“She’s afraid to trust us even though she agrees we’re her mates,” I explained.
Rob slowly shook his head. “Shit,” he muttered. “Her father took off when she was a teen. He’s a fucking asshole for what he did to his family, and he’s been long gone. If he came back there would be a long line of shifters who’d want to fight him. I didn’t realize it still messed with her. She comes off as strong and capable. Independent as fuck. She’s a real sweetheart. The type to help others, not ask for it.”
I agreed with everything he said, and we’d only known her less than a day.
“I guess it’ll take time for that to come, to believe you won’t bail like her father. And she’s got two mates, not one. It’s going to be doubly hard for her.” He looked between us.
We didn’t say anything because he was only voicing what we already knew.
Rob sat back and steepled his fingers. “The roles are kind of reversed with her and her mom. She had to be strong to get her mom through the devastation of being left. Maybe it’s as simple as her not wanting to inflict the same pain by her leaving, too.”
Gib’s brows shot up. “Fuck.”
I brought my fist down on the desk. “Dammit. We should have thought of that. She called it off after she spoke to her mom on the phone.”
Gibson stood. “Let’s go get our mate,” he said to me. “Thank you, Rob.” He held his hand out.
Rob looked at it. “Yeah, not falling for that one again,” he muttered, and Gib grinned.
“Sorry about that. I’m the dick, I know.”
“Mates.” Rob shook his head. “They’d give us all ulcers, if shifters could get them.” He shook my hand and slapped me on the shoulder.
He led us out. At his front door, we turned to face him.
I shook his hand again. “If you’ll give us directions to her mother’s house, it seems it’s time to get some things straightened out.”
He told us the way. “Good luck. Make that girl happy, or I’ll kick the living shit out of you.”
“Depend on it,” Gib said with his hand in the air, striding out to the truck.
11
SHELBY
I knew before I even heard the crunch of gravel under their tires that they were here. My body started quivering, and I surged to my feet and threw open the door. I couldn’t wait a second longer to be close to them.
Ben’s truck tore into the drive and lurched to a stop, and both males tumbled out and came striding toward me.
I ran for them.
“Shelby-girl.” Gibson caught me up in his arms and squeezed me so tight I lost my breath. “Looks like you missed us.” He set me down and cupped my face brushing the errant strands of hair back. Ben came and stood behind me, so I was sandwiched with their huge, hard bodies. I leaned my head against Ben’s solid chest.
God, being between them soothed something in me. Made me happy. Content. It was as if all my troubles couldn’t get to me around their huge bodies.
“How’d you find me?” I wondered.
“Your alpha gave us directions,” Ben said.
I gasped at the implications. The screen door opened, and both men looked over at my mom standing on the porch. Without waiting for an introduction, Gibson strode over and held out his hand. “Ma’am, I’m Gibson West, alpha of the Two Marks pack, and this is Ben Davies. We’re your daughter’s mates.”
“I’m Marne.” My mom ignored his extended hand and threw her arms wide, giving him a classic mom hug, even though she’d never met the guy.
Ben led me over, so he could receive the same welcome.
“Ma’am, I’d like to invite you to join our pack in Wyoming,” Gibson offered.
His words froze me in place. What?
“We’ll provide you with a home, and I can offer you work, if you’d like it. Know though, that you’ll be taken care of.”
“I don’t take charity,” she said, her back bristling as if her she-wolf had spoken.
“No, ma’am,” he continued. “But we know how important it would be to Shelby to have you near. And of course, to your grandpups.”
“Grandpups!” My mom whirled, her face lighting up as she looked at me. Oh, he’d said the magic words. How had he known she was baby crazy? “Nothing would make me happier!”
All at once, everything heavy became light. Like one of those moments when the gray clouds parted and the sun came shining down. Going to Wyoming with my mates suddenly took on a completely different hue. Like Mom had said, it wasn’t Siberia. She had nothing holding her here.
“Really?” I asked, stunned by the whiplash-like turn of events… and my emotions. I’d gone from despondent to hopeful in seconds. “You’ll come with me to Wyoming?” I turned to Gibson. “And that’s okay? I don’t have a job and—”