Page 15 of Mate For Hire (For Hire 3)

Janessa rolled her eyes. “Your brother skipped town the minute this thing went sideways.”

“Why is he mine when he acts stupid?” Lachelle wanted to know.

“He’s yours when I refuse to claim him over the bonehead stunts he pulls. How could he leave town and leave Mom and Dad to fend for themselves?”

“Isn’t that what we did?”

“No, we begged them to come out here. They refused to leave their house. Harrison didn’t even give them that much. But whatever. I don’t want to talk about him. To answer your question, no, Bannon hasn’t shown any signs of being a shifter.”

“Maybe it takes longer to come out.”

“Dragon shifters are born with the ability.” Janessa looked worriedly at her son. “It’s kind of why we put off bonding all this time.”

Lachelle’s eyes widened. “I thought you guys had secretly done it and just didn’t say anything.”

“No.” Janessa ducked her head. Lachelle suspected she hid tears. “I’m starting to think he doesn’t want to marry me—or bond. All this time, no one has truly warmed up to us. We’re still outsiders. And with Bannon not showing signs of being a shifter, they’re probably thinking the shifter genes have rejected him too. Plus—”

Janessa clamped her teeth together.

Lachelle frowned at her. “Plus what?”

“Nothing.”

“Say it. I have a feeling you’re hiding something from me.”

Janessa sighed and swatted Bannon’s butt when he tried to defy her again. He screamed like she tried to kill him.

Lachelle laughed. “Lord, he’s dramatic.”

“He gets that from you.”

“Your mama!”

“I’m going to tell her.”

“Shush, Nessa.”

Her sister smirked.

“Tell me what you started to say.”

“Just let it go. I’m going to put this boy to bed. You can finish cleaning up.”

“Isn’t that what you have servants for?”

“You’re spoiled that fast?”

“Um, excuse me, but I don’t have servants at my little cabin.”

Janessa left the room, carrying a struggling Bannon. Lachelle thought about what Janessa started to say before she clammed up. Apparently, as long as Declan and her had been together, living among the shifters, she still didn’t feel accepted.

The people were polite enough, but one could say it was because they feared Declan’s anger or didn’t want to show their leader disrespect. Lachelle had walked through the homestead with her sister since she arrived, and upon passing the shifters, they were presented with a polite nod, nothing more. Some people went out of their way to avoid them or turned their head to pretend they didn’t see the two humans coming along.

Then it hit Lachelle. If there was a question as to whether Lachelle was Gerard’s mate, and it looked like she wasn’t because Kelly was alive, it stood to reason maybe Declan was wrong as well. Declan had never had a mate before Janessa, but she still might be the wrong one.

Lachelle busied herself with picking up the model planes and placing them in the toy box. It was odd that a kid who should be able to fly enjoyed playing with planes most of all.

Then again he might like them because he’s a shifter.

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