Cael (Were Zoo Book 11), R. Butler [best management books of all time txt] 📗

“I know.” Keir was strong-willed and that meant he would need to be physically dealt with. Cael had never gone on the offense like that before, but he knew what Alistair was getting at. If Keir and his people had been at the apartment there would’ve been a battle and lives could’ve been lost. He didn’t want any of his friends getting hurt by this jackass, but if push came to shove, his people would stand with him. Novi was his mate and that made her family to the memory as well as the other shifter groups. They always protected the mates and children, no matter what.

He glanced in the rearview mirror to make sure no one was following them, and the street behind him was empty. He wouldn’t relax until they made it back to the park, taking a few back roads and side streets to backtrack and ensure they weren’t being tailed by Keir and his people. Once he was with his beautiful soulmate again and they could lock the door and put the worries of the night behind them, then he’d relax.

But as a shifter male with a mate to protect, he knew he’d never really relax. He’d always be worried for her safety, until the threat against her and her mother was put down for good. If Keir was smart, he’d realize that Lori and Novi were off-limits to him for good and take a hike.

And if he didn’t, then Cael would be ready to fight for his mate and her mom.

They were his family now, and Novi was the center of his world. Her safety was paramount, and no male with a twenty-year grudge would take her from him.

That much he knew for sure.

Cael shook out his ears and stretched in the paddock. The afternoon sun was warm on his skin, and he was really looking forward to just hanging out and relaxing, but it was Saturday and there were VIP tours happening, so he couldn’t just find a shady corner and doze off. With Novi.

He very much wanted to do that. He loved when she climbed on him and stretched out, or curled up over his front legs and rested on him. She felt safe with him in both forms and that meant the world to him.

It had been almost three weeks since Keir had broken into the house, and they hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him. While they weren’t taking it easy with the safety of the park and Novi and Lori, he wondered if the male had taken a hint and left for good. Novi and Lori didn’t think that was likely, but he thought the male was most likely watching the house and had seen them come and look around.

Lori had settled into the routine of getting driven to and from her job, but Cael could see how much it rankled her to not be able to just take off if she felt threatened. Novi said it was because they’d been on the run for so long that Lori didn’t know how to relax. He supposed if he’d been hunted by a bear shifter for two decades that he’d be paranoid too.

Novi was working in the security office making the photo albums, which she adored doing. Not only did she get to see all the pictures from the tours which she enjoyed looking at, but she was also tasked with ensuring that there were no issues with the photos that might lead to someone suspecting the animals weren’t quite right.

Like when his elephant had odd-colored eyes.

“Hey handsome,” Novi said as she walked toward him wearing a beige uniform. A metal bucket swung from one hand, a few red apples peeking over the rim.

He gave a low trumpet of happiness which made her smile.

“Mom can’t believe that you guys let me in here. She was very jealous.” Novi lifted an apple, and he took it from her with his trunk and ate it. She gave him a second one, and then he followed her as she made her way to the three others in the paddock and gave them all apples. He heard a Jeep coming and gave her a nudge with his trunk and gestured away from the fence. They never wanted the people posing as animal handlers to be a distraction for the VIPs.

Novi finished giving the apples to Kelley, Alistair, and Indio, and then walked with him away from the fence.

She sat behind some brush at the pond’s edge and hugged her arms around her knees. He stood next to her, keeping one eye on the Jeep to see if Indio or Alistair might have found their soulmate.

“Rhapsody wants to have a girl’s night tonight, just her and me. Kelley’s going to watch Khap for her.”

He nodded at her when she looked up at him. He was so glad she and Rhapsody were becoming friends. For Novi, it was the first time in her life that she’d actually been able to make a real friend that she could keep. She’d had friends in the past, but because of her father, they’d often had to leave without saying goodbye and not keep in touch with anyone, for fear Keir could find out where they were through their acquaintances.

Now she didn’t have to worry. She was protected by him and surrounded by people who wanted her to be happy and safe.

The Jeep moved on and Novi sighed. “I don’t want to go back to work, I love hanging out here with you.”

She’d come to sit with him on break, and he was always thrilled for the time with her when he was in his shift.

He made