his dad asked.

“I have to go. There were females from the Lewiston pride at the bar last night. I need to check on Ree.”

“Call her,” her mother said.

“I don’t have her number. I’m such a fucking idiot.”

“Get going. We’ll handle things here,” his dad said.

With a nod, he rushed from the house, nearly taking a header off the porch in his haste. He had to get the bar. He just hoped that Ree was okay.

 

* * *

 

Ree woke to a growl, and rolled over, stretching with a smile. She ached in all the right places, evidence of a night of good loving from her new guy. Or mate, as he would say. She still found the word a little odd, it was primal in a way, but she liked it nonetheless.

The covers were ripped off as the overhead light flicked on, and Ree sat up with a gasp, shielding her eyes from the glare. Two tall, blonde women stood at the end of the bed, their eyes gold and glowing, and fangs peeking between their parted lips.

“What the hell?” Ree demanded, covering her bare breasts with one arm. Looking to the side, she found the bed empty, and a quick glance around the room told her that Duke was gone.

“Get out, human,” one of the females said.

“Who are you?”

The other one flipped her long hair over her shoulder and said, “I’m Madison, Duke’s arranged mate, and you’re in my bed. Get out before I skin you alive.”

Ree blinked and shook her head. “No, that’s not right. Duke said I’m his heart-match. He bit me.” She pointed to the place on her neck that still tingled.

Madison’s eyes flashed and she bore her fangs and hissed. “He already contracted with me last night to mate with him. Whatever this is, it’s not binding, and our prides will back me up.”

The other female picked up Ree’s clothes and threw them at her. “Get dressed, human. You’re nothing but a toy, a bachelor party for a male who likes to dip his dick in anything with tits. He’s contracted to mate with Madison, so whatever you think happened here last night means nothing to him or any other lion.”

“I don’t believe you,” Ree said.

Madison snorted in disdain. “Why do you think he’s gone? He had his fun and then he left. You’re just one in a long line of humans that he’s fucked, and I’m here to kick you out so I can get this place cleaned of the scent of human female. It’s disgusting.”

Ree didn’t want to believe them, but the evidence seemed overwhelming. Not only were they in Duke’s apartment, but he was gone. He’d promised not to leave her, and he had.

“Give me a minute to get dressed,” Ree said, trying hard not to cry in front of the angry lionesses.

“I’ll leave my friend, Emma, to make sure you don’t steal anything. Can’t trust humans,” Madison said. She left the room, and Ree wanted to crumple under Emma’s angry glare.

“Is this what you do, human? Fuck males you just met?” She chuckled. “I thought humans were pathetic, but I don’t think you could be any more pathetic than you are now. Just look at you – fat and weak. Crying. It’s why a male like Duke would never mate a human. It’s against our laws, and he’s next in line to be alpha. Only a lioness will do.”

Ree tuned out Emma’s ranting, clenching her teeth against the sob that was welling in her chest as she dressed hurriedly and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. It was six-thirty in the morning, and she had no idea how to get home since her sister had taken the car. She decided she’d call Mercy to pick her up once she got out of the bar.

Emma followed Ree out of the apartment and down the stairs, through the stockroom, and out into the bar. The place was empty, for which she was thankful. Even though it was early morning, she thought she might run into Titus or another pride member. She didn’t think she could face anyone right then. It was far too humiliating.

Emma flipped the lock on the front door and pointed to the parking lot with a long, manicured fingernail. Ree ducked her head and walked out into the morning sunlight. The door slammed shut behind her and she winced, startled by the sharp noise. Lifting her head, she was surprised to see her car still in the parking lot.

Hurrying to it, she tested the driver’s side door and found it unlocked. Pulling it open, she looked on the seats and floor for the keys, wondering if her sister had left them. She suspected she’d gotten a ride home from Barron, but that didn’t mean she’d left the keys. Not finding the keys, she sat behind the wheel with a sigh and looked up, seeing the visor. She grabbed the visor and tipped it, the keys tumbling down into her lap. It was a miracle, and just what she needed to make a fast getaway. She’d thank her sister later, after she’d had a good cry and gotten over her wounded feelings.

Without looking back at the bar, she left the parking lot and headed home. Despite not wanting to think about Duke or the events of the previous night, she couldn’t help but replay them, wondering how she’d been such a fool. He’d seemed so damn sincere. She hadn’t planned on letting her guard down or spending the night with anyone, but she hadn’t been able to deny that she felt connected to Duke in a way that surpassed anything she’d ever felt before. It had felt good to trust him and believe him. She’d honestly been swept off her feet. But he’d never told her he was next in line to lead his pride. That was a pretty big part of his life to leave out.

She parked in front of her building and trudged up the stairs, unhappiness settling on her like a wet blanket. She’d been blinking away tears since she’d been awakened by the lionesses, but now, in the safety of her building and away from prying eyes, she could let go. As her key slid into the deadbolt, the sob tore from her throat and she could barely see through the blur of tears. Closing the door, she leaned against it and cried, letting out all the emotion she’d held close so she didn’t lose it in public. This would be the last time she cried for Duke. He hadn’t even bothered to say goodbye to her himself, or to admit he was a fraud and a player, so he didn’t deserve her tears.

“Ree?” Mercy’s voice came from the other side of the door, followed by two knocks. “Are you okay? Barron said he heard crying.”

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.”

“Are you going to leave me alone?”

“Not until you open the door.”

That made a half-smile curve Ree’s mouth. Sisters. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she inhaled deeply and opened the door.

“Aw, babe, what happened?” Mercy asked, wrapping her arms around Ree’s neck.

Behind Mercy stood Barron, muscular arms folded over his chest and a frown on his face. Ree squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to cry more. “It’s just that I’m an idiot.”

Mercy leaned away from Ree and frowned. “What about? Where’s Duke? Why are you home so early?”

Gently removing her sister’s arms from her neck, Ree gestured into the apartment. Mercy and Barron walked in, and Ree shut and locked the front door. Without saying anything, Ree went to make coffee and wasn’t surprised when Mercy followed. There was utter silence in the kitchen while Ree popped a coffee pod into the machine, set a mug under the spout, and pressed the start button. The sweet scent of coffee filled the air. After fixing it with milk and sugar, she stared down at the swirling liquid, and then told her sister what had happened with the lionesses.

Mercy’s mouth was open, her eyes wide with surprise. “Barron?”

The man appeared nearly instantly, surrounding Mercy in a protective embrace that made Ree’s heart hurt. “Yes, love?” he murmured. The scene was almost too intimate to watch, and they were just hugging.

“I thought you said that Duke had picked Ree as his heart-match?” Mercy said.

“He did,” Barron said. “She’s wearing his mating mark.”

“Then why did a lioness from another pride show up and claim to be his mate?” Ree asked.

Barron opened his mouth, closed it, and then shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“Is he really next in line to be alpha?” Ree asked.

With a nod, Barron said, “His father is the current alpha.”

“He probably can’t be alpha with a human for a mate, right?”

“It’s against our pride’s laws. But if he mated you last night, then he’s stepped down from taking over the pride for you. Why the females showed up this morning and where Duke is… I couldn’t say. Would you like me to call him?”

“No,” Ree said. “If he really meant everything, he wouldn’t have left me like he did.”

“Maybe he had to,” Mercy said.

“Why didn’t he leave a note? Or send me a text or call?” Pressing her fingers to her temples, she said, “I just want to forget everything. I made a mistake, but I won’t make it again.”

She looked at her sister and realized that she’d missed a mating mark on her neck. “You and Barron?”

Mercy shrugged with a grin. “He offered to take me home last night, which is why I left the car for you. One thing led to another and what can I say? He’s irresistible.”

Barron purred and nuzzled Mercy’s neck.

Ree wanted to crawl into a hole.

“Ree!” Duke’s voice rumbled through the door, followed by his pounding fist. “Open the door.”

“I don’t want to see him,” Ree said. She knew it was cowardly to hide, but she wasn’t ready to face him.

“What if he came to apologize?” Mercy asked.

“I don’t have that kind of luck. Make him go away, please.”

She walked out of the kitchen and down the hall to her room, locking the bedroom door. After gathering clean clothes, she went into the bathroom and locked that door. Her current plan was to take a shower and get dressed, and hopefully by the time she was done, he’d be gone. Maybe she’d be willing to talk to him later, but she didn’t really want to hear anything he had to say. There wasn’t anything he could say in explanation that would make it okay for him to leave her alone in his bed, or how the lionesses had his apartment key.

She’d definitely learned her lesson. She would not be fooled by sexy guys again, especially shifters. Maybe someday she’d open her heart again, but staying single forever and keeping what was left of her tattered emotions intact seemed like a much better idea.