Page 45 of Siren in the Rain

“It’s because you’ve found your fated mate,” Ruby offers softly. “Your desire to protect him and keep him safe must have finally triggered your body’s natural instincts.”

My tail picks up speed, thumping with excitement. Whatever the reason, I’m thrilled that I have more ways to keep my mate safe. Anyone who tries to hurt Shae will have to answer to me.

Ruby chuckles. “While that was a very manly and wolfish display, it’s kind of undermined by your overall adorableness.” She reaches over and ruffles the hair on top of my head before scratching my right ear, which I immediately lean into with a contented huff.

“I may be adorable, but I can be badass if I want to be,” I retort with a pout.

Far from convincing, I know.

Ruby chuckles. “Of course, of course.” She pets me and I close my eyes with pleasure.

The intercom in the lab—we have them throughout most of the compound—crackles to life. “MEOW Squad meeting in the living room in five minutes! Drop what you’re doing and get your butts scootin’!” Dallas bellows loud enough that my ears flatten in response to his summons.

We’ve all basically given up on Dallas regulating his voice. Part of me suspects it’s a Bearkin thing because he speaks in a semi-roar most of the time. Maybe his future mate will help him soften his voice a little?

We make our way to the living room and I perk up instantly when I see Shae sitting on a love seat facing the wall of windows overlooking the Pacific. I’m already learning my mate’s ways.

He had a therapy session a while ago and went off to his room to be alone. That’s become his new MO after each session. But Dr. Greenwater made it clear that this was necessary and appropriate decompression time for him since therapy sessions can be quite taxing for trauma patients.

I’m relieved to see he’s looking less withdrawn each day. Even in the short time that he’s been living in the house, his skin has developed a healthier tint and his hair is becoming more lustrous and vibrant if that’s even possible. If he’s this gorgeous as a half-siren, I have to wonder how mesmerizing full sirens are…

Of course, I may be a tad biased because of the mate bond. To me, Shae’s the most beautiful man in the entire world. I sigh dreamily at the thought.

Dallas has played a huge part in improving Shae’s physical health. When the doctor who assessed Shae informed us that he was malnourished, Dallas immediately began devising ways to remedy that problem and has been taking every opportunity to feed my mate. I’m happy to let him since I suck when it comes to cooking and baking. While I’m confident I can fulfill my mate in many arenas—especially the bedroom—I’m more than willing to leave fulfilling his meal needs to our resident Papa Bear.

I bound over to Shae, practically floating with joy at seeing him, and claim a spot beside him on the love seat. This affords me the opportunity to sit close and press my body lightly into his in a way he’s receptive to.

When he relaxes into me, I close my eyes and smile with satisfaction as my tail thumps against the couch.

True to his Papa Bear self, Dallas places some freshly baked cookies and glasses of milk on the coffee table when he joins us.

“Help yourself, Shae,” Dallas says, crossing his big muscular arms over his rainbows and kittens apron. We got him that for Christmas and he wears it all the time.

“Oh, I don’t think—” Shae starts to demur, but Dallas gets a stern look on his face and his fuzzy bear ears twitch with annoyance.

Shae swallows his resistance and gives Dallas a faint smile. “Thank you, Dallas. I’ll have one.” He reaches a slim, fine-boned hand across the coffee table and picks up one of the warm and gooey chocolate chip and caramel chunk cookies that have won more than a few people over to Dallas’s charm.

Everyone watches with avid interest as Shae takes his first hesitant bite. His eyes flutter closed, and he moans so deeply and sensually that my cock stands at attention before I even have time to process things.

Fuck. Shae eating cookies is now being fully registered in my spank bank.

Shae licks his lips and opens his eyes, expression dreamy. “Oh. My. Fucking. God. These are amazing.”

“Oh ho, ho, ho!” Dallas laughs and pounds his chest in a manly fashion with a huge fist. “Consider yourself lucky. I am a master baker.”

Cal snorts from where he’s sprawled on one of the sofas. “I could make a filthy innuendo here, but I won’t.”

Dallas narrows his eyes at him. “Maybe I should shove a cookie in there to shut your mouth.”

Cal gives him a cheeky grin. “By all means, Papa Bear.”

Dallas huffs and takes a seat on another sofa, where Ruby and Emma are cuddled up together.

Everyone in the house, minus Harper, descends on the cookies with ravenous abandon. I don’t know how Dallas manages to do it, but the cookies are soft and gooey and perfectly baked every time. The caramel and chocolate ooze from the cookies when you bite into them, melting on your tongue, and it’s like a little foodgasm in your mouth.

I gobble one down but for once I barely taste it because I’m so focused on Shae’s reactions, which are making me super horny. Then again, almost anything he does makes me super horny.

I’m elated when he picks up a second cookie and starts nibbling on it. I covertly give Dallas a thumbs-up and he returns it, albeit less covertly, a huge, satisfied grin on his face while he strokes his beard and nods to himself in satisfaction.

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