Shadow Mated(15)

Gash threw his hand up to stop the spewing of words that made no sense.

“Mason, what the hell are you talking about?”

The cougar took a deep breath, hooking his hands around his hips, and staring at the ground. Collecting his thoughts, Gash assumed.

“It’s Destiny,” he muttered. “That bobcat Elder from the Dirt Track Dogs. She’s been in my head, helping me make our clan stronger.”

Gash brushed a palm over his beard, striving for patience. Making the clan stronger was a good thing. He’d been trying to do that himself, but the only solution he’d found was to bring in the bears.

“Stronger how, exactly?”

Mason lifted his gaze. “I’ve been playing matchmaker, helping along these matings around here. Mated shifters are stronger. Instincts are better tuned, and they can heal. It makes sense that we’d be better off, the more of us that mate.”

Gash opened his mouth to argue, but then slammed it shut. Mason had been setting people up? That explained how in five months flat, half of them were already bonded. Some with young on the way. Gash had chalked it up to their animals being ready. And maybe that still had a lot to do with it.

“But now we have pregnant mates to protect. And Rhys. How does this make us stronger?”

Once again, pain flickered over Mason’s expression. “I said the same thing. But… how much harder do you think Renner will fight, if it means keeping his mate and young safe? Or what about Magic? His young is big enough to kick him through Josie’s belly. I saw his face the other day, when he was holding her, and the little guy must’ve roundhouse kicked his hand. His damn face lit up like a fucking sunrise. Never seen boss like that, ever. And I’ve known him for years. How hard do you think he’d fight to keep Josie and that little one safe?”

Gash swallowed hard at the vision Mason’s words created. Except it wasn’t Magic and Josie he saw. It was him and Bailey. Her, with her belly swollen. Him, with his hand curved around it waiting for their baby to move inside. A young born with her copper complexion and curly hair, and his mixed cat. The perfect combination of him and her.

“Hard,” Gash rumbled. “Like his life depended on it. Because it would.”

Mason nodded slowly. “We’re stronger. We are. But now we’re running out of time. That’s why I’m telling you this straightforward. You’re a straightforward kind of guy. No beating around the bush. So this is me, telling you, you need to be mated by the time Felix comes for us. You need to bond with her, and she with you. You’ll need each other when things go ass up.” Mason pursed his lips, squeezing his eyes closed in a long blink before mumbling through his teeth, “In Destiny’s words, sheeeee, she’s got what you ne-eed. So don’t say she’s just a friend, don’t say she’s just a friend.”

The words were monotone, but Gash recognized the twisted up song lyrics.

Mason held his palms in the air. “I swear, she does this stuff to me all the fucking time, and she doesn’t even have regrets. Butchered that song all to hell, Destiny. I swear,” he muttered, shaking his head.

Gash dragged a hand down his face. He was thankful as fuck he wasn’t Mason right now. Glancing at Bailey’s cabin, he noticed the bedroom light was off. His mate was probably tucked safely in her bed, dreaming this awful night away.

We shouldn’t wake mate.

The cat was right. He didn’t want to worry her, and he could watch over her from afar.

Mason collected his shirt, muttering to himself like he belonged in a straightjacket, and then stomped up his porch steps.

“You mind if I sit on your steps?” Gash asked.

“Sure, whatever. See, at least he asks before barging into my territory. That’s called manners. Say it with me now, maaaaners. You should try it sometime, woman.” Mason slammed the door behind him, cutting off his one-sided argument.

Gash lowered himself to the second step, leaning back on the side rail and kicking his feet up. Crossing his arms, he set his gaze on his Bailey’s cabin. Where it remained until the first glow of the approaching sun bled over the horizon.





Chapter Four



Bailey cleared a larger spot on the counter and set another plate in front of the massive male balancing precariously on a stool. She was running out of room to work, with his plates piling up, and his brother keeping mark with him on the other end of the counter.

She looked back and forth between the two bear shifters. They were twins. Had to be. They had the same short brown hair. The same dark scruff covering their cheeks. Identical chiseled jaws and steel blue eyes. They even had matching muscles. She could stare all day and never tell the difference between Bear #1’s biceps and Bear #2’s.