Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Kayne
I'd fucked up… massively. "Fritz was right. I had promised to be upfront with him, but when everything went down, I couldn't bring myself to tell him."
Blythe patted the bed. "How about you give him time to calm down while we talk this through."
I plopped onto the bed next to her, then dropped my face into my hands on a groan. "This isn't going how I planned."
She let out a soft laugh. "Not much in life does. Though, I'd imagine you'd be used to that with the popcorn thing."
"Oddly enough, aside from that, we've been lucky. We've pushed each other to succeed our entire lives. Two years ago, we merged our businesses into one large telecommunication empire for the shifter community. The only thing we've struggled with is love, but we even had that worked out."
She was silent for a long time, but I didn't say anything. "Why does the council have issues with you two being in a throuple?"
I sucked in a deep breath. "How did you figure that out? I didn't say what our lifestyle is."
"I figured it out before we even got our food.
The way you two look at each other… Anyone would have to be blind to not notice.
" Blythe crossed her legs, pulling her feet up under her thighs.
"It just doesn't seem right. Who cares if you choose to be a throuple as long as everyone is happy and safe? "
Everything she was saying right now I'd tried to argue with the representative. Their answer was no. Period. No ifs, ands, or buts. "Because they have a very specific idea of what shifters should do in their relationships. Dating human women is barely allowed now."
"True."
Turning to face Blythe, I grabbed her hands.
"I agree with you in every way. If I could find a way for it to work, I would, but they're requiring a mating bond to be fully in place to stand down.
Those only work between one male and one female.
So there's no way around this. One of us must mate you.
" It would be the only way for us to go free.
If we tried any other option, we'd lose our business, our money, our freedom.
Blythe kissed my knuckles. "I'm so sorry, but I can't choose. When I look at you and Fritz, I have the same feeling. I tried to choose, but I can't bring myself to. Either way, it doesn't feel right."
A deep sigh made my shoulders bob. "We don't have any other option.
I feel that you're my mate. Have ever since your first interview.
If we were any other triad, we could get away with it, but Fritz and I are just too influential in the shifter community.
With the spotlight on us, we'd inspire too many triads to form.
The council refuses to let that happen."
She let go of my hands and hugged herself. "Then I can't do it. You'll have to find another woman to mate."
"But you're my Tsigo." I focused all my attention on her as I moved closer to her. "Now that I've met you, I could be happy with another. The idea of trying to claim another while I know you exist is more than I can handle. I wouldn't be able to do it. I refuse."
"You have to. If you don't mate someone, then they'll take all of it."
I knelt at the edge of the bed, gazing up into her eyes. "I don't care who you pick, but promise me as soon as we land, you'll claim one of us to save both our lives." Blythe grumbled as she tried to protest by moving away, but I held her in place. "Please."
"Fine."
I kissed her cheek, then slid back on the bed. We sat in the quiet for a long time before I fell back until I stared up at the ceiling.
The muffled sound of the jet engines filled the room until Blythe broke the silence. "I should really wait to talk about this until Fritz is around, but I think it's important to be transparent with you. Before I claim either of you, you need to know something about me."
"This can't be good."
I watched as Blythe curled into herself. All of her rebellious sass was gone as her face went blank. "I'm… married."
*.*.*.*.*
Fritz
"Get your grumpy ass back in here!" Kayne called from the doorway to the private bedroom.
Thankfully I'd calmed enough to be a human again, but I could lose it at any moment. I trudged over to Kayne, but refused to look at him as I shouldered past.
"Fritz, sorry to bother you, but I have something that I need to tell both of you before this can go any further." Blythe curled up on the bed, her back pressed against the headboard. She hugged her knees as she stared up at me.
I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed, but didn't say anything.
"I'm… married."
My mouth dropped open as I stared at her. When she didn't offer more information, I pushed. "Why did you apply for the show if you're married?"
"I…" she went silent for a long time until her shoulders heaved.
Her eyes closed as she continued. "A shifter friend of mine applied for the show, but she didn't want to go alone.
So I offered to go with her. I didn't expect to be chosen, but once I was, I knew one of you was my fated mate. Then I couldn't talk myself out of it."
Kayne sat on the edge of the bed. I glared at him. It didn't matter if we wanted her or not, we didn't date married women. It wasn't right. "Stop glaring at me like that. It's not what it seems."
"Then what is it?" My response came out harsher than I'd expected.
"I've only met him once, several years ago.
" Blythe spoke. I hated how the sound of her voice soothed my hurt feelings.
"When I was fifteen, my parents forced me to marry Tony.
He paid them a large dowry, and just like that, my life was over.
Except when we arrived at his home, police were there.
They arrested him for trafficking weapons. I haven't seen him since."
All the anger drained out of me, and a dark hatred of this evil bastard replaced it. I'd kill him for what he did. Rip him apart with my claws until he was nothing more than pulp. Once I got my bear form back.
"At first, I didn't know what to do. I raided his house in search of cash, and I ran away.
My parents refused to take me back, so I eventually ended up back at his house.
About a year later, I befriended a shifter woman in town, and accidentally uncovered her secret.
So I told her mine. She took me in and taught me everything I needed to know.
Helped me get my GED and apply to college.
Eventually, I earned my degree, got a job, and carved out a semi-normal life for myself.
I got lucky. He never got the chance to hurt me. "
I sat in the lounge chair I'd been standing next to as I sorted my thoughts. "You said married, as in not divorced."
She nodded, then hugged a pillow to her chest as she uncurled a bit.
"I've tried so many times. I don't have any access to his accounts.
He's got connections everywhere but in the shifter community.
Every single time I've filed for divorce, he stops it.
Sometimes he blocks it with lawyers, other times anyone helping me mysteriously disappears.
He was released earlier this year. I've managed to hide, but if I file again, he'll find me. "
"Never again." A new plan formed in my mind. I'd kill him later, but there was something I needed to do first. "No matter how this relationship turns out," I gestured to her and Kayne, "I promise we'll protect you from him."
"Fritz?" Kayne asked, but I walked out of the bedroom without looking back.
I walked to an area at the front of the plane and grabbed my cell from my pants pocket. Unlike the shifters on tv, we kept our clothes and belongings on us when we shifted. They were somehow magickally cached in our bodies until we returned to human form. I dialed and listened as it rang.
The shifter on the other side of the phone spoke. "Hey Fritz."
"I need you to do something for me, asap." By the time we arrived in Atlantis, Blythe would have a surprise she'd never forget.