Elizabeth drew a breath. "All right. For now, I won't reject it."
Ronan relaxed, feeling a tightness in him loosen and flow away. Elizabeth held his gaze, her chin lifted. Nothing submissive about her.
"But that doesn't mean I'll do everything you say," Elizabeth said.
Ronan growled, feeling suddenly playful. Wait until he got her home and she looked at him with that challenge in her eyes. He'd never mate-claimed anyone before. Was this how it felt, an unexpected lightness, sudden joy? An excitement, anticipation of the next moment, of every moment? Ronan no longer wanted to work his shift. He wanted to take Elizabeth home and simply be with her.
Liam looked past Ronan to his brother. "Sean? You've not said a word. What do you think?"
Sean came out of his relaxed stance, unstrapped his sword, and tossed it to the battered sofa. "I'm thinking you brought me back here, away from my mate, for nothing," he said, moving to the door. "Elizabeth knows what she's doing, and you don't need me."
Without another word, the quiet Morrissey opened the door wide and walked out into the noise. Ronan watched him make straight for Andrea, and Andrea smile up at him in her warm way, welcoming him back.
*** *** ***
Elizabeth sensed the change in Ronan as he led her out of the office again. He guided her with his hand on the small of her back, gentle pressure, but one she couldn't ignore.
She noticed that every Shifter outside the office looked at Elizabeth in open curiosity as they emerged, then they glanced at Ronan, then again at Elizabeth, then their expressions blanked, and they looked away or backed off. They did it subtly, pretending they didn't, but they did it. How they knew Ronan had made this "mate-claim," Elizabeth didn't know, but it didn't matter. They knew.
Sean was now sitting in the booth with Mabel and the dark-haired, pregnant woman, and Elizabeth headed that way, Ronan tightly beside her. Scott had vacated one place, though Mabel and Connor remained, sitting firmly together.
Before Elizabeth and Ronan made it across the floor, a tall, blond man in cowboy boots and a button-down shirt, sleeves rolled up to expose brawny forearms, walked right in front of them, longneck in hand. The jukebox had started up with a country tune that was part gritty rock.
"Hey, there," the Shifter said. "I'm Ellison, and I need someone to dance with. Someone female. That lets you out, Ronan."
He hadn't looked at Ronan, keeping Elizabeth pinned with his gaze. His gray eyes held the predatory tinge of a wolf's.
Elizabeth shrugged, feeling itchy. The music had a good beat, and she liked the song. "Sure, I'd love to."
Ellison started to reach for her, then he inhaled sharply and looked at Ronan. Ronan never moved, never said a word, but Ellison's face fell. "Aw, hell, Ronan. Why does every pretty woman who comes near Shiftertown get grabbed before I even meet her? You all could save one for me."
"You snooze, you lose," Ronan said.
"You can reject it, you know," Ellison said to Elizabeth. "The mate-claim."
"So I've been told." Elizabeth was suddenly fed up with everything. She'd been anxious about Mabel and about her store, which one of Marquez's men could be torching even at this moment. Now she had to add Shifters, mate-claims, and macho males who passed females around like pieces of meat. All right, so maybe the last thought was unjust, but they seemed to regard women as things to protect from each other and the rest of the world.
Elizabeth straightened her shoulders. "I said I'd dance. Don't you have to work or something, Ronan?"
If she thought Ellison would laugh and waltz away with her, she was wrong. Ellison kept his gaze on Ronan. "Do you mind?" he asked. "Promise I won't touch."
Ronan considered a moment, then he nodded. "Take care of her."
"Hot damn. Come on. Before the song's over."
Ellison led Elizabeth off but carefully didn't touch her until they reached the dance floor. Elizabeth looked over her shoulder at Ronan, who watched them go, unmoving. Ronan stared at them for a while, then he turned his broad back and made for the entrance of the club, where he stationed himself like a sentinel.
Ellison could dance. He had a long-legged grace despite his large size, and could two-step with the best of them. He never lost the beat and led Elizabeth so she didn't, either. He twirled her and spun with her, all with great enjoyment. Through it all, she never lost her awareness of Ronan. The entire club separated her from Ronan, but Elizabeth sensed him at the door, solid as a boulder, his big arms folded, his gaze taking in everything.
When the song ended, another similar one began, and Elizabeth readily kept dancing.
"Are you the Ellison that Ronan said he'd have help me with some carpentry?" she yelled over the music.
"Yep," Ellison said. "Spike and me will come by tomorrow. You close up on Sundays, right?"
She did, but Elizabeth usually went in to catch up on paperwork, ordering, inventory, accounts, and everything else. "Tell me something," she said. "Why is everyone acting like Ronan owns me?"
"He does, if he mate-claimed you. It's hands off for all other Shifters."
"To keep me safe, I thought," Elizabeth said. "Not to dictate every move I make."
Ellison stepped in close. "Honey, we're Shifters. It means we're horn-dogs most of the time. The minute you walked in here, every unmated male--which is most of them--wanted to howl. But now that Ronan's claimed you, we know we have to back off. When you reject the claim, though, you'll be fair game again, and we can go back to being rabid males after you. Rivals with each other instead of friends. Until someone else beats us to the claim."
"Are you serious?"
"Damn right I am."
The dance had them part again, and Elizabeth pondered what he'd said. She'd spent her life struggling to remain independent, to keep from having to rely on a man for . . . well, for anything. She'd watched girlfriends become victims to abusive men they were certain they couldn't live without. If I leave him, who takes care of me? they'd ask.
Elizabeth had learned to take care of herself. So much so that when she'd had to cut her losses and run, she'd been able to do it. If she hadn't run, her life would have become pure hell, and she shuddered to think what Mabel's life would have been. Much of her decision had been for Mabel's sake.
Now she'd walked into a society where the males thought nothing of saying openly, That woman is mine. Hands off. Animals in mating season fought each other, sometimes to the death, and Shifters had a lot of animal in them.
She glanced over at Sean and Andrea. They were sitting alone in the booth now, Mabel and Connor dancing together not far away. Sean sat against the wall, Andrea leaning back against him in the circle of his arms, and he had his hand on her abdomen, where his child slept. Protective, yes, but also loving. One didn't always go with the other, in Elizabeth's experience.
She thought of Liam and Kim, with their closeness, so comfortable, and Liam holding Katriona on his lap with a look of open love. Perhaps these Shifters had discovered something that had eluded Elizabeth all her life.
Elizabeth looked at Ronan, who was standing at the open door, watching people go in and out. He caught her eye and sent her, not a smile, but a reassuring nod.
A little warmth wound through her heart. Elizabeth would make him pay a bit for so obviously giving her his "permission" to dance with Ellison, but it was nice to think that Ronan was there for her. If she was going to have anyone stand up for her, Ronan was a good person to do it.
Meanwhile, she had fun dancing with Ellison. For the first time since the robbery, Elizabeth relaxed. She realized that no one was going to come into this bar and threaten her or try to kill her, not with Ronan on guard and this many Shifters in here. Marquez or whoever he sent wouldn't make it a step inside the door.
Strange to think that in a Shifter bar right outside of Shiftertown, she was safe. She decided to enjoy the feeling while she had it.
The bar closed at two, but when Elizabeth finally stopped dancing at midnight and sat down, she was exhau
sted.
"Mabel, let's go home. I mean, to Ronan's house."
Mabel looked at her in surprise across the table. "Are you kidding me? The night is young."
Mabel, at least, was good about not drinking too much. She enjoyed a beer or two, but she liked talking to people and dancing more.
"You lazed around all day," Elizabeth said. "I need some sleep."
"Go, then. Connor or Liam will get me home. Or Glory."
Mabel had adapted to Shiftertown quickly. But then, Mabel had always liked Shifters.
In the end, Andrea and Sean walked Elizabeth home. When Elizabeth said good night to Ronan on the way out, he stopped her and drew her into his arms for a big hug.
Ronan's arms were strong and lifted Elizabeth off her feet, but as he'd been at the house earlier that morning, he was as gentle as gentle could be. Elizabeth found herself looking into his big face, at his scarred nose and his warm brown eyes. She felt not only safe in his arms, but right. As though she belonged there.
He touched a kiss to her lips--brief and tender, almost chaste, but the spark behind it held heat.
"I'll be home soon, Lizzie-girl," he said.
"Good," was all Elizabeth could think to say.
Ronan set her down and gave her another brief kiss. "Go on, now."
Sean and Andrea waited a discreet distance away. When Elizabeth caught up to them, she saw that both of them looked amused.
"Is something funny?" Elizabeth asked, annoyed.
They started walking through the field that led to Shiftertown. "No," Andrea said. She was a wolf Shifter, Ellison had told her--like Ellison himself. A Lupine. She had gray eyes, as Ellison did. She was very pregnant, but she walked swiftly and strongly, as though she barely noticed her condition. "Ronan's a good friend."
"And a good man," Sean said, his Irish lilt like music in the night. "He's done me many a good turn. Now he's doing you one."
Elizabeth nodded. "I know he is."
Sean merely looked at her, his eyes speaking volumes.
"Wait a minute," Elizabeth said in amazement. "Are you worried that I'll hurt Ronan? Well, you don't need to be. He's helping me out, and I'm grateful. When this is over, I'll pay him back. That's all."
"That's not what I'm seeing," Sean said. Moonlight shone on his sword, a weapon, but one of great beauty. "I'm seeing a lonely Shifter looking at a woman like he might have a chance at some happiness. If you're not looking like that back at him, tell him now. Put him out of his misery."
"I only met him last night," Elizabeth said. "Give us a break."
Andrea said, "It can happen fast. You look at each other, and you know." She rested her hand on her abdomen and shot a look at Sean. He caught it. A lover's look, exchanging secrets without exchanging words.
"You two need to be alone?" Elizabeth joked. "Seriously. I like Ronan. I have no plans to hurt him. I might not be able to have a relationship with him, but I won't hurt him. I promise you that. I like him too much."
Sean's eyes glittered. "Why can't you?"
"Why can't I what? Have a relationship with him, you mean?" Elizabeth shrugged, her shoulders tight. "I don't know. Things don't always work out. I haven't been very good at relationships in the past. In fact, I suck at them."
"You hold people at arm's length," Sean said. "Don't look surprised, lass. I see you doing it. Even with your sister. But I'm glad to not hear you say, Because he's Shifter."
"He being a Shifter makes it more of a challenge," Elizabeth said. "But obviously, it can be done. Liam and Kim. Ellison says the waitress Annie is going out with a human. And all those groupies sure want it to happen."
"So, why not, then?" Sean asked. "Everyone's bad at relationships until you find the relationship worth fighting for. Or maybe you're already married? Is that the big secret you don't want to tell Liam?"
"What? No," Elizabeth said forcefully. "No, I never married anyone. That I can promise."
"Then what?"
"Sean," Andrea broke in. "Leave the poor woman alone. Not every female has to fall for the hot, sexy, alpha-male Shifter."
Sean blinked. "Why not? I thought we were irresistible."
"You're a comedian, Sean Morrissey," Andrea said.
Sean dropped the subject, and Elizabeth walked without speaking after that, enjoying the banter between the other two. She'd never had that kind of bantering fun with a man--except, she realized, with Ronan.
Sean and Andrea walked her all the way to Ronan's house, where Elizabeth said good night. She had to say good night the Shifter way, she realized, when Andrea gave her a warm, cushy hug, and Sean caught her around the shoulders one-armed and pulled Elizabeth hard against him.
Andrea didn't seem to think it unusual that her mate hugged another woman. They walked off together, very close, but not touching--alert to fight if necessary?
Rebecca was still up and told Elizabeth cheerfully that there was supper still hot in the kitchen. Elizabeth found a gigantic soup pot half full of thick beef and barley soup, a huge loaf of bread, and jars of five different flavors of jam to go with the bread.
Hungry, Elizabeth ladled soup into a bowl and threw a piece of bread on top of it. "How does Ronan afford to feed all of you on a bouncer's paycheck?"
Rebecca gave her a nonchalant shrug. "I guess we're good shoppers."
"Sorry," Elizabeth said quickly. "It's none of my business."
"No worries." Rebecca caught up a large purse. "Speaking of that, I need to go out. Will you watch Olaf for me? He's usually asleep by now, but he's a little keyed up because you and Mabel are staying here. He likes company. Cherie's spending the night with a friend, and I don't want to leave him alone."
"Sure," Elizabeth said readily.
Rebecca hesitated. "If you'd rather not, I can wait for Ronan."
Elizabeth took a bite of soup and found it delicious. "No, no. That's fine. I like Olaf. You go . . . shop." When all the stores are closed. Hmm.
"Thanks." Rebecca breezed out, banging the door behind her.
Olaf was in the living room watching television. The TV was an old model--no flat screens or HD for Shifters. A rerun of a seventies comedy was playing. Olaf wasn't so much watching it as standing in front of the screen, staring at the people on it as though trying to figure out what on earth they were doing.
"I like this one," Elizabeth said. "One of the ladies I lived with when I was little loved this show. She was nice." In retrospect Elizabeth knew she should have been kinder to the woman, but Elizabeth had been so afraid of being split up from Mabel that she'd been prickly and defensive. The sweet old lady had understood that, Elizabeth saw now.
Olaf listened as though Elizabeth imparted great wisdom, then he abandoned the television and climbed up onto the sofa beside her. Olaf was nine, Ronan had said, but he acted younger. Maybe because Shifters matured at a much slower rate than humans, or maybe because Olaf had been through a lot.
As Olaf seated himself against Elizabeth, she noted that his white-blond hair bore tiny blue streaks. Mabel.
Elizabeth was tired, but she was happy to eat the terrific soup and have the warmth of Olaf beside her. This reminded her of what she and Mabel would do in the bad old days, sitting tightly side-by-side as though that would keep them together forever. I won't ever let us be split up, Mabel. I promise.
She'd kept her promise, no matter what.
When the show ended, and Elizabeth set down her empty bowl, Olaf climbed down from the sofa, calmly removed his clothes, and shifted. He did it too close to the coffee table, which got shoved over, but Elizabeth found herself looking at the cutest polar bear cub she'd ever seen.
Not that she'd seen many, not this close. Olaf made a little baby growl then climbed back onto the sofa, his long claws tearing the fabric. He flopped down next to Elizabeth, put his head and one paw on Elizabeth's lap, and closed his eyes.
Elizabeth went still, the trust Olaf was showing both stunning and warming her.
Olaf stirred a little, then let out hi
s breath, eyes closing more tightly. Elizabeth couldn't stop herself from stroking his fur. She found it both soft and strong, sort of wiry without being tough.
Elizabeth went on petting him, finding comfort in the act. Olaf's breath whuffed hot over her blue-jeaned knee, the cub relaxing into sleep.
Rebecca didn't return. Elizabeth lifted the remote and switched off the television, and silence crept over the house. They didn't have any clocks in here, so nothing ticked. There was only the quiet of the outside world, the faint breeze through the open window. Austin summers were hot and sticky, but the coming fall could be cool and clean.
She was still sitting there, Olaf half on her lap, when Ronan came in.
* * * * *
Chapter Nine
Again Elizabeth was struck with how quiet he was. When he'd charged Marquez in her store, she hadn't heard a thing until he'd reached them.
Ronan saw Olaf sleeping, closed his mouth on the greeting he'd been about to give her, and stepped inside. A cool breeze stirred wind chimes on the porch and wafted through the windows.
"Where's Mabel?" Elizabeth whispered.
"With Cherie. I took her to Cherie's friend's. Two doors down."
"Connor?"
Ronan righted the coffee table, which had been left on its side, and put her empty bowl back on it. Nothing had broken, at least. "Took him home. Scott's staying over at the Morrisseys tonight too, so it will be less crowded here. Becks went out?"
"She implied shopping, but nothing's open this late."
"Means she's prowling. Becks is past ready to mate, but she's being very picky."
"What about Ellison? He seems like he'd be willing."
Ronan grimaced. "Goddess, I hope not. He's a Lupine. That's all I'd need, half-wolf, half-bear Shifters all over the place, full of themselves, like Ellison."
"How would that work?" Elizabeth remained still as Ronan collapsed on the sofa next to her, stretching into a sprawl. Olaf never moved. "How can a Shifter be half wolf, half bear?"
"Wouldn't. The cubs would be born in human shape and then take their animal form a few years later. They'll go one way or the other, so a Lupine-Ursine mating could have half the family wolves and half bears. That would be interesting."