Bearing Secrets (4 page)

Entering the cabin to find
Trey and Ivy in a cozy exchange exploded the rage within Turi. He had no right
to be jealous, since he was the one who’d stepped out, but it didn’t change
what was pouring through him like burning lava. Jealousy of his own brother
seemed irrational, when they were supposed to share her, but that changed
nothing. Hadn’t he just vowed he’d run as far and as fast from a mating where
he was expected to share? Now here he was being drawn to her.

Trey narrowed his eyes. “You’re
the one who left instead of facing what destiny has dropped on our doorstep.”

“Hold on.” She laid her free
hand over Trey’s, running her fingers along his knuckles. “Trey, could you give
me a few minutes? I heard your side, now I need to hear his.”

Trey glanced between Turi and
Ivy before finally nodding. “I’ll be outside, holler when you want me.” He rose
from the fire and went outside without another word.

She adjusted on the sofa,
turning toward him. “Trey explained you think he’s too relaxed, but even with
that I don’t understand this anger you seem to have.”

Turi growled. “For years I’ve
picked up the slack when it came to the sleuth, but I’m not going to do it when
it comes to mating. I don’t want my mate to look at me and see hatred for what
my brother has done. Before you deny it, we’re identical. It would be impossible
for you not to look at me and be reminded of the ways he let you down.”

“Identical in looks, maybe,
but your personalities are so different.”

“Looks are enough to remind
you.” He had spent years proving himself to the sleuth, even to his own family.

She shook her head. “But I
don’t see it that way.”

“In time you will.” He stood
his ground, because he knew just what Trey was capable of.

“Fine.” She tossed the blanket
off her shoulders and stood. “What are you going to do about it then? Obviously
you don’t want this mating, so why don’t you find a cure for this? Surely
things have changed since the days of your grandparents.”

Damn, she was feisty. He
placed his elbows on the back of the leather chair and leaned forward, watching
her. Was she trying to call his bluff? Did she truly want him to find something
that would fix their situation? It would give her a chance to live a normal
life, with one person—maybe a human.

“Maybe there is.” He nodded.
If she was about to call him on not wanting to share her with Trey, she had
another thing coming. “Taber and Thorben just took Mom’s word for it. Is that
what you want? Do you want me to find something so you can live a normal
life…with a human?”

“Obviously, what I want
doesn’t play into this. You already have your mind made up. So why are you
still here?”

He stepped around the chair
and stalked toward her. “I’m here because of you. Damn it, you have to feel it.
This draw to you is overpowering, just being out on the porch was too far from
you. You’re human but you should feel the connection.”

“Oh, I feel it for both of
you.” She cupped his cheek. “Which leaves us with two options. Either you two
have to find a cure before this need burns me alive from the inside, or work
out your problems. I won’t be a ping-pong ball between you two. A mating is
hard enough, let alone having two mates who can barely stand each other.”

Unable to stop his bear from
wanting to feel her, he slipped his arm around her waist. “To think only this
morning Trey and I had the conversation about mating. He knew we’d be next and
wanted to fix the problems between us. Neither of us figured you’d drop into
our laps tonight.”

“Next?”

“Dad and his brothers were all
mated in order of their birth, and so far it’s been like that for us. First the
first set of twins Taber and Thorben, then Tad, and now us. Poor Theodore is
the last one.”

The back door opened, sending
a cold gust of wind through the cabin. “Where’s Trey?”

“Mom—”

“Don’t ‘Mom’ me, boy.” His
mother glared at him. “I came to see how things were going. Where’s your
brother?”

“He’s on the porch, I’ll get
him.” He pulled his arm from around Ivy’s waist. “Ivy, this is our mother, Ava,
don’t let her growl scare you. She only ever sinks those claws into Dad.”

“You’re not too old for me to
claw you up,” she hollered as he went to get Trey.

He pulled open the door,
quickly spotting Trey pacing the porch like a caged animal. “Come back inside,
Mom’s here,” he told him before strolling back to where the women waited.

“Did my boys explain what
happened down at the party?” Ava sank down onto one of the leather chairs.

“Yes ma’am.” Ivy nodded.

“No ‘ma’am’ here. Either Mom
or Ava, you’re family now.” She glared at the boys. “Unless these idiot sons of
mine are planning to do something stupid.”

“I don’t know…”

“No Mom, nothing stupid.” Turi
glanced at Trey. “I don’t know how we’re going to do this, but somehow we’ll
have to make it work.”

“I’m glad I don’t have to
remind you of the consequences for not claiming your mate. The pain wouldn’t
just happen to the two of you, but also to Ivy. She’s human, so it would be
harder for her to handle. She would feel like it’s burning her alive and in the
end it would essentially do that. It’s not something I want to see any of you
endure.”

“Yes Mom, we know the
consequences,” Turi and Trey said together.

Ava glanced at Ivy. “Then I
guess all that’s left to discuss is how Ivy came to know about shifters. It’s
not common for a human to know about us, and less common for one to have a
shifter sibling.”

“Mom, I don’t think this is the
time.” Turi shook his head. “She’s been through a lot today. Let her get some
rest, and we can discuss that tomorrow.”

“Very well, I should get back
to the party anyway.” Ava stood, ran her hand down the front of her dress,
shaking away invisible wrinkles, and looked at Ivy. “We’re having a family
brunch tomorrow with his brothers and their mates. I’d appreciate it if you
could be there. It’s rare the whole family is together, and most of them will
be leaving soon. I’d like to have us all together while I can.”

Ivy nodded. “We’ll be there.”

Ava smiled. “Thank you. See
you in the morning.” She left, leaving them with the question of Ivy’s past
still hanging in the air.

“You’re right, I am tired but
first I think you need to know.” She dragged her hand through her hair before
leaning back against the sofa.

“Only if you want,” Trey told
her as he sat next to her.

Turi smirked. “For once I
agree with him. Our past is just that. In the past. It brought us here, but it
doesn’t play into the future.”

“Actually, I think it might.”

Turi looked to Trey, confusion
knitting his brow, before nodding to Ivy. “Go ahead.” He wanted to hear
whatever she thought was important, but he knew it wouldn’t change the mating
that had already started between them.

Unable to sit still, Ivy paced
the cozy living area, staying near the fire and its warmth while keeping a
little distance between her and the brothers. She was about to bare a secret of
her past that only two people in her life knew—Chad and Mason. There was a
reason it had been kept a secret for all these years. Now she had to tell her
mates and possibly their family. What if it got out? Even if it were leaked to
just one person…he’d find her.

With no other choice, she took
a deep breath and swallowed her fears. Her mates had a right to know what they
were getting themselves into, even if they didn’t have a choice to run.

“Ivy, whatever it is, you can
tell us.” Trey reached out to her but she slipped away just before he could lay
his hand on her.

“I’m sorry…” Even without the
mating finalized, the pain of turning from him gnawed at her stomach. “If you
touch me now, I’ll never get it out.”

“Tell us, so we can help you,”
Turi urged. He wrung his hands, clearly uneasy and wanting to help.

“There’s no easy way to say
this, so I’ll just put it out there. On the way here Ty told me a little about
your…well, I thought
clan
at the time since he forgot to mention you’re
bears.” She ran her hands through her hair, pulling the blonde strands into a
messy ponytail and used one of the elastic holders from her wrist. “He told me
your sleuth has been assisting with the rogue tiger issues, first with Pierce,
and now with Randolph.”

Turi straightened in his seat;
she clearly had his attention. “Yes. We were on the mission with Ty when Pierce
was killed.”

“Then you’re aware Randolph
has taken over where Pierce has left off?” The twins exchanged a glance and
then nodded. “He’s my uncle.”

“He’s
what
?” Turi
nearly shouted, popping out of the chair like a demented jack-in-the-box.

Tears filled her eyes,
threatening to spill over, and Turi’s agitation wasn’t helping. She moved away
from the fireplace, going anywhere she could so she didn’t have to look at the
hurt in Turi’s eyes. It was as if she had betrayed them because of her
heritage. She had been brought into it, she didn’t choose it.

“Hey.” Trey stepped in front
of her, cutting off her escape path, and reached his hand out to her, his
fingers gliding along her arm, caressing her tentatively. “It’s okay.”

“Okay? How can it ever be
okay?” She nodded back at Turi. “Look at how he took the news. If anyone finds
out, they’ll look at me the same way. Like I had something to do with
Randolph’s actions, or that I have the same views he did. I’ve been raised in
the Arizona clan my whole life, I’d never do what he’s done, or even think
about it.”

“I didn’t think you would.”
His voice was low and soothing. “Now come here and explain how he’s your
uncle.” Trey slid his arm around her waist, pulling him against his body.
“Turi’s not going to say anything.” He shot a glance at his brother, giving him
a
shut-the-hell-up
look.

“Randolph and my mother were
siblings. Their parents were a mixed couple, a tiger and a human. According to
my mother, my grandmother always despised the fact she had to spend her life
with a shifter, and passed her hatred on to her son…Randolph. It’s strange
because even though he was a shifter, she didn’t show him half as much hatred
as she showed her husband. Maybe she knew that she’d breed a monster with her
hate, one who would fight against shifters as a whole. He was her only chance
to bring down the group she despised so much.” She kept her gaze on Trey,
taking strength from him, while ignoring Turi. “My mother was the second born
and human. Neither of her parents paid much attention to her. To her father,
she was a lesser being, and her mother was so devoted to pass on her hatred to
Randolph she didn’t care about my mother.”

“Go on, angel,” Trey provoked
when she paused.

“My mother had a rough
pregnancy, and she wasn’t expected to live through my birth. Chad’s mother,
Kathy, was her best friend…when my mother passed away, Kathy took me in and
raised me as her own daughter. I knew my aunt as my mother and Chad as my
brother until I was in my early teens. That’s when she explained everything me.
After she died, only Chad and Mason knew. We kept the secret in order to keep
me hidden from Randolph. To keep my heritage hidden from everyone, even him. I
don’t believe he knows. When Kathy took me in and told Mason my heritage, they
decided to make sure it remained a secret.”

“Does he know you’re alive?”
Turi asked.

“I don’t know…” She pressed
her head against Trey’s chest. “It’s possible, I guess. All I know is that we
kept it secret because if he knew I existed, he’d kill me.”

“Damn right he would. He wants
to see all tiger shifters dead,” Turi growled.

“Because of the hatred my
grandmother hand-fed him morning, noon, and night, like it was candy,” she clarified,
her voice breaking.

“My angel.” Trey waited until
she looked up at him. “Your heritage doesn’t matter.”

“Like hell it doesn’t matter.”
Turi exploded, jumping to his feet and beginning to pace. “She’s a direct link
to Randolph. He’ll come after her if he finds out who she is.”

“My dear brother…” Trey looked
over her head and watched Turi. “You always handle the curve balls that life
throws at you, but you’re not handling this one very well.”

“It’s one thing after
another.” Turi shook his head. “You’re right. I’m not handling this well and
it’s not your fault, Ivy, it’s mine. I’m sorry. I know the damage Randolph has
done, and to think he could be after you—my mate—is terrifying. It’s one thing
to have to go up against him when it’s to protect someone else but when it’s
about protecting my own, it’s entirely different.”

“What if he knew? Maybe that’s
the reason he attacked the clan…” Her legs gave out under her, if it wasn’t for
Trey’s hand on her waist she’d have collapsed into a heap on the floor.

“What is it, angel?” Trey
tightened his grip on her waist, keeping her standing.

“When I was hiding…someone was
there. I overheard him on the phone with Randolph.
The clan’s been eliminated.
We’ll
be ready to move on the next clan in a few days
.” She
repeated the words as they played through her mind again. “It was an assassination,
not just for Mason but for my whole clan. They’re dead…”

“You don’t know that. Chad and
the other guards could have gotten Mason to safety,” Turi reasoned.

“No…” She buried her head in
Trey’s chest. “He’d have come back to find me.”

“Only after he got Mason to
safety.” Turi’s footsteps echoed on the hardwood floor, nearing her. “He’d have
done his duty and got Mason somewhere safe. As the Captain of the Guards, he’d
have to do what was needed, especially if the other Elder guards didn’t
survive.”

“I want to believe you, but
it’s unlikely.”

“It’s hard to kill our kind,
so until we know for certain, just try to think positive.” Trey smoothed his
hand over her back. “Ty’s got a team out there looking for them, we should know
something soon.”

Not soon enough…