Page 44 of Shifter Marked and Claimed

I didn’t think I wanted to talk about Micah or our mating, until I opened my mouth to say so and things just started spewing out. I told them about how he had considered leaving the pack believing I must be mated. I explained how I hadn’t wanted anyone to know about Vada’s origins, but especially not him. I could say that in this group because I knew from the way Shelby had opened up that they were already aware and accepting of her children, which gave me hope that maybe they could accept my little girl too.

I talked about it. I told them everything, except the one secret I was still harboring even from Micah. And then even that was out there in the open.

“Does he know you’re a healer?” Taylor asked.

My jaw dropped. My muscles tensed as I looked around the room. Much to my shock no one seemed surprised by the news.

“You all know?”

“I didn’t know,” Elise said. “Why didn’t I know this?”

“Sorry. I really didn’t think it was a secret. We celebrate witches around here, I guess I assumed that’s how Kelsey convinced you to stay here,” Taylor said.

“That’s so sweet. You’re a healer and he’s a doctor. Just imagine what the two of you can do working together,” Maddie said. She was one of Kelsey’s brother’s mates, or something like that. They were all a blur at this point.

“He can’t find out what I am,” I blurted out.

Kelsey came and sat next to me. It was almost surreal. I mean, I knew she was the Pack Mother, but the way the others scrambled to clear a path for her really highlighted the authority she had.

“Lucy, why haven’t you told him?”

I shook my head. “I can’t. I don’t want to see that kind of disappointment or fear when he looks at me.”

“You won’t,” Kelsey tried to tell me.

“You don’t know that for sure. I’ve seen it too many times, even on people I thought cared about me. I can’t risk seeing it from him.”

“How does he not already know?” Shelby asked. “I mean, didn’t he help out with the last mission?”

“No,” Kelsey said. “He was supposed to go but was called to stay back at the last minute. I mean he did help, but from here, not onsite.”

“I hadn’t crossed paths with him until I took Vada to get her required school physical. Of that I am certain.”

“If he’s your true mate, then you would have known for sure,” Elise said.

“There’s no mistaking that call,” Emma agreed.

“But it sounded like you weren’t certain, so compatible mates? That’s cool too, but you could have crossed paths with him at some point and maybe not have realized then. I mean there were a lot of shifters in one place, right?”

A small growl escaped me, and my eyes widened as I clamped my hand over my mouth.

“Nope, not compatible. Definitely true mates,” Elise said with a smirk.

CHAPTER 12

MICAH

I had always loved kids,but I had never really seen myself as a dad, until now. Vada was an easy kid to love. We’d spent a quiet evening of pizza and a movie, just like I’d told Lucy we would. After the movie, I got Vada cleaned up and into her pjs then we went back out into the living room so she could play a little longer.

I turned on one of the kid channels and laid down on the couch.

It wasn’t long before Vada joined me.

“I seepy, Doc.”

“Me too, sweetheart. Want to snuggle a bit before bed?”

She stared at me with her big eyes and nodded as she climbed up and settled onto my chest.

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