Puma Pride, page 8
“It’s that too,” Jolyn blushed but didn’t balk at the adult topic. “It helps to forge a connection between the pair.”
“How,” Minnie asked.
“My mother used to say the physical act released hormones which aided in forming the connection,” Jolyn said. “My godmother, Selene, said it helped connect their souls and hearts.”
“I like the last one,” Minnie said. “But the first sounds more interesting.”
“My mom liked biology and genetics,” Jolyn said keeping the grief off her face.
Brady rubbed his hand over her back, hearing the slight hitch as she talked about her mother. Jolyn leaned into him accepting the comfort he offered. She sighed as he kissed the top of her head.
As everyone finished eating, Mia said, “We’ll meet you in Bryan’s office. Minnie, it’s time for your lessons.”
“Aww mom,” Minnie complained.
“You should go to your lessons and pay attention,” Jolyn suggested as she stacked plates together. Efficiently, she combined the items on the table to reduce the number of trips to the kitchen. “After, you’ll be able to ask Starry to bake cookies.”
“Hey, we have people who do that,” Minnie frowned as Jolyn organized the items.
“This makes it easier on whoever’s taking things to the kitchen,” Jolyn said.
“How’d you learn to do it,” Minnie asked.
“I worked as a waitress for a few months,” Jolyn informed as she turned away from the table.
“How many jobs have you had,” Bryan asked.
“A lot,” Jolyn admitted.
One of the mothers set her little one on the floor as she cleared the area. The kit toddled around and out of reach. Jolyn smiled at the antics until the kit made a beeline to her. She squatted down as the small kit toddled towards her. Losing her balance, the kit nearly fell but Jolyn scooped her up in time. She heard the menacing growl of the mother.
The little kit patted her cheeks and babbled. Jolyn smiled at the little one. Black and brown hair and small stature indicated one of the smaller breeds of wild cats. “Lovely,” Jolyn walked towards the snarling mother. “I think your mama wants you a lot closer.” Jolyn met angry green eyes.
“How dare you,” the female growled.
“Your kit is beautiful,” Jolyn complimented as she waited for the female to take her kit back. Whether she got swiped in the meanwhile she didn’t care.
“Cordele,” her mate murmured by her side.
“I see she takes after you in looks. You’re very fortunate,” Jolyn tried to hand the baby back but she clung to her.
“I’m Garriety and this is my mate Cordele,” her mate introduced.
“It’s an honor to meet you,” Jolyn said softly aware all eyes were on them. One did not mess with the mothers of the Pride or Pack. Not if one wanted to live.
“Give Holly here,” Cordele demanded.
“It doesn’t look like she wants to go back to you,” Garriety murmured as Holly clung to Jolyn. Holly settled her head on Jolyn’s shoulder and purred. Automatically Jolyn swayed gently.
“She’s so sweet,” Jolyn stepped closer to Cordele when logic should have had her backing away.
“God, we could have used you last night,” Garriety whispered as his kit fell asleep in Jolyn’s arms. Garriety ran his hands down Cordele’s arms. “She’s been fussy at night, not sleeping through.”
“How difficult for you,” Jolyn gently took the sleeping kit off her shoulder to hold her out for Cordele.
“Worth every moment,” Cordele snapped but she gently shifted her daughter to her shoulder.
“Definitely,” Jolyn agreed, smiling at the sleeping kit.
“Everything all right,” Brady stepped up behind Jolyn. He’d held his breath when she picked up the kit. Now he felt her too far away from him.
“Enforcer,” Cordele sighed. “Your mate touched my kit.”
“I saw,” Brady waited to see if Cordele would complain about it.
Cordele stared at Jolyn for long moments. Jolyn made a point of meeting her eyes. “She put my kit to sleep. I’m grateful.” The last she said reluctantly.
“You should probably sleep while she sleeps,” Mia suggested.
“Yes, ma’am,” Cordele sighed. “Thank you.”
Garriety wrapped his arms around his mate and led her away from the dining hall. Cordele glanced back over her shoulder to give Jolyn an assessing look.
"Dangerous,” Brady murmured as he encouraged her out of the dining hall.
“Babies like you,” Mia stated as she walked by Jolyn’s side.
“Yes,” she agreed softly.
“It’s why the Pack allowed you to be with their puppies,” Mia surmised as she watched Jolyn out of the corner of her eyes. “You can’t blame yourself for their deaths. You didn’t pull the trigger. Someone else did.”
“I know,” Jolyn swallowed. “You have no idea how horrible what I saw was.”
“I don’t,” Mia paused. “But I understand your need to protect any other young ones.”
“Thank you,” Jolyn said after a moment’s hesitation.
4
Brady wrapped her in his arms away from the others. In the interim days, he made love to her often, they ate with the Pride, and he kept her close to him. Now he had to let her go out with a bear.
“You’re growling again,” Jolyn tipped her head to gaze up at him. “Brady, kiss me.”
His lips immediately took hers. He started gentle, teasing and then as she relaxed into his arms, he added need and desire. What surprised him was the need and desire she met his demands with. Reluctantly, he raised his mouth slightly from hers. “When I get back, I want a bath. Can we do dinner in the room?”
“Anything you want,” he murmured.
She flushed as she whispered, “I want to be alone and naked with you.”
“Say the word and I’ll strip,” he teased.
“You did hear the word alone, right,” Jolyn blushed a deeper shade of red.
“I heard it,” he growled. “I want it too.”
“Good so tonight, you and me and no one else,” Jolyn said. “I’ll wear that…”
“Nothing,” he said. “I’ll feed you in bed with nothing on and my lips nibbling on all your best parts.”
“Brady,” she sighed his name and rubbed her hands over his chest.
“We should go,” Mia said from the other side of the room. Dressed in running shoes and pants, she stood next to Bryan.
“The bears are in place,” Bryan reminded Brady.
“Hand over my cub,” Willie growled though he wanted to laugh at the cat. He was domesticated by his little Jo. “The sooner we go, the sooner we’ll be back and everyone will be happier.”
“How long will it take,” Brady asked.
“Should be about two hours,” Jolyn touched his cheek before stepping back from him towards Willie. She tugged on his hand when he didn’t immediately follow.
“Maybe three,” Willie said, “We’re taking a less direct route. To be careful.”
“Careful is good,” Brady put his hands on Jolyn’s shoulders as they stood discussing.
“You two will be on alert here,” Mia met her mate’s eyes and they nodded.
“The kits will be safe,” Brady kissed the top of Jolyn’s head. “There will be no damage to any of our young ones.”
“Three hours and then we start studying,” Mia let out a sigh. She turned to Bryan. Nothing said but her eyes met his. She started to turn but he swept her into his arms.
“Be safe, my wild cat,” he murmured before releasing her.
“You’ve got big bears with you,” Brady glared at Willie.
“Smart… and big,” Willie assured him.
“I’ll be fine,” Jolyn stepped between the two big men. Going on tiptoe, she pulled Brady into her arms. “Tonight. You and me. You promised.”
“I’ll keep here safe,” Brady swept her into his arms and kissed her like there was no tomorrow.
“We’ll get the research and be back here in no time,” Jolyn assured him.
“Don’t get cocky. Run and hide if you have to,” Brady growled.
“You know me,” Jolyn cupped his face and grinned.
“That’s why he’s telling you,” Willie snorted.
“I love you,” Jolyn pressed her lips one more time before wiggling away from him.
He watched her walk out the front door surrounded by bears. She glanced back one last time. Willie glared at him. “She’s my cub, I’ll keep her safe.”
“I’ll die without her,” Brady confessed.
Willie saw he was serious and nodded. He gripped both men’s hands before leaving. The door shut with a finality Brady didn’t want to hear.
“We get to stay home and ring our hands,” Bryan snarled. Turning on his brother, he hissed a challenge.
“Not ring our hands,” Brady straightened his shoulders. When she left the room, he felt smaller, less in so many ways. “Protect that which those two women hold dear.”
“The kits,” Bryan took a deep breath on seeing his brother’s determination. “Where do we think they’ll come from?”
“The gate is most vulnerable but also puts us immediately on alert,” Brady considered their plans. They shifted the nursery and split up the kids and pregnant women. Two women were very near delivery and in delicate condition.
“We’ll head to the operations center,” Bryan turned towards the interior of the house.
“Now we’re on our way, will you tell me where this research is hidden,” Mia asked.
“Are we being followed,” Jolyn asked.
“Yes, they picked us up less than two minutes from the house,” Willie said.
“Are we switching to plan B,” Mia asked trying not to look back but realized tinted windows and she stared out the back window. She saw a gray sedan and black SUV. She wondered if it was the same car which snatched Minnie.
“Not yet,” Jolyn bit her lip. “Maybe I should have destroyed it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Willie patted her hands. “It’s a couple of cars. We’ll handle it.”
“Who? Who wants this so bad they’re willing to take down the strongest Pride in the region,” Jolyn asked.
“Rogue shifters,” Mia suggested as they toyed with the idea all along.
“Most shifters want a home and acceptance,” Jolyn said. “You said it yourself. Even the Bears who are mostly solitary creatures want a mate and home.”
“True,” Mia closed her eyes. “I want to shift.”
“Not yet,” Jolyn put a calming hand on her shoulder. “We need to figure this out.”
“It could be the humans,” Willie growled. “There are always factions rising up to try to overthrow the shifters.”
“Like shifters did to the humans,” Jolyn said. “It’s possible. If it’s someone who was in the know enough to have information on my mom’s work, it might be someone from the old human military.”
“What exactly did she study,” Mia asked.
“My mom’s hobby was mythology.” Jolyn breathed slowly fighting grief. “She loved to track down versions of myths and compare them. If you do a search on them, you’ll find a ton of articles discussing different mythologies and stories, especially about shifters.”
“Selene probably helped,” Willie grumbled.
“She and Selene worked together until Selene met you,” Jolyn gripped his hand.
“Even after,” Willie confirmed. “It’s how she started with the shifter myths.
“No. Mom collected books and stories on shifters, werewolves and other were animals,” Jolyn countered him.
“They worked on it a long time,” Willie agreed. “It’s what brought Selene into my life.”
“Because she was getting too close,” Mia asked.
“She was. I warned her off and she smiled her beautiful bright smile,” Willie’s big round face and brown eyes lit up with joy. “Damned if I was letting her leave my side. I took her to the den and shared everything.”
“She and mom argued after Selene met you,” Jolyn informed him. “Selene wanted to stop and tried to get mom to stop but mom was stubborn.”
“You’re like her,” Willie snorted.
“Selene chose you from the beginning,” Jolyn leaned on Willie and then hugged him.
“How does this get us to shifter mythology and your mom’s data,” Mia asked.
“Sorry. It’s a lot of memories. They stopped speaking for like three days before mom caved. I don’t know what happened between them but mom came home determined to find out more,” Jolyn continued. “Behind Selene’s back, she researched and gathered information. She kept it on the down low from everyone but dad.”
“And you,” Willie prompted.
“I snooped,” Jolyn confessed. “She muttered to herself and she kept journals and all sorts of documents. Dad helped her digitize it.”
“Why,” Mia asked.
“She was afraid. I was thirteen I think and I came home to all the evidence my mom collected cleared out. She and dad sat me down and explained I wasn’t to talk about shifters or anything they worked on. From that point, it was all secret,” Jolyn said.
“She came to Selene after we’d been together for a year and shared,” Willie said. “Now my Selene is a calm, quiet woman. She rarely loses her temper but she steamed that day.”
“What don’t I know,” Jolyn asked.
“Only bits,” Willie evaded.
“She wrote a history of shifters,” Mia asked. “How is that possible? Each pride, pack, den and whatever has only ever kept an oral history of their members.”
“Research and anecdotal evidence,” Jolyn said. “Dad was a brilliant geneticist. They both sort of were.”
“They put the two together,” Mia asked.
“They did,” Willie nodded his big head once.
“How accurately,” Mia asked.
“I don’t know,” Jolyn said. “The government demanded it. The human military. Different groups. My mother refused all who came at her for it.”
“Which explains why you’ve hidden it and I understand why you want to keep it safe,” Mia saw movement as one of the vehicles following them passed them. “Do we want them to surround us?”
“Patience,” Willie murmured.
“You have in your possession a history of shifters,” Mia said. “Along with DNA evidence.”
“I do,” Jolyn stared at Mia waiting for her to get angry.
“Did you tell all the fuckers to fuck the hell off after your mother died,” Mia asked.
Jolyn snorted. “I denied everything. There was a fire pit in the back yard where my father burned all the documents and he must have done some recently. More than one assumed the documents were burned.”
“You made the government think you destroyed them. Did they really believe it,” Mia asked thinking she wouldn’t have.
“I hoped they believed it but it became apparent they didn’t believe me,” Jolyn said. “For the first six months after their deaths, every time I went out, I was followed. My house was broken into and searched several times. I couldn’t take it anymore and went to Willie.”
“We hid her in the den for weeks,” Willie said. “Since then, it’s been a series of jobs and apartments.”
“When someone got impatient, they’d do something, and I’d take off again.” Jolyn said.
“They’ve been after you for the last three years,” Mia realized.
“Longer I think,” Jolyn said. “I was barely nineteen when my parents died. From thirteen, I wasn’t allowed out without one of my parents or Willie with me.”
“Ten years,” Mia stared. “Ten years you’ve been hunted and evaded them?”
“I’ve always had Willie and his Sleuth to protect me,” Jolyn reminded her. “I didn’t take it seriously until I was seventeen. I took dad’s car and went to the mall on my own. I was sick of following the rules. I wanted to shop for clothes without someone there to comment or approve or disapprove. I wanted…”
“To be a teenager,” Mia understood.
“I left a note. I went to the mall and I wandered.” Jolyn closed her eyes and sighed. “I was drinking one of those awful drinks which turns you tongue a color when I noticed people who were out of place. I sat there nearly pissing my pants because I realized my parents were right. I was in danger and these people who followed me…”
“We trained her to protect herself,” Willie admitted. “Not enough. I wanted her to do more but her mother refused.”
“How did you get away,” Mia asked fascinated by the story.
“I turned my phone off when I left,” Jolyn confessed. “I knew as soon as my parents realized, I was out on my own my phone would blow up and they’d trace it. I took it with but I turned it off. I opened my phone, covertly turning it on. I knew I had one chance to make a call. I called Willie.”
“Good thing too,” Willie snorted. “I took a number of my security and almost got to her in time.”
“You got there in time,” Jolyn said. “I just had to take care of myself a bit.”
“What did you do,” Mia asked.
“I went into the most obnoxious teen clothing store and browsed,” Jolyn said. “They couldn’t enter because it was filled with teenage girls. Even the clerks were teenage girls.”
“They could have barreled right in there and taken you,” Mia suggested.
“It was a risk but I hoped they wanted to be covert more than they wanted me. I picked up clothes randomly as I walked around. I knew the back dressing room was next to an emergency door.” Jolyn picked at her jeans.
“You shopped for clothes, keeping an eye on these bad guys, and went to the dressing room. Did you make a beeline for the emergency exit?” Mia asked enthralled with Jolyn’s story.
“No,” Willie shook his head. “She watched and waited.”
“A clerk came to ask me if I needed help,” Jolyn said. “Behind her I could see four men waiting right outside the store. I knew I couldn’t outrun them. They were tall fit guys. When the clerk turned her back to head back into the store, I walked the other way so she blocked them seeing me going into a different room. I got in the back room and realized the initial plan of running was doomed to fail. I opened the door and pushed it as hard as I could. Alarms went off and I ducked back behind some stock shelves.”
