Cherish Tomorrow Live Today Read online

  “Go home; take care of your family. You have three other children that will need you. If you need to leave, I’ll understand, but I hope all of you will stay here. You are part of this town and community,” Gage said, doing his duty but hating it all the same.

  It will feel good to have someone to go home to, to hold on days like this. Gage shifted, taking off for the woods. A long run would help release some of the anger that he buried deep. The next day, his mate would be introduced to what he and the town people were.

  She had to know up front what they were if their mating was going to happen, and it was going to happen; he’d make sure of it.

  * * * *

  Raven stared at the car then at Jared. “Are you out of your ever-loving mind?” She gritted her teeth, ready to hit the boy upside his head. “This car cost more than I can make in ten years! NO! You take this nice machine back to whoever owns it. I’ll walk.” She crossed her arms and glared at the tall man.

  “Jared, are you hassling my new employee this early in the morning?” one of the deepest voices Raven had ever heard said behind her. She slowly turned, and if it was at all possible, Raven swore the sun just burned a hole in her head and heart.

  “I was just doing what you told me,” Jared said beside her, jarring Raven out of the fantasy she was having.

  “You did this? Why?” she frowned, watching as Jared stepped away from her.

  The hottest man she’d ever seen walked around her slowly. Actually, checking her out from head to toe. “Um, hello, I’m not a piece of meat here?” Raven said but silently liking his attention.

  “Really, I’d swear you were a raw piece of porterhouse myself and so damn beautiful I’d hate to eat you.” He stepped in close behind her, and she swore he leaned in taking a deep breath smelling her. He lifted his hand and pointed to the car.

  “That is my car, and now, it’s yours.” He placed a finger over her mouth and whispered in her ear. “Wait ‘til I’m done speaking, then you can freak out all you want.”

  Freak out, maybe, but right now, Raven was trying not to rub her damn legs together. She didn’t know what was going on. It almost felt like the first time she had a major crush on her high school sweetheart, but look at how that turned out.

  “Ouch! Did you just nip my ear? And who are you?” Raven had a very bad feeling about all of this.

  “I’m your new boss and other things. But for now, we’ll concentrate on the boss part. I’m afraid my sister didn’t let you in on a few facts before hiring you. So, I’m here to tell you personally.” Gage stepped in front of her.

  “We here in this valley are very different from what you are used to out there in the world. We have our own way of living, and we’re not totally human either,” he said, waiting.

  “And what would you be?” Raven asked, proud she didn’t even flinch, but inside, her stomach was in a knot. On the one hand, she knew this man wouldn’t hurt her. If anything, Raven would bet her life that he’d protect her with everything he had. Yet, the unknown was scaring the living shit right out of her.

  “Jared,” Gage said, and Raven turned her head to see the man shift right before her eyes. It was fast, and if she hadn’t been staring right at him when it happened, Raven would have never believed what she was staring at—a wolf. And it wasn’t a small one either.

  “Well, crap, and no, I didn’t do that yet,” she said, making Gage laugh.

  “You are doing just fine. Come; let’s take this upstairs in the office where we can speak. Oh, and just for the record, Jared is one hundred and twenty years old. Quite young, actually, by our standards.”

  “Young!” Raven stopped and stared at the man beside her. He had black hair to his shoulders, dark blue eyes, and a body of a fighter. Lean, but she also had the sense to know he wouldn’t hesitate to kill if he needed to. “How old are you?”

  “You are right, I would kill anyone that threatened to hurt you or what I consider mine. I am older than Jared. Let’s leave it at that for now. Don’t want you to come up with some excuse as to why you can’t be seen with me after all,” he actually teased her.

  They had just made it into the office when the impact of what he just said made sense. “Wait? See you how? And you still haven’t answered my question as to why all of this? The car and your sister telling me that ‘they,’” she used her fingers for emphasis, “would pay for all my things?”

  “Please, sit. I’ll try and explain a few things.” He pointed to a big, huge lazy boy chair, and that is when she realized his office was freaking huge and so different.

  There were two long couches against two of the walls. A massive desk in the corner next to a brick fireplace, a small table in one corner with a small kitchen, and another door looked to go into a bathroom or to some other room, which was too dark to see what was in it.

  “Nice but so different than what I was expecting. I take it that is your desk?” she asked, pointing at the beautiful maple, handmade desk.

  “Nope, that is yours. I had it made for you, but for now, please, sit. I know you didn’t sleep well last night. Angie said she could hear you tossing and turning in your sleep,” Gage said, but Raven was staring at the desk as she plopped down in the recliner.

  “You got me that desk? Why?” Raven felt as she was a parrot. “Damn it, what the hell is going on?” She drummed her nails on the top of the desk, glaring at him.

  Chapter Three

  Gage pushed his wolf back. Her alpha status was evident in the way she held herself. Yes, Raven would be an amazing wolf to stand beside him. He pulled over a chair, placing it next to hers, swirling her chair around, so she faced him when he sat.

  Jared, now back to his human form, stood behind them. “It is rare, but among our kind, there is called a blood mate. Where, once a person sees or is around another, there is no question that this person is supposed to be theirs. Not only is that person’s body calling out to the other’s, but there are also changes starting. For example, no other females compare to the one that was meant for him. All he sees is her.”

  “Wow, back up, cowboy. You’re not talking about me, and who are you?” She jumped up and started to pace back and forth beside him.

  He didn’t say anything, just watched until she stopped, sucking in her breath. “This can’t be right. I can’t have any more children, Gage. I’ll be going through the change here in a couple of years. I mean, look at you. My god, you could have any woman around. This isn’t right.” She rubbed her hands on the skirt she wore.

  Gage held out his hand. “Come here, Raven.” He waited. She stared at his hand for a few minutes. At first, he didn’t know if she would trust him enough, but Raven lifted her shaking, cold hand, placing it in his.

  “This isn’t right. I’m older, have gray hair, sagging boobs and—” Her words cut off as he stood, covering her mouth with his, pulling her body up against his. She was cold and trembled in his hands, so he kept the kiss short and sweet when all Gage wanted to do was rip her clothes off and bury himself within her.

  He stared down at her. Raven’s eyes were big. “This can’t—”

  “Yes, it can be, and it is. Just give it time. That is all I’m asking. Give me the time to prove to you that you belong in my arms.” He reached up, burying his fingers in her hair before pulling her head back, making her stare up at him.

  “The car is mine, and the penthouse I’ve set you up in is my home, now ours. I’ll stay here, for now, giving you the time you need, but I will have you safe.” He released her hair and pulled her down onto his lap.

  “I owe you an apology for what happened to you. I should have had guards on you right away, but I didn’t honestly believe anyone would attack you.” He sighed, rubbing his cheek on her shoulder.

  “You know who did this to me?” She cocked her head to the side.

  “Yes, a woman that was jealous of you. She believes that I’m hers when, in fact, I’ve had nothing to do with her. Just like huma
ns, we do have people who can’t handle the pressures of the world around us. I’m afraid this woman is one of those. She will be caught and taken care of.”

  Raven stiffened in his arms. “What do you mean taken care of?”

  The door to the office busted open, slamming against the wall, surprising even him, which shouldn’t have happened.

  * * * *

  Being pushed back into the lazy chair so fast, Raven shook her head and stared up at Gage’s back when she heard the snarling and yelling going on. She peaked around Gage to see three women being brought into the office. Each seemed to have their hands bound behind them, but what sent a chill down her spine was the way the one girl with purple hair stared at her with such hate.

  From the snarls and flying spit coming from her, it was as if the woman had rabies, but what no one was expecting was the sound of breaking glass behind her. One minute, she was staring at a crazy person, the next, pain was ripping through her as a set of fangs sunk into her shoulder and claws tore at her arms as Raven tried to protect herself.

  “No!” she cried as the wolf went for her throat, but before it could lunge, it was lifted off her, and she heard bones snap before Gage was there kneeling beside her on the floor.

  He carefully picked her up and moved her into the room she couldn’t see into earlier. “Jared, do what has to be done,” he ordered as another man rushed into the room.

  “Put her down onto the bed. I’ll need my bag from the car, towels, and plenty of water. Miss, I’m the pack’s doctor. I know it hurts, and I’m sorry I can’t give you anything for the pain, but we have to allow this to move forward,” the strange man said, his words coming out in a rush as he placed a large white bandage over the wound on her neck and a few towels around her.

  Did he know this was going to happen to me? Why was this doctor here at Gage’s office?

  “I don’t...How did you get here?” She coughed, trying to ask what he meant when all Raven wanted to do was curl up in a ball. The pain was so bad, worse than having her children, which was saying a lot since she had been in labor for over two days.

  “You’re going to go through the change, baby. One of the ways to change someone is by biting. The doctor followed the girls in. I’m so sorry I’ve failed you twice now.” Gage hung his head, kneeling next to the bed as the doctor shouted orders to someone she didn’t see.

  “Since it’s obvious that you can read my freaking mind... stop. You know damn well this wasn’t your fault, but I tell you right now, it hurts like a bitch, more than giving birth to my two kids. You so owe me that car out there.” Raven tried to tease him, but she was so cold, her teeth started to chatter.

  Gage crawled up on the bed, covering them with a blanket, while the doctor sat on the other side, her head in Gage’s lap, while the doctor placed bandages to her neck and shoulder, trying to control the blood.

  “What you are going through is normal. Soon, you will sleep, but know when you wake, Raven, you’ll be a different person.” The doctor lifted her head carefully, but even being careful, it hurt, and she whimpered.

  “I’m sorry. I need to wrap this around your neck and shoulders. It will help suck up the extra puss and blood that will drain from you. Alpha, keep her still and warm. I’ll go help clean up and wait with the others,” the man doc said, pushing the towels around her.

  “I owe your sister an outfit, wait, no, that bitch that did this owes your sister,” Raven thought, wondering if Gage could really hear her thoughts.

  “I hear them. Have since this morning. You’ve been in and out of it. And you don’t have to worry. That woman that did this is dead, along with Sara. I haven’t decided what to do with the other two yet.” Gage leaned over and kissed her lips softly. “Sleep. Quit trying to fight it. No one will bother you. Jared is right there in the corner of the room. No one can burst through windows in here. You are safe. Even though I keep saying it and you keep getting attacked, it won’t happen again.” He kissed her cheek before settling down next to her.

  She closed her eyes, sighing as Gage curled up next to her. His heat was so nice. “I’m really your woman?” Raven asked, trying to grasp everything that had happened in the last two weeks. She couldn’t lie to herself anymore. Raven wanted change, and boy, was she getting it now.

  Ever since she’d driven into this town, it was like peace had settled over her. Even now, lying next to Gage, Raven wasn’t scared or nervous. The next day she would sort things out. Right now, Raven felt as if someone had shot her up with pain pills. She was dopey, and her body felt as if a lead plate had been placed on top of her. Tomorrow...

  Chapter Four

  Gage carefully pulled away from his woman, tucking the covers around her, knowing she was knocked out. It was early morning, and the two other females had to be judged. He wanted it out of the way so Gage could concentrate totally on his mate.

  His sister waited for him, also, in the other room, with some clean clothes for Raven. He could hear her little snarls in the other room, and Gage grinned. His sister was a fierce one when it came to family, and she had fallen in love with Raven the moment she had seen her.

  Matter of fact, Angie had been the one to point out Raven in the store. If she hadn’t done that, god knows how long it would have taken him to meet and claim her. He glanced over at the guard that Jared had picked to watch over them so he could go home and clean up.

  Yes, even he had slipped into the shower before crawling into bed with Raven earlier, wanting to be clean when he had Raven in his arms. Throwing on his jeans, Gage made his way out into the outer office, gently closing the door behind him as the guard followed him out.

  Since there was no way to get into the bedroom behind him, Raven was safe. He leaned down and placed a kiss on his sister’s head. “She’s still sleeping. Go ahead and put the clothes in the bathroom. I’m sure she’ll need a shower when she gets up and, Angie...” Gage stared at his little sister. “Thank you,” he said.

  She smiled and patted his arm. “Get rid of this trash, so you can spend the day with your woman. She’ll need you today.”

  He nodded and lifted his gaze to the two women who knelt with their heads bowed, waiting for their fates. Their two friends were already dead. Their parents behind each girl also knelt behind them.

  “Rise, Mick, Katherine, Dominic, Gloria. There is no reason for you to kneel. You did nothing wrong,” he said and circled the two women, snarling. “Why should I spare your lives?” he asked Nancy, standing before her. “Look at me,” Gage snapped, and she jerked her head up.

  “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. Neither of us knew she was going to do this.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Sam and I were coming here yesterday to ask forgiveness when Sara showed up. I swear I’m telling the truth.”

  “Sam?” Gage snapped, and the woman whimpered, peeing her pants.

  He sighed and turned his head to stare at the bedroom door. His mate was awake and talking to his sister, but already Gage could sense her wolf. His animal pushed forward, needing to touch and claim her.

  * * * *

  Before Raven even opened her eyes, she took measure of her body. Nothing hurt anymore. Even her arthritis seemed to be gone, which was a big plus. But she did feel like she had rolled in a mud puddle.

  Feeling Gage move off the bed, Raven was totally confused about her emotions and her life. It seemed she jumped from a bad situation into a totally different one, and boy, were her kids going to flip out when they found out what happened.

  But first, a shower was in order. She opened her eyes as Angie stepped into the room carrying some clothes. She smiled, closing the door behind her.

  “How are you feeling?” Angie asked, coming over to sit on the bed.

  “Like I rolled in a mud puddle. What time is it?” she asked and lifted her head up to look for a clock. “Oh, a little stiff I guess.”

  Angie snarled and looked over her shoulder. “Stupid bitches,” she snapped. “I’
m afraid you’ll be a little sore today, but by tomorrow you’ll be one hundred percent. Other than that, can you tell any differences?”

  “Well, my fingers aren’t hurting, so that is a good thing.” She frowned, hearing the snarls coming from the front room. “What’s going on in there?” She pushed the covers back and slowly sat up.

  “The other two girls are being judged. They’ll be lucky if my brother doesn’t rip their heads off.” Angie stood and moved to the bathroom, turning on the light. “A warm shower will help with the stiffness. Do you need help with the bandages?”

  “No, I can do it, but I really don’t understand all this, Angie.” Raven slid her legs over the bed, feeling like she was moving in slow motion. “Ugg, really feel icky and sorry about your clothes, Angie. Do me a favor and tell your brother to hold off on the judgment ‘til I get out there,” she said, moving to the bathroom, hoping for a quick shower.

  Raven heard the door close as she stepped into the shower, turning on the water, allowing the hot, steamy water to ease the sleep and ick off of her. The wet bandages peeled off her as she dumped them into the trash just outside the shower before grabbing the soap and cleaning herself.

  So many damn questions running through her mind, and Raven had a feeling Gage wasn’t about to let her go.

  “You are correct. Where you go, I go. Stop worrying so much. We’ll work this through. We have the whole day together. You can ask me anything you want. I’ll show you around my town, now yours.” Gage’s voice pushed into her head, shocking the crap out of her that Raven dropped the bottle of shampoo on her foot.

  “Don’t freaking scare me like that,” Raven grit her teeth and counted to ten as she bent to pick up the bottle.

  “Sorry, baby; are you okay?” he asked, and she knew he’d come in there and check on her.