With Liam’s arm around her waist, they headed outside to meet the rest of the pack. Liam introduced her to everyone as his mate, and enjoying the warmth of the moment, she didn’t argue with him. She did notice that he kept one hand on her at all time, because more than one man had looked her over with interest, only to be glared down by Liam. She found it amusing and sexy as hell. She liked that he felt possessive of her, even if she wasn’t ready to go furry with him just yet. Unexpectedly it didn’t bother her that everyone thought of her as Liam’s mate. It was actually kind of comforting.
As they found seats to eat at a picnic table, their conversations were interrupted when Damon let out a loud whistle, drawing everyone’s attention to him and Henley, who stood next to him.
“Can I have your attention please?” Henley said loudly. “I want to thank everyone for coming. I hope everyone is having a great evening. Stay as long as you like, eat as much as you can, and drink until…well, drink responsibly anyways,” he said with a laugh, and laughter rang through the group. “Now I’m going to turn your attention over to our illustrious leader Devin for an announcement.”
“Illustrious? That’s an awfully big word to describe Devin,” Caroline said jokingly, which brought on another round of laughter.
“Thank you, mate of mine, for your…support. I do want to share something with everyone here. You all know that, recently, Damon and I met and fell in love with our mate, and officially bonded to take the Alpha leadership of the pack.” Everyone cheered loudly, and Tina wondered at the amount of happiness they all seemed to have for the trio. It would be so nice to be part of this happy group. “Caroline just told us that she is giving Damon and me an even bigger gift next fall.”
“I’m pregnant!” Caroline yelled at the top of her lungs, and everyone cheered. Devin laughed loudly as he and Damon were quickly surrounded by men clapping them on the back and congratulating them. Tina ran to Caroline and embraced her with tears in her eyes.
“Caro! I’m so happy for you! Congratulations!” she said as they cried happily onto each other’s shoulders. The conversation around them continued to flow as Caroline was questioned on everything from morning sickness to her due date, and the entire pack seemed genuinely excited over the Alpha’s pregnancy.
Tina was elated that Caroline finally had what she had always craved, a family to love. She couldn’t help the swift stab of jealousy that hit her gut, and she thought again how nice it would be to have that kind of joy.
The sun set as almost all of the pack members visited amongst lit tiki torches with each other. There were people everywhere, and they all seemed to be having a great time, especially after the Alpha family’s news. Tina was surprised to find herself feeling at home amongst the crowd. It was another hour into the party before she had a chance to settle into a chair next to Caroline for a chat. On the other side of Caroline sat Damon, and next to him Liam’s sister Whitney was lounging on the grass.
“You seem happy, T,” Caroline said quietly. The other two gave no indication that they heard her as they kept up their discussion of the new pack hopefuls. Apparently several more werewolves had arrived over the last few days, requesting to join the Gray pack, but Devin was concerned about overwhelming the land that the pack owned.
“I think I am. Congrats again, I’m really happy for you, Caro,” Tina responded with a smile, before her eyes drifted over to Liam who had gone to play horseshoes with Henley, Devin, and Jim Gray. She admired his tight body encased as usual in all black. Every time he threw a horseshoe, the muscles in his arms bunched and stretched, drawing her gaze to the corded strength there. She almost groaned out loud when he bent to pick one up and she got a view of his denim-covered ass.
“Thank you. You’re certainly focused on one particular person right now.” Caroline laughed as Tina blushed. “Don’t be embarrassed. I feel the same way about my guys.”
“Liam isn’t
my
guy,” Tina said with a frown. It felt wrong to say that out loud because she was actually starting to think of his as her guy. She just wasn’t sure she was ready to reconcile the new need inside of her for a tall dark and sexy wolf.
“Mmm-hmm. Of course not, T. I know you met Liam’s parents, but did you get to meet Sienna and Jim? The twin’s parents?” She pointed at Jim and then at Sienna who sat nearby on the tailgate of a pickup truck watching the men play horseshoes.
“Yeah, they seem like really great people. You’re a lucky girl to have in-laws you like,” Tina responded, shifting in her seat to find a position that didn’t increase the ache in her nether regions.
“Victoria and Henley are pretty awesome, too,” Caroline said. Tina glanced over at Liam’s mom, who was talking with Sienna. The two women seemed close, and Tina imagined that their relationship was similar to the one she shared with Caroline. Victoria had explained that she was Jim’s younger sister, and that Sienna was her best friend growing up. Jim and Sienna knew they were mates from a very young age and were married as soon as Jim became Alpha leader of the pack. The two couples had both been married for more than thirty years and were still deliriously in love. It eased Tina’s confused mind to see that some people genuinely were soul mates.
“I think my parents fell in love with you as quickly as Liam did,” Whitney said, surprising Tina by joining into their conversation.
She whipped back around to stare at the beautiful woman wide-eyed. “What? What do you mean fell in love with me? Liam isn’t…he hasn’t…he’s not…”
“In love with you? Yep, head over heels. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at you and in his body language when you’re close to him. Not to mention he won’t let any other single males within ten feet of you.” Whitney smiled warmly at her, but Tina couldn’t speak. There was a huge lump in her throat that nearly choked her.
Tina just stared blankly at Liam’s sister. This was not supposed to happen like this. Liam wasn’t in love with her. He didn’t even know her well enough to fall in love with her. A tiny part of her was elated at the idea of him falling in love with her. Even when he was irritating the hell out of her about mating with him, she still found herself drawn to him on every possible level.
“Tina? Are you okay? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” A frown puckered Whitney’s brow, and she looked nervously between Caroline and Tina.
“No, that’s okay, Whitney. You just surprised me. Look, I know Liam has told everyone that I’m his mate, and maybe I will be someday, but right now I’m not looking for love. I enjoy my freedom as a single woman, and I don’t want a man to take care of me. I don’t like men who are possessive and controlling either, and your brother seems to think he can tell me what to do all of the time,” Tina said, but in her head she could hear her conscience whispering
liar
! She loved the fact that Liam took control of their situation and laid his claim on her in public. It turned her on to know that he felt possessive enough about her to warn other men away, and that he got jealous when other men expressed interest in her.
Whitney and Caroline exchanged a pointed look, and Caroline shook her head before giving a resigned sigh. Whitney turned back to Tina. “Okay. Look, I think you’re a great person, and that we could be really great friends, but I don’t want to see my brother get hurt. If you aren’t planning on committing to him, then you better say so and stop leading him around like a puppy.”
“I’m not trying to, and I’ve already told him that I don’t want a serious relationship,” Tina snapped. Her whole body was tense, and she was struggling not to jump to her feet and run. She hated that Liam hadn’t been honest with his family, and now she was being put on the spot.
“I think your mouth says words that you can’t back up. When you look at him, your eyes grow misty and your body softens. You know in your heart that he’s worth it. Maybe you aren’t as strong a woman as I first thought,” Whitney snapped out, and then she jumped to her feet and stomped away angrily.
Tina got to her feet ready to run away but stopped when Caroline grabbed her hand. “Wait, T, I know you’re fighting the instinct to run away and hide somewhere, but you can’t avoid this. Come with me. I think it’s time you heard some truths from someone with more knowledge than me.”
Tina let Caroline lead her around to the front of the house away from the majority of the pack members. It was dark, and the only light was the porch light. It illuminated a small, pale figure that sat on the porch swing. Tina could tell by her long, white-blonde hair that it was a woman, but her face was hidden in shadow.
“The haunted steps of confusion come to find me now. After this many hours I believed the confused had given up.” The woman’s voice was like a soft song. It was so low and soothing that it relaxed Tina immediately.
“Hello, Delaky, I brought a good friend of mine to meet you. Tina, this is Delaky. She is the Gray Pack’s shaman.” Caroline gestured for Tina to take a seat on the swing next to the small woman.
“Welcome, child. Aren’t you a lovely soul.” Delaky’s face was finally lit as she looked Tina over, and Tina returned her welcoming smile. There was a beauty about Delaky that Tina couldn’t quite put her finger on, and she finally decided that it stemmed from the knowledge in her distinctively pale eyes.
“Thank you. I’m pleased to meet you.”
“As it should be. Why is your mate not here to make this introduction?” Delaky’s face showed no emotion, as if she already knew the answers to her questions.
“He is otherwise occupied, and I brought her on my own. He will be looking for her shortly,” Caroline responded, and she looked away guiltily.
“You carry the babes of the Alpha. She looks to be strong, he will be wise. Trust in your destiny, and they will remain strong balance to the future,” Delaky said, staring at Caroline’s midsection.
“Twins?” Caroline whispered in awe, and her hand drifted up to cup her flat belly.
Delaky continued, “Tell Liam the nature of this visit is private, and I will return her to him in time.” Caroline nodded in acceptance of Delaky’s request, and she walked quickly away, leaving Tina and the shaman on the quiet porch.
“I’m sorry if this sounds rude, but why did Caroline want me to talk with you?” Tina asked.
“To clear the clouds, my child. Your wolf will be strong, even stronger in heart than our dear Alpha’s mate. I see her in the moon already. Your soul hangs heavy with guilt that you have not released.” Delaky’s words were slightly confusing, but the meaning she got out of it made Tina’s throat clog with emotions.
“I…well I mean…I’m not sure what to say. Several years ago I was in love with a man that asked me to marry him. He was killed, and it was because of me. I was selfish and asked him to do something out of the ordinary, and a mugger shot him. It was because I was selfish that he died.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke, and she stared out into the darkness, refusing to look at Delaky in case there was pity in her expression.
“The death was his destiny. Your destiny is our Liam. When fate saw the error of your connection to the other soul, it took the choice away. Now you choose to ignore what fate has given freely. You must look into your heart to see the need there. Only Liam will fill that need,” Delaky said, never breaking the gentle swaying motion of the porch swing.
“You’re saying that Esteban died because I wasn’t supposed to marry him? I was supposed to be with Liam?” Tina’s confused mind was swirling.
“Death only comes to those who are ready for it. His purpose in this world was fulfilled. Yours is not fulfilled. To clear the sadness you must open your heart to the joy.” Tina sighed in frustration. This woman talked in riddles, and it was starting to irritate her.
“What if Liam isn’t my destiny? What if I choose to walk away from him?” she snapped, and Delaky’s eerie, almost colorless eyes stared bleakly into her own.
“Liam would spiral into a mad death,” she said bluntly, stunning Tina into silence. “A wolf’s mate is a sacred gift. The bond is a golden light between two pieces of soul. If it is withheld after the mating is begun, it will breed the sickness of loneliness. There is no cure for this disease of the heart. It is a mortal weakness.”
“Liam will die if I don’t mate with him?” Tina whispered, as the mind numbing fear had stolen her voice. The idea of anything happening to Liam caused her heart to clench painfully.
“The night grows old, and my soul is tired. You should seek out your mate. He is searching for you. He will need your assistance.” Delaky’s tone was one of finality, but Tina hesitated before she moved from her seat.
She turned back to the shaman before she left the front porch in search of Liam. “I don’t know what will happen between Liam and me, but I would never wish death on him. I care about him too much.”
With that last statement she headed back to the party and ran smack into Liam. “Tina! Thank God! I was worried about where you had gotten off to,” he said as he ran his hands up and down her back holding her close.
“Caroline introduced me to Delaky, and we were talking,” she answered. She could hear the desolation in her own voice.
“What did she say to upset you?” he asked warily. He tipped her chin to look at her, and she tried to smile.
“Nothing to worry about. I’m just tired. I think I need to get home.” She stared at his beautifully full lips, refusing to meet his eyes. She was afraid he would see the tumultuous feelings that were circling in her brain if he looked into her eyes.