Page 26 of Stolen Mate

“You’re not?”

He shook his head. “No. All of the residents in Mystic River are what we call shifters. Not the same animals, but we can shift from one form to another.”

“Trudy? Dash? Betty?”

“Tasmanian devil, reindeer, and fox, respectively.”

“You have a reindeer-shifter named Dash? As in Dasher—one of Santa’s reindeer?”

Derek rolled his eyes. “It’s actually short for Dashell. And there’s no such thing as Santa Claus.”

“Right. Because there’s no such thing as shifters. If you don’t mind, I’m going to keep an open mind about Santa Claus.”

“I think we should go to Otter Cove in the morning. I’d like you to meet my brother. We’ll be safer in his compound.”

“Why aren’t we safe here?”

“We are. Hey, fellas, shine your flashlights so Tess can see you.”

Three flashlights signaled the location of Zak’s people.

“Does someone want to hurt me because I know now?”

“Some, but that’s not the only reason.” She quirked her eyebrows in question, so Derek continued. “There are two polar bear clans at Otter Cove. The oldest is known as Akiak and is led by my father. When my brother returned home and took over as sheriff, a bunch of us split off from the original clan and formed a second one. No one in Zak’s clan would want to hurt you. But Henry’s is another matter.”

“Why? I’ve done nothing to them?”

“You haven’t, but your birth mother did.”

“My birth mother?” she asked as realization started to creep into her eyes.

Derek nodded. Tess shook her head and started to withdraw. Derek took her hand. “Your mother was one of us—or rather them. You’ll be safer with Zak’s people. We can show you the things you need to know. Teach you.”

She shook her head again. “No. That isn’t possible. I would know.”

“Not necessarily. Did your mother ever give you anything iron and tell you to never take it off?

She nodded. “An ancient Celtic cross. But the necklace part got caught in my hair and I ended up having to break it to get it untangled.”

“That’s why you could shift in the meadow. Iron touching our skin prevents us from shifting.”

“I can’t shift.”

“You can, and you did. When I first found you, you were a polar bear.”

Tess’s eyes rolled back in her head, and Derek stepped forward to catch her as she passed out. He scooped her up in his arms and headed into the house with her. It was going to be a long night, and the new morning didn’t show a lot of promise for improvement.

CHAPTER 11

TESS

Journal Entry, April 1st

April Fools’ Day. How fucking appropriate. Why did I ever believe that maybe what happened in Anchorage would be good? Why did I think that maybe the bastard who abducted me might be kind, and I could build a life with him?

From the first day after my transition was complete, he was on me several times a day, breeding me. There was no kindness, no thought as to what he had done. He wanted offspring. I looked as though I could provide him with those. So, he took what he wanted—me. What kind of fool was I?

Life on the street, or in the shelter if I was lucky, wasn’t great, but it sure as hell beat ole Henry’s place. Life inside a polar bear clan, especially for one not born to their kind and/or female, is not good. The leader, Henry, cares little for any of those inside the clan and even less for the females. He has three sons and a daughter. The oldest, his heir, is just like him, but the others are different. I think someday the second son, Zak may rise up and challenge him for leadership. If he does and wins, the clan will be better for it.

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