Finding Strength Read online

  “Oh, pish, nothing is too complicated that it would cause someone to ignore their mating call. You must have done something,” the woman said.

  They were talking about her. They had to be. Taking a step closer to the door, Jasmine rubbed the swell of her belly absentmindedly as she listened to what Tyson had to say.

  “Ma, she’s pregnant. Very pregnant from the looks of it, and the baby isn’t mine.”

  The woman was silent for a moment before stating, “She’s pregnant.”

  “She’s pregnant.”

  “And the baby isn’t yours?”

  “No, the baby isn’t mine. I would have told you if that were the case. She just showed up here today, pregnant and looking for her brother for help.”

  Jasmine found herself smiling as she remembered the smartass remark about him telling her if the baby was his.

  “This is all so peculiar,” the woman’s voice said, sounding a little perplexed.

  “What do I do, Ma? How do I convince her that I can help her? She doesn’t seem to want my help.”

  Jasmine stepped away from the door and stared at it as though it had smacked her. He wanted to help her? She hadn’t asked for help. She didn’t want to ask for help. Other than her brother and father, she’d never met a man who would go out of his way to help someone unless he was going to get something out of it. Tyson was clearly a good guy, and he deserved more from a mate than what she had to offer. But his willingness to help didn’t sound like it was coming from pity or obligation. It sounded as though, just like with Kaylene, he genuinely wanted to help make her life easier.

  Sinking down onto the chair on the porch, Jasmine rubbed her belly in slow circles as she thought about what the day had brought. When she showed up, the only thing she expected was to have her brother lecture her and then take her in so he could protect her. The Fates obviously had something else planned for her. Now she had twins on the way, an Intended Mate that wanted to help her even though he thought she was ignoring the call, and a group of people who wanted to protect her and her babies. It was a lot to take in at once.

  The door to Tyson’s cabin creaked open and Jasmine glanced over her shoulder to see Tyson coming outside.

  “Hi,” Jasmine said softly, still caressing her stomach. The small, gentle motions were helping keep her calm.

  “Hi,” Tyson replied.

  “Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot and I want to clear the air.”

  “What do you mean?” Tyson came closer, sitting down in the chair next to hers.

  “I think I gave you the wrong idea about me,” Jasmine said. “I want you to know I heard the call. I know you’re my Intended.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes, I do. But I don’t want to get your hopes up. I need to focus on the cubs, Tyson. I can’t be worried about grooming a bond right now. They need to come first.” Jasmine tried to keep the emotion from her voice as she explained. She cared about this, but she didn’t need his sympathy or to make him feel bad—she just needed him to understand.

  “Cubs? As in plural?” Tyson asked, his eyes flickering to her belly and back up to her eyes.

  “Yes, cubs plural. I’m having twins.”

  “You’re going to need help.”

  “You’re right. I am going to need help but I don’t want to burden anyone.”

  Tyson looked at her with a stern expression on his face. “You are not a burden. Jesse loves you. So does Liz. You’re family. Family helps family, and that’s just how it is.”

  “I know that. Kaylene more or less said the same thing. I just can’t help but feel like I’m a failure.” Jasmine frowned, looking away from Tyson and off into the distance.

  Tyson reached over and covered her hand with his, looking up into her eyes he said, “You are not a failure. Someone took advantage of you, that much is clear to me without knowing the story. None of us knew this was possible. Now you’ve gotten yourself in a sticky situation, but that doesn’t make you any less of a person. You’re going to get through this, and it’s okay to admit when you need help. Let us help you. Let me help you. I don’t have to be your mate in the physical sense right now. We can cross that bridge when we get to it. I have tons of nieces and nephews since I’m the youngest out of all of my siblings, so I know how to help with babies. Move in here. I’ll stay in the guest room and I’ll be the best roommate you can ask for. I’ll even make you breakfast in bed.”

  Tyson’s words whirled around in her head. They didn’t have to get physical. They could just be friends until she made her decision on where her future would lead. And for once—for now-- it would be nice to not be alone.

  “Can I think about it?” Jasmine asked, shifting uncomfortably in her seat as she tried to wrap her mind around the events of the day.

  “As long as you promise to actually consider what I’m saying. You don’t have to run anymore, Jasmine. We’ll protect you. I understand you need to do what’s best for these cubs, but what’s best for you should also be what’s best for them, and I genuinely think what’s best for you is to be here. The Fates always have a plan.”

  The Fates always have a plan. Jasmine let those words play on a loop in her head as she got herself ready for bed that night. Tyson helped bring in her things and quickly cleared out his dresser for her to unpack her things into. Lying in bed, she stared at the ceiling and ran her hands over her tight, round stomach. The Fates were fickle creatures if they thought this plan was something worthwhile, but she wouldn’t trade these cubs in for the world. Maybe she truly needed to consider Tyson’s offer to stay here. He wasn’t being pushy about mating. He seemed like he actually cared about their wellbeing. But being too trusting was exactly what got her into this mess. Someone had taken advantage of her lack of caution. The question still stood—who wanted her babies? And could Tyson actually protect them if the need ever arose?

  Chapter 7

  Tyson sat on his haunches on the hillside overlooking the camp, his wolf content to watch the goings on down below. It was quickly cooling off now that fall was approaching. This was his favorite time of year. The stars always seemed to shine brighter in the autumn months. The moon was full, and he had opted to let his wolf out for a run. Some freedom was be appreciated after Tyson kept him reined in all afternoon while he tried to sort through the complicated situation that was his and Jasmine’s matehood.

  His mother had been right—he needed to put Jasmine first. His wolf didn’t like that he wasn’t in bed with his mate, watching over her as she slept, but sitting up here on the hilltop, where he could see everything going on in camp was almost as good of an option. Tyson could see the flickers of embers in the campground below, most everyone having crawled into their beds already. The lights were all out in the lodge and his friends’ cabins. It felt good to watch over the camp and feel like what he was doing was of some use to his crew.

  He was the youngest, but he also had the most drive out of all of his siblings to protect what was his. It could be that his wolf didn’t like people encroaching on his territory, but Tyson was pretty sure it was just because he was the only boy in a pack full of girls. His father had always set a good example of what a proper alpha wolf should be. He would come home from work early on Fridays with a bouquet of wildflowers for his mother, make Sunday breakfasts so she could sleep in, and had always been good about teaching his children how to control their wolves. His father was also harder on Tyson than his sisters, but before his father passed away, he assured Tyson that it was only because he knew that Tyson’s wolf would feel the need to protect more strongly than his sisters did.

  Right now, his father’s concerns were ringing true. His need to protect his crew was stronger now than it had been before. He wasn’t sure why, but he assumed it was stemming from his desire to protect Jasmine and the babies.

  After he’d gotten her settled into his room, he tried to go to sleep in the guest room but failed. He ended up pacing the length of the room for the better part of an ho
ur before finally deciding that letting his wolf run would be a better option. So here he sat, hours later, in his favorite spot, struggling to decide what he should do next.

  As the breeze picked up and bristled through his fur, Tyson resolved that he should call it a night. If he was going to be of any use to anyone, he would need to get some rest. Stretching his front paws out in front of him, he gave his body a good stretch before taking off at a sprint down the hillside toward camp. The run back down was always faster than the run up to the top—it didn’t take more than about twenty minutes for him to make his way back to his cabin and to the back door.

  Letting himself in, he cast a glance at his room, listening for Jasmine’s breathing to make sure she was resting before moving towards the guest room. As Tyson pulled on a pair of black sweatpants, he heard Jasmine cry out something in her sleep.

  Not bothering with a shirt, he sprang into action, headed for his room, and threw open the door. Jasmine was sitting up with her back against the bed, tears streaming down her face as she rubbed her stomach, trying to calm herself down.

  “Are you okay? What’s wrong? I heard you scream,” Tyson asked, casting his eyes around the room as he tried to identify the source of Jasmine’s upset.

  “It was just a bad dream. I didn’t realize I screamed. I’m sorry.” Her voice was flat as she stared at the wall in front of her deep in thought.

  Tyson moved to the empty side of the bed and slid underneath the covers, ignoring the confused look on Jasmine’s face.

  “What are you doing?” Jasmine asked, watching him as though he was a suspicious character in a dark parking lot about to attack her.

  “Comforting you. Just trust me,” Tyson murmured softly to her as he situated himself on the bed.

  Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her down into a sitting position in his lap where her back was facing him. Working his hands in small, soothing circles along her back, Tyson felt his wolf begin to relax as Jasmine’s muscles began to release the tension she was carrying. Soft sobs wracked through Jasmine’s shoulders, and still Tyson chose not to say anything, continuing to rub her back.

  They sat like that together for the better part of an hour before Jasmine finally spoke. “I think I remember how I got pregnant, Tyson.”

  “You didn’t before?” he asked, concern laced in his voice.

  Jasmine shook her head. “No. I didn’t know. I always flirted with the customers at the lounge, but I never let it go further than letting them buy me a drink. I had my wild days in college, but never anything that didn’t involve protection. I just assumed maybe I had one too many to drink, and let someone go home with me for once. But that dream I just had. It was too real, Tyson. I don’t think it was a dream. I’m pretty sure it was a memory that finally worked its way to the surface of my subconscious.”

  “What do you think happened?”

  Jasmine choked on the emotion in her voice as she finally admitted out it loud. “Someone—a hunter—drugged me. He knew my bear was special. Kept saying he’d been tracking me for a while. I don’t remember much else other than that.”

  “What? How is your bear special?” he asked, clearly confused by what she could mean.

  Jasmine shook her head. “I’ll tell you another time. I’m not ready to delve into that part of me yet. Let’s just say she’s different and because she’s different I got onto someone’s radar. That someone made a decision to exploit the very part of me that makes me complete as a person. Now I’m here and because I wasn’t careful enough to protect myself and my bear, I’m having someone else’s cubs instead of yours.”

  “Fuck, Jasmine,” Tyson growled. “No. This isn’t okay. You were taken advantage of. Someone hurt you. I’m gonna kill him. I need names. Descriptions. Whatever you’ve got. He’s done. No one touches what’s mine.”

  Jasmine sat up and looked at Tyson, sadness in her eyes and tears staining her cheeks. “But Tyson, I’m not yours.”

  “I don’t care,” Tyson snarled, bawling up the sheets into his clenched fists as he tried to force his wolf into the back of his mind. He didn’t need to lose control of his temper in front of Jasmine and hurt her. “He still hurt you. He drugged you and gave you cubs. That’s not how things are supposed to happen.”

  “Tyson, stop,” Jasmine warned, holding his face in her hands and keeping his gaze locked with hers.

  He could see his eyes reflected in Jasmine’s and he watched as the glowing gold began to fade. The longer she held his face, the more he felt the wolf tuck itself away, content with his mate’s touch. As his heart rate slowed, he turned his face and pressed his lips to her palm. Jasmine’s breath hitched in her throat, and he could scent the pleasure that was pooling at the apex in her thighs.

  “Tyson,” Jasmine whispered, moving to release his face from her grasp.

  Tyson gently touched his hands to hers, holding them to his face for a moment longer. “Shh, just let me enjoy this for a moment. I’ll never do anything you aren’t comfortable with, but just let me have this moment, because it’s probably the only one you’ll let me ever have.”

  They sat together like that for a while longer until Tyson’s wolf was finally satisfied that Jasmine would be okay. Looking at her face, he took in the beauty of her two unique eyes then allowed his to wander, soaking up every detail of her face. She looked tired—the bags under her eyes were dark, as though she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since this whole ordeal began. Her smile lines were just faintly there. It made Tyson wonder how long it had been since she had a reason to smile. He wanted to change that. He wanted to make life easier for her. Not just because his wolf wanted it for her, but because she was a person in need. She deserved to sleep soundly, and to laugh and have a better life than the one she was living currently. He didn’t want her to feel frightened of anything anymore. This pregnancy could be a good thing. He just needed to help her see it.

  Chapter 8

  Jasmine awoke to light streaming through the cracks in the curtains, feeling more rested than she had in a long time. Looking around the room, she sifted through the morning fog clouding her memory as she struggled to remember where she was and what bed she was in. Spying her black and pink suitcase in the corner, the memories of the previous day’s events came flooding back to her. She was at Silver Creek. She met her mate and ignored the call. Jesse was probably going to kill her for getting herself into this mess. She was pregnant with twins.

  Twins, Jasmine thought to herself, a hint of a smiling playing on her lips. The initial panic and feelings of being overwhelmed had mostly subsided, and now she was beginning to get excited about the fact that she was having twins. She loved being a twin. Her sister, Jennifer, was always close with her as children. They were always chasing after Jesse and getting into mischief together. She missed Jennifer every day. But she knew her sister was happier living in Paris, running one of the top fashion magazines in the European fashion circuit, than she ever could be here stateside. Jennifer was busy a lot, so trying to get ahold of her recently had become more of a hindrance to Jasmine, so she had given up trying. It made Jasmine sad, but she knew when Jennifer had time, she would call. She always did.

  A knock at the door brought Jasmine’s attention back to the present, and she found herself smiling as Tyson poked his head through the bedroom door.

  “Are you hungry?”

  “Starving,” Jasmine said as she gestured to her very pregnant belly. “I mean, I am eating for three right now. I could probably eat a whole horse by myself.”

  “How about we skip the horse and go for something more delicious? I was just visiting with Jesse and Liz, and it sounds like Liz is going to make some of your favorites for breakfast this morning. Kind of like a ‘welcome to the resort’ celebration.”

  Jasmine eyed Tyson suspiciously. “Did she tell you which favorites?”

  Tyson shrugged. “Nope. Just that she was making some favorites and that I should let you sleep an hour more before getting yo
u out of bed so we can go over to the restaurant for breakfast.”

  “Does Liz always cook the meals? Or do all of you cook for yourselves once in a while too?” Jasmine asked, genuinely curious as to how much cooking her sister in law tended to do.

  “Typically she cooks. She doesn’t mind so much anymore if you skip a meal and eat something you made yourself, but more often than not we all eat together. Liz is a kickass cook, so no one complains about letting her cook, and she won’t let anyone help, so we all typically just sit and wait for her to bring out the grub.”

  “She seems like such a thoughtful person. I’m glad that Jesse found someone like her. To be honest, I’m pretty sure my parents thought he would end up mated to a groupie, so they were probably relieved when he ended up finding his mate in sweet, quiet, reserved Liz.”

  Tyson laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure they were real relieved! I know Jesse had that same exact worry. Landon and I were both excited that he found someone as badass as her. She was a little timid at first, kind of like a wild rabbit—super jumpy and quick to tuck tail and run. But your brother brings out the strength in her and helps her be a more confident person. She keeps him in check too when he can be a bit much. Honestly, they’re just the perfect balance. Stella and Brady and Kaylene and Landon are all that way too. They’re each other’s perfect match. I guess that’s why they call it Intended Mates. The Fates match you to whoever they think you need to be the best version of yourself.”

  “That’s good for them, I guess,” Jasmine said, trying to keep the awkwardness from her voice before deciding to change the subject. She wasn’t ready to delve into a discussion about mates right now. “If you’ll give me ten minutes to put myself together, I can get ready to head over to breakfast.”