Mending the Beast (Awakening Pride #10) - Lacey Thorn Page 0,61

was a Kodiak bear then. We thought she was human, but she was already our alpha. At least, the only one we were willing to recognize.”

“You would accept a human as your alpha?” Ariel couldn’t imagine that.

“We’d follow Em anywhere,” Rissa swore. “And did. Unfortunately, my brother Adam and I picked up a passenger on the way. Our cousin, Natalie, who had her own agenda. She tried to kidnap Em’s daughter.”

“What happened?”

“Em killed her.” Rissa grinned. “She did a full shift into the biggest, baddest Kodiak bear I’ve ever seen. It was incredible. We’d known there was something different about her. But knowing and seeing are two different things. She’s our alpha. Laramie demanded a mating right then, with Em covered in Natalie’s blood. Jesus! Sexual energy filled the air between them. I think we were all a little scorched by it. They said the words to make them mates, and that was that. Now, we’re all part of the Holloway den.”

“But?” Ariel prompted again.

“Have you ever looked at someone and thought that no matter how much you want him, you’ll never be worthy of him?” Rissa’s words were soft, but her eyes held torment.

“Yeah,” Ariel agreed with a nod. “My mate. I…forced him away from the moment we met. Any time he was around, I’d hide until he was gone again. He started going out on road trips, searching for hunters and rescuing shifters. He…he almost died. I almost lost him because I let that fear control me.”

“I wouldn’t have guessed that from looking at the two of you, but I guess that explains hiding away for three days.”

Ariel couldn’t contain her grin.

“Did I mention you were a lucky bitch?” Rissa asked, but she was smiling too.

“Yes, you did, but you know you aren’t responsible for what your cousin attempted. Right?”

“Yes, and if it were only her, I’d get past it. But there are things he doesn’t know about me. Things I’m not sure he’d understand.”

“If I’ve learned anything from my mate, it’s that they can be more understanding and aware than we give them credit for,” Ariel admitted. Her gaze moved to take in the view as they broke through the trees. The Holloway land was beautiful.

Rissa took a seat on the ground, and Ariel sat beside her. “I can’t believe how comfortable I am with you. It’s really weird for me.”

“Same,” Ariel agreed.

“Not to scare you, but I might be vying for the bestie role, so if there’s another woman in the spot already…” Rissa paused with a shrug. “I promise not to hurt her.”

Ariel laughed. “No current contenders. I like you, Rissa.”

“I like you, too. And just so you know, I’ve decided I’m keeping you.”

Ariel laughed again. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Coming to visit the Holloways had definitely been great for her. She’d mated her mate, and now, she’d made a great friend. She still had things she needed to deal with, but going back to the place her life had changed was no longer one of them. She didn’t need that. Apparently, she never had. She’d only needed Daniel. She was done running. She would deal with what came at her, and the difference was that now she’d have someone beside her to offer love and support.

“Well, since I’m your new bestie, and you’ve decided to keep me, I’m going to give you a word of encouragement here. Talk to Slade. If you like him, and it seems like maybe you do, give him a chance to decide if whatever is holding you back is something he can handle.”

“Look how awesome I am,” Rissa quipped. “Picking a bestie with wisdom.”

Ariel laughed again. “You have no idea how long it’s been since I laughed, and I swear I’ve done it a lot since I met you.”

Rissa reached for her hand. “I feel like we should do something wild and crazy to commemorate our friendship.”

“How wild and crazy are you thinking?”

“We could strip down and go for a run? Just a bear and a… Damn! I know you’re a cat shifter, but I never asked what your animal side is?”

“Tiger,” Ariel offered.

“That is so fucking cool,” Rissa enthused. “Feel like shedding your skin and going for a run.”

“Hell, yeah.”

Ariel reached for the hem of her shirt then felt a burning in her shoulder. Then her leg went numb. She hit the ground with a groan and managed to turn her head just enough to note the dart sticking out of her thigh.