“I don’t like this, Thorin. It don’t feel right.” Shaw sat on the bench with his arms crossed as Thorin drove the wagon down to the Logan’s farm. 

Thorin sighed as he looked ahead down the road. “Imara seems sure of herself and Ben seems to be quite smitten with her as well. I know, being human, you don’t understand the significance of the mate bond, but trust me when I tell you, if it’s true, there will be no keeping them apart. The Fates won’t allow it.”

As he furrowed his brows, Shaw glanced at Thorin. “Try me.”

Thorin smirked to himself at Shaw’s unwavering loyalty and bravado. “If it’s true, it’s a good thing, Shaw. The more people we got looking out for her, the better off she is. Meeting Ben Logan may be a blessing in disguise. We got to give this thing a chance.”

Nodding to Ben and Harold at the pig pen as Thorin parked the wagon beside the house, Shaw grunted in frustration “We should just pack up and leave tonight. I don’t feel good about this anymore. I’m telling you, something in my bones says this boy’s not right for her. You’re putting her in danger for no goddamn reason at all.”

As Ben and Harold walked to them, Thorin said, “When’s the last time you felt good about anything, Shaw? If it’s meant to be, then it will. No amount of moving and hiding her away is ever going to be able to protect Imara from her fate. We just have to see how things play out and hope for the best.”

When Thorin and Shaw left their carriage, Ben crossed his arms and looked them over.  After the conversation last night on the porch, Ben wasn’t feeling welcoming. “Is there something I can do for you two?”

Shaw scowled at Ben as he ran his tongue over his teeth. It didn’t take a smart man to see how much Shaw disapproved of the thing budding between Imara and Ben.

“Are we cross, Shaw?” After the things Imara said to him in the yard, Ben had no patience left for Shaw and the way he intimidated her. Shaw might be frightening for a human, but he was no match for a full grown Lycan. 

Thorin put up his hands. “No. No, not at all, Ben. We’d just like to talk with you about Imara for a few minutes.”

Ben rolled his head from side to side then looked back to Thorin. “Come on inside then.”

When they entered the back door of the house, Ben nodded to the table. “Have a seat. Let me wash up real quick.”

As Ben walked out of the kitchen, his mother entered the hallway and raised her brows. “What does he want?”

Ben started upstairs and glanced over his shoulder. “He wants to talk about Imara.”

Thorin sat down at the table and looked around the kitchen. “Can you try not to raise that boy's ire? He may be family soon.”

Scoffing at the thought of it, Shaw shook his head as he looked out the window. “He sure as hell ain’t my family. My loyalties are to you and Imara. That boy ain’t nothing at all to me.”

Thorin grinned and playfully pushed his fist against Shaw’s chin. “Awe isn’t that sweet. Big daddy don’t want that young stud taking his little girl away from him. Our little girls all grown up, Shaw.”

Rubbing his shiny bald head, Shaw elbowed Thorin in the arm. “Shut the hell up. Look around you. He don’t even have any money, Thorin. She needs someone who can take care of her. She’s not cut out for farm life and working hard. Can you imagine prissy old Imara waking up when it’s still dark outside and milking cows or slopping pigs?”

Thorin had a good chuckle as he bit his lip and imagined it. “No. I can’t say that’s something I can see her wanting, but one thing’s for certain, she wants that boy. I’m not going to stand in the way of her being happy anymore.”

While Ben climbed the stairs, Anna put her hand over her mouth and tapped her foot on the floor as she waited. When he came back a few minutes later, Anna put her hand on Ben’s shoulder. She’d been dreading the day when the past would start to catch up with her. “Do you want me to come in there with you?”

Ben looked to the kitchen then nodded. “Let’s get this over with. They didn’t know I could hear them yapping their mouths all the way upstairs. I’m not in the mood to deal with much more of their horseshit.”

Anna followed Ben into the kitchen and as soon as Thorin saw her, he laughed to himself and stood up. “As I live and breathe, Anna.” He crossed his arms and put his thumb to his chin then he pointed a finger at her. Thorin never forgot a beautiful woman. “But it wasn’t Logan back then, was it?”

Anna sat down and smiled. “No, Thorin, it wasn’t. A lot has changed in 30 years or so.”

Thorin took his seat again and clasped his hands in front of him. “Why yes, I can see that.” Speaking over his shoulder as he kept his gaze on the Logan’s, Thorin introduced Shaw properly. “Shaw, this is Anna Logan, I take it she’s Ben’s mother.”

Anna nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”

Thorin grinned and turned his head slightly to the side. “Now Anna, everyone thought you were dead, seeing how you disappeared after that man of yours was killed the way he was. Shame, really, he seemed like quite a good fella.”

Anna nodded her head and looked to Ben then sighed. “The death dealers came for us in broad daylight, in front of humans and everything right there on the street. I barely got away. I went as far as my money took me and met Harold and the rest, as they say, is history.”

Looking down at the table, Thorin smirked as he put the pieces together. “Your mate was a Lycan, as I remember it. I suppose that explains the big black wolf that keeps coming to my door at night looking for my baby sister.”

Ben shifted in his seat and exhaled through his nose as Thorin glanced up at him and raised his brow. As a smile cracked on his face, Thorin waved his hand. I’m just playing with you, Ben. So, anyway, back to the reason for my visit today. It seems that you and Imara…”

“We’re mates,” Ben said as he looked in Thorin’s eyes and interrupted his train of thought.

Thorin huffed through his nose and nodded. “Yes, that’s what she seems to think as well. See, this brings up a few problems that we need to talk about before I let this thing continue between the two of you.”

As he glared at the two men sitting in front of him, Ben crossed his arms and shook his head in defiance. “You’re not taking her anywhere ever again, not without my permission. Now, that we’re all on the same page about what’s happening now, she’s going to be moving in with me.”

Shaw chuckled a snorty arrogant laugh and pushed himself back in his seat. “She goes where I say she goes, boy. I don’t give a damn who you think you are to her. That mate nonsense don’t mean a damn thing to me at all.”

Ben uncrossed his arms and leaned forward. “Those days of the two of you pushing her around and telling her what to do are over, Shaw. Imara’s my little girl now.”

Realizing Ben had overheard their prior conversation, Thorin sighed and pushed himself back in his seat and put up his hands. “Gentleman, this unpleasantness is unnecessary. Imara isn’t a child anymore. If she says you’re her man, well then, you’re her man. No one’s going to question your claim on her.” 

Thorin inhaled deeply as he decided how to deliver the bad news. “Let me tell you a little story, Ben, because there are a couple little tidbits of information you need to know.”

Ben glared at Shaw then eventually turned his eyes to Thorin. He sat back in his seat and nodded to Thorin to continue. “Let’s hear it then. I still got work to do.”

Thorin sat up straight and clasped his hands again. “When our dear mother was expecting Imara, a clairvoyant stopped her on the street. Not looking for money or anything, mind you. The mood just struck her; I suppose.”

Thorin paused to glance to the window and lick his lips as he recalled the day he read his mother’s letter. “She went on to tell my mother that Imara would live a tortured life and would never live to see her 3oth birthday. Of course, there were some other things she said concerning my folks that, unfortunately, they didn’t take heed to. The crime of it all for Imara and I is that everything the clairvoyant told my mother has come to pass.”

Pointing his finger into the table and tapping it, Thorin reiterated the awful truth. “ Everything. We’ve been running all over God’s creation trying to keep the inevitable from happening until we can find someone to get us to the Realm where she’ll be safe.”

As he clenched his teeth, Ben looked away towards the window as a sick feeling rose in his gut. “What’s supposed to happen to her?”

Shaking his head, Thorin trilled his lips. “I don’t know, Ben. We’re immortals, there are only a few things that can kill us. Aren’t there? My parents, being wealthy and powerful and all, they had lots of enemies. They were executed by the Order’s last leader. He was kind enough to let me take Imara and leave Savannah, but that doesn’t mean that anything's been forgiven or forgotten. So, every time we get found out, we move on. However, in this instance, we can hardly do that. Can we?”

Ben bit the inside of his lip and shook his head no.

As he drummed is fingers on the table, Thorin came to a decision. “I’ve never told her about this prophecy. I don’t see the point of it. She thinks we’re running from the people who killed our parents and, well, maybe we are. I seriously can’t imagine why anyone else in this whole world would want to harm Imara. So, as I was saying, we need to talk about what happens next. It’s come to my attention that the tortured life she’s living has been of my own design. I’ve dragged that poor girl to every backwoods shithole I can think of and she’s weary. I know we can’t keep her safe forever, Fate will catch up with her eventually if that’s what’s laid out for her. I’ll see her again in the other Realm if that’s the case. But I can’t stand the thought of her suffering some horrible end, she’s too pure and sweet for that. I was hoping to find Haldir and get the hell off this filthy planet before that happened, but it’s been nearly ten years and I haven’t heard a word from him. I want my sister to be happy with whatever time she has left here. Imara wants to stay here with you, I just need to know that you’re a man worthy of whatever terrible fate might await her. Mind you, if the old Viking bastard ever bothers to show up, I’ll rip her out of your arms so fast, it’ll make your head spin.”

Ben’s steely eyes glazed over as the harsh reality of Thorin’s words finally reached his heart. He swallowed down the pain and said, “No one will ever love her the way I will, Thorin. I’ll be good to her. I’ll die for her a hundred times if I have to  keep her safe.”

Thorin sighed and nodded his head as he looked Ben in the eyes. He knew Ben meant every word he said. “Well then, the spell is made. Blessed be.” Thorin and Shaw stood up then Thorin leaned across the table, “I’ll hold you to every word of that, Ben, in this life and the next.”

Before he left the kitchen door, Thorin looked back and said, “You may come sit with her tonight after supper, if you wish. Not that she minds your little canine friend, but I’m sure she’d rather have you there in the flesh.”