Page 74 of Mitchell's Untamed Mate

Tracy watched as her audience scattered in different directions around the cavern.There was something about the hushed voices, the crackling of the fire, and the normalcy as the families settled down for the night that soothed her.She rose and smiled when she noticed Mitchell walking towards her.Studying his face, he looked tired, but not as tense as he was before.

“Did everything go well?”she asked.

He nodded.“I showed them the drawings your father gave me, and we talked.They understand the gravity of the situation… and the risks.I explained everything from what Jace overheard to our capture.They are afraid, which is to be expected.”

She touched his arm.“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Keep doing what you’re doing.The kids accepting you and the way you are with them helps a lot,” he murmured against her hair.

“That will be easy.”

He sighed and pulled her into his arms.She melted against him, wrapping her arms around his waist.She rested her head against his chest for a few extra seconds before she pulled back, kissed him lightly, and caressed his cheek.

“You need to get some rest,” she stated.

He nodded in agreement.“I’m too tired to erect a screen.How do you feel about sleeping in the tent?”

“As long as I get to hold you, I’ll sleep anywhere you ask me to,” she replied.

Chapter18

The murmur of voices filtered through Mitchell’s consciousness, pulling him from the light sleep he had slipped into near dawn.He was lying on his side with Tracy tucked against him and his arm around her waist.From the even rise and fall under his hand and her light snores, he could tell she was still asleep.

He let his mind wander.His conversation last night with the elders had been good.Their questions had reflected their concerns but also their openness to change.In truth, that openness had been a bit of a shock to him after what happened with Ella and Ty.He fully expected them to resist the idea of accepting the shifters’ offer.

It had been Cyrus who helped him understand.Jayden’s grandfather explained that the elder members had been devastated by the loss of Ella, and shocked by Ty.The shifter was nothing like those from the tales they shared.They had expected to see a half-animal, half-human looking creature, lusting for blood, not love.

“I feel we have let you down, Mitchell.You and the rest of the clan.You look to us for guidance and all we have done is hold you and the other younger members to the past.I fear we have waited too long.We are dying out, Mitchell.That is something I don’t need to tell you.We can no longer hide if we are to survive.Our decision to banish Ella came from fear of the unknown.In retrospect, I see how much the shifter cared for her.He walked into danger, into the unknown, to be with her—just as your shifter has,” Cyrus said, leaning forward against his cane.

Elaina reached for her husband’s hand.“We were wrong, but it isn’t too late.”

“Thank you for your support.The path before us now is a better life for our people, but it won’t be easy.Their way of life is different from ours.They have things I can’t begin to describe.In the short time I was there, I saw machines—” He had stopped because he didn’t want to frighten them further, but he wanted them to understand that their lives would change dramatically.“I flew in a machine through the air like a great eagle.”

Once again, their interest had surprised him.They asked tons of questions about the machines, Tracy’s home, and the dangers he had faced.He answered each question to the best of his ability.They had all grown quiet when Tracy’s beautiful voice rang out through the cavern.The lilting melody wrapped around them and the words transported them into a tale from long ago.By the time she finished singing, he knew the elders were done with their questioning.

Mallory had fallen into step with him as he exited the group.He didn’t miss the way her eyes scanned the cavern for Jayden.Jayden was sitting near the entrance to the cave with her back to them.

“She’ll come around,” he said.

Mallory sighed and shook her head.“She is stubborn.Rand and I hoped she would grow out of it.”

Mitchell chuckled.“She loves too hard for her own good sometimes.Fear shadows everything she sees.”

“I know.She changed after her brother—after Allen died.She blames herself,” Mallory said, the grief of losing her son etched into her face.

“We’ve lost too many.I don’t want us to lose any more.Cyrus is—” He couldn’t continue.

Mallory placed her hand on his arm and he stopped.“We are all getting older.He is sick.The trip here was very difficult for him.Rand and I weren’t sure he would make it.He probably wouldn’t have if not for Jayden egging him on.I worry how she will take his passing.The two of them always had a special connection that Rand and I never did with her.”

“We’ll be there for her whether she wants us or not.I hope once she and Ella are together again, she’ll feel more comfortable,” he said.

Mallory looked toward the cave entrance where her daughter sat.“I hope so.Maybe… maybe she will find a shifter who will love her enough to break through the walls she has built.None of the boys here have what it takes.My greatest fear is she will always be alone.”

“Everything will be alright.Jayden will find her way,” he said, hoping he was right.

Mallory sighed again and smiled at him.“I hope so.Now, let’s go rescue Tracy.I believe Macon has adopted her.”

As he turned to see what had caught Mallory's attention, a bittersweet ache washed over him at the sight of Tracy lovingly cradling the toddler in her arms.He could almost envision what it would be like if that was their child.The thought startled him, sending a shiver of longing down his spine.

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