True Connection (The Soul Mate Series) (30 page)

What’s Buggin’ Barry?

             
“Hey,” I say quietly as I reach the part of the yard where he stopped. He doesn’t take his eyes off the grass, but responds with a nod. “You okay?”

             
“I’ll be okay,” he says, sadness lacing his words.

             
“You missed the blow up in the kitchen,” I say, trying to coax him into talking or at least looking at me.

             
“Yeah?” He snorts. “Did Charlotte tell Leland his relationship lines?”

             
“No, um, your dad and Fionn,” I whisper.

He stiffens then sighs. “I should’ve guessed.” He shakes his head. “What was it this time? Those two don’t always agree, and Fionn doesn’t kneel to my dad’s Power because his is stronger.” That explains the whole kneeling thing.

“Actually, it was about me. Sort of,” I say with a frown. “Then it evolved to Cait and Maggie.” I shrug, and his eyes snap to mine. “I don’t know who they are, or were?” I pause, waiting for a new reaction from Barry. “Charlotte just explained something to me and Seth, that helps me understand part of the argument.”

             
With a heavy sigh, he tugs me towards the house. “They were…wow…” He scrubs his face as he sits on the bottom step. “I need to ask you something.”

             
“Okay,” I shrug and sit next to him.

             
“Has Charlotte said anything…” he looks into my eyes. “About tonight?”

             
I look away from him and take a deep breath. Honesty is the best policy right? “Well, my relationship line with Seth waivers,” I say to my shoes. “If I don’t go, my mom and cousin’s lives end tonight,” I say and look back to him. “If I go, I save them. That’s what I want, them to live, be healthy, and to be safe at home.”

             
He nods and looks down to his clasped hands resting on his knees. “How does your line waiver?”

             
I start peeling some paint off the step. “I don’t die tonight,” I whisper.

             
“Are you okay with that outcome?” He whispers.

Tears fill my eyes. “No,” I say and look back into his eyes. “I’m not okay with that at all.” I blink rapidly to erase the unrelenting tears. “No matter my choice, there’s a possibility someone I love will either die, get injured, or be turned. I can’t live with that,” I shake my head. “I want a Happily Ever After miracle,” I whisper and wipe my face.

He wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me to him. “Shh…” he soothes. “Seth will know when you need us, and we will be there. I won’t leave his side for a minute.” he rubs my back lightly.

             
It’s comforting knowing that he’s got my back and not running away again. I take a deep breath and pull away from him. “Alright, I’m okay. I think.”

             
“Do you have a few minutes?” he asks. I nod. “I’d like to tell you a story,” he says, looking off to the yard.

“Like a bedtime story or campfire scary?” I joke.

              “Non-fiction and far from funny,” he says and scratches his head. I shift sideways on the step and lean against the rail. “I heard this story many times growing up. But until recently, the story had a different ending.” He cracks his knuckles before tugging the ends of his blond hair and turns on the step to face me, transforming into the serious version of himself, the version I’ve only seen a handful of times.

“Roughly a hundred years ago, there was a young male shifter that was the prince of the Italian Regal Shifters. The prince wanted to leave Italy and go to the States, find his own territory and run it his way. His father, the king, told him if he could beat the pack’s omega, he would allow him to leave the country and start his own pack in the territory of his choosing. If he was the victor, he’d leave with two defenders. The prince thought it was a good deal, so he fought the omega and was victorious. He chose two defenders, also friends, and they began their journey.” The corner of Barry’s lip twitches. “The prince decided to make a short visit to Ireland, as he was always drawn to the Celtic culture.” He takes a deep breath before continuing. “There, they introduced themselves to two packs so everyone knew they were there as tourists, and meant no harm.

“On the third day, as they headed towards their cabin, in wolf form, the prince froze. Then bee-lined in the opposite direction of the cabin.” His voice raises some, soaking into the story. “The defenders, not knowing what happened, follow after him. They found their alpha, the prince, by a small pond. He found his mate and his wolf completely took over,” he smiles sadly. “The prince’s mate was a member of a pack in Northern Ireland. This meant, as long as she accepted him, she would join them in their journey to the States.” He pauses to clear his throat. “They went with the girl to her alpha, to present them as mates. But the prince was challenged, for a Mate Challenge. It’s a challenge to the death, and whoever the victor is, is who the mate belongs to.”

I hold up my hand to pause him. “So, it would be like Tony challenging Seth, right?” I ask for clarification.

“Yes, and if Tony were to win, you’d belong to Tony, not Seth. No matter how much it hurts, your new mate would be Tony.”

My mouth pops open and I flounder for a bit. “That’s horrible,” I say. “Please tell me that challenge is banned now. I mean this is roughly a hundred years ago.”

“Depending on the area you’re in, yes, the Mate Challenge has ceased.”

“What is the point in that?” I ask, dumbfounded.

He shakes his head and shrugs. “I don’t know, but if you think about it, the true mate will have a stronger drive to win. I would think so anyway. I don’t know my mate yet, so I can’t say for sure, but what lengths would you go to, to keep another woman off of your Seth?” He raises a brow.

“What a terrible thing to ask, Barry!” I smack his arm. “I see your point though. I would fight her to the death and make damn sure, I won.” My reaction startles me, but I push those thoughts and images out of my head.

“That’s my point.” He smirks. “Anyway, the prince was outraged by the challenge. He fought the challenger and tore him to pieces within minutes. Everyone felt his power.” His voice gains strength again, feeling the story. My heart starts to race, soaking in his words. “His power was stronger than the pack’s alpha.” He grins. “The prince, his mate, and defenders left to finish the journey and form the new pack. Along their journey, they acquired a few shifters who heard the story from Ireland or Italy. The newcomers were rogues that had no pack and wanted to belong to someone with legendary power. They made it to the States and after a year of searching, they found a territory perfect for what they needed. For many years, their pack grew and developed into a strong front for the territory. They gained allies with neighboring territories, and befriended the other beings and humans.

“After decades of trying, the prince and his mate finally had their first child. His mate called her brother from Ireland to come and meet his niece. Her brother arrived a few weeks later. He loved the little girl and missed his sister so much that he denounced his position from his pack in Ireland. He was planning to join the pack of his sister’s mate, but decided that he would travel, and maybe find a mate of his own. Every couple of months, the brother would leave and then return within weeks. This went on for a few decades until the prince’s mate announced she was pregnant again. He decided that his travels could wait, and he tended to his niece’s training, as the prince cared for his wife. This time, she had a boy.” His smile slips. “A few months after the boy’s first birthday, an injured woman stumbled onto their territory.” His eyes flash with sadness before he looks away from me again. “She asked to speak to the alpha in private, only the alpha, unless he’s mated. Then she will speak to the couple. She told them her story, and they, as a couple, agree to help her and protect her child. The woman, happy with that decision, left to finish taking care of her business and find a safe place to rest her head as she wouldn’t seek shelter with them. The daughter, not knowing it was a secretive meeting, was in the adjoining room and heard every word. She thought the woman needed more protection than she claimed. She snuck out after the woman left and followed her.” I fist my hands together and hold my breath. I don’t think I like where this is going.

“She protected the woman for two days, before they were found by a group of devuxen. After the struggle, the daughter carried the woman, who was near death, back to her territory. They ran into her father while he was out searching for her. The woman explained as much as she could before the daughter shifted and explained herself. The prince led them back to the pack house to tend to their wounds. When they reached the inner limits, a warning howl ripped through the field. They all raced to the pack house, finding the rest of the clan and a new threat attacking the prince’s pack.” A small gasp escapes my lips as I lean towards him slightly. “The prince and his pack eliminated the entire clan, but not without cost.” Barry looks at me sadly. “Loss surrounded the prince. His mate and daughter were among the handful of casualties, as well as the woman he promised to protect.” He stops talking and stares at the sky.

“Did the prince survive the loss? What about his son?” The questions flow out of my mouth without thought. Barry says nothing, just continues to stare at the sky, which allows the story to sink in.

A woman came to the prince’s pack. She needed protection of some sort, for her child and her. That woman had to be Henry’s birth mother. I feel it in my gut.

If it was Henry’s birth mother, then that means Fane is the prince of the story. I suck in a breath and tears come to my eyes. It was Barry’s mom and sister
.
I stare wide eyed at Barry.

He glances at me from the corner of his eye. “Didn’t take as long as I thought it would.”

My mouth opens and then closes. “Your m…” my mouth just won’t form the words.

“Now you know why my father and I react the way we do.”

“That’s not all I understand,” I mumble. Then remember Fionn and Fane’s argument. “What’s Fionn to you? He seems equally affected by the discussion.”

“He’s my uncle on my mom’s side,” he says quietly. “Was it bad? Their fight?”

“Well, it wasn’t good.” I shake my head. “I guess it all happened right after Charlotte told them what she saw with my relationship lines. But your dad said that he wouldn’t let me go without a perfect plan.”

“Is there anything I can say or do to stop you?” His eyes are so intense and filled with so much emotion. I just want to hold him. So I offer what comfort I can and reach over and grab his hand with both of mine.

He has to know that I
have
to do this. “In a way, I wish everyone
would
chain me up and throw away the key,” I tell him honestly. “But how could I live with myself if I agreed to stay behind? I know for a fact it’s me who has to save them.” I purse my lips.

“I understand,” he nods and squeezes my fingers. “I promise not to leave Seth for a minute.” He grins, and I have an eerie feeling that he’s about say something questionable. “If I have to crap, he’ll come with me. I will know the minute you are in trouble, and we will get you out of there.”

I start laughing. “Oh, poor Seth.” I tug a hand away from him and place it on my side. “Way to ruin a potentially sweet moment by Barry-ing it up!”

“Hey, someone’s gotta do it.” He gives me a cheesy smile.

I grin and bump his shoulder. “We should probably get back in there,” I say and stand.

“Yea. I should see when we’re leaving,” he agrees, and follows me up the three steps to the porch.

The door flings open just as I reach the “Welcome” mat. “Y’ins done?” Leland asks and I nod. “Good. Fane’s lookin’ for you Barry. Jaz, Skeeter wants to talk with you,” Leland tells us, and Barry squeezes past to head for the kitchen. Seth walks over and grabs my hand.

I pull Seth along with me towards the kitchen, in hopes of hearing this master plan or even part of it. Instead, Skeeter grabs my hand away from Seth’s and yanks me into the bathroom.

“You need to shower, and I’m to help you dress,” she blurts out as I’m about to question her.

“Can this be done in my bathroom upstairs? And why do I need help getting dressed?”

“Because you don’t have the right pants, but I checked and we’re the same size, so I sent my grandpa for the cargo pants. I always need help tying the straps,” she explains in a rush. “You can shower upstairs but right now I’m just trying to get away from your brother,” she blushes and fiddles with her pinky ring.

“What’s he doing?” I ask and reach for the door to see exactly what he’s doing.

She grabs my arm and stops me from opening the door. “He’s annoying as hell! Following me around like a puppy,” she whispers harshly. “I know he’s a shifter and his purpose is protection, but dear lord,” she glances to the door almost paranoid. “When you’re not around, he’s stuck up my ass!” She whispers again.

“Hey, calm down. Why don’t you talk to him?”

“I don’t want to do that!” She smacks her hand to her mouth. “What if he tells me he’s into me?” She gasps then waves her hand towards the door. “You have things to do, and more important things to worry about than my nonexistent love life.” Her face turns bright red as she pushes me back out the door.