Stupid shifter senses. Her feelings weren’t even private. Brock dodged her elbow and pulled her tighter against his chest as the woman she’d met briefly at the bridal shop the other day came over to them with a tall, stunning, brunette.
“Brock, darling, come and meet the lovely Stella.” Brock’s mother Adele totally ignored Sammy.
“I told you, Mother. I already have a mate.”
Sammy watched as Adele raised her eyebrow in the most regal way. “I do not see this mate you have been talking about, and if you’d mated her she should be here. She hasn’t come and introduced herself, and you don’t smell mated. So frankly I think you’re just being stubborn and making excuses to get out of things. I think your mate is make-believe.”
Sammy told herself to stay quiet, to stay invisible and not say anything, but she was sick of shrinking into the background. Before Greg, she would never have put up with someone treating her like this woman was now. She wasn’t make-believe. She was Brock’s mate whether she claimed him or not.
Taking a deep breath she told herself that Adele couldn’t do anything to her with Brock so close, and behind them there was a room full of shifters and humans. “Hi, Mrs. Bear. I’m Samantha. We met at the bridal shop the other day. I’m one of Sandy’s bridesmaids.”
The penetrating stare Adele had been giving Brock moved down to her. “I remember you hiding in the corner. Is my son bothering you? Has he put you up to pretending you're his mate so he can get out of events and things I’ve organized? You can say no, and I’ll make sure he doesn’t bother you again.”
Sammy stared dumbfounded at the woman. This was the woman Susie loved? Sandy had told her to watch herself with her. That this woman was amazing the way she worked. On the one hand Adele had given her an out, but on the other, Sammy knew she’d just been snubbed. Adele didn’t think she was Brock’s mate.
Sammy felt Slater come up beside her, and he reached for her hand.
“Adele. I see you’ve met our pretty little mate.” Slater held the hand she wasn’t holding out to Adele. “Stella, it’s nice to see you again.”
Sammy put her hand down and watched as Adele turned red, and her back went rigid as she plastered a fake smile on her face. “Slater, it’s nice of you to lend my son your mate to play this game. And I’m glad you’ve met Stella before. You can tell Brock what a wonderful woman she is.”
“No. Brock is mine. Slater and Brock are both mine.” Sammy didn’t know what came over her. All she knew was Slater and Brock were hers. She wasn’t letting anyone have them, bar her.
“I beg your pardon. You have to be wrong, young lady. If you were their mate you would be claimed by now. My son and Slater have known you for months.”
Adele took a step towards her, and Sammy almost jumped out of her skin as she heard two deep growls, one behind her and one next to her.
“Stay where you are, Mother. I will not even let you touch my mate. And if you do I won’t be as lenient as Jake and Zack.” Sammy could hear the deadly steel in Brock's voice.
Adele’s head shot up from staring daggers at her to look stunned at her son. “I have only ever wanted the best for my children. I don’t think this tiny, fat human is the right choice. One human daughter-in-law I can handle. Two, I’m stretching, but three is too much to pollute our good genes. I think you need to think real hard on your future.” And with that Adele turned and strolled away.
Wow. What a bitch. Maybe being with Slater and Brock was a bad idea. God, who would want that for a mother-in-law?
“Angel, I’m so sorry about her. If it helps, I was mostly raised by nannies.”
Sammy didn’t know whether to feel sorry for Brock that he wasn’t brought up by his mother or not. She turned in his arms and let go of Slater’s hand. “Thank God for that. I hate to think what you would have turned out like otherwise.”
Brock smirked, leaned down, and brushed his lips over hers. “Thanks for telling Mother what you are to me, to us.”
Sammy backed out of his arms as what she’d just done sank in. Both Brock and Slater stood still. Their bodies looked relaxed, but she’d learned that looks could be deceiving. They both wore tiny grins, but their eyes couldn’t hide their piercing gaze of possession, triumph at her finally wanting them and admitting to their family what they were to her. It was the happiness that shone from their faces that convinced her to give them a chance.
“Fine. I’ll date you two.” Their grins became two huge smiles. “There will be rules though. No breaking in or letting yourself in to my house. I learnt from Sandy and Susie that you Bear men think you can let yourself in and help yourself. Second, no pressure about how the relationship is moving along, no asking me to move in or moving me in a week or so into this, no hounding me for sex, no telling me what to do.” Sammy gave both men her best stern stare, so they knew she meant business.