Chapter 21
Murphy locked eyes with his mate from across the room, and it felt like he could breathe again. Like he’d been hit by a thousand volts of electricity and finally came back to life after their brief separation.
The sheer panic on Nessa’s face as Tabitha squeezed her into a tight hug, though, was as comical as it was endearing.
Tabitha had always been an integral part of her family’s life, and he knew she’d be excited as soon as she’d caught Nessa’s scent on him, but he hadn’t expected her to rush past and barge into Tank’s home like a crazed woman.
Now she was all but mauling his human, albeit affectionately.
Jasper snickered from somewhere behind him, clearly enjoying the scene as much as Murphy was, though it was likely for completely different reasons.
There was just something about Murphy’s mother embracing Nessa, of the happiness radiating from her as she greeted his mate, that felt right.
It felt as though out of all the successes in his life, this was the moment that mattered the most. Not his ascension to Alpha.
Not the enemies he’d defeated over the years, or the prosperity he’d brought to his clan.
But this.
Nessa.
Murphy believed that sentiment wholeheartedly.
Nessa sent him a pleading look, silently begging him to intervene. And as cute and endearing as the moment was, he felt a warm flush at the thought that she looked to him for help. Not wanting to waste another moment, he pushed fully into the cabin, reaching his mate in a few long strides.
“You’re going to pop my mate like a balloon if you squeeze her any harder,” Murphy joked, plucking Nessa from Tabitha’s hold and tucking her under his arm.
Nessa relaxed into him, her body all but molding against his side as she gave his mom a polite, though strained, smile. Murphy frowned, hoping she was alright. He knew of her aversion to being touched by males, but if it extended to females as well, he hadn’t realized.
Filled with the urge to protect her, he pulled Nessa more firmly to him. The lines around the corners of her mouth disappeared, and she took a deep breath, sending him a grateful look from the corner of her eye.
Tabitha smiled at Nessa once more before pinning Murphy with a hard stare. “Mate? So Nessa knows of your connection? Does that mean you’ve officially marked her?”
She looked around at the other people in the room, propping her hands on her hips in a pose she often used to lecture her children when they were younger. “Was I the last to find out again that one of my sons became mated?”
Tank groaned from the doorway. “Not this shit again,” he grumbled in exasperation. “And you weren’t the last to know about me and Hunny!”
“Hush.” Tabitha scowled over Murphy’s shoulder before pinning the Alpha with another glare. “Answer me, Murphy Sinclair.”
Murphy winced, feeling a small bite of shame.
Was this how Tank felt when she’d scolded him about mating Hunny?
In Murphy’s defense, he was a private male by nature, and had spent little of his time this week away from Nessa.
Besides that, they’d only become official last night—hardly any time at all to inform anyone.
Tabitha tapped her foot impatiently on the wood floor, right as he opened his mouth to answer her.
“We’re just dating,” Nessa blurted out, tensing against him. “There’s been, uh—no marking.”
Murphy’s frown deepened. Although it was true, hearing Nessa refer to their relationship as ‘just’ anything put him on edge. He didn’t like it.
“We’re taking it slow,” he agreed, palming Nessa’s hip possessively. “But it’s very serious.”
“Oh!” Tabitha clapped her hands together happily, glee transforming her stern expression into something much softer. “Thank heaven. I was worried you’d never take your head out of your ass and claim her. Welcome to the family, Nessa!”
Nessa made a choked sound in her throat as the rest of the males piled into the room, the front door closing behind them.
Tabitha ignored everyone else around them, walking up to Murphy and patting his cheek tenderly.
“Your father and I have been worried about you, my dear boy. Are you feeling better?”
“Yes,” Murphy answered immediately, his fingers curling tightly around Nessa’s waist. It would be so easy to lift the edge of her shirt and touch her bare skin, but he refrained, if only barely. “Nessa’s helped tremendously.”
“Oh, no. I’ve only been keeping him company,” Nessa countered, waving a hand dismissively.
His mom raised a brow. “Don’t sell yourself short, Nessa. I’m sure you’ve been more help than you realize. I can’t thank you enough for taking care of Murphy. He needs someone to look after him, and I’m glad he’s found you.”
“I’m glad I’ve found her, too,” Murphy admitted readily.
Nessa flushed, her cheeks turning an adorable shade of red. Unable to resist, Murphy leaned down, brushing his lips over the crown of her head.
He inhaled her scent into his lungs before releasing a resigned sigh. As much as he wanted to visit with his clan, it was time to shift the conversation to the reason he’d gathered this small group here.
Murphy cleared his throat, gaining everyone’s attention. “We need to discuss something that happened last night at my home.”
Soon enough, everyone had filed into the living room. Hunny, Tabitha and Tank sat on the long couch, while Jasper and the remaining males leaned against the wall behind it, leaving Murphy and Nessa to stand together in front of them all. A united front.
Nessa might not have realized the significance of her position beside him as he addressed the members of his bear clan, but everyone else would. Murphy was making it known that she was his equal. His partner. Someone they should treat with the same reverence and respect they gave him.
It was funny how long Murphy had fought this connection between them, how he’d feared for years the very thought of sharing his responsibilities, his authority and power with another person.
And yet, here he was after one week with Nessa—ready and willing for everyone to see the high regard he held her in.
“As most of you know, Constantine visited my home just before dawn,” Murphy began when everything had quieted down around them.
“He’s come to cash in a favor I owe him.
While the task he’s given is rather simple, he doesn’t want me to be the one to fulfill it.
” He clenched his jaw, frustrated with what he had to say next.
He hated passing his burden onto someone else. He owed the vampires this favor, not anyone else. It should be him to pay this debt.
“What’s the favor?” Colter asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “He doesn’t expect us to hunt anyone down and kill them, does he? I’m more of a lover, not a fighter,” he teased, earning a small laugh from the room’s occupants.
“And waste all that blood?” Zeke sneered, unable to hide his animosity about the bloodsuckers. “I doubt it.”
“Zeke’s right,” Murphy confirmed. “It’s nothing dangerous, though there is always the possibility of some kind of altercation where vampires are concerned.”
“So what is it then?” Colter added, perking up from his position against the wall.
“Constantine is requesting an unmated shifter to escort his daughter to an event out of state and keep her safe until her trip is over. As I’m with Nessa, he doesn’t feel I’d be an adequate guard for this excursion,” Murphy all but bit out.
“I hate to ask this of you, but I consider you all the strongest shifters within our clan.”
“The thought of babysitting a leech makes my skin crawl,” Zeke answered with a small growl.
He glared down at the ground, as if he’d already resigned himself to the task.
“Obviously, I’ll do it. I’m the only one among us who isn’t an enforcer, so my responsibilities within the clan won’t be missed. ”
That was true. While the other males in the room were either mated, trackers or enforcers, Zeke was only a dominant shifter. He held no technical role within the clan aside from being a valued member.
Marcus stirred from his spot along the wall. “All due respect, Zeke, I don’t think you’re the right choice.”
Zeke bristled, turning to face the male beside him. “Oh? And why is that?” he asked through clenched teeth.
Marcus huffed. “Come on, man. You can’t even talk about the leeches without looking like you want to murder them.
I’m assuming whatever event Constantine’s kid is going to will involve being constantly surrounded by their kind.
Do you really think you could handle that without ripping someone’s head off? ”
Nessa gasped, and Murphy leaned down, murmuring in her ear, “He doesn’t mean literally.”
“Oh.” She laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of her head. “Right. I knew that.”
Zeke shot her a quick, amused glance, some of the hostility bleeding from his features before he turned his attention back to Murphy. “I wouldn’t be happy about it, but that doesn’t mean I won’t step in and help my clan. It would be an honor to do this for you, Alpha.”
Murphy inclined his head toward the male. “I appreciate that, Zeke.”
“I’ll do it,” Jasper cut in, effectively drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Including their mom, who popped up from the couch, her face pinched with worry as she whirled around to face her youngest son.
“Absolutely not, Jasper,” Tabitha argued, shaking a finger at him menacingly. “Your father and brothers have already been away from this clan for too long. I won’t have another member of my family leaving for God knows how long.”
“It’ll only be for a week,” Murphy added, though he wasn’t sure if she even heard him.
“I’m nearly thirty, Mom,” Jasper reminded her. “You can’t forbid me from helping my clan.”
Tabitha scoffed. “Is that right? You still live under my roof, Jasper Sinclair! And as long as you do, you are subject to my rules.”
Colter snorted, and Zeke looked away, covering his mouth with his hand to keep from laughing. Even Tank chuckled, the sound hoarse and rusty.
Jasper ignored them all, looking uncharacteristically serious as he said, “You know my own cabin has been built for the better part of a year. The only reason I haven’t moved into it yet is because I know you don’t enjoy being alone.”
Tabitha sniffled. “You say that, but you’ll still abandon your poor mother to go gallivanting off with a vampire?”
Jasper rolled his eyes. “Mom, I’ve lived with you long enough to know when you’re putting on the waterworks to get your way. It won’t work. I’m the right choice for this task, and I’m doing it.”
Tabitha threw her hands into the air in exasperation. “Fine. Fine. Break my heart.”
Jasper sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he squeezed his eyes shut. Then he dropped his hand, his eyes popping back open. A sinister smile filled his face. “Now that Murphy and Nessa are together, I’m sure they’ll want to plan a wedding. Isn’t that popular with humans?”
Murphy blinked slowly at his brother in confusion. A wedding?
“Excuse me?!” Nessa squeaked out. Her normally tan skin paled. “Did you say wedding? We’ve been dating for less than a damned day, Jasper!”
“Don’t you want to marry my brother, Nessa?
” Jasper’s smile took on an even more devious edge as he looked at his mom and continued.
“Think about it, Mom. You’ve always wanted daughters, and now you’ve got Hunny, who will need help planning a baby shower, and Nessa, who will need help planning her human wedding.
You’ll barely even notice I’m gone, what with everything going on. ”
Murphy’s lips twitched. Oh, that clever fucker.
“Don’t you dare drag me into this, you little shit!” Hunny shouted hotly, grabbing a throw pillow from the couch and chucking it at Jasper. He dodged it effortlessly. Tank threw a pillow of his own, smacking their youngest brother in the face before he could block it.
“If you think I’ll let you change the subject,” Tabitha snapped, “you are sorely mistaken, Jasper.”
“Will you be upset if I shoot your brother?” Nessa asked Murphy, her voice hoarse. “I won’t hit anything vital.”
“If it makes you feel better, go for it,” Murphy answered, only half-joking, his attention wavering from the sounds of his family bickering back and forth and to his mate. “The wedding talk frightened you?” he asked softly.
“I’m not opposed to marriage in general.” Nessa grimaced. “But it isn’t exactly something that’s brought up in casual conversation when two people literally just started dating.”
There was that damned word again. Just.
“There isn’t anything just about us, Nes,” Murphy murmured into her ear, his voice dark and full of promise.
The surrounding conversations faded away as he cupped her chin, dragging her face toward his.
Their eyes met and held as he ran his thumb over her full lower lip.
“We’re taking this at whatever pace you want, but you’re mine. I’m yours. This is forever, Nessa.”
Nessa’s gaze softened on his. “I know. But everything’s so new between us, Murphy. If you were human, you’d run screaming in the other direction if someone brought up the idea of wedding bells so soon.”
He raised his brows. “Do I look like I want to run away from you?”
She shook her head before blurting out, “Do shifters even have weddings?”
He smirked down at her, enjoying the way her eyes heated as they fell to his mouth. “Why? Are you asking me to marry you, Nes?”
She laughed abruptly, looking away from him in embarrassment. “You wish, Murphy.”
He sighed dramatically, tugging playfully on a strand of her hair. “Maybe I do.” Tabitha’s voice rose above Jasper’s, and as Hunny joined in to berate the male, Murphy took Nessa’s hand in his. “Do you want to go on a date?”
Her shoulders sagged in relief. “Yes, please get me out of here before your brother brings up the topic of us having children next.”
Without missing a beat, Murphy herded Nessa toward the door, waving to the room in farewell before they made their escape. If anyone noticed their departure, they didn’t react. He almost felt bad for abandoning Tank to a house full of guests.
Almost.