she’s not used to all of this, let’s not all hover at once, please.”
Dahlia got closer to me. “Thank you.”
“No need.”
The Alpha and Coeur approached us first and my mom looked like she had some serious twitching going on.
“Dahlia, welcome to our clan lands. We are so happy to meet you.” Of course, the Coeur spoke first. That’s why she was our heart.
“Thank you. I’m happy to be here.”
“We’ve already started to eat, but please sit down.”
Dahlia spoke up. “I’ll make myself a plate.”
Every male in the room grunted or groaned in some form. “Females are served first, even those that come in late. Tarrow will get your plate. Come, sit next to me and meet Tarrow’s mother.” I watched on as I made her plate, giving her a scoop of everything and made sure that my mom’s dishes made up most of the percentage.
Stopping mid-stride, I saw my mother get up once again and hug the life out of Dahlia, taking the time to give her a good once over. The rush of embarrassment and gratitude hit me, emitting from my mate, from across the room. She liked my mom and was relieved that she was kind and loving.
My mom was busy asking Dahlia questions as I placed my mate’s plate in front of her and then went to grab her something to drink. The thing was—I didn’t even know what she wanted.
I turned around to face her and while my mom was still talking, Dahlia was paying all of her attention to me.
I pointed to soda bottles and got a tiny ‘no’ in the form of her shaking her head. I got that same no to tea and sweet tea. The only thing left was water.
Her sweet nod let me know I’d hit the jackpot—and I wasn’t talking about the water.
Dahlia
The clan thing was weird.
Tarrow’s mother was the most doting female I’d ever seen. She escorted me to group after group introducing me to everyone until she was called away by another other female. I thought they said she was Martha’s mother—they expected me to know who Martha was.
I couldn’t recall half of the people I’d been introduced to.
She left me in a conversation with several males and one female—all talking about security runs and the Grizzlies.
I felt like a grizzly—the only grizzly in the room.
Just the thought made me shiver.
“Are you cold?” The male next to me—I thought his name was some kind of tree name asked from beside me and laid his palm on my bicep.
My bear tousled in my chest, warning me off.
And then a growl roared above every voice in the room, calling everything to a halt.
“Aspen, I would unhand the female if I were you.”
My feet took three steps away from the group—pure instinct taking over, offended for the rest of my body.
“Tarrow. Stand down. He didn’t mean anything.”
“Dahlia.” I ticked my head to Echo whose voice commanded I listen. “Please take your mate outside and calm him down before we have a black bear tearing up my home.”
I searched the room for Tarrow, but it didn’t take long. All eyes were on him. He was in the back corner of the room near the back door as if he knew this would happen. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His fists were pumping open and closed and he stared at the floor as though it would help him.
There wasn’t a sound in the place until I began to walk toward him. After I reached his hand and grabbed it, bringing him outside, everyone began to speak again behind us.
All of this belonging to a male thing was beyond me. I’d never seen my father go berserk over anything my mom did. But then again, my mom and my dad did everything together.
Maybe that was the reason.
My bear craved his touch. She wanted to soothe his discomfort and his shaking.
“What can I do?” I asked him, a good ways away from the house. We were in a clearing of trees behind the house. There was an enormous porch behind us and the gentle call of the swamp was before us. It was times like this that my bear wanted to run away from everything that even whispered
Dahlia got closer to me. “Thank you.”
“No need.”
The Alpha and Coeur approached us first and my mom looked like she had some serious twitching going on.
“Dahlia, welcome to our clan lands. We are so happy to meet you.” Of course, the Coeur spoke first. That’s why she was our heart.
“Thank you. I’m happy to be here.”
“We’ve already started to eat, but please sit down.”
Dahlia spoke up. “I’ll make myself a plate.”
Every male in the room grunted or groaned in some form. “Females are served first, even those that come in late. Tarrow will get your plate. Come, sit next to me and meet Tarrow’s mother.” I watched on as I made her plate, giving her a scoop of everything and made sure that my mom’s dishes made up most of the percentage.
Stopping mid-stride, I saw my mother get up once again and hug the life out of Dahlia, taking the time to give her a good once over. The rush of embarrassment and gratitude hit me, emitting from my mate, from across the room. She liked my mom and was relieved that she was kind and loving.
My mom was busy asking Dahlia questions as I placed my mate’s plate in front of her and then went to grab her something to drink. The thing was—I didn’t even know what she wanted.
I turned around to face her and while my mom was still talking, Dahlia was paying all of her attention to me.
I pointed to soda bottles and got a tiny ‘no’ in the form of her shaking her head. I got that same no to tea and sweet tea. The only thing left was water.
Her sweet nod let me know I’d hit the jackpot—and I wasn’t talking about the water.
Dahlia
The clan thing was weird.
Tarrow’s mother was the most doting female I’d ever seen. She escorted me to group after group introducing me to everyone until she was called away by another other female. I thought they said she was Martha’s mother—they expected me to know who Martha was.
I couldn’t recall half of the people I’d been introduced to.
She left me in a conversation with several males and one female—all talking about security runs and the Grizzlies.
I felt like a grizzly—the only grizzly in the room.
Just the thought made me shiver.
“Are you cold?” The male next to me—I thought his name was some kind of tree name asked from beside me and laid his palm on my bicep.
My bear tousled in my chest, warning me off.
And then a growl roared above every voice in the room, calling everything to a halt.
“Aspen, I would unhand the female if I were you.”
My feet took three steps away from the group—pure instinct taking over, offended for the rest of my body.
“Tarrow. Stand down. He didn’t mean anything.”
“Dahlia.” I ticked my head to Echo whose voice commanded I listen. “Please take your mate outside and calm him down before we have a black bear tearing up my home.”
I searched the room for Tarrow, but it didn’t take long. All eyes were on him. He was in the back corner of the room near the back door as if he knew this would happen. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His fists were pumping open and closed and he stared at the floor as though it would help him.
There wasn’t a sound in the place until I began to walk toward him. After I reached his hand and grabbed it, bringing him outside, everyone began to speak again behind us.
All of this belonging to a male thing was beyond me. I’d never seen my father go berserk over anything my mom did. But then again, my mom and my dad did everything together.
Maybe that was the reason.
My bear craved his touch. She wanted to soothe his discomfort and his shaking.
“What can I do?” I asked him, a good ways away from the house. We were in a clearing of trees behind the house. There was an enormous porch behind us and the gentle call of the swamp was before us. It was times like this that my bear wanted to run away from everything that even whispered
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