Page 14 of Shielded By My Mate

“Have you found them?”

“Not yet. They’ve been around town, though. I saw tire tracks out back this morning.”

She looks nervous. “Oh.”

“We need to talk about them,” I say, dreading this conversation. I hate causing my mate distress in any way, but I know we need to get on the same page about this threat.

Mira sets her spoon in her bowl and watches me.

“How do you want to deal with those men?” I ask slowly.

She blinks, frowning at the question. “Um… the police?” She sits up straighter as she sees something in my expression. “Why are you asking? Are you worried they won’t believe me? I have you as a witness. And my injuries.”

“They’ll believe you,” I reassure her. “They’re shifters too, and they can smell the guy’s scent all over here.”

Mira’s eyes widen. “Everyone in town is a shifter?”

I shake my head. “Not everyone. Most are, but we have humans here too. Some are mated to pack members. Some are tourists passing through.”

“So, it’s not uncommon for a shifter to have a human mate?”

“Nope. Not around here.”

She nods, picking up her spoon and eating again.

“I’d like to deal with the men in a different way,” I admit.

She glances at me. “Okay,” she says slowly.

“I want to kill them. If they threaten you again in any way, I will kill them,” I correct.

Mira stares at me for a beat before she finally says, “I’m okay with that. Does that make me a bad person?”

“No,” I growl instantly. “They’re the bad ones. The world will be better without them in it, where they can’t hurt anyone else.”

“Maybe we should try to talk to them and ask them where Ridley is,” she suggests.

“I’ll try. If we can find and capture them without them pulling a gun, then we can talk to them. Otherwise…” I trail off.

“I know. We have to do what’s right in the situation. I don’t want them to hurt you or anyone else.”

“Good. I’m going to keep you safe, Mira. Always.”

She nods again, and we eat in silence for a few minutes before she clears her throat.

“How’s your shoulder?”

“It’s good. Another day of healing, and I’ll be back to normal.”

She snorts. “I think it’ll take longer than forty-eight hours to recover from getting shot.”

I smile. “Not for a shifter. We heal faster.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep.”

“Lucky.”