Lion Beta's Protective Mate

Chapter 5

"My mother," Sara said skeptically. Looking her over again, she didn't believe it. She had seen a few old pictures of her mother. Everything about this woman just looked fake. If they shared anything, maybe it was around their eyes. Something was just off though. She couldn't figure out what it was but her lioness was suddenly very present and on edge about something.

"Yes, your mother. Now, let me in and we'll talk." Janine stepped forward, once again giving the impression that she expected instant obedience.

Sara hmphed, not trusting the person in front of her at all. "I'm not in the habit of letting people I don't know into my home. And we were just leaving, so if you'll please excuse us. We have things to do today." She smiled to take some of the sting from her words but made sure that she wasn't giving Janine an option.

"We?" She looked affronted.

Not needing to look, she knew that Jackson was now at her back. "We." She felt his hand on her hip. It didn't take her long. I just signed the papers yesterday, she sent to Jackson through their link.

Are you sure this is your mother? Even while they were having their inner conversation, Jackson made sure that they showed a united front. Something in his gut told him showing this woman any weakness was not a good idea.

I don't know. Maybe. But something isn't right. My lioness is on edge. She didn't mind showing her worry to Jackson but made sure her expression never changed.

They watched as Janine noticeably sniffed the air. "Lion," she sneered. "What is he doing here?"

A little shocked that she could tell what Jackson was, Sara did her best not to show it. How did Janine know about shifters? She also refused to acknowledge her as her mother.

"Jackson, this is supposedly my mother, Janine. Janine, this is my fiancé, Jackson." For some reason her lioness was beginning to growl. It was getting difficult to hold it in. "How did you know he was a lion?"

"Because she is a jackal," Jackson answered for her.

Sara mentally rolled her eyes. When this is over you will have to explain to me what that means, she shot back at him.

Agreed, he responded.

"I want him out of here. Now! There is no way that a lion is getting anywhere near my daughter. I have several men already lined up willing to marry you. You simply have to choose which one you want." Janine reached for the door as though she were literally going to throw him out.

"Hold up." Sara raised her hand, palm out to show Janine that she needed to stop. "You have no say in anything to do with my life. I don't even have any proof that you are who you say you are. Jackson, on the other hand, has proved himself repeatedly, and I trust him with my life. Now, Jackson and I are leaving. I suggest you do the same. Don't come back here unless you have some kind of proof that you are my mother. Even then, I wouldn't expect much." Sara looked at her like a bug under her shoe. The nerve of her! She didn't even bother to comment on the whole 'men lined up' nonsense.

Taking her purse from the rack next to the door, she opened it further and she and Jackson stepped out. Shutting and locking the door behind them, she moved toward Jackson's truck.

"Don't you dare walk away from me. I am still your mother." Janine stalked to intercept her. How she did it in the ridiculously high heeled boots she had on, Sara would never know.

Sara paused. "Excuse me? You are not now, nor have you ever been my mother. Now, get out of my way." She moved to go around her and Janine grabbed her arm roughly.

"I am not leaving until I get what is rightfully owed to me." She got right up in Sara's face, trying to intimidate her.

Without blinking, Sara grabbed her wrist, twisted and threw her on her back in the grass. Claws were pressed against Janine's throat and Sara's brown eyes had turned amber. Baring her clinched teeth, Sara got nose to nose with her.

"I am not the easy target you seem to think I am." Janine's eyes widened as it finally dawned on her what she was looking at. "Now, get off my property and don't bother coming back. You've officially worn out your welcome."

Easing back, Sara felt Jackson at her back again. He made sure that anyone watching knew she wasn't alone. That show of support meant everything to her.

He stared Janine down as she picked herself up off the ground. Letting his own lion show through his eyes, he wanted to make sure she knew he was serious. "I wouldn't do anything stupid. We have the whole Pride behind us."

Janine's face was scrunched up in pure fury. "You can't keep me from talking to my daughter," she sneered back.

"You gave up that right sixteen years ago," Sara snapped back. "You made your choice. Now you can deal with it." She tugged on Jackson's arm. "Let's go. I'll be damned if I let her ruin our whole day."

Jackson picked up her bag that he had dropped in the yard. He put it in the back of the truck, opened her door and helped her in. Closing the door, he got behind the wheel and started it up. He looked back in time to see Janine getting on a motorcycle. Satisfied that she was in fact leaving, he pulled out of the driveway.

They didn't say anything on the way to the grocery store. Jackson touched her mind several times. It was becoming increasingly easier to do. There was a lot of chaos and worry. He held her hand and gave her time to process. Twenty minutes later, he pulled into a parking spot at the store. Her eyes were still golden.

His hand wrapped around her nape and began kneading the tight muscles. "Reign her in, Sugar. Slow deep breaths," he said as he braced his forehead against hers, breathing with her. When her eyes returned to the beautiful brown he had come to love, he drew her in and hugged her close.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked gently.

She shook her head. "Not right now. I have a lot of questions. I think I'd rather wait until we get to your house. Here, anyone could overhear us and I don't think that would be very wise." Sara glanced around the crowded parking lot. It seemed to be just a typical Saturday. People were everywhere.

"Okay." He cupped her cheek and turned her so she was looking him in the eye. "I love you, Sara. I know it is probably too early to be telling you that but I don't care. It happens fast with mates. Nothing will ever change what I feel for you. As long as you know that and hold onto that, everything else will work itself out."

Sara smiled. "I love you, Jackson. You are all that I will ever need." She met him halfway for a deep, lasting kiss.

"Now," Jackson said, drawing back. His lion was demanding he mark her and complete the mating. But sitting in a parking lot? Not happening. "Groceries. I hope you are ready for this," he said playfully.

"I think I can handle it," she accepted his challenge. They opened the doors and stepped out into the sunshine.

Forty-five minutes later, they were standing in the meat department, discussing what they wanted to get. Going through the store, it had been one laughing episode after another. Everyone that had passed them were smiling at their antics. Sara felt delighted that she could make so many people smile and they weren't even doing anything but enjoying themselves with debates about different food items.

"No seriously," Sara laughed. "It can't all be steaks. I'll need ground beef, fillets, beef tips, roast. It would be boring if you ate the same thing for every meal. I need variety."

Jackson shrugged. "There are so many different ways to season a steak that it never tastes like you are eating the same thing."

She eyed him speculatively. "You are telling me that you have that many different kinds of spices at your house?" There was no way.

"Yes. There are spices and marinades. I'm fully stocked, Hun." He grinned devilishly.

Laughing again at his outrageousness, she picked up what she wanted while he did the same. Something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. As she realized what it was, she touched Jackson's arm and leaned close. "If I didn't know any better, I would say he was following me." She indicated behind her. She didn't want to turn around and give away that he had been seen.

Jackson glanced up to see the boy they had seen outside the lawyers' office yesterday standing in front of the lunchables stand that was set up. This close Jackson gauged his age to be around ten. He was in the same clothes as yesterday, which was a little puzzling. He didn't look dirty, but he also didn't look as though he was being taken care of very well. The boy was watching them but trying very hard to act as though he wasn't. If it was a boy from his Pride, he would have already been trained somewhat in stealth, but this boy obviously wasn't. He was still just a little too far away for Jackson to catch his scent.

Looking down at Sara, he kept smiling. He somehow already knew that Sara wasn't wanting to let on that they had a stalker. "Do you have everything you need?" He placed his hands on her hips possessively, pulling her close.

"There are a couple of frozen things I need but then we are good to go." Taking the almost over full cart, she pushed it in the direction of the frozen food with Jackson beside her. They kept up the banter and laughing. Neither sensed any real danger, so they weren't really worried. In no time, they were checking out and heading back toward the truck. Once the cart was unloaded, Sara went to Jackson. Lifting onto her toes, she kissed his cheek and whispered, "I'm going towards the dollar store around the corner of the strip. I'll wait for the boy around the corner. If he's truly following me, he shouldn't be far behind me. You come in behind him and we'll find out who he is."

When she pulled back, he kissed her lips, unable to hold himself back. Caressing her cheek, he whispered back to her. "Be careful, Sugar. Just in case he isn't alone. I'll be right behind you."

Nodding, she turned and headed toward the store while Jackson moved to put the cart into the cart corral several car lengths over. Keeping to what she normally does, Sara smiled and greeted a couple as she passed them. She never looked around and made it to the corner, making it look as though she kept going around it without a care in the world. In reality, she stopped five feet past the corner and leaned against the wall to wait. It didn't take long.

The boy rushed around the corner. He looked frantic. Was he worried that he had lost her? It was only a moment before he realized that she was waiting for him. His eyes widened almost comically and he froze. Sara could see the debate he was having with himself. Stay or run? He hastily turned to go back the way he had come. Jackson was already behind him, preventing him from getting away. His gaze moved between the two of them. Accepting the situation, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

The hopelessness in his eyes tugged at Sara's heart. She didn't know yet who this boy was but he was obviously carrying too much weight on his very slim shoulders. Turning to Jackson, she saw the same questions in his eyes.

"What’s your name?" Sara asked. She'd start with the easy stuff first.

Looking down at his worn shoes, the boy didn't seem to want to answer. After a short pause,

he shrugged. "Terrence Fitzpatrick."

"How old are you, Terrence?" Jackson was actually starting to feel sorry for the kid. Everything in his demeanor was subdued. It was almost like he expected to get punished or hit and he was just waiting for the blow to land.

"Twelve," was his mumbled response.

Does he seem kind of small to be a twelve-year-old? Sara couldn't help asking Jackson.

He does. Jackals tend be a little smaller than us lions but even by their standards he is on the small side. Now that Jackson was this close to him, the scent was unmistakable.

Wait. Jackal? Wasn't that what Jackson had said Janine was? That couldn't be a coincidence.

"Why have you been following me, Terrence? It wouldn't have anything to do with Janine, would it?" She already suspected the answer.

His eyes widened momentarily but his expression quickly went neutral. Shrugging in indifference now, Terrence shoved his fists into his pants pocket. He refused to look at either of them, instead keeping his eyes on his feet as he scuffed the soles of his shoes on the concrete. "I am supposed to follow you to get an idea of what your schedule was like. Where you go, when. All of it."