Wolves for the Bears: Book 5, Grey Wolf Pack Romance Novellas (12 page)

He just wished he hadn’t made
Mac feel so guilty about being with him. 
He had treated her like she was his mistress
.  He wasn’t really cheating on Esther, anymore than Esther was cheating on him with Felicity.  Yet he had allowed Mac to think that he was.  One of the many things he regretted deeply about the situation.

But after the night he had spent with Mac, and finding Esther with Felicity... the situation had come to a head.  It was time they sorted it out.  They couldn’t live like this much longer. 
Or at least he certainly couldn’t
.

He would ta
lk to Esther in the morning.

He drifted off to sleep
thinking of his mate,
her sweet scent tickling his senses
. 
His sweet Mac, no... his sweet Delilah.

Chapter Ten

Esther’s eyes fluttered open.
  Yawning she looked down on her mate wrapped around her body.  It was a blissful way to wake up.  She stroked Felicity’s dark blonde hair and the wolf stirred in her arms.

She heard a clatter from the kitchen and snapped her head in that direction. 
Fuck!

Carefully she extricated herself from Felicity, rolling her muscles.  The couch had been a little cramped for both of them.

“What’s happening?”  Mumbled Felicity.

Esther rubbed her cheek
and repositioned a pillow in her mate’s arms.  “Nothing my darling, go back to sleep.”

Felicity seized the pillow and gladly fell back into slumber.
  Esther tiptoed to the kitchen, her stomach full of butterflies at what was to come.  She’d known she was gay since she was 13 years old, she’d dated countless women over the years and yet, no matter what, she still felt a twinge of guilt at being seen with a woman.

She’d managed to hide her girlfriends well over the years, the main reason all her previous relationships had failed.  But unfortunately she had been caught...

She knew there was nothing wrong with what she was doing, fate had seen to it that she liked women instead of men. 
So what?
  Fate had sealed that by sending her a female true mate.  Big deal right?  She just wished she could completely quash her father’s voice in her head telling her it was ‘against nature’.

She held her breath when she saw Andy’s giant frame at the stove
.  Mmmmm, he was making scrambled eggs, her favourite
.

He whirled round when he scented her.  “Oh hey, sorry didn’t mean to wake you.  Is errr... is Felicity awake too?”

Esther reddened.  “Ummm no, still sleeping.”  She licked her lips. 
God her mouth felt dry
.  “I’m sorry about Felicity staying the night...”

Andy’s brow furrowed.  “It’s fine, as long as you’re careful.”

Esther looked at him doubtfully.  “You sure you don’t mind?”

Andy shook his head
.  “Course not.”

Esther laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.
  “No, I guess I don’t need my
husband’s
permission to have my
girlfriend
stay over.”

Andy chuckled.  “Husband on paper only... we’re more like roommates.” 

“Am I glad to hear that?”  Asked Felicity rhetorically.  She stood in the doorway to the already crowded kitchen rubbing her eyes.

Andy grinned.  “Hey you want some breakfast?” 

“Definitely I’m starved.”  Felicity sat at the table and Esther a little unenthusiastically followed suit.  The three of them sitting down to a meal was a little
surreal
.

Andy placed three stacked plates on the table.  There was bacon, sausage, three kinds of eggs, tomatoes, hash browns, mushrooms and toast.  Felicity and Andy eagerly started digging in whilst Esther picked at hers.

After the initial rush to fill his stomach Andy started to slow down and savour his food.  “So, how long have you been together?”  He asked conversationally.

Felicity looked to Esther.  “Just over six months.”

“Hmmm.”  He speared a mushroom on his fork.  “You know you could have told me.”  He said to Esther a little censoriously, “you didn’t have to keep this from me.”

Esther fidgeted in her seat.  “I didn’t want to make things awkward with you... and I didn’t want you to do anything rash
when you found out I found my mate.”

Andy’s eyes bugged out.  “You two are mates?!”

Felicity smiled bashfully.  “Yeah, we knew it the moment we saw each other.”

“What are the odds?”
  He muttered. Both he and Esther found their mates in the same wolf pack. 
Huh, kismet
.

He watched the nervous but happy looks pass between the two mates.  He was more than a little curious about how far they had gotten.  “Have you bonded?”

Esther chewed her lip.  “Yes, a couple of weeks ago.”

“Does she know about why we... why we pretend we’re together?”

Felicity puffed out her chest and bared her teeth, thinking of what her mate had suffered at the hands of her clan always filled her with revulsion.  “Yes, Esther told me.  As difficult as it’s been thinking of her being here... married to you..”

Andy held up his hands in surrender as her voice turned gruff and her eyes shone bright amber.  “I swear, I never touched her.”

Esther rolled her eyes.  “She knows, I’ve told her over a dozen times.”

Felicity gave her a disapproving glare.  Esther giggled.  “I’m sorry but you wolves are so damn possessive.”

“As I was saying,” continued the wolf through gritted teeth, “I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for her, for us really, I can’t bear, sorry can’t
stand
, the thought of what might have happened.  If there’s anything I can ever do for you.”

“You don’t have to thank me, really you don’t... although if you were to put in a good word for me with Delilah, I mean Mac, I’d be grateful.”

Felicity stared at him in confusion whilst the truth dawned on Esther.  “Is she your mate?”

Andy looked at the table as he played with his fork.  “Yes.”  He said quietly.
 

“Oh Andy!”  Exclaimed Esther.  “How long have you known?”

Andy let out a long breath and rubbed his eyes.  “Since I met her, start of August.”

Esther grimaced and placed a hand over his.  “
I’m sorry Andy, I’m sorry you haven’t been able to be with your mate because of me...”

Andy and Felicity both growled at her and told her it wasn’t her fault.
  “I knew you’d blame yourself, that’s why I didn’t tell you about her.”

Felicity got up to make some more coffee. 
“Why didn’t you tell her you’re not really married?

“I didn’t want to tell her without
Esther’s permission.” He turned toward his wife.  “I wasn’t sure you’d want anyone to know.”

She sighed.  “God I’m sorry Andy...” 
Felicity glowered at her and Esther flushed.  “Alright, okay.  Even though you say it’s not my fault I’m still really sorry.  Do you want me to talk to her?”

He hesitated.  He would love for Esther to tell Mac the truth.  His mate was less likely to go ballistic at Esther for not telling her the truth. 
But that seemed just a tad cowardly...

“No... no definitely no.  I’ll tell her... when the time is right.”

Last night had been great and they had both ended their time together on a happy note.  But he doubted Mac’s good mood would last forever... he had to chose the moment to talk to her wisely.  Then there was still the issue of Esther being in danger from their former clan.

Things were far from smooth sailing yet
.

*

2
nd
November

Andy came home from work to find Esther sniffling on the phone and her mate Felicity making urgent hand gestures at her.  Esther ignored them and gave Felicity the stink eye.

“What’s going on?”  Andy mouthed to Felicity.  The young wolf growled and rolled her amber eyes.

Esther was talking quietly, her hand gripping the receiver until her knuckles turned white.  “Okay... yes... I understand... I’ll have to talk to Andy...”

That elicited louder growls from the wolf.

“Okay... yes... bye.”  Esther hung up, her eyes a little watery.

Andy was worried.  “Ess...”

Esther chewed on her cheek, she was pale and a little shaky.  “That was my mom...”

Felicity snarled.  “What did she want?”  Asked Andy calmly.  As much as he disliked Esther’s mother Joan for standing by her twisted husband, she had never actually hurt Esther...
just allowed her to get hurt by others
.

“My dad’s dying... cirrhosis of the liver... apparently shifters can drink themselves to death.”  She giggled
dully, almost hysterically.

Felicity in spite of her anger hugged her mate, Esther eagerly wrapped her arms around her.  “He’s been sick for about six months now... they only called because he really is dying... he’s only got a few weeks to live at best.”

She sniffled.  “They didn’t tell me before... they figured I wouldn’t want to see him.”

Andy eyed her curiously.  “Would you have wanted to see him?”

She blinked a few times.  “Honestly I don’t know.”

They were all quiet for a few minutes.  “
My dad wants to see me... before he dies.  Well he wants to see both of us.”  She said nodding at Andy.

Andy narrowed his eyes.  “Is that what you want?  Because if it’s not you don’t have to go, you don’t owe him anything.”

“I know, but he’s dying, I guess I should get a little closure before it’s too late.  And besides I’m sick of pretending... I’m going to tell him and all our clan that I’ve found my mate and that we’re getting divorced.”

Esther stood up straight and jutted out her chin.  “I’m sick of being scared
of them.”

Andy felt his bear stir, he was roused by Esther’s show of backbone.
  Yes, it was about time this whole mess was sorted out once and for all. 
And that started with his mate
.

*

Andy impatiently knocked on his mate’s door.

It had been decided, much to the chagrin of Felicity, that Andy and Esther would return home
alone to the clan to see her father the next day.  Both of them had already spoken to their respective bosses and had taken time off work.

Esther was determined to tell her family about her bond with Felicity, and Andy would tell them about his impending bond with Mac...
that is if Mac would still have him
.

He was a little shamefaced to admit that he hadn’t spoken to her since their last night together. 
He was trying to remedy that now
.

He had checked with
Esther and she agreed he could tell Mac the whole sorry story. 
If she would listen
.  If she didn’t want to perhaps he would just pin her down and smother her in kisses until she did. 
Yeah, both he and his bear could definitely get on board with that plan
.

He thumped his paw on the door.  Where the hell was she? 
She better not be out on a date with Luke.

He was pl
eased to say that he hadn’t seen the crazy male wolf since he tried to run Andy down. 
He should probably do something about that...

His beast growled and he pounded the door harder, shaking the window frames.

Her slightly muffled and exasperated voice floated through the door.  “I know it’s you Andy, I don’t want to see you.”

He moved closer to the door
, his fingers resting lightly on the wood.  “Please honey.”  He said coaxingly.  “I need to talk to you.”

She sighed
, leaning against the frame.  Her mate separated only by a few inches of wood. 
Yes she was hiding from him, and yes she knew it was childish but she didn’t care
.  Alright so he hadn’t promised her anything but really, no phone call?!  After their night together didn’t she even rate highly enough to receive a text message?

Everything she knew about him, everything she felt for him screamed that he was a good guy, and that he cared for her.
 
Her wolf was absolutely smitten with him
.  But his actions said otherwise. 

He was using her for sex.  As much as she enjoyed their lovemaking,
boy did she!
  She certainly didn’t want half a relationship with him.  She wanted him all the time, not just a fumble now and again.

The pounding didn’t relent, his frustrated growls became
even more fierce.

If she opened the door she knew she would let him in, he would smile at her, she would melt for him and within ten minutes they’d be having sex.  Then when it was over he’d close down
and tell her they couldn’t be together because it was...
sigh, complicated
...

Unexpectedly the banging stopped.
  She tensed alert. 
Oh no had he left?
  She listened attentively, barely breathing.  No he was still there.  She could hear his feet shuffling on her porch.

It was a bit worrying at how miserable she became
thinking that he had left her.  So she didn’t want to see him but was super sad when she thought he had left. 
She was such an idiot
.

Andy took a deep breath,
he needed to get her attention
.  “Honey... Esther met her mate too.”

The door was yanked open.  The cute little wolf in front of him was stunned.
  Andy took the opportunity to shove his way into her house.  Dazedly she stepped backwards and he quickly slammed the door locking it. 
She wasn’t getting rid of him now
.