The Alpha's Taboo Mate (Blood Moon Lynx Book 1) (9 page)

Chapter Twelve

During the party, Canyon and his father took Avery, Alex, and Darren aside. “Will you sit with us for a while? We’d like to discuss Cash Kent with you.”

“During your son’s mating ceremony?” asked Darren, in a tone of voice that suggested such a thing was akin to walking outside during a thunderstorm while holding a metal rod.

“Where better than here?” asked Canyon. “Where you can watch him interact with everyone?”

The three consented to sit with Canyon and his father. Canyon found a place away from the others and got right to the point. With this many people at the party, he knew their time alone with the Elders would be limited. “Surely you’ve seen how changed Cash is.”

“We still need to speak directly with him,” said Alex. “And it won’t be here.”

“But watching him interact with others factors into your decision, does it not?” asked his father.

“Of course it does,” said Avery. “But how do we know your mate didn’t give him something that makes him appear more alert for today?”

“Are you accusing us of trying to trick you?” Canyon stood, his hands balled into fists at his side.

“Sit down, son.”

One look at the man’s face, and Canyon knew this wasn’t a fight he’d win. He glared at his father, but he also took his seat again and turned his attention back to the Elders.

“The only thing my mother did to him was to provide him a home, and give him some herbal tea that any of you would drink to help with an alert mental status and increased powers of concentration.”

Now his father beamed at him with pride on his face, and Canyon had to bite back a smile. “We have some interesting news for you concerning the Medina family.”

“That is not relevant,” said Darren, his tone dismissive.

“I beg to differ.”

As his father laid out everything they’d found over the weekend, including the story about the real reason Amasa and Nanette had mated, Canyon listened. “I have documents to prove the authenticity of what I’ve told you. My son and I also intend to continue digging behind the scenes in the matter of these companies that are buying up stock in Cash’s company.”

“Are you trying to make your case for Fiera’s father being of sound mind?” asked Avery. “Or are you merely trying to discredit the Medina family?”

The urge to shift was strong again. Canyon saw red. He leaned forward, straining to remain as cool as his father appeared.

“They’re the same issue. Did you not hear what my father said? Nanette’s father and Amasa’s father defied pack law. They arranged for their children to mate for business reasons, and now they’re trying to take over Cash’s business. You said to us in your home, the day Fiera and I came to you after we had mated, that you agreed with me. You knew that’s what they were trying to do.”

“I also told you that without proof, we would not intervene in this matter.”

“We have proof. Or we will, at any rate. And as for Cash, you said because the accusation against him potentially affects our entire village, you need to investigate it. We just told you about an arrangement that not only affects our village, but defied pack law.”

“You have the right to file a formal complaint of your own,” said Alex.

“We aren’t looking to do that,” said his father. “We asked you to sit down with us and discuss Cash. He’s back to his former self now. All he needed was a bit of guidance.”

“We will speak with him,” said Avery. “But not here and now. As to the rest of it, we will take it under consideration.”

“That’s the best you can do?” asked Canyon.

“What would you have us do?” Avery gave him an indulgent look, which only further irritated Canyon.

“Take it as more proof of what they’re up to. They have a history of scheming.”

“We already know that.”

“We will have solid proof of what they are doing to Cash’s business very soon.” His father placed his hand on Canyon’s arm. “And we intend to turn it over to the SEC and the IRS, to add to their files already opened on the Medina family businesses.”

All three Elders looked taken aback. Clearly they hadn’t been listening, or hadn’t understood how serious this was.

“That’s right,” said his father. “This goes beyond our pack law, concern for our village, or one family’s rivalry with another. It goes beyond Hawke trying to force Fiera to mate with him, and it goes beyond an arranged mating which violated our pack law. This involves the human business community and human government institutions. We’re bound to those laws as well when we choose to operate businesses in their world.”

“You have proof of this?” asked Alex. “That the Medina family is under investigation by the SEC and the IRS?”

“Yes, we do,” said Canyon. “And the whole village will soon know it. Then you’ll
have
to do something about it.”

“Are you threatening us?” asked Avery, his gaze sharp.

“No. Merely letting you know we don’t intend to let them get away with this.”

The three bent their heads together for a few moments, speaking softly. Canyon and his father exchanged a glance, and Canyon saw in that glance his father’s contentment. He realized they had the Elders exactly where his father wanted them. Canyon only hoped he’d be half as shrewd as his father one day.

“Very well,” said Avery. “We will take this into consideration in the matter of Cash Kent. But we still want to speak with him directly, and alone.”

“Come to our home anytime and do that,” said his father. “You are welcome there.”

“What of his brothers?” asked Darren.

“They’re both here,” said Canyon. “Speak with them now.”

“Do they know all this?” asked Avery.

“Yes.”

“Cash is back to running his business full time,” said his father.

Alex raised his brows. “He is?”

“We told you he’s completely changed,” said Canyon. “Come to the house and see for yourself.”

****

The party finished well after dark, but Canyon was still wide awake after everything was cleaned up and he and Fiera finally went into their home for the night. Canyon hadn’t burdened Fiera with the conversation he and his father had with the Elders. He didn’t want her to worry.

This should have been a day of celebrating, and instead because he and his father had chosen to approach the Elders with that they’d discovered, and to make their case for Cash. Canyon had brooded over the incident the rest of the day.

With a sexy grin on her face, Fiera stripped off her clothes in front of him before heading toward the bathroom. “I need a shower.”

Well, he couldn’t very well ignore that, now could he? “I’ll join you.”

When she giggled, his cock jumped to attention. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

The warm spray helped wash away the cares of the day. Holding Fiera in his arms under that water sealed the deal. None of it mattered at this moment. All that Canyon cared about was keeping her safe. He kissed her, his arousal spiraling to new heights. Each time with her skin to skin like this was as sweet and erotic as the first time in that cabin.

“It’s official now,” she said. “You can’t back out. You’re stuck with me.”

“As if I would.” He trailed his tongue down her neck, tasting salty skin. “Fiera, you’re mine. You have been since the day I first saw you.”

“And you’re mine. Canyon, I love you so much.”

“I love you, too. Only you. Forever.” He kissed her again, pushing his tongue into her mouth and tangling his fingers in her hair.

Their bodies ground against each other as the water cascaded over them. Fiera’s soft moans sent his need for her racing out of control. He grabbed the shampoo bottle and poured some onto her head, gently washing her hair. Her eyelids fluttered, making him feel like the sexiest man on the planet.

“That feels so good.”

After he rinsed off the shampoo, she asked if she could wash his hair. He poured some shampoo into her hand and crouched so she could reach his head easier. She wasn’t a short woman, but he was still considerably taller. Canyon growled low in his throat as Fiera massaged his scalp. Her breasts were eye level, and they swayed gently as she worked the lather over his hair.

Once she’d rinsed off the shampoo, Canyon clamped his mouth on one nipple at a time, sucking and biting gently until his dick was so swollen and painful he thought it might explode. His balls ached. Her moans grew louder, and when she reached for his cock he couldn’t take anymore. He had to have her.

Growling louder, he turned her around and pushed her against the wall to grind his dick against her sweet ass. She cried out in pleasure, pushing her hips back toward him. “Canyon … I need you inside me. Please!”

He reached around and cupped her pussy, pushing his thumb against her clit in the way he’d grown used to doing, and guaranteed to make her come. It didn’t take very long. Her capacity for orgasm amazed him, and he loved watching it happen. Her skin flushed, and he knew part of that might be due to the shower, but it was also because of her intense arousal.

As he continued to tease her clit, she cried out, arching her hips back further. When he slipped two fingers into her pussy, he growled again as the walls contracted around his digits. “Oh, Fiera … I need to fuck you.”

“Yes. Please.”

That sexy, breathless voice sent his desire spiraling out of control once more. He wanted to fuck her in the ass, but the damn condoms were in the bedroom. Screw it. They were in the shower. He could wash off afterwards.

When her climax subsided, Canyon kissed her neck and back, before kneeling behind her to kiss her ass cheeks. She moaned loudly and clutched at the wall when he spread her cheeks and licked her asshole.

“Oh my God…”

“This is the hole I want to claim again.”

“It’s yours. All of me belongs to you.”

“That’s right.” The urge to shift was so damn strong now! “All of you belongs to me. Your body, your heart, and your soul.” He stood and licked the wound on her neck he’d made days ago, forcing a loud moan from her. The need to possess her was like a living creature, loose in his body. The only way to assuage it was to give into its desires.

Canyon slipped a finger into her ass, gently stretching the walls. He kept his other hand on her pussy, stroking her labia and inner thighs. Control was almost impossible now. He had to have her. He removed his finger and licked the wound on her neck once more.

“Bend over a bit more, Fiera.”

After she complied, Canyon slowly slid his dick into her asshole. It was so fucking tight! She moaned loudly, pushing back against him. When he teased her clit again, her moans changed to cries of pleasure, and he knew she was going to come again.

It was so damn difficult to hold back, but he forced himself to fuck her gently. He didn’t want her to fall or be hurt. They’d never done anything like this before in the shower, and it was so incredible Canyon was certain he’d shift. Sweat poured off him with the effort to keep from doing so.

When he nuzzled her neck, his fangs were out. He grazed them against her skin and her entire body shook.

“Oh, Canyon … oh my God!”

Her orgasm was so strong he wasn’t sure he could hold off his own. Canyon felt her contractions throughout his entire body. He kissed her neck over and over again, making sure to tease her clit the whole time so it prolonged her pleasure.

As the contractions waned, he removed his hand from her pussy and held onto her hips so he could fuck her harder. She grunted and moaned softly as he rammed into her, oblivious to anything but the feel of his cock inside that tight hole.

There was no way to hold off any longer. His climax was impossibly strong. He pushed her up against the wall and thrust in quick, jerky movements until every drop had been squeezed out, and finally he eased his dick out of her, wincing. “Fiera … please tell me you liked that.”

“I loved it.” Her soft whisper stirred his senses again, and Canyon gently turned her around to kiss her. He lingered for long, luscious moments, enjoying the way her body molded against his.

They washed each other off, taking their time. When they kissed again, he became dizzy before they stopped. Canyon turned off the water and helped her step out. As he dried her off, her eyes turned all soft and filled with so much love, he was sure his heart would burst from joy. He picked her up and carried her to bed, where he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

No matter what happened from this point on, he had his mate by his side. He had her love. And he would die for her if necessary. She was everything to him, and he couldn’t love her more if he tried.
This
was what he’d waited his entire life for.
This
woman.

Chapter Thirteen

During the next few days, Fiera spent her time with Leah, learning to cook all kinds of things she’d only heard about from her cousins. She and her father hadn’t made anything from recipes, or even tried to do some of the traditional dishes her mother had grown up making. She’d done the best she could to feed him, but now she realized how poorly both of them had eaten for years.

There were many chores to be done around her house and Leah’s, but with Lena, Lulu, and Lissie to help, the work became easy. Her father got better every day, and halfway through the week he was fully back to running the business from Luke and Leah’s house.

Friday morning, her uncles Chance and Chad finally came over to the house. They sat with her father going over figures, and when they finished, they told her and Leah that they’d received a visit from Avery, Alex, and Darren the evening before.

“What did you tell them?” asked Fiera.

“The truth,” said Uncle Chance. “That we’ve been running the business as best we can, but neither of us are businessmen. We’re fishermen. We told them your father has already resumed complete control of this, and we want him to continue running it.”

“We also told them they had no right to interfere in private business matters,” said Uncle Chad. “When Avery got all high and mighty about that, and started to explain that this matter concerned the entire village, we reminded him of what Luke and Canyon have uncovered so far. We told him that if the Elders were going to become involved in private business matters, they had to do so for
all
the families in this village, not merely some of them.”

“I’m betting he didn’t like hearing that.” Fiera smiled.

“He didn’t, but I saw in his eyes that he finally understood what all of us have been trying to tell him. That it’s high time they stop allowing the Medina family to bully and threaten everyone in this village, including the Elders.”

“And,” said Uncle Chance, “that the Medinas have no right to commit what amounts to crimes and get away with them.”

“You’re right.” Leah walked over to the group. “What they’re doing is illegal. I just got off the phone with Luke. He believes they’ve finally found what they were looking for. They’re on their way home, and they’re bringing Gillian with them.”

“A human?” asked Cash.

“Yes, but she knows about us. They told her because they had to.”

“What did she say?” asked Fiera.

“My mate said she wasn’t all that surprised.” Leah shrugged. “Apparently she’s known about our kind for some time now, and had suspected Luke and Canyon were shifters. She’s excited to meet all of us.”

“Stone and Arizona will want to be here,” said Cash. “They’ve been looking after my house, so this concerns them, too.”

“Would you like me to call them for you, Father?”

When her father smiled, Fiera thought it was the sweetest sight she’d seen in a long time. “No. I’ll take care of it.”

“I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to have you back.” Fiera gave her father a tight hug.

“Oh, sweetie. I never left.” She released the embrace, and he placed a hand on each side of her face. “I’m sorry I doubted your choice of Canyon as your mate. I was wrong.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“No, you need to hear this. I fell apart when your mother passed away. I wasn’t there for you. I gave up. And because of that, Hawke almost got his claws into you. I ignored our family’s business, and I nearly ruined your life.”

Before Fiera could respond, her father cut her off.

“Canyon is your true mate. Anyone with eyes can see that. Can you ever forgive me for pushing you toward Hawke?”

“There’s nothing to forgive. Everything is all right now. You’re feeling so much better, and Canyon and I are mated. Hawke is powerless to change that. This will all be sorted out soon.”

As her heart nearly burst from joy, Fiera gave him another big hug. She couldn’t wait to tell this story to Canyon. He had saved both of them with his plan to take her to his family’s cabin. It was right he knew that.

****

After Fiera helped Leah and her daughters make the house spotless, they prepared dinner. Leah told her that it wasn’t often they had a human as a guest. Arizona and Stone came over, and her uncles had stayed from earlier. Fiera hoped Gillian was ready for this.

Gillian arrived dressed in a suit and wore heels. She even carried a briefcase. Luke and Canyon wore jeans and polo shirts to the office, even when they went to Seattle, unless they had a meeting with clients. Fiera wasn’t used to seeing people so dressed up, and as Gillian glanced around at the others, she must have realized how out of place she looked.

“Don’t worry,” said Fiera, shaking her hand. “Five minutes in this house and you’ll feel right at home.”

“Canyon said you were kind.” Gillian gave her a sweet smile and eyed her hair. “God, what I wouldn’t give for hair like yours.” Gillian patted her blonde curls. “This mess does what it wants, when it wants to.”

“I think your hair is beautiful,” said Lissie. “It looks like sunshine.”

“Well, thank you.” Gillian beamed.

Fiera agreed with Lissie. Gillian’s entire aura exuded sunshine, with her big blue eyes and easy smile. After Fiera introduced her to everyone, Gillian asked if there was someplace she could freshen up. Fiera took her upstairs to one of the bathrooms away from the crowd. While Gillian was in there, Canyon came upstairs gave Fiera a very erotic kiss.

“You had a good day, I take it?”

“Can’t I kiss my mate without a reason?”

“Oh, you can.” She rubbed her body against his. “You definitely can. But I’m just so excited you found what you were looking for! I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

He hooked a thumb toward the bathroom door. “What do you think of Gillian?”

“She’s so pretty. And so dressed up. Does she always look that way?”

“She had a thing in court today. It’s because of her that we found what we did.”

“Is that why you had to tell her about our true nature?”

“She already had a suspicion, but yes. In order to enlist her help for something of this magnitude, she needed to understand the entire story behind why it was so important to us.”

“I hope she isn’t overwhelmed by all of us.”

Arizona appeared at the top of the landing, his eyes bright and a goofy grin on his face. “Where did Gillian go? Does she need any help?”

As soon as Canyon and Fiera exchanged a glance, Canyon laughed loudly. “Oh, man. Didn’t you drool over her enough when Fiera introduced you? Guess we know where we’d better seat you at dinner.”

“She’ll hear you.” Fiera cut her gaze toward the door. “I think Arizona is smitten.” Canyon’s goofy grin made Fiera laugh.

Arizona’s face actually flushed, which only caused both to laugh again. He gave them each a disgusted look and bounded down the stairs. Canyon and Fiera were still laughing when Gillian emerged.

“Should I even ask?” She gave them a cautious smile.

“You won’t have to in a moment.” Canyon held out his arms, bent at the elbows. “Ladies, dinner awaits us.”

As she watched Arizona fawn all over Gillian during dinner, Fiera couldn’t help smiling. He asked asking her questions about her life and work, and it reminded Fiera of the way Canyon had been when they’d first met. She glanced around the table, wondering if anyone besides her and Canyon were paying attention, and frowned when she caught the dark looks her uncles plus Cletus were giving the pair.

The legend that told of the curse on their lynx packs described a mating between a female vampire and a male lynx shifter. The male betrayed the vampire by taking a human female as a lover. Fiera had heard this story, as had every shifter child, but she had never put much stock in it. For one thing, she had never heard of vampires except in stories, so she had serious doubt they had ever existed to begin with.

The fear and superstition surrounding shifters mating with humans seemed more tied to their ways infiltrating life in the pack villages, as opposed to any belief that the vampires would return. It didn’t happen
that
often where a shifter mated with a human, but it certainly happened, and no vampires had come along.

The Medinas were a prime example of what could go wrong when shifters and humans mated, but the reason they were so powerful and so hated had to do with their shady business dealings. Not because of the humanity of their ancestors.

Fiera wondered whether her uncles and Cletus believed in the legend, and thus looked on Arizona’s flirtations with Gillian as a threat, or whether they didn’t want him and his family to end up like the Medinas. That was unlikely. Arizona belonged to one of the oldest shifter families in their village, and their fishing business had a solid reputation. Arizona mating with a human wouldn’t change who they were.

Her father had never been one to put down a shifter and human mating, but her uncles’ reactions didn’t surprise her. They’d been vocal about the subject before. They were superstitious men and believed in the purity of shifter families, but they weren’t fanatical about it as some were.

It was the venom in Cletus’s eyes that shocked her. Surely the rest of Canyon’s family didn’t feel that way, considering how welcoming they were to Gillian. With the exception of Cletus, that was. What was his story? Of all Leah’s children, Cletus was the one whom Fiera had the least interaction with this past week.

Perhaps Cletus was upset over something else? Maybe he was worried about the implications of what the Medinas had done? They’d discussed everything Luke, Canyon, and Gillian had found during dinner, and Cletus had remained the quietest of the bunch. This could simply be his way of processing all that was happening.

As Fiera helped Leah and her daughters clear the table after dinner, she overheard Arizona express concern about Gillian leaving so late alone. Gillian had driven her car here, following Luke and Canyon.

“What if Hawke or one of his family members is out there again, watching the house?”

“We can’t live our lives in fear of Hawke,” said Canyon.

Pride welled up inside Fiera at the tone of her mate’s voice. He wasn’t going to allow the Medinas to dictate any aspect of their day-to-day existence. She was so grateful to realize that. Just because Hawke hadn’t come around looking for Canyon again didn’t mean he and his family had let this go. Despite that, Canyon refused to live in fear.

“Still,” said Arizona, “I think one of us should drive with her or at least follow her, just until she reaches the highway. Until we know she isn’t being watched.”

When Fiera returned to the dining room to gather the remainder of the plates, she caught Canyon’s eye. He gave her a wink and a cute grin that sent shivers down her spine. “You’re right,” he said, cutting his gaze back to Arizona. “Why don’t you go with her, and Stone can follow? When you feel she’s safe, he can drive you back.”

The way Arizona nodded reminded Fiera of those silly bobble-head dolls. Stone made a sound of disgust and rolled his eyes. Gillian and Arizona locked gazes, and Fiera’s jaw nearly dropped at the lust in Gillian’s eyes. She cut her gaze toward Canyon, who had spotted it as well. He raised his brows and shrugged.

Once everyone had said their goodbyes to Gillian, she left with Arizona and Stone. As soon as the door closed, the others broke out in loud conversation until Luke held up his hands and begged them all not to speculate.

“Let Arizona figure this out in his own way.”

“Surely he doesn’t mean to make this human his mate,” said Cletus.

“She has a name,” said Canyon. “It’s Gillian.”

“What Arizona does is his business, not ours.” Luke narrowed his eyes.

“Haven’t we had enough trouble from families who let humans into their fold?” Cletus gave them both hard stares.

“When did  you become so opposed to humans?” Canyon stepped closer to his brother until their faces were only inches apart.

“I’m not opposed to them. But mating with them didn’t do the Medina family any good.”

“The Medinas were assholes before they mated with humans. Arizona’s family is not.”

“What’s really bothering you?” Luke placed a hand on Cletus’s shoulder.

The hair on the back of Fiera’s neck prickled as Cletus shifted his gaze around the room. What wasn’t he telling them?

“Tell us, son.”

“Two days ago,” Cletus lowered his gaze to the floor, “Brock approached me in the woods when I was out hunting alone.”

Brock Medina was Cletus’s age, and one of Hawke’s brothers.

“And?” Luke’s voice held an edge that Fiera now recognized. He was trying to keep his anger in check.

“And he said to tell Canyon and Fiera to get ready. He said his family was coming after them.”