by Ashley Shay
“So you’re kind of like a halfway house?” she asked, trying to put all the pieces together.
“Rather like that,” Shane said. “By the time perpetrators have been caught, trials are over, and witnesses are completely safe, they’ve managed to get the start of a good life plus a good work record, a real work record, with us. They’ve also managed to save some money to start a new life or open a business because we provide for all their necessities.”
“Then you’re really more like humanitarians,” Carly said with a smile.
“We do what we can,” Tyler said.
Carly glanced between the men. “Is there anyone besides me currently under witness protection?”
Dusty held his finger to his lips. “It’s all really hush-hush.”
“Of course,” she whispered. She settled back on her pillow. “So how did Gabe get involved in your…pride? Is he a cougar too?”
Tyler laughed. “He wishes. No, he’s not a cougar. He’s a coyote.”
“A coyote…” she echoed.
“His family unit was destroyed when he was a pup,” Tyler continued, “so our father, the alpha at the time, adopted him into our pride. Shifters need to belong to a community.” Tyler grinned at her. “Besides, he’s our cousin.”
Carly shook her head and put her hands over her face, trying to think. “How? I don’t understand any of this. How can a coyote be cousin to a cougar?”
“Interspecies marriage,” Cougar explained. “It happens all the time.” He cast Carly a challenging stare. “That’s why we don’t need a human for a mate. We need someone who understands how this works.”
Carly stared at him for a long moment. “What makes you think I don’t know how this works?”
“Because you’re human,” Cougar snarled.
“And being human makes me stupid?” she asked.
She heard one of the men snicker—she suspected it was Shane—but she didn’t look to see which one. She kept her eyes locked on Cougar’s.
“No, it doesn’t make you stupid,” Cougar said, “but it doesn’t make you cougar either.”
She lifted her chin. “I know about shifters.”
He snorted, and like he’d read her mind, he said with disgust, “This isn’t one of your books.” He spun around and headed toward the door. “This is a very bad idea.”
“Justin.”
Cougar froze at the sound of Tyler’s voice. A visible shudder ran down his spine. He shook it off and slowly turned back toward them. Carly shrank back against the pillow. She’d never heard that tone come from Tyler in any capacity, let alone directed at a brother. That’s when she realized that all the deference and respect she’d witnessed throughout the last few weeks, all the time Tyler spent in his office with contingents of citizens from Catamount, and all the meetings he attended could only mean one thing. Tyler was the colony’s alpha. As if to prove her assumptions were true, the tone of Tyler’s voice was firm and direct, brooking no interference or denial.
“We’ll finish this now,” Tyler said.
Cougar cast a withering glance toward his alpha. “As you wish. But it’s a bad idea.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” Tyler said.
“No, you didn’t.”
“Get whatever it is off your chest,” Tyler said. “Then we’ll put this behind us and move on with our lives.”
Cougar lifted his chin and returned his gaze to Carly. She shrank back, hating that he could intimidate her. “So you think you can handle this?”
“I–I don’t know,” Carly stammered, “but it seems to be out of my hands.” She glanced between Tyler and Shane, praying for some kind of interference, but they disappointed her by standing quietly, keeping their eyes locked on her.
Cougar shook his head and very quietly said, “You have no concept of your power here.”
“My power? I don’t know what you mean. You said it yourself—I’m human. You seem to be the ones with all the power.”
Cougar made a sound that on any other man would have been a laugh. He raked his hands through long strands of tawny hair, holding it back from his forehead as he stared at her. “We’re shifters, Carly, with no power beyond what the beast gives us. And yet you, a tiny human woman, have the ability to hold our hearts and crush them in your small fist.” He took several steps toward her. “Do you have any idea how powerful that makes you?”
Carly felt a slow burn rising in her. “I don’t understand any of this. Why are you interrogating me?”
“I’m not,” Cougar said quietly.
“You’ve had a woman in the house before, right? I mean Tyler was married. Her name was Jillian. She…” Her gaze darted frantically between the men, and Carly covered her face as a realization finally hit her.
Not just Tyler’s wife…
She listened to their breathing change as what she’d said hit each one. Finally, she slid her hands away from her eyes and let her gaze touch on each of the men again. She’d hit a nerve now. Each brother wore an expression of pain she’d never seen on any man before. It hurt her just to look at their faces. When she glanced back to Cougar, she knew without a doubt she was right.
“Jillian belonged to all of you, didn’t she?”
Anger flashed over Cougar’s face. “Leave Jillian out of this.”
“No.” Carly stared him down. “I won’t. Was she a cougar?”
At first she didn’t think he would answer. He clenched his jaw and glanced toward the door. Finally, he said, “No, she wasn’t.”
“Was she another type of shifter?”
“Fuck,” Cougar muttered. “I do not want to talk about this.” He glanced toward Tyler, who stared back passively.
“Too bad,” Carly said. “We’re talking. Was she another type of shifter?”
“No,” Cougar ground out. “She was not another kind of shifter. She was…She was a human.”
“Ah,” Carly breathed. “I see.”
“You don’t see shit,” Cougar snapped.
“And what did Jillian do the first time she saw your cougar?”
Cougar heaved a huge sigh then released it slowly as though releasing a world of hurt and pain. He lowered his head, and his hair fell forward, shielding his face. He stared at the floor for a moment, and when he looked back up, she thought she saw his eyes glistening with moisture. “She fainted.”
“Then Jillian and I are even since we both fainted,” Carly said softly. “It can only get better, right?”
“She learned to accept us as we are,” Tyler said.
“I can learn to accept too.”
Tyler smiled. “It took a little while.”
“Jillian fainted a lot,” Dusty said.
Tyler leaned down and gave her a kiss. Shane and Dusty each gave her a kiss as well. Cougar was backing toward the door as Tyler said, “We need to let Carly get some rest. She’s had an exciting evening.”
“Please don’t go.” Carly sat up straighter. “I have so many questions, and I’ll never be able to get to sleep without answers.”
Tyler stared down at her, his gaze caressing every exposed bit of flesh. “You do belong to us, don’t you, Carly?”
“Of course, Tyler,” she said, softly.
“Then we have the rest of our lives to talk, and sleep should come easily because you’re safe and loved.”
The four men quietly filed out of her bedroom and shut the door.
“Damn, he’s a good alpha,” Carly whispered as she slid back down under the covers.
* * * *
Viper looked around the private airfield and scented the air. Nothing caught his attention, and nothing seemed out of place. He didn’t relax his guard, however. He hadn’t survived this long without being in a state of constant paranoia. As someone once said, paranoia was nothing more than perfect awareness.
The pilot shut the luggage hatch and hefted a large suitcase in her left hand. It pleased Viper the woman thought to keep her gun hand free. She carried his luggage while Vipe
r carried the weapons, and he had quite an arsenal on his back. He’d gotten so used to the weight he hardly felt it any longer. Even though Viper preferred to kill with magic or his own poison, he was quite adept at using a variety of methods, including hand to hand. He spared the pilot one glance, realizing she had trouble keeping up with his pace. He didn’t slow down. It wasn’t his style.
At the edge of the runway sat a black SUV with tinted windows. Viper could smell Talon inside the vehicle, so he wasn’t apprehensive about approaching. The SUV’s engine hummed with quiet power as it idled with the air-conditioning on low. Viper preferred the heat, but he allowed his staff a measure of personal comfort without complaint. Talon hopped out of the vehicle as they approached and stood at the open back door. The pilot set the luggage inside and returned to the plane without a word or looking back.
“She gets a bonus,” Viper ordered, tossing the carryall on the backseat. He climbed in the open door, and Talon slid in beside him. Viper glanced to be sure the partition was raised then continued. “And I want to meet the jackal. What’s her name?”
“Miranda?” Talon offered. “What do you want with that bitch?”
Viper didn’t bother with an answer. Talon would figure it out, eventually. Instead, Viper turned to the job at hand. “How’s security look at the ranch?”
Talon shot him an apprehensive look. “It’s tight. Damn near impossible, but I can get someone in. I’ve flown over the past few nights to get them used to my presence. Never got within detection range.”
Viper remained quiet while the driver guided the limo away from the airfield and maneuvered onto the highway. “Did you see anything of interest on your flights?”
“Looks like the Lucas boys have another mate. Far as I could tell, they are all fucking the new nanny.”
“Now that’s interesting.” Viper stared out the window at the dark Texas night as he thought about the new developments. “This is going to change a few things, eagle. Have you seen her with the cub?”
“She seems as devoted to that kitten as your sister. I don’t know what they see in that brat.”
“Indeed,” Viper agreed. “She’s a spoiled little heiress that will never live to claim her inheritance. Too bad.”
As they left the bright light of the airfield behind, he gazed out the window at the encroaching blackness. The Texas night pressed toward him, reminding him of the glorious heat shimmering in the air beyond the glass. He could do with some of that now. Talon must have the temperature of the SUV set close to seventy-five. He grabbed the blanket on the seat and wrapped it around his shoulders, then lowered the window, muttering, “What I don’t do for people. My suite better have a fucking heat lamp.”
Chapter Eleven
Carly had nearly made it to the kitchen when she heard voices raised in anger. One was a very angry Suzie, and the other was a deep rumble, undoubtedly Tyler clearly running out of patience. She paused just outside the swinging door, listening to Suzie’s very controlled, very authoritative tone. She’d have laughed under normal circumstances, but where Suzie was concerned, mood shifts were no laughing matter, and Tyler didn’t stand a chance. He’d cave, no matter what the argument.
“You can’t stop me, Daddy. I’ll do what I want.”
“You will not, young lady.” Tyler’s voice held more than a note of exasperation. “What have I told you about riding without an adult? You scared David half to death.”
“I’ll tell him I’m sorry,” Suzie said grudgingly.
“Not good enough,” Tyler said. “The next time you sneak out to the stables, I’m taking Peppermint away from you for a month. You’ll be grounded, and you won’t ride at all.”
Suzie shrieked, and Carly heard the sound of stomping cowboy boots on ceramic. “That’s not fair!”
“Fair or not,” Tyler said, “that’s what will happen. Do you understand?”
“No, no, no!”
“Don’t you dare, young lady. I mean it.”
Carly heard an odd mewling sound and pushed open the door. She paused in the doorway trying to understand what she was seeing. She saw Lucia’s cat, Tomás, snarling and spitting at the edge of the counter. Lucia stood near the sink, and Tyler and Rosa both had their backs to the door, but Suzie looked straight at Carly with a spiteful smile on her cherubic face. Carly was used to that smile—she’d seen it often in the last few weeks—but the shimmering aura that surrounded the little girl was new. Her small frame emitted a dim glow of golden light that wavered and pulsed and seemed to stir the image of her body. Carly stood transfixed as Suzie’s skin began to ripple and sprout fine golden fur like that of a kitten.
Carly let go of the door, and it smacked her in the shoulder. She cried out and leaped out of the way. Rosa whirled around. With a look of dismay, she tried to step between Carly and the supernatural show taking place in front of her. Carly held up her hand, and Rosa froze. For a moment, Carly couldn’t move either. She could do nothing but stare, watching the miniature human become a small golden cougar cub. It was nothing like the movies. There were no pops as bones snapped and reshaped, no crunching as her face transformed, no howls of pain. It all happened so fast Carly barely registered any movement or change at all. One moment a little girl wearing a white blouse and teal skirt with matching boots and hat stood in the kitchen, and the next, enveloped in a golden haze, she’d been replaced by the cutest little ball of fluff Carly had ever seen sitting in a puddle of fabric.
Tomás swiped at the cougar cub then hissed and arched his back. He disappeared around the corner with a howl.
“Carly…” Tyler cast a quick glance to Rosa.
Rosa hurriedly scooped Suzie in her arms, crooning to her and stroking her soft fur with gentle hands. Carly didn’t know if was to prevent Suzie from escaping in her present form or to keep Carly from touching her. Saving Suzie from herself was totally understandable, but it was time to show Rosa who was boss. She was, after all, the new queen of the pride—whatever that meant. She’d have to figure that out as it went. She was pretty sure, however, that it involved taking over the house and the little firecracker in Rosa’s arms.
Tyler took a step toward her. “I can explain.”
“This I do not wish to see,” Lucia muttered. She dropped her dishcloth, grabbed a coffee cup, and waddled to the patio door. “Suavemente, Ty. Be gentle. Do not lose the beautiful lady.”
Carly waited until the door had closed. “What’s to explain? I see shifting runs in the family.”
Rosa gasped, her hand stilling on the cub’s fur. Her gaze ticked between Carly and Tyler. “Ty, what’s going on?”
Carly bit her lip. It was now or never. Time to make her stand and prove she could handle this lifestyle. She strode up to Rosa, hoping determination was written all over her face. “Please put Suzie down.”
Rosa stared at her in shock and glanced at Tyler. He looked a bit ambivalent but also curious. He gave a brief nod and remained quiet as Rosa leaned down to place the kitten on the tile floor. The cub hissed and sputtered, her limbs tightening as she tried to hook her sharp claws into Rosa’s blouse. Rosa finally pried her loose and settled her on the floor, cupping her hands around the tiny body to hold her still. She glanced up at Carly, her brow furrowed. “Are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely. Let her go.”
Rosa opened her hands, stood up, and stepped back. Suzie spit and snarled, and her temper caused her to lose her footing, her little paws sliding out from under her. She scrabbled backward, claws clicking on the tiles as she retreated and came up against the kitchen island in an arch of fury. It might have been scary on a larger animal, but the kitten looked cute as a button.
Carly squatted down to look the cub squarely in the eyes. They were lovely eyes, such a light hazel green they looked nearly golden. She pressed her lips together, trying to hold back her smile, then hardened herself against the urge to pick the cub up and cuddle it. “Shift this instant, young lady. We need to talk about your behavior.”
“I will not put up with this, Suzie Lucas. You might have your daddy wrapped around your kitten tail, but I’m not him. You shift right now. I mean it.”
Suzie rolled on the floor in what Carly thought must be a sort of tantrum, but that golden glow hovered in the air around her body, and when her movements came to a stop and she lay still, she had taken human form. Without waiting for a word from Tyler or Rosa, Carly reached down for Suzie’s hand and, with a not so gentle tug, pulled her to her feet. She scooped Suzie’s clothes off the floor and marched the little girl out of the kitchen, determined to win this round.
* * * *
Tyler watched them retreat, utterly amazed at the spectacle he’d just seen. Generally, only Rosa could calm Suzie down once she’d shifted, and even Rosa had trouble convincing her to shift back. He turned to Rosa. “Pour a cup of coffee. We need to talk.”
Rosa said nothing, but she filled her coffee cup half full of cream before topping it off. She couldn’t handle the rich, strong brew the Lucas men insisted on having before breakfast.
When they were settled at the table, Tyler looked up from his coffee. “We made Carly our mate last night.”
“I figured as much, considering she didn’t fall down in a dead faint.” Rosa sipped delicately before continuing. “Congratulations, alpha. I believe you’ve made a wise choice. Carly seems like an exceptional woman.”
“I’m glad you think so.” Tyler smiled. “I don’t think my little hellcat expected Carly to react quite like that. She’s lost her most valuable bargaining chip.”
“She always could get you to cave using that tactic.”
“Not much choice, but I’m glad her reign of terror has temporarily ended.”
