“I’m sorry, Kye,” she sniffled, praying she wouldn’t cry. She was so tired of crying.
“No,” he mumbled, pulling back so he could cup her face with both hands. His amber eyes were wet with unshed tears. “I understand now. I should’ve never gotten angry with you for wanting to learn to fight.”
“Really?” She grinned, feeling hope for the first time since he’d raised hell about her training.
“I want to help you train from now on,” he stated.
“Really?” she gasped.
“Yes, love,” he smiled at her, “I want to take over your training. That way, I know for sure you will be able to defend yourself if it is ever needed again.”
“I love you, Kye,” she breathed out, taking his lips before he could reply.
Chapter Seven
Three weeks after the Solstice, Talon paced the length of his office, his mind crammed with worry for his mate and his mother. Harold had just left the office and had told him that his mother’s blood work came back showing an infection in her body. They’d started her on a special medicine to fight whatever was causing it, but he didn’t know if it was going to help.
He’d noticed how she’d been losing weight at a steady pace since the day she collapsed in the kitchen a month prior. Shifters didn’t get human illnesses, but they did have their own share of diseases and cancers that could harm them. If their immune system was compromised, they could develop a rare disease that could take their life.
Harold also informed him that Liberty could go into labor at any moment. She was a week out from her due date and the baby was already in position. The females of the pride had taken to caring for her every need when Talon was away, as their nature called for them to do.
The sheriff had disappeared after his appearance at the pride. Talon still wanted to know exactly what the lawman was hiding. Ranger and Savage had taken on the task of studying mythology to see what they could find. There were a few beings the humans had written about that fit Garrett’s identity, but Talon wanted answers.
“Boss,” Ranger interrupted, pushing the office door wide.
“Yeah?” Talon cleared his throat and pushed the lab report for his mother under an unmarked manila envelope.
“The sheriff is at The Deuce,” Ranger said. “Want me to ride with you over there?”
“Get Savage and meet me at my truck in five minutes.” Talon scooped up his phone and grabbed the report off his desk, sliding it inside the bottom drawer of his desk as he walked away.
The ride over to The Deuce was quick, and all three of the males entered the bar as cool and calm as they could. The sheriff was in plain clothes, sitting at the bar nursing a cold beer. He set the bottle on the bar top as he raised a brow at Talon. “Alpha.”
“We need to speak with you,” Talon announced. Savage spoke quietly to Nova, letting her know they needed to use her office for this little chat. Nova nodded and stayed behind the bar for protection.
“Sure,” Garrett said, standing up from his seat. “Have you had any problems at the pride?”
“Let’s go into the office,” Talon hedged.
As soon as the door closed, Talon unleased his power over the sheriff. His eyes flashed amber and his canines shot through his gums.
“What are you?” Talon demanded, his nose recessing in his face as his panther took control. Ranger and Savage growled as they moved to his side.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” The sheriff gritted his teeth, and Talon could scent his lie. “I’d advise you to stand down.”
“You have been spying on my mate,” Talon accused, taking a defensive stance. His Guardians were doing the same. “We have cameras all over our land. I have a very clear picture of you watching through our healer’s window. Want to lie to me again?” Ranger and Savage moved to stand as a sentry at the door, folding their arms over their massive chests. The Guardians were there as Talon’s protection and to make sure the lawman didn’t leave the office without answering the alpha’s questions.
“I cannot tell you,” Garrett Lynch growled. “You are not supposed to know anything.”
“Who sent you?” Talon demanded, flying across the room to take the sheriff’s collar with his fists. “I have video of you with wings!”
“Shit,” the sheriff cursed. He paused for so long, Talon thought he was going to have to beat the information out of the lawman, but after a few minutes, he looked up with solid white eyes. “I’m a Watcher. Some would call me an angel, but I am not like the humans speak of in their bibles. If you release me, I will tell you everything now that you’ve seen me in my other form.”
“I don’t understand.” Talon frowned, his shoulders slumping as he released the sheriff to take a seat in Liberty’s office chair.
“I was sent to this realm when Liberty was just starting high school,” the sheriff began. “I was not told anything other than to keep her safe. I was to be her Watcher. The gods said that she would become very important as she aged. It wasn’t until you came into her life that I knew her future was with you.”
“Then why are you still here?” Talon asked, still slightly confused.
“My task has changed,” he told them. “I was put here for a reason, and that reason was to protect her, but you are her mate. You trump me in all things.”
“And?” Talon pushed.
“I am now tasked with protecting the pride,” the sheriff admitted.
“Why?” Talon growled, his panther pushing forward. The pride was his responsibility, and his alone. This…whatever he was wouldn’t come onto his territory and take away his people. “The pride is my responsibility.”
“I’m not here to replace you,” he replied, running his hand over his face in frustration. “I am a Watcher, nothing more.”
“A Watcher?” Savage frowned.
“A Watcher is an angel who is dispatched to Earth to protect certain humans,” the sheriff explained, relaxing as he leaned against the wall. “Humans who are destined to be…special.”
“Special?” Talon narrowed his eyes.
“We are not told of their future,” he promised, shaking his head. “We are just told to keep them safe.”
“How old are you?” Talon asked, wanting to know everything he could about the sheriff.
“I do not know.” Sheriff Lynch frowned. “I have no sense of time other than the current mission I am on.”
“I don’t understand.”
“When my human passes, I am reassigned and my memories of that human are wiped away. Liberty could be my first or my fiftieth. I just do not know. I am only here to do as I am told.”
“So, when Liberty passes…” Talon paused, feeling his heart sink at the thought of his mate dying.
“I do not know,” Garrett replied. “Since I am to watch over the pride, I’m assuming that I will be here until the pride no longer exists.”
“Does that mean that something is coming for us?” Talon questioned, his canines pushing out of his gums in defense.
“As long as I am here, I will protect you and the pride,” the sheriff promised. “I’m hoping this means that I will stay here for a very long time.”
“So, where does this leave us?”
“The same place we’ve always been,” Garrett stated. “I’m supposed to keep the pride from harm, but that doesn’t mean you will be without trials, Talon. The pride is changing and will see many obstacles as the years pass. I’m here as a sheriff to protect you from the humans. That is my job, and anything that comes at you that is not human is for you to deal with.”
“Why didn’t you protect Liberty when she was taken?” Talon growled, wanting to rip the sheriff to shreds. “If you were here to protect her, why didn’t you?”
“You two were already mated,” the sheriff answered.
“Is this why you went against your human laws and helped us with the lab?” Talon stood and paced behind the desk, allowing all of this new information sink in.
“Yes,” he answered. “We still have the Community to watch. I do not know of their plans, but I assure you, they are not going to go away quietly.”
“We have new Guardians in training,” Talon admitted. “We’ve stepped up security around the pride as well.”
“That fence you have will keep ordinary humans out,” Sheriff Lynch approved. “Just watch for other predators.”
“We will,” Talon replied.
The sheriff’s eyes closed, his head bowed as if he was sleeping for a moment before his head jerked up and his eyes flashed completely white. “Talon…you need to get home…now.”
“What the hell is going on, Garrett?” Talon snarled, bursting from his seat.
“It’s urgent,” he replied.
Talon’s phone vibrated in his pocket and he cursed when he retrieved it, because Harold was calling. Sheriff Lynch waited by the door with the two Guardians.
“Harold?”
“Talon, you need to come home now. It’s your mother,” Harold choked out. “Hurry.”