Harley: Prince Of Tigers, Book 5 Read online

  “Aurora saved them because your grannie was meant to have a son, so you would be born to come to me.” Aurora nodded. “And in that, you were to have a daughter that we could both raise with Ronnie. I don’t think Ronnie being a Victoria is a coincidence either, is it? ” Aurora shook her head.

  “This is all too strange.” Vicky looked at Aurora as she continued. “You never told us that part. For the longest time, I thought we’d just dreamed it. A horrific dream, but that it wasn’t real.” Marcus asked Vicky what had made her realize it was true. “When Lisa had the same dream I had. Even the feeling of having died. We ended up back in our bedroom that very night. Our gowns had been changed, and we were just in our beds. I never wanted to believe any of it until just this moment.”

  “I needed you both, you see. You for Dakota, as Marcus said. And Lisa to keep you going. I know there were many times when you wished to give up. To not go on after your husband died. Then your son dying the way he did nearly did you both in.” Aurora laughed. “Did you ever notice that Lisa would come around when you were at your lowest? That she’d bully you into an argument, and you’d feel better afterwards? I gave her the nudge to be there.”

  “So my life has been manipulated since birth.” Aurora told Dakota it was more than that. “I don’t see how. You’ve already told me that you’ve kept my grandmother and her sister alive for me to be born. For what reason? So I could be mated to one of your kittens? If that’s not manipulation, I have no idea what it would be called.”

  “There are four children that need the two of you. If you had not been alive, Dakota, your daughter would not have come to you. And these four children would surely die.” Dakota looked at Marcus, asking if he knew about this. He told her he didn’t. “No one knew, my child. But I assure you, it was for the betterment of all of you. You have a purpose in Marcus’s life, and he in yours. Not just the children, but other children as well. They will not survive without you.”

  “Don’t blackmail me.” Aurora said that hadn’t been what she meant. “I don’t like any of this. I’ll help with the children, but I want you to know I’m not at all happy with you right now. I’m happy that you saved my grannie and aunt, but the rest of this? I don’t know what to think. Nor do I have anything else to say to you at the moment.”

  “I understand. But the children, they are going to need you more than I can explain to you, Dakota. Also Loren. They’re coming soon. I do hope you’re going to take them on with an open mind and heart and not hold what I’ve made you feel against them.” She said she’d never do that to a child. “No, you wouldn’t. All right. I must return to the castle. I’m so very sorry I’ve wounded you, Dakota. I do hope in time that you can forgive me for the intrusion into your life.”

  After she left, Marcus asked Dakota if she was all right. Without an answer, she left the room. Marcus looked at his mom and asked her what he was supposed to do now.

  “Nothing. Just let her think on this. However, you will need to be more than honest with her about things. I’m not sure why that thought has come to me, son, but answer her questions as directly as you would any of your family. She will not tolerate half-truths.” He nodded. “Also, I think you should spend some time with Loren. When her mother left, she followed her, but I have a feeling she’s not going to be as easy to talk to as her mom. She, too, has been hurt by things we don’t know about.”

  After his family left, Marcus thought about the things that had happened to bring him his mate. He wasn’t sure, but he thought he would be pissed as well if he were in Dakota’s shoes. He wasn’t. Marcus had his mate and two children, with four more on the way. Whatever came around about this, he was going to be the best husband and father he could be. If she’d let him.

  “My mom wants me to leave her alone for a little while. She told me to come in here.” Marcus asked if she was all right. “No. Would you be?” He said he’d not. “I don’t know what to think about this. But when she’s not happy, neither am I.”

  “That’s as it should be.”

  He turned the football game up when she asked him to, and Ronnie sat down between the two of them. He had no idea what was going to happen next, but he was going to be there for them even if they didn’t want him to be. Marcus already loved his little family, and he was going to do his best to make sure they were happy.

  Before You Go…

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  Kathi Barton, a winner of the Pinnacle Book Achievement award as well as a best-selling author on Amazon and All Romance books, lives in Nashport, Ohio, with her husband, Paul. When not creating new worlds and romance, Kathi and her husband enjoy camping and going to auctions. She can also be seen at county fairs with her husband, who is an artist and potter.

  Her muse, a cross between Jimmy Stewart and Hugh Jackman, brings her stories to life for her readers in a way that has them coming back time and again for more. Her favorite genre is paranormal romance, with a great deal of spice. You can visit Kathi on line and drop her an email if you’d like. She loves hearing from her fans. [email protected].

  Follow Kathi on her blog: http://kathisbartonauthor.blogspot.com/

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8