Usually, it made Kiera really defensive when someone brought up her lioness, but Rowan hadn’t said it to hurt her. And really, it was kind of nice having that secret out in the open here. She wasn’t pretending to be human, or lion. She was just her—Kiera the Cleansed, so okay. She wasn’t going to get her feelings hurt when people mentioned it. It is what it is, and all.
Kane locked his arms against the table and sighed, his eyes on Kiera. “I have a question to ask you. And I know it’s soon. Too soon maybe, but it feels right, and I’m gonna do it.”
Kiera sat down gingerly in the chair next to Rowan. “Okay. Ask.”
“I’ve contacted an RV rental company, and I can have one out here for you as soon as tomorrow. I can set it up in the trailer park.”
“Why? I’m fine in the motel.” Kiera’s hackles were up. She was a roamer, and Kane was trying to get her to grow roots like a stagnant tree.
“How much money do you have left?”
“None of your business.”
“Do you plan on getting a job here?”
“No.”
“And when you run out of money, what will you do?”
She shrugged stubbornly. “Whatever the fuck I want to.”
“Will you let me pay for an extended stay at the motel?”
Kiera huffed a breath and looked at Rowan to see if Kane was really serious.
Rowan smiled apologetically. “We really want you to stay.”
Kane sat in the chair across the table from her. “At least until I have my dragon or instincts…or whatever convinced that you’re okay.”
“I’m fine.”
“Then why did you come here, Kiera?” Kane asked. His eyes lightened to green, and his pupils elongated. Hello dragon. “Why did you come find me? Why did you tell me you were in trouble? Why do you smell sick? Look, I’m not asking you to stay permanently. I’m asking you to stop running for long enough to take a breather. Spend some time here, shoot the shit with people who don’t care about your past, drink, eat, be fucking merry because I know you’ve gone through hell. Everyone could use a break sometimes, Kiera. Just…stay for a while.”
Kiera crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the window at the churning gray storm clouds outside. She didn’t like being pressured. She liked traveling light, little baggage, little reason to stay in a place too long. It was easiest that way. But maybe she should stay here and see what kind of life her cub would have. To see—God, she was so pathetic—to see what kind of life she could’ve had if she hadn’t gotten so jaded getting here.
“Kiera,” Kane said sternly. The dragon wasn’t going to let her ignore her way out of this.
“Can I think about it?”
“Of course,” Rowan said. “Whatever you need.”
Kane’s mouth stayed in a disapproving, thin grimace, as though he wanted an answer now, but Kiera stood before he could push the matter. She rushed to escape, but as she reached the door, Rowan called, “See you tomorrow, Kiera. Prep the liver. We drink on D-Team Sucks Saturdays.”
Kiera hesitated at the door, and without turning around, nodded once. Then she stepped out into the cold wind, shutting the door behind her, her heartbeat hammering against her sternum.
She turned and stared at the closed door. Her fingers tingled, and the baby was going crazy, rolling and kicking. Was this a sign? Kane had just offered her the world. He didn’t realize it, but he had. If only she could settle… But it wouldn’t work. A few more weeks here, and she would have the urge to roam again, like her frozen inner animal demanded it. Rogues did that. They migrated constantly. Lucky her, she was a human with the instincts of a lonely lioness.
She pressed her hand over her stomach to see if she could feel the kicking from the outside yet, but still couldn’t. Casting a glance at the camera in the top corner of the porch roof, she bolted for her El Camino and got inside as fast as she could.
If she was different, if she was better, she could find happiness in a little RV in these beautiful mountains. That fate wasn’t for her, though. The most she could hope for was that fate for her cub.
Why was she crying again?
Kiera gripped the wheel as she pulled a wide circle in Kane’s yard and rolled her tires onto the gravel road that would lead out of these mountains. Her emotions swung wide. It was the hormones, absolutely, but it was also that she’d started caring about someone above herself. Someone tiny, who depended on her to give it a good life. Someone perfect and unbroken. Someone she wanted to end up so much better than herself.
As she passed the dirt road that forked off the main, she had this overwhelming urge to go find Beast, tell him what Kane had offered, and ask his opinion on what she should do. Like he knew anything about her. Like he would have the answers.
Why did it feel like he had answers? Like he could give clarity?
Why did he feel so damn important now?
Kiera hit the gas and zoomed over the bridge and up the steep incline. These woods did something to her. They were magic or something, tempting her to dream about a future she knew in her heart would never stick.
It would be best if she took some distance to make this decision and not come back tomorrow.
Chapter Seven
She wasn’t coming.
Beast swallowed yet another snarl as he checked the entrance to the trailer park for the hundredth time in an hour.
What was his obsession with this woman? He’d never attached to someone like this. Not ever. Not with any of his pride females, not with friends, not even with Callum. It’s what had made him such a good alpha. He could manage the females, made sure none felt left out because he gave equal attention to all. He could put his head down and get shit done, but since Kiera had wandered into the territory, his mind revolved like a tornado, and the soft-spoken beauty sat right in the eye of the storm.