Chapter 11

He heard the door open but wasn’t going to release the sleeping woman in his arms to go see who it was. Inhaling deeply, he scented Cooper just as the man appeared in the doorway. Standing carefully, Gage cradled Kelsey into his chest and moved over to the stairs.

He didn’t want to put her into bed alone but knew Cooper wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t important.

Tucking the blanket around her, he backed up as she turned to her side and placed her hand under her cheek. His heart ached looking at her. Running a hand through his hair, he went back out before he changed his mind.

Cooper was on the porch leaning against the rail staring off into the darkness. “How’s she doing?”

Gage slouched into one of the chairs. “As well as can be expected.” He rubbed his forehead trying to ease the throbbing, “I can’t believe she dove right in the mix of three of us when everything was so fucking volatile.”

Cooper grinned at him. “I can.” He crossed his arms over his chest and studied him for a moment. “I’ve been telling you for years that dealing with her was going to be like taking the proverbial cat by the tail and trying to hold on.”

“Yeah, I know, but one minute she was sitting on the floor crying—one step from a complete meltdown, and the next…”

“The fear pouring from her was suffocating, but she barreled right through it and helped another clan member in need.” Cooper shook his head, “She’s so much like her mother it’s haunting.”

Gage watched him for a minute. “You loved her.” In all the years he’d known the man he had never been able to put the pieces together.

Cooper gave him a sad smile. “I did, but she chose Phillip, so I had to respect that.”

“Were they mates?”

Cooper shook his head. “No. As far as I know she never found hers.” He nodded toward the door. “Kelsey is one of those rare births in an unmated pair.”

Gage blew out a breath realizing the seriousness. “It happens sometimes.”

Cooper moved over and sat in the chair across from him. “Not often enough. Our numbers are dwindling.” Taking his cap off, he rubbed a hand over his short hair and then put it back on and sat back. “Sometimes I wish we were like the clans that don’t need a mate to have children.”

Gage ran his fingers across an aching temple. “That could get messy with the way the women are when it’s their cycle.”

Cooper grinned. “Yeah, family trees would be taken to a whole new level.”

“And then some.” Lifting his chin, Gage absorbed the silence of the night; he leaned back and let the cooling air move over him. “How’s Noah doing?”

“He’s passed out.” Cooper made a soft exasperated sound. “Tonight was the first time he’d shifted in two years, Gage.” He paused and stared at him. “He was beaten, even more brutally if he shifted while Tomas had him.”

Gage shook his head slowly. “I suspected as much.”

“The boy has more scars on his body than a road map has lines.”

Gage’s easy feeling was gone. “I don’t understand why Tomas has them if he’s not using their full potential.”

“I don’t know really,” Cooper sighed, “even in two leg form, we’re stronger and faster than regular humans.”

“Yeah.” Sitting up, Gage gave him a serious look. “Do you think Noah’s going to be okay? Is he going to make it through the emotional scarring?”

Cooper sat there and looked at him for several minutes, taking his time before answering. “I think he will be. He’s sorry as hell about tonight, which, in all honesty, wasn’t his fault. He said if it hadn’t been for Kitty-Kat he doesn’t know if he would have been able to calm down enough to shift back.”

Gage exhaled in a steady stream. “I’m pretty sure no female he’s ever been around would openly come near him.”

“Well, he’s grateful for her help, and for you not killing him on the spot for it happening.”

Groaning, Gage stood up. “It wasn’t his fault.” Leaning on the rail he stared out into the bush, inhaling all the scents around him.

“Does she know everything, Gage?”

He’d known Cooper would eventually get back to that. Dropping his head down, he closed his eyes. “No. Gary came screeching in before I could tell her everything.”

“So, she doesn’t know you’re mates?”

Shaking his head, he opened his eyes and pushed away from the rail. Straightening, he crossed his arms over his chest and took a deep breath. “No. I didn’t even get as far as telling her she was changing and driving every male in scenting range insane.”

“You more than the rest of us.”

“Still, she was wrecked that no one had told her before now.”

“Do you blame her?” Cooper stood up beside him. “I don’t even understand how her parents hid it from her.”

“I don’t know either. Then again, I was raised knowing, but my father is an Alpha, so I didn’t have a choice in the matter.”

“You have to tell her soon, for your sake and hers. She’s going to start pining for things she can’t even understand. Not to mention the changes in her body are going to be more noticeable soon.”

Taking a deep breath, Gage held it in for a few seconds before exhaling loudly. “I know. After tonight’s events, I thought I’d let her get some rest and come to terms with some of it.” Looking over at the door, he tried to ignore the draw to go back inside with her. “Can you hang out here for a bit longer, Coop?”

“Need to go for a run?”

“Yeah, just a short one. I don’t want to be gone too long in case she wakes up.”

Copper moved over and sat back down. “You do what you have to, I’ll be here.”

“Thanks, Coop.” Not giving him a chance to change his mind, Gage went down the steps and walked to the tree line, stripping without missing a step.