“Of course. Come on in.”
Opening the door wide, she followed Shelby inside. The bedside lamp was still on, and Ian had turned down the sheets. He was sitting propped up on his pillows, and he opened his arms, beckoning Shelby forward.
“Come on, sweets. Let’s snuggle.”
With a grin, Shelby took off and jumped onto the bed, snuggling into Ian’s side. Hugging her close, he stroked her hair and glanced up at Holly. Thank you, he mouthed.
Smiling back, her heart melting at the big fighter snuggling his tiny daughter, Holly walked to the bed, climbing in on the other side of Shelby, leaving her right in the middle, where she should be.
“This is really awesome,” Shelby said softly, turning to cuddle into Holly’s side.
“It definitely is,” Holly agreed as Ian turned on his side, reaching a hand over and grasping her hip, cuddling her and Shelby close.
They were quiet for long moments, and Ian reached over and switched the light off, returning to snuggle them both.
“I love you, Daddy,” Shelby whispered.
“I love you too, sweets. So much.”
More silence. And then, “Holly… can I call you Mom? I want you to be mine so badly, but it’s okay if you say no. Maybe one day.”
Breath catching, tears burned her eyes hotly as her chest tightened painfully. Ian was squeezing her hip, his fingers flexing, and when she glanced at him, he had a look of joy on his face she’d ever seen before.
Clearing her throat and trying to will the tears away, she said, “I’d be honored if you called me Mom, Shelby. There is absolutely nothing I’d like more.”
Even in the darkness, Holly could see Shelby’s smile, the happiness in it lighting up the room.
“Goodnight Dad… Mom,” she whispered drowsily.
Had Holly said earlier that the moment couldn’t get more perfect? She was wrong. This, right here, was the very definition of perfection.
IAN PACED AROUND THE CLEARING, UNABLE TO STAY STILL. All Alex could recall of the glimpse of his phone in the vision was the date, so they were flying blind when it came to what time the War
Cats would show up. So they sent the mates and Shelby off early this morning, before the dawn, and then came here.
The plan was for Jax and Seth to shift and be ready to go at a moment’s notice once the tribe got here. Ian was remaining human so he could talk to the tigers, and Alex had to keep his human skin as well, for as long as possible. His dragon was massive, and they didn’t want to risk him being seen by humans unless absolutely necessary.
Checking his phone, he saw that it was nearly noon. They’d been here for hours, and could be here for still more. But he didn’t think he could handle that. He was going batshit crazy already, and he needed something to happen now, to get this over with, for good or for bad.
He missed Holly and Shelby. It hadn’t been that long since he saw them last, really, but under the circumstances, it felt like weeks, and the ache in his gut intensified as he thought of them. Every happiness, every soul searing joy, everything he could have imagined, was right in front of him, begging him to reach out and grab it. And he longed to, was already making strides to do just that, but with this hanging over their heads, he couldn’t fully realize that dream. Could never relax and enjoy it, knowing the fucking War Cats could end it at any moment.
If Kian would just answer the fucking phone, they could maybe put a stop to this. But he was still MIA. And yeah, Ian was worried about his friend, he really was. But right this moment, standing in this clearing waiting on the tigers, he was more pissed off than anything. This wouldn’t be happening at all if Kian would just answer his damn phone.
Stiffening as he heard movement in the woods behind him, he exchanged wary glances with Alex. According to his vision, the tribe would be coming from the forest leading to the mountains, not from the woods between them and Eagle Creek. Alex’s visions weren’t absolute—things could change if someone changed their minds. But coming from that direction made no sense.
Unless the tribe went to Eagle Creek first. Blood icing in his veins, Ian felt himself sway on his feet. They could have gone to get to their mates, to Holly and Shelby. Reminding himself that they left town this morning, he breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart as their small band of fighters turned to face the woods.
The footsteps came closer, and he braced himself. Jaw dropping as the first man cleared the tree line, he watched as first Chase MacKeltar and his brother Ty walked out, followed by their sister’s mate, Garret. And close behind them came the Montgomerys, shifters he only really knew in passing. Jake and Jared, twin brothers, and their sister’s mate, Sam. And… was that Jared’s mate, Adara, walking behind him?
Speechless, he watched as they came to a stop in the clearing, looking around them with keen eyes, all on alert.
“What the hell are y’all doing here?” he asked Chase, finally finding his voice. “I told you to take everyone and get the hell out of town.”
“And you really thought I was going to listen?” Chase replied with an easy grin that couldn’t mask the tension in his eyes. “We sent our mates out of town, but what kind of men, what kind of shifters, would we be if we ran when we could help?”
“This isn’t your fight,” he told him. Looking around, he raised his voice as he repeated it. “This isn’t y’all’s fight.”
“It is,” Ty told him steadily. “You’re one of us. And we all protect our own.”