Redeeming Rue AP4 by R. E. Butler Read Free Book Online Page A

and turned off the engine.  “No, but you’ll be fine.  Embrace tonight for what it is:  a declaration of your commitment to each other.”
    She cocked her head.  “Do you think you’ll find a mate someday?”
    “Someday soon I hope.”
    “I hope so, too.  I adore Dionne, but I’d like to have a mom of my own to talk to.”
    “You can talk to Sam, Lisa, or any of the mates.”
    She rolled her eyes.  “I know that Daddy, but they’re not the same as someone I can actually call mom.  Henry needs a mom, too.”
    “Yeah, he does.”
    “And you need a wife.  Not one who you have to wait three years for, either.”
    “I love you, honey.”
    Her nose wrinkled as she smiled.  “I love you, too, Daddy.”
    He got out of the car and came around to her side, opening her door and holding out his hand to her.  The sun lowered in the sky, and the ceremony would start as soon as they were ready.  She stared at the boarding house, her face thoughtful and more relaxed.
    “Are you ready, honey?”
    “I am.”  She peeked up at him.  “Thank you for being here for me.”
    “I will always be here for you, Jilly.”
    She took his arm and he escorted her into the house and through to the kitchen, where the door was held open by one of the males from Dag’s clan.  The male bowed regally, and John stepped out into the screened-in back porch with Jilly at his side, and they paused for only a moment before Jilly took the first step.  He walked with her across the porch, out onto the thick grass, and down the center aisle between rows of chairs to her waiting mates.  Wyked and Fate were not wearing shirts so they could show off the tattoos of their clan name and Jilly’s name on their backs.  He felt her begin to tremble and could scent her tears, but she was smiling up at him when he stopped in front of Hanai and the twins.
    John let Jilly go into the arms of her mates and sat down next to James in the front row.  The ceremony progressed quickly, as they promised themselves to each other, and the twins gave her a ring and showed her the physical proof of their dedication to her in their tattoos.  He thought the ceremony was beautiful in its simplicity.  There were no long, drawn out vows, the trio simply promised to be true to each other, and the twins swore to protect her with their lives.
    John rubbed absently over his heart as the twins gave Jilly the ring.  His heart had been clenching strangely since he began to walk Jilly down the aisle.  He thought it was simply an emotional response to the ceremony, but now he wasn’t so sure.  He almost felt compelled to go somewhere , find someone.
    He glanced at James, who stared straight into the woods with his jaw clenched and his entire body tense.
    The ceremony ended and John stood, clapping and smiling at his daughter as the panthers whooped and cheered.  Jilly and the twins came to him, and he congratulated the boys and hugged her.  Her cheeks were wet with tears, but her eyes were bright with happiness.  He’d never seen her more beautiful, and he told her so.
    “Aw, Daddy.”
    James congratulated the trio as John moved away to let her continue to greet the guests.  Lisa and the other lions were handling the party, and John had a sudden urge to go into the woods and see what was there.  He wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw a shadow, something darker than the darkness of the woods, and out of place.
    James grabbed his arm as he moved toward the trees.  “You feel it, too?”
    John rubbed the space over his heart.  “I don’t know what it is, but I want to go into the woods.”
    “Me too.”
    John nodded at his brother, and they stalked into the woods, intent to find whatever – or whoever – they were feeling drawn to.  As they moved farther into the woods, the party noise faded away, and the lights that had lit the yard became dots in the distance behind them.  As lions, they could see well in the darkness, but he would have continued to