A Shift in the Water (26 page)

“Is Mara okay?” Guilt tasted bitter in his mouth. He shouldn’t have gotten angry with her. She’d told him from the beginning that she was adopted. She’d saved his life. She’d done nothing but help him since he hid in her car.

“She’s resting and I don’t want you to disturb her. Either of you,” Lillian replied frostily.

Cade stood up and helped Livie to her feet. “Livie, this is Lillian. Mara’s aunt.”

“Livie Grantham, ma’am.” Livie held out her hand.

Lillian huffed. “How many more of you wolves are there?”

“The rest of the pack should be here tomorrow,” Livie replied. “Five more.”

A chill raced down Cade’s spine and his mouth ran dry. He needed his pack more than he needed his next meal, but the idea of facing them again triggered a base need to run to Mara and hold her close. He wanted her with him. For the rest of his life.

“Well, y’all better not give my niece any more stress. She’s had enough to deal with recently. It’s why she’s restin’ now. You both keep it down and let her sleep till she’s good and ready to get up again. Usin’ her element tuckered her out and if she don’t replenish her energy, she’s gonna get sick again.”

Cade puffed out his chest and stood up straighter. “I won’t let that happen, Lillian. I swear to you. I’ll take care of her.”

Livie took a step back. “This isn’t a conversation you need me for. I’m going to go to the store. Boss-man, do not leave the house. I’ll only be twenty minutes. If you do anything to put yourself in danger, Liam will have my pelt.”

Cade flinched. No words could have cut him deeper.
Liam will have my pelt.
She’d only have said that if Liam was in charge. It was natural. Cade was gone. Dead, they’d assumed. He ran a hand through his shaggy locks to give himself a moment. Liam had done the right thing. When the pack got here, he’d pledge his allegiance to his former beta and they’d figure out how to make things work. He hunched his shoulders and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I won’t leave. I promise.”

The petite wolf dug for her keys and headed for her rental car. She tossed a quick glance over her shoulder. “I shouldn’t even go, but damn. This pup wants lasagna and he wants it
now
.”

Cade chuckled. Everything he’d missed hit him and he took a step back. How could he have forgotten Livie? How could he have forgotten any of them? For the hundredth time since he’d shifted in Mara’s bed, he cursed his wolf.

“Well, come on,” Lillian said, turning and heading back to the kitchen. Cade slunk after her, stopping only to lock the door. He wasn’t taking any chances.

“Sit down and stop acting like I’m about to hit you with a rolled-up newspaper,” Lillian snapped. Eleanor chuckled from the living room. The air in the house was humid and heavy. It smelled like Mara. Rain, fresh coconut, and almonds. The scent wrapped around him like a warm blanket. He wanted to lose himself in it.

Cade sank into one of the chairs and waited for the elderly woman to sit across from him. “What are your intentions towards my niece?”

Shit, she doesn’t pull any punches.
“I care about her. She might be the one for me. If she is . . . if she’ll consent to . . . err . . . date me, I’ll try to prove that I’m the one for her as well.”

“What if she asks you to leave?” Lillian leaned forward. Her bright blue eyes sharpened.

“I’d go. Mara has nothing to fear from me. Ever. I shouldn’t have walked out earlier. I didn’t know what to do. Livie told me I was an idiot. Among other things.”

“Well, she’s got that right, though I suppose I can see that it’s not all your fault. Katerina is somethin’. Mara was sick for a week after that hussy came to see her when she was a teenager. I didn’t put two and two together at the time, but I should’ve. Might have saved some lives. I’d wager that one hasn’t limited her killin’ to your relations.”

A memory fought to the surface. Mike, his former alpha, had cornered Cade when he’d first come to Bellingham. He’d demanded that Cade join his pack or leave town. Cade had been so angry at his father that he’d lashed out at Mike, shoving the alpha wolf across the room. He’d been lucky he’d escaped with only a busted lip after that. He recalled something Mike told him that day. “Regrets are useless,” Cade said. “You can lose your whole life in them.”

Lillian laughed. “You really are hers, ain’t ya? Mara started sayin’ somethin’ like that all the time after she got sick. She’s spent the past nine months convinced she was gonna die. She’d accepted it. Hell, I think she was lookin’ forward to it in a way. No more transfusions, no more fallin’ asleep on the couch at six in the evening. No more havin’ to put on a brave face for those she loves. No more unknown.”

“But she’s not dying,” Cade said.

Eleanor came to lean against the doorjamb. “No, she’s not. But if she’s going to stay that way, she has to use her element. Every day. She’s got so much fire within her that it’ll kill her if she’s not careful. I taught her some things, simple charms really. I’m not a water elemental. I can only show her so much. Whenever you figure out what’s going on with that fire bitch after you, you need to take Mara to Cannon Beach. There’s a community of elementals there. It’s the largest gathering of air and water elementals in the world. A few fire and earth, but not many. They can teach her what she needs to know.”

Cade nodded. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her and once he settled things with the pack, he could leave. A vacation, even if it was to a community of people with the same sorts of abilities as Katerina, sounded like a good idea—as long as his mate was at his side. He cursed inwardly when he realized he was already thinking of her in those terms. He couldn’t wait much longer to tell her. He owed her that much. “We’ll go. As soon as we can.”

Mara stretched out under the blanket. A candle burned on her dresser; it was the only light in the room. The flame called to her, a low, out of tune melody that ran afoul of the light and sweet tones of her water element. Her heart thudded in her chest. Clenching her fingers, she tried to sense the water in the air. A single drop escaped her fist. The song that had started deep in her core blossomed and overtook the unpleasant sounds from the flame until only the beauty of the flickering light remained.

A smile tugged at her lips. She’d dreamed of Cade. He’d kissed her, smoothed his hand over her hair, and whispered something in her ear. Goddess, she wished she could remember what it was. She’d felt safe and cherished in the dream and she longed for that feeling again. Now that she was awake, the uncertainty slapped her in the face. Was he even still here?

The door to her bedroom was closed. Rain pounded on the roof, and against the windows. The wind howled. It would be a miserable night. Against the fleece blanket, her feet were bare. She’d fallen onto the bed with her shoes on, hadn’t she? Come to think of it, where had the blanket come from? It smelled like him. Mara pulled the fleece to her nose and inhaled deeply. It had been on her couch. Wrapped around Cade yesterday. That must have been why she’d dreamed of him.

She tried the switch on her bedside lamp. Nothing. The power was out. Her house was old and lost power regularly. The neighborhood was full of tall trees that pulled down the electrical lines. At least she had a gas oven and a hot water heater. Her stomach rumbled.
Time to see if he stayed,
she thought.
And find something to eat.
Her hand was steady when she twisted the doorknob.

The tantalizing scent of cheese, tomatoes, and spices hit her nose. She almost moaned. Whatever that was, she wanted some. Now. Candles burned in the living room and a fire roared in the hearth. The song of the flames echoed for a brief moment, then faded. With her arms tight around her body, she made her way to the kitchen. Cade stood in bare feet, jeans, and the sweatshirt she’d bought him, staring out her kitchen window into the darkened yard. His steel and flax hair curled along his collar. He’d stayed and by all accounts, he’d cooked. Again. She could get used to this.

“Hey.”

Cade turned and Mara tried, unsuccessfully, not to let the sight of him turn her insides to jelly.

“Hey yourself. Feeling better?”

Mara shrugged. “Jury’s still out.” She leaned against the kitchen counter a few inches from Cade.

He laid his hands gently on her hips, pulling her close enough for her to feel the heat rolling off his body. “Why? What’s wrong and how can I help?”

She looked up at him, not sure what to say. Her lips quirked in a small, sad smile. “It’s not physical. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m always going to worry,” he said.

Always was a long time. Mara’s smile faded and she pressed her lips together in a thin line while she gathered her thoughts. “A month ago, I knew werewolves weren’t real. The closest things to an elemental in my world were the Wiccans who run the occult shop up on Phinney Ridge. They have a wild party every Halloween and usually someone ends up running down the main drag naked at some point in the night.” Cade chuckled and the rumbling in his chest spread through her. “I’d made my peace with dying. I was ready. By the time you found me, I had maybe five weeks left. Or less. I was on the island to say goodbye. To everything. Not suicide,” she added hurriedly when Cade’s fingers tightened on her hips. “I wanted one last swim. One last night alone in my favorite hotel, one last sunset on the balcony. But then this sick animal shows up in my trunk and all of a sudden my life is turned upside down. And now, not only are you—
you
, but I found out I might not be dying at all. I could have a future. I don’t know how to deal with it all. It’s a lot to process.”

“What do you need?” Cade slid his hands up her back. Through the old sweatshirt, his warmth seeped into her skin. She laid her head on his shoulder and melted into him. He felt good. She shouldn’t be so comfortable with him. Not this quickly. But she’d grown to care deeply about the wolf in a few short days. It made sense that her feelings for the man had only intensified.

“I need to know what you’re going to do about my sister. About the fact that I’m related to the woman who did this to you.” She tightened her arms around him, hoping he wouldn’t make her let go.

Her heart sunk as he took her gently by the shoulders and eased her away so he could look into her eyes. “Nothing. You’re not her. You’re a good soul, Mara. Kind and compassionate and . . .
mine
. I shouldn’t have walked out on you earlier. I was scared and stupid and I’m sorry.”

“I don’t blame you,” she whispered. It wouldn’t be appropriate to smile right now. Not when Cade was so earnest and worried. She clenched her fists and dug her fingernails into her palms to hide her relief. He wasn’t leaving her. At least not tonight.

Mine
, he’d said. A little thrill raced down her spine and he pulled her back against him. The gentle pressure against her lower belly hinted at his unspoken desires. When she raised her head, his lips found hers. There was nothing hesitant about his kiss. Cade took everything with his tongue, lips, and teeth. His hands found her ass and lifted her up onto the counter where she wrapped her legs around his torso. Stubble tickled her upper lip and rough fingers slid along her sides under her sweatshirt, branding her skin with his heat.
Were werewolves always this warm?
A moan vibrated in her throat.

Cade nipped the corner of her mouth. “Mara,” he breathed. “I want . . .”

Her stomach growled and her cheeks flamed. Along with other parts of her. “So do I. But I’m also really hungry and whatever’s in the oven smells really good.”

He lifted her off the counter and held her close. “Lasagna.” His voice was rough. With a little difficulty, she extricated herself from his arms and popped the oven open. The cheese bubbled a golden brown and the aroma filled her.

“Goddess . . . how much longer?”

“It should be done. Despite Lillian’s orders, I was going to wake you soon. Sit down. There’s wine on the table.”

Mara looked around. “Where is everyone?”

“Lillian took Eleanor back to her condo. Livie’s resting. We had a snack while you were sleeping.”

“A snack?”

Cade laughed. “We shared a pan. This is the second one. Don’t worry. I’m still hungry.”

It was good to hear Cade laugh. He had a rich, deep laugh that vibrated his whole body, crinkled his eyes and rounded his cheeks. She wanted to hear that laugh every day. Cade had set the table and a battery operated lantern rested in the center. Mara thanked the Goddess there weren’t any more candles. She loved the romantic ambiance, but there were too many flames in the house for her liking. “Is Livie all right?” Mara poured two glasses of wine.

“Fine. She’s going to patrol tonight.” Cade cut a generous slice of lasagna for each of them and took a bowl of salad out of the fridge.

“It’s miserable out. A pregnant woman should
not
be out in this rain and wind,” Mara said with a frown.

“She’ll be in wolf form. She won’t even notice. She loves the rain.”

Over dinner, Cade told Mara what he remembered about his childhood. “My father was alpha, so he was always kind of scary. He loved me, but he made it pretty clear that crossing him wasn’t an option.”