Maya turned her head, afraid to even look at Tonic though she could feel the steady pressure of his hand engulfing hers. It was unthinkable, unheard of. Could she allow such a thing? Could she even consider it?
Yes, whispered that weak, far away voice that she could sometimes hear deep inside of her.
Mate.
Four
Blood thundered through his veins, roaring in his head like a rollercoaster as he unlocked his gunmetal gray pickup truck and held the passenger door open for her.
Mine, growled his Polar Bear inside his mind’s eye.
The animal was very much into what the former Alpha had said. Yes indeed. He wanted to claim his mate, to give her his protection, and to become an official member of the Clan.
But mostly the beast was interested in the “claim his mate” part. His pulse raced at the prospect. This was a unique opportunity to get the girl, without risking rejection.
“I think we should consider it,” Tonic said once they were both inside the vehicle.
He waited as Maya buckled her seatbelt beside him in the truck, her hands fumbling with the thing when he spoke.
Shit. Was that good or bad? Her flowery scent sharpened with anxiety, or was that interest? He could not be sure.
The audience with the Barvale Clan Alpha had not gone as planned, but the man’s father sure had a lot to say about the subject. It was perfect really.
Just the solution he needed to finally get Maya in his arms. She was in a bad place, business-wise. She needed help, and he could give it to her. So, why wasn’t she jumping for joy at the prospect?
“I don’t want your pity,” she began and he hated the uncertainty and shame he heard in her voice.
Those emotions had no place in the fierce, smart, and wildly beautiful woman he’d come to know. She was unlike anyone he’d ever met and he cherished that about her.
If only he could tell her.
“Look, you need help,” he began, deciding to use logic to make her see his side of things, “and my Bear is growing more and more out of control every day.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“It’s a win-win, Maya. You help me, help my Bear, with your special talents, and I will help you by getting the Clan to take your side. They will add you to the claim in their lawsuit against Crawford.”
“But that could take months, maybe years to sort out, and I am going to be out of business by the end of the week,” she shook her head sadly.
“I’m not done,” he said and waited for her to lift her eyes to his, “I will give you the money you need to keep the bank from foreclosing on the flower shop,” he said, “a loan,” he added quickly in case she got angry.
Smart move, his Bear agreed.
Never could tell with women what was going to make them mad. Especially given his predilection for speaking without thinking.
“It’s a lot of money,” she began.
“I don’t know what you know about my financial situation, but I assure you, I can afford it,” he returned.
“Oh,” she said and he felt her wide-eyed stare.
He knew he didn’t look it. Hell, none of the Nanouk brothers walked around with dollar signs in their eyes, but they had invested their inheritance from their parents wisely.
Tonic was in charge of their individual portfolios, having had some luck with the stock market. His brothers were happy to allow him free rein with their funds, though he never did anything without their agreement and signatures.
The returns on the investments he’d made had put them each in a very, very comfortable income bracket. Millionaire was a word he didn’t often use, but he supposed he was one.
Hell, Tonic could buy Flowers by Jill ten times over, and it wouldn’t make a dent. Of course, he had every intention of telling her all this, as long as he didn’t sound like a braggard, he reasoned. Maya was so unmercenary that she wouldn’t even consider asking such a thing, and that made him love her just a little bit more.
Fuck. His heart started to pound at the dreaded L word, but once unleashed there was nothing he could do to hold it back. He’d let the monster out of its cage and now it was running rampant.
He loved her. Like LOVED loved her. As if knowing she was his mate wasn’t enough. The implications were not lost on him or his Polar Bear as the huge beast chuffed inside of him.
This woman had the power to destroy him and she didn’t even know it, he thought with astonishing clarity for the first time ever. She also had the power to make him whole, complete, and happy. As foreign as the notion was, it appealed to him on every level.
“But Tonic, what if you find your mate-”
“Maya,” he growled, cutting her off, “if you do this, if you say yes, it will be good for both of us. I guarantee that,” his voice lowered an octave, filled with barely contained need.
Even without being a full Shifter, surely she could hear his unspoken desire. He wanted her so damn bad it was hardly a secret. Hell, anyone with eyes could see it from the tight fit of his jeans across his nether regions.
Damn, he growled and bit his tongue. He’d said too much and that was all he was going to say until she answered him.
He didn’t want her thinking she had him wrapped around her little finger. Not yet anyway. Truth was, he couldn’t admit just how much was riding on her acceptance. Not out loud anyway.
Tonic’s Polar Bear was growing more restless by the minute. The second that mating was brought up, he’d become unusually quiet, waiting for her response. Now the beast was demanding an answer.
Fuck. He couldn’t risk her outright rejection. It would make his Bear go insane. This little white lie of omission was definitely the best way to go.
Tell her the truth. Mate, growled his Bear, but Tonic quieted the beast.
It was better to keep the truth that she was his one and true fated mate a secret for now. He would confess someday, but right then he just needed her to say yes.
Once he claimed her, there would be no going back. He knew that for a fact. The second he had her in his blood, Tonic was never letting go. That kind of possessive instinct was not unheard of in Shifters, but it would more than likely scare the crap out of her. He really didn’t want that, had no idea how his Bear would react if she ran from him in horror or fear. No, this way would be easier for them both.
“Come on, let’s have lunch,” he said and pulled over at a hole in the wall burger joint just off the highway.
“Alright,” she followed him out of the truck, up to the door of the little truck stop.
The scent of onions and fresh ground beef filled the air as they took up two of the very few empty stools remaining in the tightly packed burger joint. It was one of those establishments that had been there forever.
They were famous for one thing, and that, they did exceedingly well. Burgers, fries, and shakes. That was the whole menu, and rumor had it that not a day went by that they didn’t sell out.
“What’ll you have?” asked the fry cook who was manning the large, remarkably well-kept grill in the center of the counter.
A high, glass partition separated him from the customers and kept everything nice and sanitary, but still allowed for the customers to see how the burgers were made.
There was a mountain of soft, potato rolls on one side, and sliced cheese next to that. Ketchup, pickles, and tongues for the sauteed onions all in their proper containers and within easy reach.