“What?” Her arms dropped to her side, clearly hurt and disappointed by his reaction.
“I’m a killer! I’m covered in the blood of my own brother. How can you think of embracing me?” His voice was tight as he tried to keep a rein on his emotions.
Ty stepped up beside her. “You did what you had to do. There’s no shame in that. You protected your mate and your clan.”
“Where does family fall into it? He was my twin. Am I just supposed to forget him? To forget the memories we shared?”
“No one ever claimed it would be easy, but you did the right thing.” Adam came to the other side of Harmony as he spoke. “Not only to protect the ones you care about but also by Henry. He didn’t want to live as he was, and you knew that. You sought this option years ago, when no one would listen to you. You could have left someone else to do it, but that’s not you. You’re a man who will do what’s right no matter what it costs you. Henry wouldn’t have stopped until one of you was dead. How many innocent lives did you save from torture or death because of your actions tonight? Don’t turn away those who care for you because you’re hurting. Let us help you. We’re family, all of us.”
“Harmony, tell him,” Ty whispered.
She stepped forward, not reaching out for him, but close enough that if he wanted to touch her, he could have. “Tonight I made my vow to Ty and the clan. I realized I wasn’t running because I was scared, but because it meant I was willing to accept the whole situation. There was danger lurking in the shadows, and it was after me. I didn’t want to bring it to the clan’s door, but it was already here plus more that I didn’t bring. Committing to the clan, I can help Connor, it gives me a purpose, one I never had before. It also cements things between us and eliminates any problems my holding out caused. Felix, I love you.”
“Oh, Harmony.” Forgetting the blood, he reached for her, wrapping his arms around her until he could pull her tight against his chest. “I love you, too.”
The feel of her snug against his body with her arms tightly around his torso made it worth his pain to have her safe. With no further threat to her from his twin, the scars that lay beneath her clothes were the only ones she’d ever have from anyone’s hands—he’d see to that.
He stood there, his face buried in her hair, completely wrapping his body and mind in her. The tiger within him relaxed, taking comfort from his mate the way only the beast knew how—by touch. If he hadn’t already mated, he wasn’t sure how he’d handle the flood of emotions coursing through him.
“We’ll get through this.” She ran her hands up the length of his back, her face pressed into his chest, her forehead resting against his collarbone.
“I know.” With her in his arms, he had no doubt they’d overcome whatever lay before them. Minutes ticked by while they stood there embracing. Sometime in the middle of all of it, Ty and Adam had driven away, leaving them alone. “I should get you home and warm.”
“Let’s stay here for a while. You must have a blanket in the back of the SUV with the emergency kit.” She leaned back enough to look at him. “We need some time alone. Let me take your mind off things for a while.”
Tempting as the offer was, he shook his head. “We can’t. I’m still covered in blood—not just my clothes but my body, too.”
“I’ve got that covered.” She nodded forward to the red duffle bag that lay on the crest twenty feet away where Ty’s SUV was parked. “Adam grabbed a few supplies for you, including a change of clothes.”
“Ever-prepared Adam.” He was always surprised Adam remembered to cover all options. If the time ever came to being an Alpha of his own clan, he’d give anything to have Adam as his Lieutenant.
“Clean up, but don’t worry about the new clothes. You can have them later.” She winked at him, making it clear she wanted to do more than just cuddle. “I’ll lay out the blanket.”
He did as she told him, a bottle of wine and two glasses laid on top of the clothes. Why wine? What did he have to celebrate after killing his brother? Nothing. It wasn’t something to celebrate. Pushing them aside, he dug in further until he found the baby wipes, bottles of water, washrag and hand towel.
In quick time he took advantage of the supplies, cleaning his brother’s blood from his hands and arms. Even in the dim light of the moon he could see his shirt clung to his body from the blood, creating a wet, sticky suction between the fabric and his skin. Pulling it off, he found the blood had tainted his skin a pale pink. His jeans had been splattered but they didn’t cling to him the same way. He used the baby wipes to clean away the blood before using the bottle of water and wash rag to go over his skin, cleaning away all the remains of his brothers’ blood. Cleaned as best he could, he slipped into the boxers and jeans before pulling the shirt from the bag.
“Come on, it’s getting chilly without you.”
He spun around to see her laid out on the blanket in only her bra and panties, her pale skin nearly glowing in the moonlight. His gaze traveling down her body, taking her in completely, and his breath caught in his throat. Without further hesitation, he tossed the towel on the ground, grabbing the wine and glasses and making his way to her. In that instant, he realized they had something to celebrate—they had their mating, their lives and her commitment to the clan.
“What’s the wine for?”
“For us. Adam added it. Would you like a glass?” He lowered himself to kneel on the blanket next to her.
“After.” Rising onto her knees, she brought their faces close. Her breath heated his cheeks, and she met his gaze with full force. “Right now I want to take the look of pain from your eyes. I can never replace him or make you forget, but I can help ease the pain.”
“To keep you safe, I’d travel through Hell and make it back to you. I love you, Harmony.”
“Felix…” she caught his hand in hers, their gaze locking. “I understand if you’re not in the mood for this. I just want to feel your body against mine, in whatever way you want.”
Slowly he drew her hand to the front of his jeans. “Does this seem like I’m not interested?” Under their touch, his shaft was hard, straining against the constricting material. He pressed his lips to hers before she could stop him, using the motion to push her back against the blanket. His fingers unhooked her bra and tugged it off seconds before they collapsed back onto the ground.
He kissed across the line of her jaw until he found her earlobe. His teeth grazed over it, pulling it gently until she shuddered beneath him. His hands gliding down the length of her body, moving along the natural hourglass curves. “All mine, mate.” His voice was husky as he kissed down her body until he could bring one of her nipples into his mouth. He sucked it gently until the nipple stood at attention, not from the cold but with desire for him, then he let it slip out, grazing his teeth over it.
“You have too many clothes on. I thought I mentioned leaving them in the bag until I could show you my love for you.” She tugged at his jeans, trying to unhook the belt.
“All in good time. Now lay back while I get you naked.” His hands teased along the wide curve of her hips until he could hook his fingers into the thin material of her panties. With one quick motion, he tugged them, the stitches coming apart without much effort, leaving her naked beneath him.
He rose off her, kicking off his boots before he could strip his jeans and boxers down his legs. His shaft sprang free from the material, freeing him from all restraints. Looking down at her, the moonlight glistening off her naked body, he still couldn’t believe she was his. They had a rough start, but tonight marked the first night that the threat of Henry no longer hung over them, and for once he didn’t see any lingering fears in her eyes. Even the scars that marred her body didn’t tug at his guilt. It was like tonight was the first night together, without the past interfering with everything between them.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” She rose up from where she laid, covering herself with the second blanket.
“Don’t.” He stepped on the blanket so
she couldn’t pull it closer to her. “Don’t cover yourself. Harmony, you’re beautiful.” He lowered himself until his body was hovering above hers, his knees between her slightly spread legs.
“That look isn’t just of desire, there’s a hunger to it.”
“A hunger for you. It’s like I never truly saw you before, but now…now it’s only us.” He dragged his tongue in lazy circles around her nipple, kissing across the valley to the other and repeating the process. Meanwhile, he continued to watch her intently.
“Take me, Felix. I want to feel you inside of me. There will be plenty of other times for slow, but tonight I just want you, all of you.” She ran her hand down his arms, teasing along the grooves of his muscles.
He slipped his hand between her legs, his fingers gliding between her lips before moving to slide inside of her. “Oh, yes, my mate, you’re ready.”
Coyly, she bit her lip, trying to act innocently. “For you, always.”
Without further hesitation, he spread her legs farther, giving him more access to slide his shaft deep within her opening. The feel of her warm, wet core tore a growl from deep within him. He went into her about halfway before pulling out and then thrusting the entire length of his manhood into her, filling her completely. She cried out her pleasure.
Their tempo increased with each stroke and her hips rose up to meet his, demanding more. Their hips slammed together, driving the force with each pump. The thrusts came deeper and faster, falling into a perfect rhythm. Their bodies rocked back and forth, and tension strained his muscles as he fought to hold back the release he longed for.
Angry red scratches appeared down the length of his chest. “Oh, Felix! Don’t stop,” she begged as her release found her, coursing through her as she threw back her head.
It only took a few more thrusts before his feral growl ripped through the night as his release followed. He collapsed breathlessly beside her. He tucked one arm under her, pulling her close and cradling her body tightly against his. He drew the blanket over them both to keep the night chill away from their naked, sweaty bodies.
“Harmony, you’re amazing.” His fingers caressed her side in lazy strokes. He buried his face in her hair, the sweet strawberry scent from her shampoo teasing along his senses. He let his eyes drift shut and enjoyed the peaceful feeling that coursed through him for the first time in—he couldn’t remember how long.
Chapter Seventeen
Completely content, Harmony ran her fingers along the grooves of his abs, enjoying the quietness between them. With Henry eliminated, there were other missions the clan would be focused on, bringing more danger to Felix and the people she now considered her family. So, enjoying the quiet moments alone with her mate made the whole thing worth it.
“What are you thinking about?” Felix inquired, his eyes still closed, and his fingers drawing lazy circles along her spine.
“The future. When we go back to the clan, you’ll continue your duties, and I’ll start working with Connor. I’m wondering if things will ever be this peaceful between us again.” She snuggled her head into the crook of his shoulder, her hand resting on his chest.
“We’ll make time for it. With our jobs in the clan, we’ll be working closely together. There’s nothing to worry about, love.” He kissed the top of her head.
She didn’t want this time to end, but they both had things that needed to be done. They couldn’t be selfish at the expense of the clan. The danger of Henry was no longer hanging over their heads, but there was always something else looming. “We should go back to the compound, shouldn’t we?”
“We should, but…” He kissed her neck, drawing a moan from her, his hands sliding down her body.
“It pains me to say it, but not now. I should see what I can do to help Connor and Lukas. They’ve barely been sleeping, it’s obvious they need my help. I’m sure you can find something to do while I’m working.” She teased, moving back from him to grab her long sleeve shirt.
He eased up behind her, wrapping his arms around her torso before she could get the shirt over her head, his fingers teasing her nipples until they were hard. Her head fell back against his shoulder, and a moan escaped her lips. “All I want to do is please my mate.”
“We’ve done that. Now we must focus. After some work, we can revisit how you can please me.” Grabbing her clothes, she moved out of his reach.
“I thought tigresses were known for then insatiable sex drive.” He sat sulking while she dressed.
“We are, but we’re also reasonable when there’s work to be done. Plus, it’s damn chilly out here in the cold.” Her body shivered as she pulled up her jeans as if to confirm her point. “Snow is going to be returning soon.”
“Returning? In Alaska I’m not sure if it ever truly leaves. It might give us a small break, but there are still places on the compound where there’s still snow lingering on the ground.” Now that she was dressed, it confirmed the fact he wasn’t getting any more of her body, so he dressed as well.
She leaned against the SUV while Felix secured his weapons back in place. The assault rifle still lay on the corner of the blanket where he placed it, but his pistol and knives were back in their original places. “While you were gone, Doc’s test results came back, Daisy and I are cousins.”
“I’m not sure if I should say congratulations or apologize.” His gaze landed on her as if watching for a reaction.
“Me either. It’s weird to have family that I’ve never known.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “How are we supposed to move past the fact that Pierce kidnapped her because of J.J.’s memory of me?”
He grabbed the unopened bottle of wine and two glasses before picking up his rifle and the blankets. “We’ll save this for later when we have something to celebrate,” he explained, slipping it back into the bag before answering her question. “I don’t know. It might not be possible to move past it. Only time will tell.”
“Are you always full of such good news?”
“Naw, sometimes I’m quite dismal.” He tossed everything except the rifle into the back of the SUV. “What do you want me to say? That it will all work out, that there’s nothing to worry about? I can lie to you and tell you those things, but you’ll taste the lie so it would be pointless. Only time will tell how things will work out between you two. Either way, you have me, and I’ll make up for any cousin you could have had.”
“You have a very big picture of yourself, don’t you, mate?”
His face lit up with a smirk a mile wide. “For obvious reasons. Now come on. Let’s get our duties out of the way because I want you naked beneath me before the sun comes up.”
“Beneath you? Maybe I want to be on top this time.”
“If you’re tigress enough, be my guest.” Without further teasing, he strolled around the side of the SUV and opened her door.
“What a gentleman?” She teased climbing in.
“Full service, mate. You wouldn’t expect anything less.”
No, she couldn’t have expected anything less from him. He was everything she wanted wrapped into one large package. One she pictured spending the rest of her life with, having a few cubs, and hopefully living a semi-peaceful life among his—no their—clan.
The pristine workstation Connor set up for Harmony seemed out of place in the obviously lived-in room. The new laptop laid waiting for her in the center of the desk with a note. Welcome to the team. She was taken aback and completely in awe of it. Never before had she felt the sweet welcome of friends, or maybe it was family, as she did just now.
Connor wandered up beside her. “Don’t feel like you’re confined to this place. Take your laptop and work where you will. I’ve ordered another desktop with two monitors and a printer that you can take to Felix’s cabin to use with the laptop. Everything should be here in a few days.”
Not knowing what to say about the welcoming, she nodded. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. It’s good to have you on board.”
; She rubbed her hands together. “What do you want me to do?”
“Actually, nothing at the moment. I’ve already set up the laptop to save time, you can do the custom stuff later, but for now, grab it. We’re meeting with the Elders in fifteen minutes.” Connor left, grabbing his own laptop before he headed out the door, leaving her alone to let everything sink in. “Ty’s quarters.”
She ran her fingers over the shiny silver machine that laid there calling to her. Never before had she had something new she didn’t have to trade away a piece of herself or work her fingers to the bone to get. There were going to be so many changes in her life in the coming weeks as she became used to living a true clan life.
“Mate,” Felix called from behind her, pulling her attention from her new workstation.
She spun around to see him standing in the doorway, her hair flaring out around her in curly waves. “What are you doing here?”
“I thought I could accompany you to the meeting.” He held out his arm in offering to her.
“Ahh, to be on the arm of the best looking tiger of the clan—that’s an honor I cannot pass up.” She scooped the laptop and notebook into her arm and strolled toward him. Her tigress paced within her, eager to push him against the table and have her way with him. All in good time, she promised her beast.
The short trip from where the geeks made their office to Ty’s quarters was quick. She barely had time to get a good snuggle in with him before they arrived at Ty’s doorstep. The sooner they got the meeting over with, the sooner they’d be able to get some sleep, or for her to have her way with him again.
Raja answered Ty’s door before Felix could even raise his hand to knock. “Ty will join us shortly. There’s been a call from Korbin and Jinx concerning the Ohio Tigers.” As they entered, Raja turned back to the room. “Tad and Carran, now that everyone is here, if you could take your position at the door.”
“Come in, make yourself at home. There’s coffee and cookies on the table.” Tabitha called to them, setting another plate of cookies on the coffee table where everyone gathered. “Ty should be done shortly, and we can get started.”
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