Chapter Four
What was she doing here?
Tru stared in shock at her small hand wrapped in his large, strong one.
Tabian was so hot. Tonight he was wearing a black T-shirt, and his muscles were defined against the thin fabric.
His biceps and shoulder shape were crazy under the material.
His eyes were glowing bright blue like his wolf was ramped up, but he wore such an easy smile.
The way he looked directly into her had been unsettling, but she thought that’s just how he was. He was a direct kind of man.
She’d had an insecure moment left over from a past relationship, and instead of yelling at her, he’d knelt down and asked her softly to explain, and then he hadn’t made her feel stupid for it. He’d solidified his decision to put her at ease here.
But why?
He was young and strong, and clearly capable of taking care of himself. His home was small and homey, but everything was nice in it, from the wood siding to the sprawling brand-new deck that still smelled like sawdust and fresh cedar, to the granite countertops in the kitchen and new furniture.
Zane had never had anything of his own, but he’d tricked her so thoroughly. He’d explained everything away so easily. He’d lied about so much, and trained Tru to distrust her own instincts about people.
Tabian was a stranger, but already he had showed her more clear-cut direct care than Zane ever had.
That made him even more terrifying to a scalded woman like her. Zane had burned her from the inside out. She was at very real risk of Tabian being too good to be true.
Inside the house, Tabian ripped the plastic off the couch and gestured for her to take a seat. He peeled the stickers off the face of the microwave and took the new owner instructions from the inside of it before he heated the spaghetti in there.
Her phone dinged and, in a rush, she checked the text from Bay. I got here safe. About to Change. I’ll text when I Change back. I know you’re sitting around worrying about me right now, but don’t. I’ll be back soon.
She heaved a sigh of relief and hugged the phone to her chest. His wolf was unpredictable, and he didn’t want her around him when he Changed.
Bay’s great fear was accidentally Turning someone.
Her, specifically. Still, she worried herself to death when he had to Change.
It usually took all night, and she was always worried about him out in the woods alone.
“When did your boy start solo-camping?” Tabian asked from the kitchen.
She hadn’t realized he was watching her.
“Um, about a year ago. I understand his need for the space, but I worry.”
“Is his father dead?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Dead to me. He moved us here, said he’d paid first and last month’s rent, deposits, fees, the works, but really, he had stolen all of my money. He’d emptied out my bank account and left.”
Tabian laughed a single huff. After a few seconds, he said, “Wait, what? You’re serious?”
“Unfortunately, yes. I’m serious. He bounced the first night we were here.
He left Bay a note saying goodbye and left me a note asking me to make sure Bay was taken care of.
A few months later, I was served paperwork listing me as Bay’s official guardian.
Zane had signed his rights away and made me the parent of a fifteen-year-old angry boy who had only known me for a few years.
It’s been a journey for both of us figuring out how to maneuver around each other. ”
“That’s super messed up.”
She smiled. “Bright side, he never married me officially. Less paperwork now.”
Tabian pursed his lips. “Was that something you wanted?”
“It was something I thought I wanted. I am the queen of getting close to getting married, but not close enough. He gave me a ring and talked about it constantly. Even planned part of the wedding with me, but time has been a healer for me, and I can look back at the reality of it all now.”
“What was the reality?”
“He worked me over. He saw a target, and he was so smooth about it, Tabian. He was so smooth. He watched every smile and mirrored everything I said I needed in a man, and he became this perfect match for me. It was a really intense relationship full of the highest highs and the lowest lows and nothing in between. He had me doing anything for those high points though. That man could get me drunk on the happiness he could give me. I’ve never been through anything like that before.
It was a roller coaster from day one, and it was so fun, until it wasn’t.
Until he left and I was left with his son.
And I think that was the kind of mark I was from the beginning.
He needed to offload his boy onto someone he knew would finish raising him, and he needed to leech every penny of my money so he could start a new life.
At the time I couldn’t see that was happening, but now it is so obvious.
Healing does that. It provides clarity after some time to get through all the phases of mourning.
I think I wasn’t meant to be married, and I think Zane saw that, or sensed it, and he gave his boy to someone who needed an anchor to this earth.
To someone who needed a purpose. I figure if I share all of my trauma from the start, you can cut me off and set me loose faster. ”
“Is that what you want me to do?”
“It is what would be best for both of us.”
“Mmm,” he said noncommittally. “Is this the part where you’re trying to scare me off?”
She shrugged. She didn’t entirely know what she was doing with him. She didn’t even know what had possessed her to drive all the way out here tonight.
“Probably shouldn’t have filled that bag over there with kids’ snacks if you wanted to shoo me off.”
A laugh escaped her, and the melancholy of her admissions lifted off her tight chest. “You seem easy to please. As a friend.”
The corners of his eyes tightened. “I would say I’m pretty easy to please in general, sure.”
“What are we doing here?” she asked suddenly.
“I’m currently trying not to stare at your perfect tits.”
Tru grinned and dropped her gaze to the woodgrain pattern in the floor. “You know what I mean,” she said quietly.
He pulled the plastic container of pasta from the microwave and sat down at the table in the only chair that was already built. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees and scooped pasta into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully.
“Honestly, I don’t know what we are doing. I had fun meeting you yesterday. You are interesting to me. I had fun talking to you on the phone today. I like learning about you. I like trying to figure you out. I like that you brought me food. I think you’re pretty.”
“I’m pretty human,” she pointed out.
“I know. I think that would be a deal breaker before I met Nory. She kind of paved the way for humans to feel okay to me. That and we aren’t under the rules of the Elders anymore.
There’s a freedom that comes with that. Maybe a little of it is rebellion, I don’t know.
Mostly, I think I like spending time with you.
Do I know where that will lead? Nope. You may decide tomorrow you don’t want anything to do with me, and I’ll have to swallow that.
Or you may decide being friends is what works for you.
Who knows? I like being around you though.
My wolf does too, and I guess that feels like a pretty big deal.
I know you’re one foot out the door already.
I can sense it. I can see it. You may run but until you do, I’m going to keep trying to learn about you because it’s been awhile since I was interested in a woman, and damn it feels good to be alive again. ”
Geez. Butterflies were flapping around in her stomach at his words.
Tabian wasn’t just a handsome face and a strong physique.
He was deep, and intelligent, and seemed to know his feelings and wants.
She was surprised. She’d judged him for being younger than her, but his maturity made her forget the number.
“I guess that works for me then,” she said softly.
A smile stretched his masculine lips as he leveled her with those ice blue eyes. He nodded and took another bite. “Plus hanging out with you gets me delicious homemade food, and I love good food.”
She giggled, because she could tell he was teasing her, but she did like the compliment to her cooking. She parted her lips to say something, but there was a knock on the door, and it swung open.
Four of the most beautiful women she’d ever seen came flooding in through the door.
“You’re a human,” said a green-eyed beauty with sandy brown curls.
Tabian chuckled and introduced them. “Delta, this is Tru. Tru, Delta. She’s mated to—”
“Nathan, the Second,” Tru finished, remembering what he said as she stood from the couch and offered her hand for a shake.
Delta’s handshake nearly rattled her bones and crushed her hand.
When Tru flinched, she released her immediately and apologized. Tru giggled nervously and told her it was okay. Bay didn’t know his own strength either. Tru was kind of used to it.
Lyric introduced herself next, then Destiny, and Nory hung back until last. She didn’t shake her hand though. She gave her a hug. It surprised Tru and she stood there stiffly for a moment before she hugged her back.
Delta had gone to the front door and retrieved the bottle of wine and was opening it. She poured it evenly between five plastic cups, and handed them out to all but Tabian, who seemed happy with the orange soda Tru had brought him.
Tru swallowed down an excuse that she had to leave to wait for Bay’s text. She could do that here, and he would be wolf out in those woods for hours.
The girls were asking her questions and seemed so genuine with their smiles. Truth be told, she’d been mated to a werewolf before, who was part of a big Pack, but this was the first time she’d ever met a female werewolf.
Everything Zane had told her about them seemed misplaced now.
Maybe he’d lied about that too. Wouldn’t surprise her. Since he’d left, everything seemed so much clearer.
Nory was doing a toast. “To a new friend.”
Tru was touched. They all clinked their plastic cups and took a sip, but she stood there frozen, eyes burning with emotion.
She’d had such an amazing friend group growing up, but Zane had destroyed their relationships. Tru had been so lonely, and right now in this moment, she realized just how much. It was so nice just hanging around people who didn’t see her as anything but herself.
Here, she wasn’t her job, or the bill-payer. She wasn’t the struggler. She wasn’t the bad decision maker. She wasn’t the stupid daughter, or the ex-friend who threw it all away for a man who didn’t choose her in the end. She wasn’t the stepmom. She wasn’t the butt of any jokes.
She was just Tru.
Tabian was watching her. She could feel it. He stood from the table and strode over to her, gripped the back of her neck gently and kissed her temple, then murmured against her ear, “You can relax here. No one will hurt you. You’re safe, I promise.”
And now her eyes were burning even more. She leaned into him, and he pressed his lips to her temple again, and held there.
Throat all clogged with emotion, she nodded jerkily and took a sip of the wine.
It was rich and delicious.
“If you want to have fun, I can drive you home when you’re ready,” he told her. “If I had to bet, I’d say Delta will be making her way to her place for another bottle soon.”
“That’s a great idea,” Delta told him, her bright green eyes all lit up.
“Field trip!” Destiny said.
There was a trill of excitement in the air.
Delta took another sip of her wine and said, “I brought my four-wheeler. Tru can ride with me.”
Nory tugged at Tru’s free hand and pulled her toward the door.
“No, you psychopaths, I know what you’re about to do,” Tabian said.
Warning bells went off inside of Tru and the smile faded from her lips. She jerked to a stop and pulled her hand from Nory’s grasp. They were pranking her, weren’t they? Stupid girl. She’d been all happy for a second thinking they were inviting her for an adventure.
Tabian was shoving his feet into boots. “You’re about to shove all of you onto one four-wheeler. I’m not having Tru fall off the back.”
“I wouldn’t let her fall!” Delta scoffed from the front porch.
“I’ve seen you drive. You’re like a bat out of hell on that thing. No. I’ll take Tru and Nory and they can survive. I call the humans.”
Oooh. Tru’s smile was back. He was being protective, that’s all. She wasn’t being pranked.
Outside, Delta hopped onto the seat of a four-wheeler, and Lyric scrambled onto the back, while Destiny was adjusting herself to sit on the handlebars.
Tru took another sip and laughed at the girls bickering over the bars bruising their butts.
Tabian jogged to the shed and yanked a blue tarp off a four-wheeler, then started it up. The little engine roared to life as Nory and Tru made their way to him.
He got on, powerful legs splayed on either side of the seat, and he offered Tru a hand, helping her get on behind him. Nory eased herself onto the handlebars and leaned to the side so he could see.
When he hit the throttle, Tru yelped and nearly spilled her drink. She sipped it down a little more and gripped onto the back of Tabian’s shirt.
He was so hot. He had a random four-wheeler sitting by his awesome house in these beautiful woods and seemed like a man who just knew how to do things.
God, she thought he was so sexy. He smelled like cologne.
He reached behind him and grabbed her hand gently, then pulled it around his waist, and oh Mylanta, she could feel his perfect, flexed six pack.
He for sure looked like a demigod under this T-shirt.
He laughed, and she asked, “What?”
“Like what you feel?”
She stopped rubbing his stomach. “Oh. Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he said, laughing. “You can do whatever you want with me. I don’t mind.”
Chills rippled up her forearms, and she bit back a smile as her cheeks heated with a blush. Whoo, she was having fun.
She’d come here with the intention of dropping off food and then bouncing, and maybe texting him later that he was fun to talk to but here she was, red plastic cup in her hand, fancy-tasting wine in it, on the back of a four-wheeler, holding onto the hottest man she’d ever seen, following another ATV filled with fun ladies who had invited her to hang out with them.
Tonight had taken a turn, and God, she couldn’t stop smiling.
This was the most fun she’d had in as long as she could remember.