Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Mira waved at Leo from the porch of the bed-and-breakfast as he drove off to head to work on Thursday morning.
“You’re one smitten kitten, huh?” Lyra asked from the doorway, her voice all smiles.
Mira turned and smiled, giving Lyra a hug before they walked inside to get breakfast. “Yes. Definitely.”
The entire house was in the dining room, eating from the buffet that made Mira’s stomach growl. After filling her plate with French toast and scrambled eggs, she sat at the table with Lyra, across from her parents.
“So definitely what?” her mom asked.
“What?” Mira asked.
“You were saying definitely to something Lyra said; I was just being nosy.”
Mira’s cheeks heated as all eyes turned to her.
Clearing her throat, she said, “I was just saying that I’m falling for Leo. But thanks for making me say that out loud.”
Daphne grinned. “Sorry, honey.”
“You don’t sound the least bit sorry,” Gideon said with a teasing smile. “So, you like him? Love him a little bit? It’s only been a few days, but truemate bonds amplify everything.”
Mira hummed as she cut her French toast up and then poured syrup on it.
“Yeah, I am. He’s really wonderful and I’m genuinely crazy about him.
” Plus, her gryphon came out after he marked her, but she wasn’t going to tell her parents about tumbling in the sheets with her very sexy mechanic-slash-security guard.
“Well, I like him,” Nash said. “And I don’t like a lot of people. Wolves are protective of their truemate and family, and the pack is clearly tight-knit. I mean, when you passed out after meeting him, they were ready to throw down with us in a heartbeat to keep him—and you—safe.”
Mira was happy that her family liked Leo.
She could tell by the way they were gently teasing her that they approved.
“Well,” Daphne said with a smile that made her eyes crinkle, “Leo certainly looks at you like you’re his sun, and that’s something to celebrate.”
Mira agreed.
As they finished their meal, conversation flowed around the table about the plans for the next stop on their travels, and the last few days they were spending in Delta Park.
She hung out with her parents for most of the day, packing up her things and straightening up her childhood bedroom in the RV.
By the time Leo came to pick her up, she felt like she’d closed a chapter of her life by emptying her bedroom. But she was also starting a new chapter with him, and that was just as exciting.
“I’ll bring her by tomorrow,” Leo said. “I’m working at the dealership in town, so I won’t be far and can meet for lunch.” He shook her dad’s hand and gave her mom a quick hug.
“Have a great night,” her dad said.
“Yes,” her mom said. “Have fun meeting the white lions. I can’t wait to hear all about it tomorrow.”
Mira waved goodbye as she got into the front seat of Leo’s truck.
She told Leo about her time with her family and packing up her things, and he told her about his time patrolling in the pack’s territory.
Forty-five minutes later, they were on the way to Bishop, a walled city that had originally been for the falcon shifters, but because of a tri-mating between the leader of the falcons—Jes—and the son of the leader of the white lions—Chance—and their shared mate, Danika, it now housed both groups.
Behind them, two SUVs followed as escorts: one driven by Brick with Adam and Cinder as passengers, and one with two other security team members, including Leo’s best friend, Solan, who Mira was looking forward to getting to know better.
For a little while, the hum of the engine and her hand linked with Leo’s was enough to settle the nerves that skated through her as she thought about meeting the white lion shifters who may or may not be related to her biological father.
But then something shifted inside her. It was a low burn under her ribs at first, but it spread through her chest, and her gryphon paced in her mind.
She felt claws pressing at her fingertips and a call in her head that was a mixture of eagle and lion.
The closer they got to Bishop, the stronger the feelings grew, until her vision shimmered and her ears popped like she was taking off on an airplane.
Her breath hitched.
“Baby, are you okay?” Leo asked.
She looked at him as her vision sharpened slightly. “I don’t know. My gryphon is going nuts.”
He gave her hand a squeeze. “Your eyes are glowing amber like before you shifted. Please don’t shift in the truck, it’s not big enough for your lion.”
“I won’t,” she said. I hope.
“Breathe in and out,” he said, his voice low and steady. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on her breathing.
Her skin was buzzing, her nerve endings dancing like ants were biting them. The walled city loomed in the distance, and the closer they got to it, the more she was certain that something was waiting for her there.
“I can feel a connection in there,” she whispered, pressing her hand to her chest.
“Whatever you’re feeling, we’ll face it together.”
* * *
The gates of the walled city were tall and made of iron. There was a guard station, lit from inside. Brick pulled ahead of them so that Adam could let them know who they were meeting with. The gates creaked open a few moments later, and they followed the SUV through.
Her gryphon pressed against her skin, and she felt so restless, like she needed to go for a run. By the time they stopped in what appeared to be the town square, Mira was trembling.
The sun was setting, bathing the square in orange and gold. There were buildings around the square that included a hardware store, a diner, and a market. A gazebo with hanging lanterns around the edges held three figures, and she figured them for the trio of leaders.
Brick, Adam, and Cinder got out first, followed by Solan and Dove.
Leo turned off the engine and said, “I’m right here with you, Mira. Whatever’s going on with you, you’re not alone.”
She nodded and opened the door.
She met with Leo at the front of the truck and took his hand again, and they walked up to the gazebo.
“You must be Mira,” a male with olive skin and dark, curly hair said. “I’m Jes, and this is Chance, and our mate Danika.”
“Welcome to Bishop,” Danika said with a warm smile.
Chance smiled at Mira, but she saw a flicker of amber in his eyes. “It’s strange. You feel familiar.”
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her gryphon suddenly went berserk in her head.
“You feel it too?” Chance asked. “Like…kinship.”
She swallowed hard, forcing her gryphon back. “Yes. I don’t know why, but yes.”
“I feel it too,” a male said as he moved from the shadows. He was older but looked a lot like Chance. “I’m Chance’s father, Jantha. My lion has been acting up quite a bit for the last half hour or so. I think you’re the reason why.”
Leo moved subtly closer to Mira. “So you may be related to Mira’s biological father?”
“Who is that?” Jantha asked. He stood near Mira, a few feet separating them. He smelled like dry grass and sunshine, and…family.
“Auron. Auron Sereket,” Mira said.
“No fucking way,” Chance said.
“What?” Leo asked.
They heard footsteps, the sound of a small group moving toward them. Jes pulled his phone out and moved his finger on the screen, and streetlights turned on, illuminating the area. A group of seven people moved forward from the shadows like Jantha had, and their eyes were all on Mira.
Five males and two females.
One of the males felt so achingly familiar that Mira’s knees went weak.
She knew who he was because he looked just like her.
Her gryphon roared in recognition, but Mira couldn’t breathe.
“Mira?” Leo asked.
“It’s you,” she said, disbelief filling her. “I was told you were dead.” She looked at Leo, her eyes filling with tears. “It’s my family. My biological family.”