The Feline Gaze, page 11
My aunt considers what Matthew is saying, and then she shakes her head.
“I knew he was up to something.”
“Pardon?” Matthew asks.
“My husband,” Aunt Jean sighs. She looks at me. “Alastair told you the old man was sick, didn’t he?”
“He did.”
“Well, despite his illness, Jacob has been up to his old shenanigans. Honestly, love, I probably should have divorced the old bat years ago, but,” she shakes her head. “I love him. What can I say? Love makes us stupid. Come on. Let’s go find the guy. Don’t you worry,” my aunt says to Matthew. “We’ll get this sorted out.”
She turns and heads inside.
“Jacob!” She calls out.
Matthew and I exchange confused looks because neither one of us is exactly sure what to do next. We hear some noises and turn to see a car pulling up to the house. Alastair and Melanie step out. They’re both dressed properly again, and I notice that Melanie has fixed her hair. Cute. Honestly, no one will know or realize what they were up to just a little while ago in Alastair’s office.
“Are we too late?” Alastair asks, running up.
“Your mom just went in to find Uncle Jacob.”
“Good,” Alastair darts inside with Melanie close at his heels. Matthew and I follow them into the lovely farmhouse. We ignore the pretty curtains, the smell of apple pie, and the vanilla candle burning on the center of the table. Instead, we move swiftly up the stairs and to my uncle’s office, where the rest of the family has gathered.
Then we squeeze into the little room.
As my cousin warned me, Uncle Jacob isn’t looking well. In fact, he looks terribly ill. My heart cracks just a little as I realize that his prognosis really is bad. I don’t think my uncle is going to make it very much longer, and that kind of breaks my heart a little. It’s totally not fair that a disease would sweep away the remaining years of his life.
Are my uncle and I close?
No.
Do I like him?
No.
Does that mean he deserves this?
Also no.
Nobody deserves to die at the hands of something invisible like a disease. It’s not fair, and it’s not the shifter way. Shifters want to go out in a blaze of glory. We want to go out fighting for our lives, fighting for our freedom, or fighting for the people we love.
Withering away?
That’s not our style.
Yet that’s exactly what my uncle is facing, I realize, as he stares at the crowd gathered around him.
“I didn’t mean anything by it,” he’s saying to my aunt.
“What the hell, Jacob?” She hisses. “You told me that boy didn’t have his permits. You said his company was an illegal organization. You said a lot of different things to me, and now I find out it’s just because you don’t like birds? They’re fucking birds, Jacob. What are they going to do? Tweet at you?”
My uncle has the decency to look ashamed.
“Dad,” Alastair steps forward. “I can’t let you do this. You can’t move forward with what’s happening.”
My uncle frowns, but he says nothing.
“Mr. Cambridge,” Melanie speaks. “I know that change is hard. It’s difficult for all of us. Even when we’re expecting change, it can be hard to accept and manage, but it still finds us. What you’re doing to Mr. Ridge is wrong. He’s trying to do something good for the next generation of shifters.”
“We don’t need more shifters in this town.”
“But we do need jobs,” Melanie says.
I silently send her some you go girl vibes as I watch my future cousin-in-law demonstrating what a brave badass she is.
“Uncle Jacob, I know that change is hard. You’ve helped make Lyon County a wonderful place. Our city, in particular, is absolutely stunning. You’ve done a wonderful job having extra programs implemented that can help kids in the area. You’re worked to ensure that there are after-school programs and a shifter-friendly curriculum in the schools. You’ve even gone above and beyond to make sure that the healthcare in our county is top notch.”
“That’s true,” Matthew says. “You’ve done all of those things.”
“But Dad,” Alastair says. “It’s time to keep making our city great. It’s time to allow for some change.”
My uncle looks at us for just a moment, but then he shakes his head.
“I’m sorry, kids,” he says. “I know that boy got the permits. I know it. Ridge Construction can’t build those apartments, though.”
“Why not?” My aunt asks.
“Because,” my uncle looks up at my aunt. “They’ll change everything.”
“Yes,” she says, kneeling in front of him. “They’ll change a lot of things. New people always do, but sweetie, not all change is bad. These changes that we’re going through now,” she motions to their hearts. “These changes are part of growing older. They’re part of what makes us alive, but your legacy doesn’t have to die with you, baby.” My aunt tears up as she looks at her mate, and I wonder what that must feel like.
What does it feel like to know that you’re going to lose the person you’ve grown up with?
The person you’ve grown old with?
My uncle, I realize, isn’t just a crabby old man. He’s afraid. He’s scared. In fact, my uncle is horrified at the idea that the world is changing and that he won’t be around to see it. I don’t know if there’s a reasonable solution to this problem. I don’t really know what he should do to get over that fear, but I know that making the right choice is a good first decision.
And I think, suddenly, that my uncle knows this, too.
He looks up at his mate and the rest of us stand silently as we watch them. A million different emotions seem to cross his face as he wrestles so hard with the decision before him. What will he choose? Will he do nothing and watch the city he once loved so dearly burn to the ground? Or will he choose to act? Will he take a stand? Will he decide that yes, he can do this?
“I never told you why I hate other shifters so much,” he says to my aunt. The rest of us seem to be forgotten, and part of me thinks I should leave the room, but I know that if I do, the spell will be broken.
“You never did,” my aunt agrees.
“When I was a little boy, I was on a trip,” he says. “My parents and I were camping.”
“Hunting?” My aunt asks.
“No,” he shakes his head. “Just camping.”
He tears up and I realize that the story he’s about to tell is hard for him. He’s struggling to express himself and my heart goes out to him, but I stay silent as he searches for the right words to tell us what happened.
“We were in the woods that day when a group of birds saw us. They thought we were going to fight them for the territory. We didn’t realize that it was out of the bounds of Lyon County,” my uncle says.
“What happened?” Jean’s voice is gentle.
“They swooped down in a group,” he says. He starts to cry as he tells the story. “There were so many of them and so few of us. My mother...she threw her body over mine and protected me while they...while they...there were so many of them,” he repeats.
So that’s why my uncle doesn’t want anyone but tigers here.
That’s why he’s so afraid.
Something terrible happened to him, something horrible, and now he believes that anyone who isn’t like him is a threat or a danger. I’m no psychologist, but I’d venture a guess that when my uncle meets someone who isn’t a shifter, or who is a different kind of shifter than him, that he’s transported back to that time all of those years ago when he felt scared, when he felt afraid.
“I’m so sorry, love,” my aunt whispers. She steps forward and wraps her arms around my uncle. He’s still sitting in his chair and she pulls his head to her chest.
“It’s not fair,” he whispers.
“No, it’s not,” she agrees. “What happened wasn’t very fair at all. It’s not fair that a little boy lost his parents. It’s not fair,” she looks at him. “But it’s not fair to deny housing to people just because of who they are, either.”
My uncle thinks about the story he’s shared. In fact, we all do. The look on Alastair’s face says that he’d never heard this story, either. I think we all just supposed that my uncle’s parents passed away of natural causes. Jean is my mother’s sister and Jacob married into the family, so I never really wondered or pushed. I never asked questions about his past because, well, it never really seemed that important to me.
Suddenly, it seems very important.
Suddenly, everything shifts into place.
“Okay,” he finally says. “I’ll call the paper. I’ll retract my statement.” He turns to Matthew and nods. He doesn’t apologize, but he says, “Don’t make me regret this, son.”
“You have my word,” Matthew says. Then he motions for me to move out of the room and the two of us step out. We give my uncle, aunt, and cousins some time together. Matthew and I head down the tiny hallway, down the stairs, and go back outside. We sit down on the big, wide porch wrapped in our soft blankets, and we look out at the beautiful scene around us.
It’s grass and trees for as far as the eye can see. There are hills blanketed with wildflowers and the occasional cow, but for the most part, it’s just open and wild, and I love it. I love this moment. I love being here with Matthew.
“You know,” I say. “My uncle’s confession got me thinking.”
“Is that right?”
“I don’t date,” I look up at him. “I have a sort of rule, actually.”
“Just one night?”
“Just one night,” I agree. “It’s more than that, though. It’s sort of a code for how I live my life.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I don’t connect with people. I keep everyone at a distance because I’m scared of getting hurt, but with you...”
“What about me?”
“I guess I don’t care if you hurt me. I guess the pain would be totally worth it for the chance to get to love you.”
“Is that right?” He asks.
“Yeah,” I nod.
It’s a secret I’ve been holding close to my heart for as long as I can remember. It’s something I’ve always been scared to share: my fear. Maybe it’s because of how my parents’ marriage ended. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen so many people hurt one another. Maybe it’s a combination of all of those things.
I don’t have all of the answers, but I do have one bright, wonderful thing to look forward to: Matthew.
“Cassidy,” he says. “You’re my mate.”
His words settle deep in my soul. It’s a secret I want to grab and bury deep inside of me so I can cling to it and hold onto it.
Mates.
It’s something I never really believed in before, but now it seems like it makes perfect sense. Our animals crave each other. Our hearts want each other. Our lives have intertwined in a way that logic just can’t really explain, and when I’m with Matthew, suddenly, the entire world seems like it makes sense.
It seems like everything is going to be okay.
We’re going to be okay.
“I know,” I whisper, and he chuckles.
“You know, huh?”
“I suspected.”
“Well, I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
He kisses me, pulling me close, and he holds me. Together, we watch the afternoon sun rise higher in the sky and as we look at what lies before us, I realize that no matter what tomorrow brings, I’ll always have Matthew by my side.
That’s the beauty of true mates.
You always have hope.
Epilogue
Cassidy
Once upon a time, there was a girl who fell in love.
She wasn’t particularly smart or clever or even very brave, but she took a chance.
She took a shot.
Now, the world seems like it’s a little bit brighter.
It seems more beautiful.
It seems clear.
When I decided to go to a mixer to meet other single shifters in my area, I didn’t think things could possibly get any worse than they already were, but I didn’t take the time to consider that they might go right. I didn’t take the time to think that I could meet someone who makes my heart soar.
“Are you ready?” Matthew walks into the room and smiles. He looks me up and down and then grabs me, pulling me close. He kisses me gently, softly, and nips at my lips in that special way I just love.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I say.
“You look fantastic.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
“What about me?” He asks, spinning in a circle.
“Stunning,” I laugh.
“We should get going then,” he says. “The wedding is in half an hour. We don’t want to be late.”
“Nope,” I shake my head and smile. “We don’t want that.”
But my hands are still on his chest, and he’s still holding me close, and neither one of us is even sort of trying to pull away and get to the wedding. Something tells me that if we aren’t careful, we might end up missing the ceremony entirely because neither one of us can seem to get enough of the other.
He kisses me then, crushing his lips to mine, owning my mouth, and warmth fills my body and my soul. This is exactly where I’m supposed to be, I realize, and that’s a wonderous feeling. For the first time in my entire life, I’m not worried or scared or sad. I’m not thinking about anything except how wonderful it feels to be loved by a man who truly understands me.
Matthew Ridge is everything I could have ever hoped for in a mate.
He’s driven and kind and gentle.
He’s intuitive.
Most of all, he’s passionate about everything he does, and that drives me crazy with excitement. He’s wonderful and gentle and so abso-fucking-lutely fantastic that I can’t believe I ever managed to survive this long without him.
Now I get to wake up every morning in his arms.
Now I get to start my day knowing that I am totally, completely, and absolutely loved.
And I get to know that me and Matthew?
We’re forever.
And always.
THE END
Author
Sophie Stern loves cowboys, soldiers, and shifters. When she’s not busy writing, she’s got her nose buried in a book. Sophie lives with her husband and two little boys who are always keeping her on her toes.
You can connect with Sophie through her website or on Facebook.
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Books
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other books!
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CONQUERED (The Hidden Planet)
Abducted.
Taken.
Locked away.
Fiona doesn't know true fear until she is whisked away from her loving family and doting boyfriend. When she finds herself on an alien ship with only a giant beast for company, her fear turns to anger when she realizes her loved ones have betrayed her.
Quinn doesn't know what to do with the squirrely little human aboard his ship. Yeah, he bought her, but only to save her from a worse fate. She has no idea what could have happened to her if he hadn't found her. She has no idea what could have happened on Dreagle. But now she's on his ship and somehow, she's wormed her way into his heart. Can he ever let her go?
CONQUERED is available wherever eBooks are sold.
ALIEN BEAST
He's a war hero.
She's a virgin.
He's broken.
She's perfect.
When he finds her in the midst of an alien war, Luke takes Willow for himself. He can't help himself. He's never taken a prisoner alive before, but Willow is different. He needs her. He wants her. Most of all, he craves her.
Willow is a human who has the worst luck in the world. When the tour ship she's on malfunctions and crash-lands on the wrong planet, she's thrust into the middle of a war: one she has no desire to be in.
Then everything changes.
She's captured by an alien beast unlike anything she's ever seen before.
And the worst part is that after awhile, she's not so sure she wants him to let her go.
ALIEN BEAST is available wherever eBooks are sold.
ALIEN DRAGON
I'm on the last ship out.
I don't think I'm going to make it, but I do. Earth is dying and there's only one way I can possibly survive: fight for a spot on the dragon planet of Taneyemm.
They don't want humans there.
They don't like us.
They don't know us.
But when I step foot on the ship bound for Taneyemm, I know it's my last hope. I'll do anything I have to survive.
I'll do whatever it takes.
When I finally reach my destination and I see the alien dragons for the first time, I realize I'm in way over my head.
And I don't know if my heart is ready for this.
ALIEN DRAGON is available wherever eBooks are sold.
Hybrid Academy
If you love urban fantasy and fairies, you might also enjoy Hybrid Academy, a story by my alter-ego, L.C. Mortimer. Check out the first chapter here!
Chapter 1
"This isn't what I ordered." The tall man in the suit looked at the coffee and sneered. He thrust the cup back at me. A little bit sloshed over the side of the cup and onto the counter. "And you'd better clean that up."
Biting back irritation, I managed a smile.
"Of course. Anything else I can do for you?” I asked politely. Inside, I felt anything but polite. This guy was being a total jerk, as always. I knew for a fact that his coffee had been made perfectly. He just didn’t like me because I couldn’t do magic.
He wanted Maggie to make his drink.
“A free bagel couldn’t hurt,” the man said, jerking his head toward the display of blueberry bagels.
