Chapter 8
Artem knew he needed to come clean to his dad about the underground fights, but he sure wasn’t looking forward to that conversation.
Or the fact that he needed to tell Nero he wasn’t going to fight anymore. He’d made a commitment to fight, but he’d never agreed to any specific terms. Nero let fighters leave from time to time, and he was certain the male would let him leave as well. If he didn’t, then Artem would cross that bridge when he came to it.
For now, he was going to focus on his beautiful mate.
He needed to plan a kick-ass first date. He wanted her to see that he would always put her first and would be the best mate for her, giving her everything she wanted and needed.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been out on a date. Knowing he hadn’t found his mate had meant dating was pretty meaningless, so he’d had some one-nighters to stave off the urges, but even that had soured for him as well.
Now that he’d met Promise, he knew that nothing else compared to her. Everything in his life before her was just shadows and mist.
They reached the workshop and he opened the door, letting Promise in ahead of him. His dad was leaning over one of the four-wheelers with a flashlight.
“Dad?”
“Hey, kid,” he said, not looking up. Then he glanced at them and straightened. “Oh! Hi.”
Artem smiled. “Dad, you remember Promise. She’s my truemate.”
His dad turned off the flashlight and brushed off his hands. “Are you kidding? That’s amazing news, congratulations!”
He joined them with a big smile.
“So how the heck…when did this happen?” And then he hummed. “Oh, it’s why you left suddenly!”
Before she could say anything, Artem’s dad suggested they go to the cabin to talk to him and his mate Brierley, and Artem thought that was a great idea.
“Isolde’s working this morning around the campground with Charlotte and Lorelai, but your mom was talking about having Angel come over, so she’s probably at our place. Let’s go see.”
“Sounds good,” Artem said.
They followed his dad away from the workshop and toward the group of cabins reserved for staff members. He pointed out his place to Promise as they passed it by.
“This is such a neat campground,” she said. “I can see why people like to come here.”
“The gathering used to be the biggest thing we did, but we’ve gotten into weddings too, so we do a nice business year-round,” Axtyn said.
“My friend Jessi met her mates at a gathering here,” Promise said. “She’s the one who suggested I come here and look for a new place to call home.”
Axtyn gave them a curious look and Artem said, “We’ll save that story for Mom too.”
“You got it.”
Axtyn opened the front door of a cabin and called, “Sweetheart? Are you here?”
“In the kitchen, my love.”
Axtyn stepped aside and said, “Come on in.”
Artem gave Promise’s hand a squeeze as they walked through the hall and into the kitchen, where his mom was looking at her old recipe book with her best friend, Angel, who also lived and worked at the campground with her mates.
After telling his mom and Angel the good news, his mom whooped a cheer and raced around the island to hug them both.
“Oh, honey!” she cried, “I’m so very happy for you! I’m so happy for you both!”
Brierley stepped back and his dad put his arm around her. Angel said, “Congratulations to you both. This is a family thing, so I’m going to scoot.”
“But the rolls?”
“We can do that later!”
Angel was gone moments later.
Brierley said, “So I want all the details! How did this happen? When did this happen? And where? Oh my gosh! Are you hungry, do you want something to eat or drink? Look at me, I’m so happy I’m shaking!” She held up her hands and they were trembling, which Artem thought was sweet.
“We’re good, Mom. How about we sit on the back porch and chat? We’ve both got a lot to tell you.”
His dad growled and his eyes flashed red. “I told you not to get into those damned shifter fighting rings, Artem.”
“I know,” he said, rubbing his thumb over Promise’s hand. Their fingers were linked, their joined hands resting on his thigh. He couldn’t stop touching her. It made his beast feel grounded and not out of control.
His mom put her hand on his dad’s arm. “Hold on, that’s important and everything, but the main news is that once they’re mated, then there’s no danger to Artem for shifting and never coming back from it. Let’s celebrate that and be happy, you two can deal with the fighting thing later.”
His dad gave him a long look. “When is your next fight?”
“Not for a couple nights.”
“All right, so you’ve got time to enjoy your mating and then I’ll go with you to get out of the fighting.”
“I can go by myself.”
“No way. The guys who run these things are always unhinged. You need backup.”
Promise elbowed him. “He’s right. You shouldn’t take your safety lightly. I just met you, I need you to stick around for a few decades.”
“Just a few?”
“As many as possible,” she said.
“Okay, thanks Dad.”
“Well, I’ve always thought we should have a healer in the baro,” Brierley said. “I can’t believe there are wolves out there who can heal.”
“To be fair, it’s pretty painful,” Promise said. “My mom healed a deep cut I had on my hand and it was really terrible to go through.”
She told them how they’d saved the life of an alpha wolf’s mate.
“Incredible,” his dad said. “And really wonderful.”
Artem was damn proud of his mate, and he’d only just met her.
“So what are your plans? A first date?” his mom asked.
“Yes,” Artem said. “But I can still work on the four-wheelers for a while this morning and Promise can hang out with me in the workshop.”
“Are you sure? Because I’d love the help,” his dad said. “Then you can take the rest of the week off.”
“I’ll come too,” his mom said. “I want to know more about this wolf pack in Kentucky. I’ve only ever been around the wolf pack in Little Hope and also one in New Jersey where Angel is from.”
“I thought Angel was human.” Promise said.
“She is, but her stepdad is a wolf and brought her and her mom into the pack,” Brierley said. “Angel brought me here so I could work for Ally and her mates, and she ended up loving the area and stayed. She met her hyena mates here.”
“This place seems like good luck,” Promise said.
Artem agreed.
He’d never considered the Freshwater Campground to be anything more than a place to lay his head and a job. But it was the place where his mate had come looking for him, and for that reason alone, it would forever be special.
They walked with his parents to the workshop, Promise and his mom ahead of them, speaking quietly. His dad walked beside Artem.
“Are you pissed at me?” he asked.
“A bit.”
“Oh thanks,” Artem said.
“Well come on, I told you not to get involved in those damn fights. You didn’t even tell me you’d been struggling with your beast.”
“I’m sorry.” Artem had found the underground fighting group when he’d been at a bar outside Little Hope and saw a flyer for an “open fight night,” where anyone could show up and fight and have a chance to win money. He hadn’t cared about the money, just the chance to work off some aggression. It worked, and he got hooked.
“I understand,” his dad said. “I felt the same way. I didn’t like fighting but I also craved it. But taking a life with your beast is rough, and I know that for a fact. If you ever need to talk, I’m here for you.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
His dad lowered his voice. “She’s great, kid. I’m so happy for you.”
Artem grinned. “I’m pretty damn happy too.”
Now to plan the perfect first date.
The last first date either of them would ever go on.
Who knew what the night would bring?