Heartsridge Shifters: Cade (South-One Bears Book 2) Read online

  A tray clanked down behind me, digging into my ass. Granny, making a point. I helped her hand out the tea, having to bite back laughter at the sight of these large men balancing china tea cups in their big hands. Granny always insisted that tea should be served in china, and not in mugs like heathens. Her words, not mine. Once everyone was settled, even the wolf and the leopard got a bowl of tea—no naked shifters in our house, thank you very much!—we got down to business.

  Liam finished his story with a small sniffle, but apart from that he’d managed to tell the whole story without a wobble. He was as stiff as a board, though, and I wanted nothing more than to hug him tight and tell him everything was going to be okay. But it wasn’t. He’d bitten a human. In Heartsridge, of all places.

  “Let me see if I’ve got this straight. You’ve been visiting the settlement in secret for how long?” I still couldn’t wrap my head around it. Heartsridge was miles away. When had he found time? And why hadn’t we noticed?

  “Once a week, during the night. If I run flat out I can reach the fence in just under an hour and then Tiny…” his voice trailed off, his eyes widening as he realized what he’d just said.

  “Don’t worry. I think we all know by now it was Tiny who let you in,” Cade said in voice a hell of a lot calmer than I felt.

  The man himself—Tiny—stood impassive at Liam’s side, not uttering a word in his own defense.

  “I didn’t mean to bite her. I was on my way home and she appeared out of nowhere. I thought she had a gun.” Liam hung his head in shame, his fingers curling up into small fists.

  “How old are you, son?”

  Liam met Cade’s eyes. “Fourteen.”

  I held my breath. We chose to live under the radar. By our own choice we weren’t registered and hadn’t chosen to move to one of the big shifter towns. Up until now, we’d managed to keep to ourselves and bother no one. Liam was homeschooled by Granny and we all worked the farm. We made it work. We’d had to.

  Cade spared me a glance and it was filled with regret. “You have to come with us, Liam.”

  Granny placed her cup back on her saucer with a clatter. “To that town? Whatever for?”

  I couldn’t speak; couldn’t find the words.

  None of the men spoke. Up until now, Cade had been the one to do all the talking, and it didn’t look like that was going to change any time soon. “Nothing bad is going to happen to him,” Cade replied, “but we don’t have a choice anymore. Liam has to register as a shifter.”

  “No!” I knew what that meant; he wouldn’t be free to live here on the farm. He would be watched, his movements monitored by both the shifter government and the human one.

  “It’s okay, Mina.” Liam came over to me and wrapped his arms around me. “It’s the least I deserve.”

  “It’s not a punishment, son.” Cade’s voice was kind. “You might find it hard to believe, but everyone who lives in Heartsridge has chosen to be there.” That was aimed at me.

  “Except the woman I bit.” The remorse was clear in Liam’s voice.

  “She’s adapted just fine and no, she’s not going to hate you.”

  I could have kissed Cade right then and there for the hope he put in my brother’s eyes.

  The men made to move, one by one thanking Granny for the tea and filing out of the room. Only Cade and Tiny hung back.

  I motioned Cade over into a corner, ignoring the fact that Liam would be able to hear us just as well over here as before. Hopefully Tiny was distracting him enough. Once I had him cornered, I ignored his wide expanse of chest and the way my skin itched to rub against him. “Is he going to be punished?”

  He leaned back against the wall, rubbing a hand over his shoulder and around the back of his neck. “It won’t be bad.”

  “You don’t know for sure, do you?”

  A swift shake of his head. “I’m not the one deciding these things.”

  “Shit.”

  “Mina!”

  I winced. “Sorry, Granny.”

  Cade grinned at me, arching an eyebrow. “I’ll make sure they hear his side of the story. Once they understand the facts, I can’t see Liam being forced to do anything worse than community service. Harper is a nice woman, she won’t hold a grudge.”

  It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him exactly how well he knew this Harper, then it hit me. She was family. A fox shifter, like me. And it was none of my damn business how well he did—or didn’t—know her. None of my damn business.

  “Mina!”

  “Sorry, Granny.” My apology was automatic, before I realized I hadn’t cursed out loud. “Sorry, what?”

  Granny had a bag in her hand and her knitting under her arm. “You’d better be quick, Missy.”

  “With what?”

  “Packing. We’re not letting Liam go on his own.”

  Of course not. But it hadn’t hit me until right then—I was going to Heartsridge. The one place I’d promised my parents I’d never set foot in.

  And worse, we were going to live there.

  I snuck a glance at Cade, who was studiously studying the floral wallpaper, hands tucked in his pockets and head tilted to one side. Even his profile was drool worthy.

  He lived there.

  Shit.

  “Mina!”

  “I’m moving,” I yelled back, taking the stairs two at a time and not looking back. I was twenty-five years old and I still jumped at Granny’s command. Funny thing was, I was betting that all the men I’d met today would jump too. She was a tough old fox.

  A low appreciative rumble followed me up the stairs. The sound of a very happy bear. Reaching the top, I risked a glance over my shoulder.

  Cade stared back at me, his eyes flashing with gold and simmering with undisguised heat as his gaze swept over the length of my body.

  Yup. A very happy bear.

  Pulling myself together, I ignored the fact that my legs had turned to jelly and shot him my best glare.

  He burst out laughing.

  Despite myself, my lips twitched. Foolish bear, didn’t he know the rules? I was a fox. I wasn’t the right woman for him. But, no matter how much I tried to wrangle it back under control, my body was demanding otherwise.

  Foolish fox.

  Chapter Three

  Cade

  It had taken fifteen minutes to figure out the travel arrangements. Two trucks. Six men. Family of three. Easy math, right? Nope. Liam wanted to travel with Tiny. Which meant Mina and Granny wanted to travel with Tiny. But I wanted them in my truck. So, obviously, Tiny should have come with me and that should have been that. Nope. Jake refused to get in the truck with Grant. Something about he’d rather chew his own leg off. Whiny, son-of-a-bitch.

  All the while, Mina and her family watched. Taking notes. Judging us.

  We’d ended up with Jake and Tiny crammed onto the front bench seat, Jake nearly on my damn lap as I drove us all the way back to Heartsridge. The only thing stopping me from throwing him out of the cab and making him walk were Mina’s eyes glancing at me through the rear-view mirror. Silently assessing me.

  Steering the truck around the bend, we picked up speed as we coasted down the hill that cut through the mountains, the tall fence that surrounded Heartsridge coming into view. Cool air whipped around the cab, lifting the hairs on my arms and alleviating the claustrophobic sweat caused by the close quarters. Killing the lights, we rolled to a stop by the main gate and I nudged it into park.

  “Ian.” I greeted the man walking to my window with a smile. A bear shifter and member of Team North-One, he was a decent enough guy. A bit of a wise-ass, but I didn’t hold it against him. I didn’t have to put up with him 24-7.

  “Success?” He glanced into the back of the darkened cab, his eyes roaming across the occupants. He stilled as he caught sight of Liam, letting out a low whistle.

  “Yep. Exactly.” I knew what he was thinking, what everyone would be thinking the second they saw the kid. That he was too young to blame, but old enough to unders
tand what he’d done. He’d have to live with it for the rest of his life; I was hoping that Carter, the Mayor of Heartsridge and Alpha lion shifter, would see that and be lenient. “I’m going to get them settled in—”

  “They’re waiting for you at the municipal building.”

  I checked the clock on the dash. It was getting late, almost nine o’clock at night. “At this time?”

  Ian shrugged. “They knew you were on your way and decided to hang on.” At my look, he gestured to the truck parked behind us. “Grant called it in.”

  Of course he had. I wasn’t going to examine my reasons for not jumping on the phone the second we’d set off. I didn’t have to. She was staring at me.

  With a metallic whir, the gate swung open and we drove through.

  Mina and Liam were already out of the cab before the engine had died.

  A throat cleared behind me. “Are you going to help an old lady out, young man?”

  Remembering my manners, I slid out and held out a hand, assisting Granny down from the cab until she had both feet firmly planted on the floor. The air around her smelled like lilacs and oranges, strange, but not unpleasant.

  Tucking her bag under her arm, the pointed ends of her knitting needles sticking out at a right angle, she dusted off her hands and then threaded her arm through mine. “You’ve been making eyes at my Mina,” she stated, clear as a bell, for everyone to hear. Including the woman herself. Her grip on my arm was iron tight, no sign of the little old lady act.

  Tio burst into howls of laughter at the startled look on my face.

  My eyes locked onto Mina.

  She turned away, taking the steps leading up to the building with a determined stride. Liam followed her, Tiny by his side. Liam’s eyes were wide as he stared at everything around him, taking it all in.

  Shit.

  Jake didn’t say a word as he followed them in, Grant and Harry behind him.

  Tio was still clutching his stomach, but his laughter had died down to a low chuckle. “Man, you should see the look on your face. Serves you right—”

  My low growl had him taking a step back, which he fast turned into an unaffected slouch. “Easy there, man. It’s not like…” His eyes narrowed as he took in the thunderous look on my face. “Wait—”

  I ignored him, turning my attention back to Granny and blurting out the first thing I could think of, anything to stop the words from coming out of his mouth. “What should I call you?” A little tug and we started up the steps, arm in arm.

  “Granny Foxglove, and don’t try and dodge the question.”

  “You didn’t ask a question.”

  We ground to a halt. For such a small, frail looking woman, she was as stubborn as a mule. “Then I’ll answer. Don’t go sniffing around my granddaughter. It’ll do you no good.” At my silence she gave a satisfied nod and we were on the move again.

  If she mistook my silence for agreement, then that was her mistake and not mine.

  I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d just met my mate, and if she was, then nothing would stop me from trying to claim her. Not even a little old battle-axe armed with a pair of knitting needles.

  Depositing Granny in a chair outside Carter’s office, and not giving her a chance to object, I pulled Mina over to one side. “I’m going to go in there and give my statement. I need you to wait out here until they call you in. Try and keep Liam calm, okay?” My fingers itched to brush the hair out of her eyes, to take away the worry that strained her generous mouth. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “How?” Her startling blue eyes clashed with mine. “How is this going to be okay?”

  Something had changed somewhere between the farm and right now, and I was willing to bet my last dollar it was the comment Granny had made. I ground my back teeth together, fighting to hold the words back, well aware that we weren’t alone. “We’re grown adults, Mina. You’re a beautiful woman, you can’t hate a man for noticing.” There. That was diplomatic.

  I ignored the stifled snigger from behind me.

  She stared at me, eyebrows bunching together until they almost met. “I’m not interested in you, so save your charm for a woman you might have a chance with.” Her words delivered a punch, but her tone was flat. Wooden. Desperate?

  Keeping my hands in my pockets to stop them from wandering, I leaned closer and sniffed the air.

  Her mouth dropped open, the frown lines smoothing into shock as she leaned away. “Stop that!” Lowering her voice to a low hiss, she continued, “You can’t go around sniffing people without their consent!”

  I had my answer, and she knew it. “Don’t lie to me, then,” I replied, my words a low growl. “You’re interested in me. More than interested.” I took a deep breath, dragging her scent into my lungs and letting my lips curve up in a satisfied smile.

  “No. I’m not.” Her eyes slid away from me.

  Following her gaze to her Granny, who was watching us with a careful eye, I angled my body to cover Mina from view. “I think we both know—”

  The door to Carter’s office opened.

  “Later,” I murmured.

  Emotions flitted across her face, too fast for me to catalog, but I recognized the last one. Relief.

  It stung. It shouldn’t, because what did we really know about each other? Nothing. But she had to be feeling what I was, an almost overwhelming attraction that demanded testing. A kiss. That’s all it would take and we would know for sure.

  I turned away, gathering myself and pushing all thought of Mina to one side. I never thought I would meet my mate. Sure, I’d considered the possibility that I might eventually settle down with someone for companionship, but the thought of meeting the one person in the world who was perfect for me? Nope. Never crossed my mind. Not because I didn’t want to meet her—hell, I hadn’t met a shifter yet who wouldn’t jump at the chance—but I’d always thought I wasn’t that guy. You know, the lucky kind. The deserving kind. The guy who might one day have a family and a woman who loved him.

  Because what did I know about love between mates? My mom had run off when I was a baby, leaving my dad as a single parent without a clue. He’d done his best, but it hadn’t always been easy.

  “Cade?”

  Shaking off the memories, I shut the door behind me and turned to face Carter. Austin sat across the room with his mate Leona, who flashed me an anxious smile. I could understand why. Harper, her sister, sat in the adjacent chair, her fingers curling around the edge of the seat and digging in. The other Alphas—Law, Jay, Zane, and Owen—watched on.

  Taking a deep breath, I gave them a run down on the events of the evening, finishing with my assessment of the situation. I’d say impartial assessment, but I wasn’t sure you could call it that anymore.

  “He’s only fourteen?” Harper was the first to speak.

  “Yes. He’s a nice kid, from what I’ve seen so far. I believe he really didn’t mean to harm you.”

  “It’s not about whether he meant harm, or not,” a woman interrupted. Sitting next to Carter, I’d dismissed her as his new secretary, or something, but she addressed the room with an air of authority that was hard to miss. “He broke the law and should be punished. If we don’t punish him then we’re setting a precedent. I cannot allow it.”

  Carter’s expression had darkened, the pen he’d been rolling between his fingers now in a stranglehold and looking more like a boomerang. Nope. Not a secretary.

  “Miss Lockett, surely you can see this is a case that should be decided on its own individual merit, and not used as a guiding example.” He ground the words out, flinging the pen onto the desk where it ricocheted off and bounced onto the floor.

  The woman didn’t flinch. Adjusting her steel rimmed glasses, she recrossed her legs, waiting for the low rumble to die down.

  Shit. Carter’s rumble. The man was growling.

  “Mayor Carter,” she began.

  The rumble started up again.

  She waited, her expression blank.


  “I’m a shifter and I’m pissed. Deal with it.”

  Then I realized. This was the woman Austin had told me about. The human liaison officer for the human government. Fucking hell. I shot Austin a questioning look and he shrugged, his eyes lit with amusement. He was enjoying Carter finally meeting his match. Under normal circumstances I would have pulled up a chair and fired up the popcorn, but right now, with Liam’s future at stake, it wasn’t fucking funny.

  Interrupting the silent battle of wills, I threw my idea out there. “Probation. Treat him as a minor like you would in your human courts.”

  Miss Lockett turned her attention to me.

  Lucky me.

  “Shifter law hasn’t before recognized a difference between minors and adults.”

  “Because we haven’t had a reason to, before now,” Carter answered, smoothly taking over my argument. “Before the Registration Act, shifters were governed by pack or clan. Since the Act, nothing has changed apart from where it concerns humans. This is the first infraction by a minor on shifter claimed territory against a human that I’ve heard of.”

  Miss Lockett pursed her lips. “I want to hear the boy’s side of the story.” At least she’d recognized he was a boy.

  Carter looked about ten seconds away from strangling her. “Bring him in.”

  Chapter Four

  Mina

  Turning on my heel, I paced in front of the door. Four steps, then back again.

  “Mina, will you please sit down. You’re making me dizzy.” Granny frowned, laying her knitting needles down in her lap. Up until now, she’d been doing a good job of ignoring everything going on around her, acting like we were still at home. Liam sat next to her, silently observing the men who had shuffled off to the side and were busy indulging in a game of cards, their muttering punctuated by low curses that had Granny’s ears twitching.

  How could she relax when they were in there, deciding Liam’s fate? Grinding to a halt, I pressed my ear against the door. Damn thing must be soundproofed.

  The door swung open and I toppled forward.