Unexpected Mates

“Alright then. I’m gonna go grab a shower so I can eat. I’m starving. Let him know I’m looking for him.”

“I will,” Parker responded as she watched him practically sprint from the room. She hadn’t meant to make him uncomfortable, but her impatience had gotten the better of her.

She’d been staring at the television for a while, not really paying attention to the show, when the back door opened and Ty walked in, looking disheveled. He smiled at her, giving her a kiss and sitting beside her, and apologized for being gone so long. Parker snuggled into his side, both of them silent for a few minutes. It looked like he wasn’t going to explain tonight and Parker was done pushing. He would tell her when he was ready.

Chapter Sixteen

Tyler walked through the fields the next morning, checking the crops as he did his rounds. He didn’t really need to be this thorough, but he was hoping the walk would clear his head. He needed to get his shit together. He knew he’d worried Parker last night, and that was unacceptable. She didn’t need to be stressing over him.

He had to suck it up and tell her that he was a shifter. That he could turn into a wolf. That supernatural beings were real.

How the fuck was he going to tell her this shit?

He saw Garret working on one of the sprinkler systems and walked over to see how things were going. And yeah, for a distraction from his thoughts.

Garret looked up and nodded at him. “Still haven’t told her yet, have you?”

Ty stared at him in surprise for a moment before his eyes narrowed. “I hate when you do that shit.”

Garret shrugged. “Sorry. You were loud.”

Ty growled in his throat. “I don’t know how to tell her, man. I don’t want her to run.”

Garret stared at him for a moment, his light gray eyes intense and penetrating. Ty fought off a shiver. Garret was so different than how he’d been even a year ago, and while Ty was glad he’d finally seemed to grow up, this new version of Garret was a little unsettling.

“I think you should give her some credit. There’s a good chance she’ll surprise you.” With those cryptic words, the fox shifter turned and strode quickly toward the woods.

“What the hell does that mean? Do you know something? Garret!” Ty boomed, voice echoing. Garret didn’t even slow down, just disappeared into the woods. “Fuck!”

Ty let out a string of curse words as he turned to finish his inspection of the fields. Trust Garret to drop shit like that and then leave.

What had he meant by that? Would Parker truly be accepting of his world, of what he really was?

Suddenly exhausted of the constant back and forth in his thoughts and emotions, and more than ready to put this uncertainty behind him, Tyler resolved to tell Parker the truth tonight. Determination filled him, and relief as well, to get this out in the open. It was time. He was ready. He only hoped Parker was.

His cell rang and Tyler pulled it from his pocket, answering without looking at the screen. “Tyler MacKeltar.”

“Ty,” Chase said urgently. “Get your ass to the house. Ian just called. He’s been tracking the wolf shifter, and she’s back on the property and headed toward the house. I’m on my way back from town, so I’m not close.”

Ty cursed as he flung his phone down and instantly let his wolf have his body, uncaring that he ruined his clothes. They were replaceable. Parker and the pup weren’t.

He took off as soon as all four paws hit the ground, streaking through the woods like lightning. Making it back to the house in record time, he skidded in the lawn, razor sharp claws digging into the dirt to stop his forward motion, and took in the situation.

A massive orange and black striped tiger was pacing in front of pig pen. A cream colored wolf was cowering against the corner of the fence and the barn, alternating between whines and snarls. She was scared, but defiant, and desperate to get free. She lunged to the side, but the tiger followed, hissing and snarling, pushing her back into place.

The sound of the front door opening hit his ears, and Ty turned his head to see Parker coming down the front steps. She had her camera in her hand and was looking down and fiddling with it, not seeing the commotion in front of her. The cream wolf snarled and Parker looked up, shock filling her eyes as the camera fell unheeded to the ground.

Heart stopping and his chest filling with fear, Tyler shot toward her, intent on getting between her and the other shifters.

Protect mate, his wolf growled.

Ty almost stumbled over his dinner plate sized feet. Mate? His wolf was finally calling Parker his mate? Shaking himself free of distracting thoughts but unable to stop the relief that flooded him with his wolf’s revelation, Ty resolved to get back to that once Parker and their pup were safe. His animal’s timing definitely needed work.

Just barely catching a glimpse of the shock on her face as he passed her, Ty skidded to a stop in front of her, placing himself between her and the cream wolf.

“Tyler?”

Ty couldn’t stop his head from whipping toward Parker at her whisper. She knew it was him? How did she know that?