Page 36 of Cursed by Death

Hunter and Ginger drove separately and Hunter showed up first. He put the stroller in the trunk of the Bentley and hooked the car seat up in the back. Thank god he did it because I wouldn’t have begun to know how.

Ginger didn’t mention the car seat. She and the baby rode in the back with Hunter in the front passenger seat with me driving.

I liked that Hunter didn’t try to get me to let him drive. I was an alpha female when it came to most things and I didn’t need a man to drive me around. I didn’t need a man for anything, really.

Hunter and Ginger talked amongst themselves and I was glad they didn’t try to include me in their conversation. I didn’t know if they could feel my nervousness and were giving me myspace or what. I appreciated it all the same, no matter the reason why.

The front yard and the driveway in front of Rally’s farmhouse were completely covered in vehicles. The Bentley stuck out like a sore thumb.

“Park right up front, near the house,” Hunter advised me.

I did as he said and parked right up front close to the house. I seriously hoped it didn’t make me look like an asshole who needed special privileges to these good people.

I didn’t see anyone as we got out of the car and Hunter went around to the trunk to get the stroller out.

“Are we late?” I asked Ginger quietly. I had to remind myself that even if I whispered chances were high that most of them would still be able to hear every word out of my mouth.

“They should all be out back behind the barn. I’ve never seen this many cars here before, though. Wow.”

I sighed unhappily at hearing this news. There were so many of them here tonight because the news that Rally had found his supposed mate had gotten out. It was even bigger news because I was mostly human, that they knew of.

I was really wishing that Rally hadn’t asked me to come here tonight to support him because I really didn’t want to be the most popular side show at the circus. I had been alone for so long that I knew all of the attention I was going to get tonight would only serve to make me extremely uncomfortable.

Ginger and I walked side by side behind Hunter who had taken control of the stroller and was happily pushing it along like this was a day trip to the zoo or something. There was even a little pep in his step.

Hunter had taken the ugly diaper bag and stuffed it into the bottom basket of the stroller. She kept nervously twisting her fingers together in front of herself, almost as if she didn’t know what to do with empty hands.

I couldn’t help her with that. I wanted my hands empty in case I needed to be able to go for one of my knives so I could defend myself.

The shifters had claws to defend themselves. I had very sharp blades. It wasn’t the same but it was a lot better than nothing.

I could even hear them before we started making our way around the barn. Hundreds of voices, both male and female, were talking all at once.

I didn’t let myself get nervous. They’d be able to smell the fear on me. I told myself that I had nothing to fear from these people but I knew that wasn’t exactly the truth.

If Rally lost this challenge what did that mean for me? Would they all turn on me and attack me?

I didn’t know but I didn’t think telling them Rally and I hadn’t slept together yet and that I was no one’s mate would do me any good. Their Prince had proclaimed me as his mate and they hadn’t even questioned it.

I had never been to any kind of shifter function before and I was desperately hoping that my first outing into their world didn’t turn into a bloodbath.

Just the thought of the potential made me feel like I was a selfish bitch for dragging Ginger and the baby here.

There were large crowds of people grouped everywhere. Everyone quieted down as they turned to watch us walk through them towards the front where I assumed Rally would be. I kept my mouth shut and followed Hunter with my face carefully blank.

I felt even worse for Ginger now because it wasn’t just me they were openly staring at. I wanted to shield her from their prying eyes.

“Ginger,” a big, burly man said as he stepped in front of us, stopping us and cutting us off from Hunter and the baby. “It’s sogood to see you here. I’m glad you remembered you’re a part of the community. You can’t hide from us for forever.”

The man ignored me entirely and Ginger flinched at his words.

I wanted to dick punch him for that flinch alone. And I wanted to feed him his balls for calling her out like that in front of all of these watching people.

What a fucking asshole.

Ginger opened her mouth but I got there first, “What’s your name, big man?” I asked. In my head all I could think was big man, small dick.

It would be a cruel twist of fate if this asshole was packing heat in the cock department. That didn’t seem fair and I was a firm believer that god worked in mysterious ways.

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