Page 32 of Guarded By a Monster

I watched Jade carefullyto make sure she was okay with my brothers and their sometimes raucous behavior (especially Quin's). She relaxed more and more as time passed, making my chest hurt with joy.

It evaporated when she asked me how she would fit into Society. I held my breath, waiting for her reaction.

“You mean, because I’m your mate?”

I tilted my muzzle in a curt nod.

She took a deep breath. “What if that doesn’t work out?”

The cramp in my chest spread to my belly, and I abandoned the rest of the cookie on my plate. “Nothing will happen to you as long as I or my brothers live.”

Her eyes widened and she scanned the table before her attention returned to me. “Your brothers would protect me? Why?”

“Because you are precious to me, and they are my brothers.”

I didn’t fully understand the question. They would protect her if I weren’t able to do it. We were brothers. Raised as one and forged by our experiences. I would give my life for my family, which now included Kendal and Jade.

“You are our family. We protect what’s ours.” I winced, not wanting her to take that the wrong way. “Not that you belong to me.”

She nodded, but stared at the wall without seeing for several long moments. “I’ve never experienced that level of loyalty.” Her eyes darted to mine. “Of love. Other than with Nanna.”

“Surely your mother loved you.”

She huffed. “My mother had me because it was the expected thing to do among her friends. Go to college, get married, have babies. Only, after she had me, she realized she didn’t actually want kids. Or a husband. They divorced, dad remarried and has a whole new family, and mom moved me in with Nanna so she could travel the world and be a nomad.”

“I’m sorry.” I never had a mother—or a father, for that matter. We had test tubes and incubators. Even so, I knew it must have hurt to grow up without parents when you had them.

“Don’t be. Nanna more than made up for her. Besides, I was just a baby when she left and have only seen her a few times since then. Nanna’s my mom, for all intents and purposes.”

I nodded, dragged her chair closer, and tucked her under my arm. I couldn’t imagine anyone not wanting her. I wanted her with every cell in my body. I desired her, yes, but it was more than that. I wanted to make her smile every day, provide her with everything she could ever want, revel in her slightest touch.

In so short a time, she had become my everything.

Drym and Kendal said their goodbyes first, with her giggling out the door. The rest filed out after them. Nanna stopped Roul from leaving and hugged Jade.

“I’m going to stay with Roul.”

Jade’s eyes shot to mine and I looked at Roul. I didn’t think any of us could deny the old woman anything, but I worried about her disrupting his moody isolation.

He grunted. “It’s fine.”

I nodded at Jade to reassure her before she turned back to her grandmother.

“You be back first thing in the morning. And for heaven’s sake, don’t assault him.”

“I think he can defend himself, dear.” Nanna patted Jade’s arm.

Jade glared at her. “That’s not the assault I’m worried about.”

Nanna laughed and waved us both off as Roul helped her down the steps. She stopped several steps from the woods to turn back and shout at Jade, “Do all the things I would do!” Then she nearly lost her balance as she cackled. The largest of us, Roul was stooped over, allowing Nanna to use his forearm as a cane as they continued their slow shuffle toward his house.

Jade shook her head. “I hope he knows what he’s in for.”

I cocked my head at their retreating forms. “Of all of us, he’s the one who needs her the most. Maybe she can bring him out of the darkness he’s embraced.”

“That sounds ominous. He’s not dangerous, is he?”

I looked down to catch Jade worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. “No. The woman we believe to be his mate—the same witch who helped us escape—stayed behind with BioSynth, the lab that created us.”

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