Chapter 9
Chapter
Nine
Because they were waiting for Alli to show up at some point, Sadie and Gavin didn’t fall asleep after their second time together, which had rocked her world entirely. Different than the first, hurried coupling, the next time was nothing short of the first bloom of love.
It was incredible to her how much she liked him already and how connected she felt. She knew that falling in love would happen in time, but she was half in love with him already. Her sexy, sexy tiger.
He had short, dark hair and hazel eyes rimmed with thick lashes, and holy crap was he built with muscles on top of muscles and a body made for wonderfully wicked things.
Gavin had shared his past with her, which was very normal. Cliched, almost. His parents were mated and loved each other, he and his only sister adored each other, he had a high rank within the pride, lots of friends, and a stable job. Not to mention his nice house.
She had none of those things, aside from her mom, who loved her.
Her friends had abandoned her when the alpha declared her cursed, and although she’d considered Maggie the librarian a friend of sorts and would miss their bookish chats, she’d only really had her mom.
“So then they asked me if I’d take over the available security job and I was all for it. No more driving an hour to downtown every day. Although I did like getting to see Aeryn at the end of my shift for dinner from time to time.”
She rubbed her cheek on his biceps, which she was using for a pillow. “Do tigers fight for ranks like wolves do?”
“Only males are ranked,” he said, stifling a yawn. “After their first shift as a teen, they join as the lowest rank and learn to fight in their shift. When Midas thinks they’re ready, he’ll observe their training and decide where they would be a good fit and have them fight for a rank position. When I shifted at sixteen, it was a year before I was ready to rank fight, and I fought about ten positions up from the bottom. I moved up a few positions each full moon. I got to where I am now a few years ago and I’m happy. Enough responsibility to keep me busy but not so much that I’m constantly dealing with pride issues.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“You looked a little sad when I was telling you about my life. What were you thinking?”
“You might think I’m nuts.”
“Never.”
She pressed her lips together and stared at him in the darkness of the master bedroom. They’d already shared the most intimate of things, so why was she so worried to give him a peek into her mind?
“I’ve been told for years that I’m a walking curse. I don’t feel sorry for myself because you had a great family life and childhood, I just…wish things had been different for me.”
His face softened and he gave her a gentle kiss. “I don’t think you’re cursed, and I don’t understand an alpha who would believe that either. Fur color is genetic and out of our control anyway, it’s like holding someone accountable for having blue eyes instead of brown. I know you’ve got a history of being told you’re bad luck, but I think you’re perfect. I love your fur color and you’re gorgeous in your human form. The silver lining of your alpha being an asshole is that it brought us together.”
“That’s a good point,” she said.
“Hell yeah, it is. I do make them from time to time.”
She grinned.
There was a loud knock at the front door followed by, “Hello! It’s me, Alli.”
They slipped from the bed and dressed, her in the borrowed T-shirt, which was just long enough to cover her butt, and hurried to the front door.
Gavin opened the door and Sadie smiled at the angel. “Hey, thanks for coming.”
“You bet,” she said, stepping inside. “Sorry it took me so long. I stopped at my apartment to get the rest of your things.”
She handed over her purse and bag, where she’d stashed the clothes she’d left at the alphas’ house. “Oh, thank you! You didn’t have to do that.”
“I figured you wouldn’t want to have make a trip to my place right now, so it was no big deal, I promise.”
Gavin grabbed her things from Alli and carried them into the bedroom. Sadie and Alli sat in the family room.
“Can I borrow your phone? I need to write down Mom’s number and yours too, of course.”
“Sure thing,” she said.
Gavin walked into the room and handed his phone to Sadie. “I’ll take you out later today and get you a phone of your own.”
“That would be great, thanks.”
“You want anything to drink, Alli?”
“I’m good.”
Gavin leaned over and kissed Sadie on the cheek. “I’ll be in the bedroom so you two can talk.”
She smiled at him and watched him leave, then turned to Alli with a grin.
“Holy shit, girl,” Alli whispered. “A tiger for a truemate! Be still my beating heart. How the hell did you even find him?”
Sadie told her the whole story, except for the part where they’d had sex on the chair because they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
“That’s so awesome, I’m happy for you. Your mom will be too.”
Sadie put Alli’s and her mom’s numbers in Gavin’s phone as well as her mom’s email address, which was one that Sadie hadn’t known about. Alli had told her that it was a private address she only used with her.
“Thanks,” Sadie said. “For everything.”
“Hey, no worries at all. And I want us to stay in touch, okay? We should get together and hang out, I could always use a good friend.”
“Me too, I’d love that.”
They talked for a little while longer, and then Alli said it was time for her to hit the road. “This angel’s gotta get her beauty sleep or she’ll look like a monster.”
Sadie walked her to the door. Gavin joined them and shook Alli’s hand. “Thanks for bringing her things here, and especially thanks for taking her to the wolf pack so she’d be close enough for her wolf to lead her to me.”
“Glad to help Cupid whenever I can. You two take care and call me, kid.”
“I will.”
Sadie hugged Alli and said goodbye, then watched her walk down the sidewalk to her convertible and head off into the night.
“Got what you needed from her?” he asked as he shut the door.
“Yep. I’m going to text my mom and let her know I’m okay and that she can use your number until I get one of my own.”
“Sounds good.”
Opening a text, she stared at the screen for a long moment. She really wished she could talk to her. Maybe she’d call when she got up in the morning and Sadie could tell her the good news in person.
Hey, Mom, I’m safe and I’ve found my truemate! You can use this number until I get a new phone. I miss you. Love you.
She stared at the sent message for a few minutes, wondering if her mom might respond, but she didn’t.
“I’m sure she’ll respond,” Gavin said when Sadie handed the phone back to him with a sigh.
“I know she will. It’s not like I thought she’d be sitting by the phone waiting to hear from me after the first full moon away from the pack. She knew I was with Alli and safe, and now she knows I’m with my truemate.”
After Gavin’s sister and her family stopped by to gather their things and say hello before heading home, exhaustion hit her like a truck. She and Gavin, finally free to rest, stripped and climbed into bed. She snuggled in his arms.
“We can find a different house in town if you want something larger,” he said. “There are some that have more bedrooms and different layouts too that you might like better.”
“I like your place,” she said. “Although I haven’t seen much of it yet.”
“Yeah, someone distracted me from the grand tour with her sexy body.”
“You’re irresistible.”
“You too,” he said.
She yawned and kissed him. “Night, Gavin.”
“Goodnight, gorgeous.”
She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, safe and warm in her truemate’s arms.