Soul-Mate (Immortal Love 1) (24 page)

My worst fears were real. Jason didn’t believe me; furthermore, he was being sarcastic and mean about everything I’d told him. It upset me, because he wasn’t giving me enough credit. He was treating me like a naïve girl. He was talking to me as if I was being irresponsible and stupid. He was probably forgetting that it was
my
life and I could do whatever I wanted with it, date whomever I wanted. Moreover, he shouldn’t insult my boyfriend by calling him a mutt.
And
he should keep it down, since the other people in the diner where looking at us with intrigued eyes. We were shifters ourselves; we knew a lot of werewolves. He should be more respectful and less arrogant in his biased behavior.

“I thought you were going to be happy for me,” I said, offended by his cruel words.

“Happy for what? For falling in the trap that the sheriff of this town laid for you? Do you really believe him and all that crap about soul-mates?” he asked, whispering this time. He seemed disappointed. “He’s playing you! Wake up!”

“Playing me for what, Jason?” I found his fears ridiculous. Besides, I was annoyed by his lack of credit for my intelligence. He wasn’t inside my heart, able to know that I‘d fallen head over heels for Shane. He didn’t know Shane to judge him like that!

“Sex, of course.”

I almost burst into laughter at his idiotic answer.
Now
who was being naive? Did he actually think I was such a prude? “If it was just for sex, Jason, my darling cousin, he didn’t need to tell me he loved me and I was his soul-mate. I was happy just sleeping with him with no strings attached!”

Jason stood, livid at my statement that apparently shocked him. It was sexist of him! Just because I was a woman, couldn’t I have casual sex with someone who pleased me sexually, just as he did?

“For information, then,” he said, making me sigh.

He was doing his best to make me doubt Shane. He knew I was paranoid and very suspicious, but what he didn’t know was that my gut told me Shane was real and loyal. Not just my gut: my heart and soul recognized Shane. He was a part of me just as much as I was a part of him. There was nothing that Jason could say to make me doubt my love for Shane and his love for me.

“Jason—why aren’t you happy for me?”

“Because we need you. You can’t just hang your swords and stop doing what we do!” He seemed upset. “You belong with us and not here, trapped in this weird supernatural community teaching literature to kids and marrying some sheriff wolf! You are not marriage material.”

“Thank you for that,” I said, angered by his last observation. “What am I then? Just one-night-stand material?”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, trying to explain himself. “You were born for the life we are living. You are our leader. You are the best we have! Can you actually see yourself living the life that sheriff guy wants for you? Even if he
is
your soul-mate. Can you see yourself ignoring all the people who suffer at the hands of supernatural beings that have no respect for the rules and for humans?”

“I didn’t say I was going to stop doing what I do,” I said, understanding what was troubling him. I’d had those questions, too, before accepting Shane and our bond. But no, I knew that I had to consolidate my secret life with my life with Shane. I had to tell everything to Shane, even if I’d postponed doing it. I was sure that Shane would understand. He just wanted the best for me. He was the first to tell me he would go anywhere with me. Now that Jason was there, it was time to get over all the secrets and just tell Shane why I couldn’t stay and continue to teach there, that I had to leave from time to time. We could find a solution to make our relationship work.

“Does your beloved wolf know about your secret life? Or does he think you are just a hot, sexy, innocent teacher?” I knew that Jason was being sarcastic and mean again.

“He doesn’t know about my real job. But he knows that I’m everything
but
innocent and helpless. You don’t know anything about Shane—you can’t judge him like that.”

“Trust me, I know plenty. I’ve been doing my homework, too,” he said with enigmatic eyes that left me surprised and curious. It seemed he had found some big secret but didn’t want to share. I was puzzled. “You had to date the sheriff. Couldn’t you have chosen someone else? Or maybe he chose you—have you thought about that?”

I was not understanding Jason’s rant. There was something he wasn’t telling me.

“Jason, what are you really doing here? Did something happen to Kevin? No one called me. They said that he was stable.”

“I’m glad that you remember him.”

“Of course I remember!”

“Anna, have you stopped to think that maybe you’ve been too distracted by your supposed soul-mate to realize what is really going on right under your nose?”

“You are being paranoid! These people are good people. I’ve already told you this. I’ve been part of this community, and there isn’t anything fishy going on here. This is a nice place to live, actually. They accept people like us. They protect their own. Have you ever found somewhere like this before?”

“They really brainwashed you,” he muttered, baffled. “I’m not recognizing you anymore. You used to be a lot smarter and mistrusting of people. How can you trust a guy you’ve just met?”

“Shane is not a random guy. He’s my soul-mate,” I reminded him, annoyed. “He’s part of my life now, so you better get used to it and stop trying to rule over my life!”

“I’m trying to protect you!” Jason claimed grumpily, making his eyes shine golden. “Apparently my opinion doesn’t matter anymore. I’m your family and—you kept all this from me! Why? Because maybe, just maybe, you were
also
being paranoid and wanted to hide this from me so I wouldn’t call you to reason and make you understand that you are pushing your luck by staying here so long and, apparently, by letting a wolf into your life and head!”

“I’ve kept this from you because I knew you wouldn’t understand.”

“Well, you were right. I don’t understand. We are a team, a family, and you are leaving us just like that because of a dude.”

“I’m not leaving you,” I sighed, trying to keep calm. “I’m just trying to live my life and be happy.”

“Really? So tell me, in all of this, where does Kevin fit? Because, last time I checked, he was still in a coma, waiting for the blood cure. So are you just forgetting him, too?”

“Don’t be stupid, Jason. I would never abandon my brother. Being in love doesn’t interfere in my quest. I’ve even found an interesting opportunity to finally cure Kevin. But we are not talking about that here, in the middle of a diner, where everyone is starting to stare at us,” I whispered, staring at his stubborn blue eyes. He was such a baby sometimes! He was also being cruelly manipulative, using my brother to make me feel guilty. I was already feeling enough guilt. Jason was just being hardheaded. “Jason, why can’t you just understand me? I have found my soul-mate. I’m in love.”

“Hearing you say that…” He paused, intentionally, disapproving.

It had been hard for me to believe that, someday, I would say that to him. I had never thought I would have a soul-mate, and that I would be in love like that. But I
was
in love, so Jason just had to suck it up and stop being an idiot. It wasn’t like I was asking for the impossible. I just wanted to stay longer with my soul-mate. I just wanted to find a pureblood to cure my brother and tell Shane all about me and my origins. There was a pureblood right there in town, wanting to talk to me! I had my opportunity to be face to face with a pureblood, someone who Shane knew. I just had to tell Shane and hope for the pureblood kindness and good heart.

“I know, but I am in love. And you, above all people, should be happy for me. Jessica is.”

“Jessica knows?” Now he seemed pissed that I’d told while hiding it from him. “Of course, she does!” He rolled his eyes dramatically, offended. “I want to meet the guy,” he said with a serious voice, as if he was my dad and needed to approve Shane. Now it was my turn to roll my eyes.
At least he wanted to meet Shane. That was good.
“I have to see with my own eyes if he’s the real thing and that he’s not playing you.”

“Jesus, Jason! I’m not a teen. I don’t need your approval to hang out with a guy. Besides, Shane is much more than my boyfriend.” I blushed because his eyes were glued on my neck as if he had x-rays and could see the mark. He narrowed his eyes, pondering, and then he seemed to chase away his thoughts and focus on what he was going to tell me.

“I’m a man. I understand men better than you. I can understand if he’s the real thing or not. Last thing I want is for some douche bag to break my beautiful cousin’s heart.”

I smiled, pleased by his concern. He had the right to be like that. He didn’t know Shane, but I was sure that Shane would win him over. On the other hand, they could kill each other. I was hoping that Shane was more mature than Jason. I was hoping that Jason wouldn’t act like a jerk to Shane. I grew pale with the idea of having the two meet. “Okay, Jason. You can come with me to meet him right now.”

“I have stuff to do. I can meet you and your mate later.”

“Oh,” I said, intrigued about what he could possibly have to do. “Then you can meet us at Sam’s Bar. It’s the only bar around there, you can’t miss it. We normally hang out there at night, after nine. I’ll warn Shane that you are here visiting us, and you can stay with us. We have an extra room.”

Jason raised his eyebrows as though troubled, blinking several times to focus. His mouth almost dropped open, surprised about something I said. “An extra room… Are you staying with him?”

“Yes…” I blushed at that answer, because I felt embarrassed by the look on his face, like he didn’t know me anymore. Maybe he didn’t. I had changed, I admit.

“You have really lost your mind!”

“He’s my soul-mate.” I tried to reason with him but was hurt by his words; my answered sounded more like an excuse than an explanation. “Stop judging me without meeting him. I’m getting really upset with you!”

“Well, let’s just hope that my worst fear won’t become true. I have to leave now. I’ll meet you and your boyfriend mutt after nine.”

Jason got up, leaving a bill to pay for his food. I stared at him, intrigued but worried about his stubbornness. I just hoped Jason would be nicer after meeting Shane. I wanted them to be friends, but I had to prepare myself for the worst-case scenario, and I would smack his face if he was rude to Shane.

WHEN I ARRIVED HOME,
Shane wasn’t there yet. I felt worried for some unknown reason. My meeting with Jason had left me like that, with the odd feeling that he was up to no good.

I was in the shower when I heard the front door open with a loud noise, which startled me and brought me out of my thoughts. Shane’s voice, calling for me, made my heart calm down. I was used to feeling safe inside that house, but noises like those threw me into defensive alert mode.

Shane found me in no time, still calling for me as if he was worried. I just had time to turn off the water when he entered. He looked like he had been run over by a truck. He was dirty with mud and blood, still in his pair of jeans and barefoot. My heart started to beat fast with concern.
What had happened to him
? Again, he was faster than me, approaching and hugging my wet, clean body against his sweaty, dirty one. I shivered.

“Don’t ever do that to me again,” he said, out of breath.

“What?” I asked, not knowing what he was talking about. I had my arms in front of my chest, imprisoned against his chest. He looked like he had been running around in his wolf shape like a mad man. And he was hurt. I could see the bruises, and I could smell the recent blood that had been spilled.

“Blocking me out,” he enlightened me.

I had totally forgotten I was still blocking him out. However, it was a good thing actually, because my mind had been caught up in all my thoughts of Jason and his reasons for being there. “You also blocked me out,” I reminded him. He was now looking at me with regretful eyes. “And what happened to you? You are all dirty and bruised. Who did this to you?”

“This is nothing. I’m fine. I’ve just gone for a run in the woods. I kind of forgot about time, and then I couldn’t reach you and I got worried.”

I stared at him, my face upset, so he knew I was not buying his story. Shane sighed and then released me, to my total regret, because I felt my body go cold. He smelled like forest and sweat, like earth after the rain, and it wasn’t bad, especially mixed with his blood—his blood was a turn-on for me.

Shane caressed my wet hair with devoted, concerned eyes, like he always did when he was thinking about how to explain something to me. I was more concerned to know who had given him all those bruises and almost-healed scars. “Well, Eric and I had a little disagreement.”

I raised an eyebrow and folded my arms, sighing.
Was I supposed to know who Eric was?
Then his eyes got distracted, because I was still naked. He smirked mischievously, eyes turning amber. I rolled my eyes.

“You need another shower, now,” he said, grabbing me closer to him. This time, I was able to unfold my arms in time and grab his arms while my body jerked back a bit. He wasn’t going to distract me so easily, even if my whole body quivered next to his and I got aroused.

“Who is Eric?” I asked, turning my mouth from his.

“Are you still mad at me?” he asked, noticing my evasive maneuver. All he was able to do was kiss my cheeks and then my neck. I almost surrendered right there, as his mouth trailed my neck with kisses and his tongue licked my earlobe. “I didn’t want to talk to you like that. I wasn’t mad at you, and I wasn’t trying to boss you around.”

“Why did you block your thoughts from me?” I asked, bothered by it. I used my childish voice to complain, and he smirked, leaning his forehead against mine, our eyes locked.

“Because it’s protocol. Before you speak to a royal family member, you need to block your thoughts from others, from the whole pack, so no one knows where they are. There are spies, probably even among our allies and community. The lives of the royal family are in constant peril.”