Page 3 of Beautiful Sight

“You don’t have to, tigress. You have me now. You’ll come home with me.”

He sounded so assured she couldn’t find it in herself to argue. After all, she had no other options, no friends willing to take her in. The thought of going home with this stranger seemed far better than standing on this stage until she died of starvation or hypothermia. There was something about this man that made her feel safe, and that was a feeling she’d not felt in a very, very long time.

“Okaaay,” she said hesitantly, drawing the word out as her stomach began to rumble. Loudly.

“Thank you for trusting me. Sounds like before we head home we need to feed you, and I know just the place.”

With that, the man, whose name had flown from her brain, slid one arm around her shoulders before turning around so they faced the same direction. He then guided her across the stage.

She went along willingly, then wondered where this instinctive trust she felt toward him came from. Just as she was beginning to relax a bit, she took a step and found no floor beneath her foot. She squeaked in fright as she began to fall forward.

“Oh, shit,” the man said as he wrapped his free arm around her middle, catching her and stopping her tumble down the stairs. “I’m sorry, Tessa. I’ll be more careful about stairs in the future.”

Instead of guiding her down the stairs, he picked her up and carried her, bridal style. He quickly descended the rest of the steps, but he didn’t put her down once he reached the main floor. Instead, he kept walking.

“You can put me down now,” she said quietly, every muscle in her body stiffening.

“You’re fine where you are,” he said as he continued walking.

“Alpha, we’ll need to talk to the lady,” someone behind her said.

“You can speak with her tomorrow. She’s coming home with me,” the man said as he kept walking. His voice allowed no argument and a shiver ran through Tessa at the power that filled his tone.

“Yes, Alpha. Tomorrow morning.”

****

Though tempted to carry the woman far away from the city, Jefferson had responsibilities he could not ignore. He was, after all, a member of the city’s supernatural council as well as alpha of the city’s wolf population. Anyone who approached as he carried his mate through of the building to his SUV waiting just outside received a dark frown and shake of his head, which had them bowing their head in a submissive gesture.

Sometimes it was good to be alpha.

“Where are you taking me?” the woman asked as she dropped her head to his shoulder. She sounded tired even as her stomach gave another grumbly rumble.

“I’m taking you home, after we stop for something to eat,” he answered simply.

Jed, one of his bodyguards, opened the door so he could set her on the back seat of the SUV. “Slide over, tigress.”

Tessa shifted across the seat without an argument until she reached the far door. Instead of allowing her to sit all the way across from him, Jefferson pulled her back to the middle before placing the seat belt around her. After belting himself in, he took her right hand in his left.

“You’re cold,” he said, sandwiching her ice-cold hand between both of his to warm it. It was so much smaller than his, it made him realize how tiny and fragile his mate really was.

“I’m fine.” The flat response sounded automatic, as if she always denied any weakness.

“No, you’re not. You’re tired. You’re hungry. You’re cold. And you’re probably in shock as well,” Jefferson pointed out, the steel thread in his voice growing stronger. “We’re going to a café I know where we can eat and talk. We’ll stay there until you feel comfortable coming home with me. Or, if you prefer, I can take you to a hotel for a day or two while you find your footing.”

He rubbed his hands over hers to warm them up. When that hand felt warm enough, he laid it in her lap and took her other hand, repeating the process. He was surprised she did not fight him.

By the time her second hand had warmed, Jed had parked down the block from the alley where Mystic’s All-Night Café was located.

Climbing out, Jefferson helped Tessa from the SUV. Though tempted to lift her into his arms again and carry her all the way to the café, he set her down. Once she was steady, he took her right hand and curled it around his left arm just above his elbow.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You’re very welcome,” Jefferson said as he laid his free hand over hers.

He walked slowly so his precious mate could keep up. The city around them was quiet as he turned the alley.

They passed through the magical barrier that made the blands of the city think this was just another dirty, trash-filled alley radiating an aura of menace to those who didn’t know what was on the other side.

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