Keefe chuckled. “Your father forwarded this on to me. It’s an invoice from your college for next year’s tuition. I guess the finance office there hasn’t got your change of address yet.” He opened a drawer and pulled out a check book, the one for his personal account. “Hmmph. They don’t believe in letting the grass grow do they? They haven’t even sent your final marks. They are going to be spectacular, aren’t they, Meadow?” Keefe growled in quiet warning, his pen poised in his fingers.
It was the agreement they’d made. Meadow smiled at her Mate confidently. “Let’s just say, lover, that there’s no doubt in my mind you’ll be spending half my winter break with my family.”
Keefe growled again. It was a low, rumbling sound that made his upper lip tremble and showed the sharp edge of his canines. Then it faded and, with a resigned shake of his head, Keefe returned to the papers that had come with the invoice from Meadow’s school and read through them quickly.
Meadow returned to her research. Manus was now officially head of Quinlan-Rand Development and Keefe wanted to make sure she was up to speed on the legalities of acquiring new mining interests. For the summer, one of Meadow’s responsibilities was to liaison with her brother, serving as Rand Mining Concilium’s official contact for this joint venture. Meadow was sure she could handle the work although she worried her natural confidence could be arrogance. This wasn’t just an assignment for school and she couldn’t afford to be glib. These were real ingots they’d be spending—both her father’s and Keefe’s. Well, Keefe’s and hers now. Real lives would be affected by the decisions they’d make. Manus’ proposal was sound. He’d visit independent, start-up mines throughout the Northern Hemisphere and the visits would be two-pronged. One, he’d offer the joint resources of the Quinlan and Rand mining empires on a mentoring basis, offering free advice and guidance. Two, he’d negotiate the sale of producing mines to Quinlan-Rand Development if the owners were agreeable. Dirt claimers like their father and Keefe were few and far between. Men with the physicality, determination and luck to strike a profitable vein of silver, combined with the business acumen to take their mine beyond production into management resources, personnel acquisition, marketing and the myriad details that went into sustaining a profitable silver mine. Some miners worked their whole lives, searching for that big strike with a view to selling off their claims for enough money to retire and live comfortably in the Southern Islands. Some worked just for the strike, made their money, sold their interests then went right back to Dirt Claiming.
The best part about Manus’ proposal was that the financial commitments were shared between two companies, making it viable for both. Well, that and the fact that Manus, although he worked out of Quinlan Mining’s offices, traveled a lot, giving him his own business away from their father. Two adult male Alphas could only be expected to spend so much time together without things getting ugly. Especially since Manus, who wasn’t Mated, still lived in his parents’ home.
As far as she and her father went, Meadow was feeling guilty about how much she was enjoying her first summer away from Daddy. Marcus Quinlan was a brilliant businessman but he had very fixed ideas about how his beloved daughter’s career should proceed. He and Keefe had one real argument since the Mating—how Meadow should spend her summer co-op placement.
The big boys could argue all they wanted but ultimately the choice of summer placement was Meadow’s.
Daddy was hell-bent that she should follow the path he’d set out for her and focus on the legal department’s work this summer, while Keefe wanted her to have a more rounded exposure to his business—less detail, more overview into management. They had a legal department, he’d argued. They had experts to take care of the details. Meadow just had to be aware of the legalities. Meadow’s function, eventually, would be to understand the silver business as a whole, work alongside Keefe at work and in matters affecting their pack, and have a broad, grounded knowledge base so she’d know when to call in the experts. And know when she could simply trust her gut and experience.
Meadow glanced up at her mate fondly then returned her full attention to her research.
She didn’t even look up when the office door opened. It was probably Jenny, although Keefe’s long-time assistant usually knocked these days—ever since surprising the two of them when they were perched on Meadow’s chair in a rather amorous position.
“Keefe! You’re looking spectacular, lover. It’s been months and I swear you look younger and more handsome every time I see you.”
A woman, tall like Meadow, wearing a light coat and killer heels was striding purposely toward Keefe. She had short, styled black hair and she breezed past the conference table without even glancing at it.
“You’ve redecorated,” the woman announced brightly and dropped her coat. Except for a pair of thigh-high stockings, she was naked underneath.
Meadow was already standing up when the woman slid onto Keefe’s side of their shared desk. She rose up on her hands and knees and leaned her bare ass toward him.
Keefe was pushing his chair back, his eyes widening in horror. He held up his hands defensively and looked over at Meadow, looking like a man who knew bombs were about to go off around him and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
Meadow was already moving when she caught the woman’s scent. She was healthy, maybe ten years older than her, sexually aroused but with the scent of at least two men clinging faintly to her. This was one bitch who liked sharing her pleasures with others.
The woman lifted her head and sniffed. “There’s something that smells different, darling—”
Then Meadow was on her. From a dead run, Meadow launched herself at the other female with fangs bared, claws extended. With a deafening roar that shook the windows, Meadow fastened her teeth on the woman’s shoulder and the two of them slid over and off the desk, landing on the floor and skidding across it.
The dark haired woman snarled and growled. She wasn’t about to go down without a fight, but she was clearly outmatched. Being outmatched seemed to catch her completely off guard, far more than Meadow’s attack. They rolled across the hard, wood floor and when they slammed into the wall and finally came to a stop, Meadow grabbed the woman’s shoulder, gouged the dark-haired woman’s flesh with her nails, threw the intruder away like a rag doll then stood up slowly and faced her down.
The woman stood shakily, clutching her trickling shoulder. She turned toward Keefe, her ice-blue eyes wide and pleading. She sniffled and it was obvious she was taking in the full scents in the room for the first time.
“You’re…you’re mated?” she blurted out in disbelief. She swallowed hard. “Baby, give me a chance. If I’d known you were in the market for…this bitch attacked me!” she blurted out. “Without warning,” she pointed at Meadow accusingly. “I didn’t do anything to her. The fight was unfair.”
Keefe stood his ground, his dark eyes cold and unmoved. He crossed his heavy arms over his chest while Meadow stepped forward.
“Next time you lift your ass to a male outside of your pack,” Meadow said coldly, the hard edges of her canines exposed, “don’t be so stupid.”
“How dare you,” the dark haired woman screeched. She turned toward the exit. “Well I’m not going to stand here and…” Without warning, she swung back at Meadow, launching herself at her. Meadow fell back onto the floor and the naked woman straddled her with her teeth bared and snapping over Meadow’s throat.
Meadow kicked up hard, sending the woman somersaulting over her head. Meadow was on her feet in an instant. The woman lay on the floor, cowering and whimpering. “I can’t…” Her breathing was uneven and unnaturally loud. She clutched her ribs but when Meadow took a step toward her, she lashed out with her spiked heels, almost driving one through Meadow’s ankle. Meadow jumped back just in time.
“You sure can pick ‘em, Keefe,” Meadow groused, but didn’t take her eyes off the woman, now that she knew what a dirty fighter she was. “Concede. And get the hell out o
f here,” Meadow growled at the woman. Her voice was dark and ominous.
Meadow sensed Keefe behind her, knew he was on his feet, smelled the myriad emotions running through him, overshadowed by his disciplined acceptance of what was happening. It was not his fight. He could not interfere. His Mate was fighting for him, defending her position in the pack in a ritual that was as old as their race. His only responsibility was to the winner who would claim him.
“Who the hell do you think you are, whelp?” the woman demanded imperiously. “Do you have any idea who I am? Who I represent?” She tossed her dark hair back and struggled to her feet, still clutching her ribs and moaning piteously.
“Let’s see,” Meadow answered conversationally and started counting off on her fingers. “His Mate, don’t care, and consider the contract cancelled.” She bared her teeth in a parody of a smile when the woman rose and glared at her. “That pretty much covers it, don’t you think?”
The woman growled, a high pitched, terrifying sound and she raised her fists in the air. She closed in on Meadow, her eyes wild. Then she doubled over and grabbed her ribs again. But Meadow wasn’t buying it this time and she braced her legs for the impact she knew was coming. The woman straightened suddenly, lunged and her fist missed Meadow’s face only because Meadow bent backward. But she hadn’t counted on the woman’s determination and she was soon fending off punches, raking claws and the woman’s gnashing teeth. This woman wasn’t out to defeat her and claim Keefe, she meant to kill her if she got the chance. Meadow had no choice but to go on the offensive.
Meadow countered with a swift, straight punch, slamming the butt of her hand into the woman’s jaw. Her head snapped back, but the woman recovered quickly and aimed a series of blows at Meadow’s belly. She kicked out viciously, catching Meadow’s thigh with a glancing hit. Meadow shifted her weight just in time, dodging the main force of the blow. Still, she felt the sharp sting of the woman’s stiletto heel and knew she’d drive them into her body like knives if given the chance. Meadow had to end the fight quickly before her opponent’s dirty tactics crippled her.
When the woman grabbed a heavy lamp off the desk and swung it at her, Meadow crouched and rushed her, catching her across the thighs with her shoulder. Pushing hard and lifting, Meadow sent the woman flying. As soon as she landed on her back, Meadow was on her, growling, then she sank her teeth into the woman’s exposed throat.
The woman screamed, a high pitched wail that rose and fell in notes of pain—panic dying into yelps of submission. The woman was yelping like she’d conceded the fight, but her claws were fixed on Meadow’s body. She was tense and poised for a counterattack and hadn’t lain back to expose her belly. Even when she was clearly defeated, she was still waiting for an opportunity to lash out with another dirty move.
The woman screamed again, and screamed each time Meadow, with a strength that horrified her, step by jerky step, dragged the intruder’s body across the floor. Only then did the dark-haired woman submit fully and lie in a quivering, blubbering lump.
Meadow released her opponent’s throat, stood, picked up the woman’s coat and threw it at her. “Get out, bitch. And if you bleed on anything on the way out, I’m sending you the cleaning bill.”
“You attacked—” the woman started, snarling accusingly. Her voice rose to an impressive growl, loud and reverberating but rose no higher.
“You may continue to challenge me for him. I will tear out your throat,” Meadow said quietly, calmly, her green eyes spitting sparks. “Or you can leave, defeated but alive.”
Again, the woman opened her mouth and growled, loud and powerful. Meadow opened her mouth and roared. The woman jumped back. Her mouth snapped shut and, clutching her coat, she turned tail and raced out of the office.
Keefe exhaled shakily. He kept his eyes on Meadow, as if he were seeing her for the first time and, gingerly, reached into his pocket, withdrew a handkerchief and offered it to her.
“Oh my gawd!” Jenny was standing in the doorway, both hands braced on the frame. Her wide, panicked, blue eyes scanned the office. “Was that Liza Mavis I saw running out of here? She must have let herself in while I was getting coffee.” She looked at Meadow who was methodically, if distractedly, wiping blood off her chin. “I won’t insult you by asking if you’re hurt,” Jenny said and her voice shook only a little. She turned and shut the door behind her. “All right. Clear out. Nothing to see here,” Jenny exclaimed gruffly, dispersing the employees they could now hear running toward their Alpha’s office.
“I’ll get cleaned up then we’ll go visit each of the departments,” Meadow said calmly and firmly. “They’ll need comforting. Especially since the place reeks of blood.” She walked into the small washroom adjoining Keefe’s office, turned on the water then laid her hands on the edge of the sink. She looked at her reflection, aware of but not looking at Keefe as he entered and stood behind her, seeing only the bloody streaks on her face.
“Momma had to fight for Daddy,” she said quietly. “Once. She was pregnant with Manus, only a couple of months, and some bitch from another pack thought he was prime for claiming because his first mine was starting to pay off big and his Mate wouldn’t want to endanger her unborn cub.” Meadow grinned, but it was more of a sneer. “After you and I Mated, she told me that for the first time.” Meadow finally looked up at Keefe’s reflection.
Exhaling shakily, Keefe took his balled-up handkerchief from Meadow, rinsed it then used it to dab the remaining blood off her face. “I’ve had lovers, Meadow. We’ve placed announcements about our Mating in our newsletter and trade publications, but I can’t guarantee you’ll never be challenged again. Just like I assume the day will come when some Alpha male with more balls than brains will come along and challenge me for you.” He rinsed the cloth again, then stepped back while Meadow filled her mouth with clean water, spit then repeated the process. “Liza Mavis was one of the strongest women I dated, and probably one of the most stupid.” He made a dismissive sound. “That’s why I fucked her, I guess. She used sex to try to get Rand Mining Concilium to ship product with her company exclusively. It never dawned on her that I might need a real Mate of my own, so she never tried.” Keefe rinsed the last trace of blood off Meadow’s cheek. He grabbed a towel and blotted her face dry.
“I love you, Meadow.” Keefe threw the towel back on the rack, laid his hands on the edge of the sink and eased his chest into Meadow’s back. He looked over her head at their shared reflection in the mirror. “There was a time when that woman’s scent drove me crazy with lust. Today it repulsed me.”
Meadow nodded quietly. She didn’t doubt the truth of his words. She’d seen it in his face when Liza Mavis presented her ass to him.
“There is no other woman I want to be with, Meadow,” Keefe said firmly. “No other woman I want to have children with. After seeing you today, fighting like that for me even though I was perfectly capable of defending my own honor…” One corner of Meadow’s mouth twitched like she was holding back a grin. “I know there’s nothing you wouldn’t do to protect our cubs.”
“I don’t have a problem starting our family right away, Keefe.” Meadow straightened her back deliberately. “I know you want more children. Lots and lots of cubs, and don’t shake your head like you’re denying it, because I can smell it on you when we’re together—like I can smell how much you want me.”
Keefe colored but didn’t deny it.
“I’ll ovulate for you and be happy to do it.”
Keefe knew she would. He knew as sure as they were standing here that his Mate would gladly and consciously begin the hormonal sequence inside her body that would result in the release of a ripe egg into her womb. He also knew a woman as strong as Meadow would do it as easily as she’d consciously stand up from a chair.
He shook his head deliberately. “You will, this Christmas. That’s our plan and we’re not going to change it, Meadow.” Her mouth opened to protest but he silenced her with a soft growl, pulled her heavy, dark blonde
hair back and smoothed his scent glands over her neck. “When you finish school next May, you’ll be over four months pregnant. That’ll be hard enough on you. And me. I don’t want to be separated from my Mate when she’s carrying my cub, and I figure four months is all either of us could stand. You get pregnant now and you’ll lose an entire year of school. And with a baby at home, who knows when you’ll finish. No, Meadow. This next year is for you. You’re Mated, but you’ve got to see your education through. After, if you want to go to Select school, you pick someplace close to home or do it through correspondence. I want my Mate in my bed every night, right where she belongs.”
Keefe offered his cheek to Meadow and she marked him, accompanied by a low, seductive growl. She rubbed the darkened ridges above her temples over him lovingly, then tugged at her rumpled sundress, ran a brush through her hair and walked out into the office. She picked her linen jacket off the back of her chair and held it out to Keefe.
“How did you learn to fight?” he asked suddenly, holding the jacket up so she could slip her arms inside.
Meadow shot him an incredulous look. “I’ve got three older brothers remember? So,” she added coolly, changing the subject, “is it common practice for sales reps to walk through the building unaccompanied?” One of Meadow’s golden brows came up.
“Um, sometimes,” he admitted grudgingly.
“Hmm. Well we’ll have to change that,” Meadow said conversationally as she slid her arms into her sleeves. “Non-employees walking around an office building which contains proprietary information. Tsk, tsk, Mister Rand.” She flipped her hair out from beneath her collar, straightened her jacket and squeezed Keefe’s hand affectionately when he slid it into hers. “Not one of your better business practices.” He opened the door and led her outside. “Luckily you’ve got me to look out for you.”
Seduced by Silver Page 11
