Trouble Comes in Threes (3 page)

Dolf nodded, sitting down on the couch next to Tal. “Well, then, let’s get to it.” Dolf explained, in graphic detail, what had happened at the hardware store, including both his and Tal’s reactions. Dolf ended by saying they’d followed the human home. They had a last name and an address.

Several minutes passed as the Alpha stared off into space. Finally, he grunted. “From your reactions, there’s no doubt what you smelled was a mate scent. I suppose you want to claim this human?”

“Of course we do. Do you really have to ask us that?” Dolf answered.

“Tal? I need to hear your thoughts on this too. It involves not only Dolf, but you.”

“Of course, Monty.” Tal had permission to address Alpha Armonty by his nickname, Monty, when it was just family. “I want the human. I can’t—won’t—walk away from him. The goddess gave him to us for a reason. We just don’t know what the reason is. Turning away from him would be… it would be…. Dolf?” Tal reached for Dolf.

“Easy, sweetheart.”

Tal stared at his Alpha. “I need him.
We
need him.”

Dolf held Tal’s hand, but his gaze was on his dad. “Yes,
we
need him. I won’t walk away from my mate either.”

Monty held Dolf’s gaze. Finally, he sighed. “What a mess.”

Dolf raised an eyebrow, irked. “Finding a mate is a… mess? Really? I thought it was a gift to be cherished.”

“Don’t start, Dolf. A fated mate is indeed a gift.” The Alpha rubbed his hands over his face. “We all know that. But this…. Do you have any idea what you’re setting up here? He’s
human
, Dolf.”

“Tal and I are aware.”

“Watch the tone, son,” Monty growled. “Then you’re also aware that taking a human as a mate is problematic.”

“I know humans aren’t liked by shifters. They’re the biggest threat to our society, and with good reason. I understand that. Some humans tend to act before they think.”

Monty snorted. “Tend to act before they think? Oh, I believe they know exactly what they’re doing when they commit their atrocities. Dolf, look what humans have done to each other through the centuries. Human are narrow-minded, destructive creatures who can’t be trusted. If they can harm each other to such an extent, what do you think they’d do to
us
?”

“Not all humans are like that. You know as well as I do you can’t tar and feather a race based on the actions of a few.”

“A few? The entire race is more like it.”

“That’s crap and you know it. Goddess help me, I swear shifters are just as speciesist as the humans. There are good humans out there… just like there are narrow-minded, destructive paranormals. Do you realize how you sound? You talk about what humans would do to us, but have you listened to yourself? We’re talking about a
mate
, Dad.”

“True, but the mate is a human. We have much more to lose if we’re exposed. It’s a risk, Dolf. A huge risk you’re asking this clowder to take over one human.”

“Wait, what are you saying?” Tal jumped up. “Are you saying you won’t give us permission to claim the human? But, but… please! You can’t do that.”

“I can’t?” Power rolled across the room, and Tal whimpered, dropping back down in his seat.

Dolf flowed to his feet, releasing his own power. Energy sizzled, crackling on the air currents as it crashed together. Tal whimpered again. “He wasn’t challenging you, Dad. He misspoke. Tal doesn’t have what it takes to challenge you, and you know that.
But I do
.”

Monty also stood. “Are you challenging me? When you know you’re the next Alpha? I fully intend to hand over the reins when the time is right for me to step down, so why challenge me?”

“I’m not. What I said was Tal doesn’t have what it takes to challenge you, but I do. I didn’t say I
was
. I don’t think either of us wants to see how that would go down, so stop with the power display. You’re going to force Tal into a shift, and if you do, I won’t be happy.”

Abruptly, the power in the room disappeared. Tal gasped, breath wheezing. “Oh, thank the goddess Bast. Monty, I swear, I didn’t mean that how it sounded. Please, we need to… we need to keep calm. Please. No one wants to see the two of you fight for position.”

“Dolf, can’t you see? Already there’s discord, and the human isn’t even here.”

“The human didn’t cause this, but yes, it’s related to him. Dad, he’s our mate, plain and simple. Maybe it’s time to deal with the prejudice we have against all humans.” Dolf crossed his arms over his chest. Time to make a point. “If you don’t give permission to claim him, then I’ll go rogue and do it anyway.”

Monty’s mouth dropped open. “Are you serious? Go rogue? Leave your clowder and your family? Give up your birthright? Live as an outcast?”

Tal wiped the sweat off his forehead. “He wouldn’t lose everything. He’d still have me. I will also go rogue.”

“You both would give up everything for this human?”

“Yes, Dad. We would. He’s our mate. Why can’t you see the significance of that? Our goddess wouldn’t have given us this human if he was a threat. You
know
our goddess wouldn’t jeopardize us that way.”

“I see.”

Dolf held his breath. He knew giving his Alpha such an ultimatum was dangerous, but he needed his dad to see just how serious this was to Tal and him. This was the first battle they would face in claiming the human. If they couldn’t win this… then they would indeed have to go rogue. The human was theirs, dammit, and they would claim him.

“I love you, Dolf, and I love Tal like a son too. You know you don’t have to claim the human. We don’t have to claim the mates Bast gives us.”

“No, we don’t. But we’ve scented him, and ignoring Bast’s choice for us isn’t wise. Even if we didn’t mate with the human, Tal and I would live the rest of our lives knowing we were missing a part of ourselves. And Dad, so would our human—only he’d have no idea why he felt so alone, so empty. We all would suffer. I won’t do that to any of us. I simply won’t.”

Time crawled as the silent war between Dolf and his dad raged. Finally, Monty’s shoulders slumped. “So be it, Dolf. I will stand beside you and Tal.”

“Thank you, Dad. I… thanks.”

Monty nodded his head. “This isn’t going to be easy, you know.”

“I know. But other paranormals have claimed humans. It has happened before. They made it work, and so can we.”

Monty nodded his head. “Well, then, we better take the next step. You have my permission to claim the human. Now, we need to get the betas on board, then deal with the elders.”

T
HREE
DAYS
passed before they managed to get the other four betas—Aidric, Brier, Remi, and Heller—together. Dolf, as the heir apparent, bore the title of head beta. The doorbell rang, signaling the betas and their Alpha had arrived.

“Tal? Can you get that?”

“Sure.”

After everyone sat at the kitchen table, Dolf launched into explaining the reason for the meeting, but as soon as he mentioned another mate, a mate who was human, things spiraled out of control.

“A human? Did you say this mate is human?” Aidric swallowed. “Fuck, Dolf.”

“Yes, I said human,” Dolf answered.

“You can’t be serious.” Shocked, Brier stared at Dolf across the table. “Dolf, man, there must be a mistake.”

“You think I don’t know a mating scent when I smell it? I know what I scented.” Dolf spoke in slow, measured sentences. “I knew it when I smelled Tal, and I knew it when I smelled the human.”

“They’ve imprinted on this person,” Aidric said.

Brier glanced at Aidric. “True, but imprinting isn’t the same as mating.”

“If you’re hinting at us walking away from the human, don’t bother. The human is ours,” Dolf stated, drumming his fingers on the table.

“But… a human. Of all the species on the planet, you want to mate with a human. Unbelievable.” Brier didn’t bother to hide his distaste.

“You already have one mate, and now you get to have another? How the hell do you manage it?” Remi leaned back in his chair, a grin playing on his lips. “Tal, how do you feel about this?”

“Considering the human is my mate too, I’m perfectly fine with it,” Tal said.

Remi, still smiling, leaned over and fist bumped Tal.

“You would risk us for a fucking human?” Heller snarled.

“Tread carefully, Heller,” Alpha Armonty said. “You can voice your opinion, but do it respectfully.”

“But, Alpha, a human? You gave permission for this? Why would you do that?”

“Because, Heller, I know what it means to find your mate. You don’t, not yet. One day, goddess willing, you will,” Alpha Armonty replied.

“As long as it’s not a human.” Heller sniffed.

“I don’t even have one mate yet, and you already have two. I’m so jealous.” Remi shook his head. “You lucky dog.”

“You call having a human hanging around your neck lucky?” Heller sneered. “You know what they say, right? The only good human is a—”

Dolf lunged at Heller. Chairs flew backward as Aidric and Brier jumped up and grabbed Dolf. Remi grabbed Heller, ready to whisk the beta out of the room if needed.

“Is that a threat, Heller?” Dolf yelled. “Did you just threaten my mate? Because if you did, I’ll rip your fucking tongue out and feed it to you.”

“Shit, Dolf.” Tal shuddered.

“Hell’s bells! Dolf, calm down. An Alpha must keep his control even when he wants to knock a few heads together. Dammit, everyone
sit
their ass down.” Alpha Monty slammed his fist on the table. “Now!” There was a rush of asses hitting chair seats. “I am truly disappointed. I expect better than this from the bunch of you. We will talk about this calmly, is that understood? Calmly!” Alpha Armonty yelled.

The meeting lasted several hours and involved Tal using his calming influence more than once. In the end, three of the four betas backed him and Tal. Heller was the only one venomously against letting a human join their clowder.

Finally the meeting was over, and everyone had left. Tal shut the front door and turned to Dolf. “Thank the goddess that’s over.”

“Oh, I have a feeling it’s just beginning.” Dolf rolled his head, popping his neck. “How can we say we prize our mates, but in the same breath, be so derogatory toward humans? It boggles the mind.”

Exhausted, Tal sighed. “Shifters who have human mates don’t feel that way. It’s those of us who don’t have human mates, who don’t really know any humans.… It’s
those
shifters who haven’t let go of the old ways and moved on.”

Dolf turned to Tal, gently kissing his mate. “Thank you, sweetheart. As usual, you were the voice of reason.”

“Your dad is right, though. If you’re going to be the Alpha, you do need to learn to control that temper.”

“Oh, my dad is right, huh? My dad? The male who yelled at the top of his voice during the meeting with the betas? That even-tempered male?”

Tal snorted. “You two are so much alike.”

“I know, and you’re right. I do need to learn to stay calm. Good thing the old man is just three hundred years old. I have plenty of time to learn from him.”

“There is that.”

Now the elders were the only ones left. The elders were older males of their clowder with experience, who were too old to fight now. The clowder greatly respected an elder’s opinion, and the Alpha often called on them for advice, as did the betas.

Two weeks later, the Alpha called a meeting with the elders. So much time had passed due to one elder visiting a sick relative out of state. The elders were resistant but finally agreed to accept the human. It had helped that their computer hacker hadn’t found anything worrisome on their mate, whose name was Kirk Wells. Finally, a message was sent to their central territory leader.

Tal stood beside Dolf, holding his hand, a smile plastered on his face as he waved good-bye. “We did it, Dolf. The human is ours.”

“He’s ours. Our mate. Now, let’s go claim him.”

Kirk

“H
APPY
N
EW
Year’s Eve!”

“Oh, bite me,” I mumbled, flashing the Walmart greeter my best death glare.

At six three and two hundred, I had a damn impressive glare. If one more person dared to speak that phrase to me, I was going to string them up by their toenails. Yeah, happy fucking New Year’s Eve. Now kiss my ass.

The forecast predicted snow, thus the mad trip to the store and resulting battle for milk and toilet paper. Why those two items were required to survive a snowstorm was beyond me. I hurried outside, my head down against the ripping cold, my pitiful bag of groceries clutched to my chest. I jumped in the truck and hurried home.

After an ungodly slow drive home, thanks to the snow, I was juggling groceries while opening the back door. Damn snow was coming down harder since I’d left the store. By morning, it was going to be a winter wonderland of nut-grinding insanity. The forecast said we were due to get a foot, at least. Just what we needed. Folks in the South couldn’t drive on sunny days. Throw snow in the mix, and you had accidents just looking for a place to happen. I was very glad I’d decided not to work tomorrow.