Leashed [Shifter Sanctuary 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Scarlet Day

Tucker wrapped his fingers around her hand and squeezed. “I know. It’s unimaginable. They killed all of them. Men, women, teenagers, even kids. Everyone except Tom. Somehow he managed to crawl back to our ranch before he collapsed from blood loss. He told us they all died in shifted form, never shifting back to human. It was the only way to keep the poachers from finding out what we really were.”

  Realization dawned slowly on Laci. “I remember hearing rumors about that when I was a kid. The adults wouldn’t tell us anything, but we heard the whispers.” Memories of those long-forgotten mysterious worries flooded back to her. “They stopped letting us run at night. And we were only allowed to shift close to home.”

  Tucker nodded. “It sent shock waves through the shifter community. Our pride was all but gone. The few who hadn’t been on the run were overcome with grief. Some moved away and we haven’t heard from them since. The rest, well, they followed me and Colt here. What happened that night is why we bought this land and started the resort. We wanted to give shifters a safe place, somewhere they could get away from the rest of civilization every now and then and be themselves without fear of getting caught in shifted form.”

  Laci stared at Tucker in silence while she tried to absorb and process the horrible things he’d revealed. She felt like she needed to say something, anything, but there were no words that could express the feelings rolling through her. “I’m so sorry.”

  Tucker pressed his lips to her fingers. “What’s done is done.”

  Suffocating guilt pressed down on Laci for asking a question that made him talk about such a painful memory. “I wish there was something I could do.”

  Tucker stared into her eyes, and Laci felt as though she could fall into them. “There is.” A small grin slid across his face. “You can help me forget.”

  He claimed her lips, his tongue demanding an entrance that Laci willingly gave. He pulled her close against him, and his hard cock pressed against her pelvis. She dug her fingernails into his shoulders and drew him closer. She would do everything she could to help him forget, if only for a while, about the horrible past.

  Chapter Eleven

  Colt crept across the snow-covered ground, his paws never making a sound in the quiet of the early evening. He paused next to a large pine tree and sniffed its rough bark. The scent he’d been following for the last hour was strong and fresh. The male lion shifter who’d passed close by this tree couldn’t be too far away. The paw tracks Colt had been using as his primary method of tracking the uninvited male had been covered up by falling snow, but the scent remained.

  The cold wind battered Colt, but he put his head down and pressed into it. The wind had grown more brisk and relentless the higher up the mountain he’d travelled, but he needed to know who was trespassing on resort property. He didn’t need to think too hard to know the likely reason why the lion shifter had crossed the well-marked boundaries. Even here, high above the lodge, Laci’s scent drifted on the wind. Colt had no doubt the scent travelled over the mountain range. A female shifter in her prime could disperse a scent hundreds of miles. Any unattached male lion shifter who got a nose full of Laci’s pheromones would be drawn to her. Colt needed to make sure they knew they weren’t welcome.

  Besides his own growing attraction to Laci, Colt had other reasons for making sure strangers stayed off the land he and Tucker owned. They knew the dangers, all too well, of what could happen when outsiders stumbled onto shifters while in shifted form. Hunters, in particular, were a danger to their guests and those who worked at the resort. The thought of the damage hunters could cause sent a shudder down Colt’s spine that had nothing to do with the freezing temperature.

  He leapt up onto a boulder to get a better view of the terrain. He scanned the distance, looking for any sign of his quarry. Brown and gray tree trunks stood in stark contrast to the white ground. Boulders jutted up out of the ground, their tops sprinkled with snow. A hawk circled high overhead, but at this distance Colt couldn’t tell if it was one of the resort guests or a real bird of prey. There was no sign of the lion Colt had been tracking.

  Just as he was about to jump down off his perch, a movement higher up the slope caught his attention. It was nothing more than a golden blur, but Colt knew instinctively it was the shifter he was after. He launched himself off the boulder and dashed up the mountain, his paws churning up the snow in his wake. He was nearing the border of their land and wanted to catch the interloper before he crossed the property line. Colt kept his eyes focused on the golden blur ahead of him. The other shifter had apparently abandoned stealth for all-out speed at this point, realizing his pursuer had closed in on him.

  Colt pumped his legs harder and ignored his screaming muscles. It had been a while since he’d pushed himself this hard, but he was determined to confront this wayward male, if only to put some fear into him as to the consequences if he returned uninvited. Colt gained ground, the other male no longer a distant blur. The male sprinted around trees and jumped over fallen logs in an attempt to make a straight-line escape. Colt knew this land like the back of his hand, though, and saw the fatal flaw in the male’s strategy. A straight path would take the shifter into a sheer rock face several hundred yards ahead. Its gray face was obscured by the falling snow, leaving the interloper running blindly toward it.

  Colt veered off to the right and bounded up a steeper incline strewn with rocks and small boulders. He kept part of his attention on the golden shape still streaking for the low rock cliff. Colt knew it would only be a few seconds before the male knew he was trapped. With a final burst of speed, Colt leapt over the last few boulders in his path and then swerved right. His strategy had put him at the top of the rock face, directly above his target.

  Before the other lion realized he’d been outmaneuvered, Colt threw himself off the ledge. He landed a few feet in front of a very surprised shifter. The male hissed and tried to turn, but Colt launched himself and caught the male in the flank with his claws. The lion screeched and spun, his claws and teeth bared. Colt ducked under a swiping paw and then pounced. He was bigger than the other male and he used his weight to pin the lion to the ground. He snarled a threat, making his demands known by the inflection of his growl.

  The other male was bested and he must have known it. His body went slack. With blurring speed, his body transformed from a golden mountain lion into a young male, probably not older than his early twenties. Colt shifted as well, his paws forming back into hands that gripped the biceps of the trespasser.

  “All right, I give up. Get off me!” The young male squirmed under Colt.

  Colt bolted to his feet, dragging the other man with him. He spun him around and slammed his back into a large tree. “What the hell are you doing here?” He knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it.

  The young man snorted. “Damn, don’t tell me you can’t smell it.”

  Colt pounded the man into the tree again. “What I can or can’t smell is none of your business. You’re on private property.”

  The young man scoffed. “Like that’s gonna keep anyone away. If I don’t get to her, someone else will.”

  Colt fought the urge to beat him senseless. He yanked him to within inches of his face. “Get off my property. If I find you here again, I might decide to shoot you.” He pushed the man, sending him sprawling across the snowy ground.

  The young guy pulled himself up and backed away, clearly deciding standing his ground wasn’t a good idea. But then a sneer turned his lips up. “If you’re not man enough to mate her, you should get out of the way for someone who is.”

  Without waiting for Colt’s reaction, the young male shifted and then sprinted up the slope. Colt watched him until the golden blur disappeared well beyond the property boundary. Colt shifted back into his lion and made his way back down the mountain, toward the spot where he’d first seen the tracks of the trespasser. He’d left his clothes there before shifting, and unless he wanted to stroll into the lodge stark naked, he needed to retrieve them.

&nbs
p; The young male’s parting shot gnawed at Colt. In the two weeks since Laci had arrived at the resort, Colt’s attraction for her had become harder and harder to ignore, until he had found himself alone in her room. The only thing that had stopped him from making love to her then had been the rule he and Tucker had about getting involved with employees. But Colt was starting to think that rule was meant to be broken.

  Colt hadn’t missed the flirting and glances that had been traded between Tucker and Laci, either. He and Tucker had never been attracted to the same woman before, so this was a new experience. An idea had been forming in Colt’s mind for a few days, but he had been reluctant to voice his thoughts. He wasn’t sure Tucker would go for it, never mind what Laci would think about it. The more he thought about it, though, the harder it was to keep it to himself. Maybe it was time to man up and spit it out.

  * * * *

  Colt stomped the snow off his boots before opening the door and entering the lodge. As soon as he did, the smell of male lions hit him. It wasn’t Tucker’s scent, either. One of the scents seemed familiar, but it was mixed with one Colt didn’t recognize. He followed the scent and wasn’t surprised when it led him into the lobby. Across the room, two men stood with Tucker at the bar. Colt recognized Austin, who was a frequent visitor to the resort. In fact, it had been Austin who’d given Laci’s name to Tucker as a recommendation for the bartender position. But Colt knew Austin didn’t have a reservation for this week, so his presence was puzzling.

  As Colt crossed the room, he realized Laci didn’t look happy. Neither did Tucker, for that matter. Both had their arms crossed over their bodies, and Tucker’s expression suggested he might be ready to hit someone.

  “I told you, I’m not going.” Laci’s voice rose over the voices of the patrons in the bar and heads turned in her direction.

  Colt picked up his pace and strode to the bar. “What’s going on?”

  The male Colt didn’t recognize turned toward him. “Who are you?”

  Colt didn’t like his tone. “I happen to be Tucker’s partner and a co-owner of the lodge you’re standing in, so knock off the attitude.” He glanced at Tucker, wondering why he hadn’t already put this guy in his place, and then he turned his attention to Laci. “Are these guys bothering you?”

  Laci rolled her eyes and threw her hand up toward the man Colt was already starting to dislike. “Colt, meet my overprotective brother, Price.” She motioned toward Austin. “And you apparently already know Austin. He’s Price’s beta and the man my brother thinks I’m going to mate.” She let out a derisive snort. “Nothing personal, Austin. You know I love you, but not like that.”

  Austin held up his hands. “No offense taken, Laci. You know I think of you as my little sister. It’s just, you know Price when he makes up his mind about something.” Austin shrugged.

  Price turned an accusing glare on Austin. “So now you’re on her side? I thought you were willing to mate with her?”

  Austin spread his hands out in front of him. “Hey, if it would protect her from being stolen by another pride and forced into mating with a stranger, of course I’d be her mate. I want to keep her safe as much as you do.”

  Laci stomped her foot. “Would you two quit treating me like I can’t take care of myself?” She huffed and then narrowed her eyes. “How’d you find me, anyway? I thought I’d covered my tracks pretty well.”

  Price shrugged. “You forgot to delete your e-mails.”

  Laci’s eyes grew wide and a look of outrage flashed across her face. “You hacked my computer?”

  “How else was I supposed to figure out where you were? You took off in the middle of the night and you’ve refused to return our calls. You could have been anywhere!” Price shook his head, obviously exasperated with his sister.

  Colt narrowed his eyes at Austin, who was looking down and shuffling his feet. Austin must not have divulged the small detail that he’d been the one to suggest Laci for the job. Austin obviously didn’t want to mate with Laci, any more than she wanted to mate with him. They’d both been working behind the scenes to defy their pride leader’s intentions. Colt found the whole situation hilarious, but now probably wasn’t the best time to burst out laughing.

  Price turned to Colt. “How many times has your bar been trashed since she got here?”

  That was, apparently, the wrong thing to say. Laci grabbed a glass and hurled it toward Price’s head. It would have hit him, too, if Tucker’s reflexes weren’t so fast. He caught the glass within an inch of Price’s temple. Colt couldn’t help but grin and admire Laci’s spunk. It was one of the things he found so appealing about her.

  Tucker stepped in front of Price, who looked like he was about to put Laci over his knee and spank her. “Why don’t we all take it down a couple of notches and continue this after everyone has calmed down a little.” Price crossed his arms across his body and pressed his lips together, obviously not ready to back down yet, so Tucker continued. “Let me put you both up in a room for tonight. Laci isn’t going to run off anywhere—”

  Laci snorted. Tucker narrowed his eyes at her before continuing. “We can all talk over breakfast tomorrow.”

  Price stared at Laci for a few moments and then let out a long, slow breath. “Fine.”

  “Good.” Tucker turned to Laci, who didn’t look inclined to postpone the argument. “Laci?”

  She opened her mouth. Colt braced himself for the protest.

  “Laci.” Tucker’s voice wasn’t loud or harsh, but it did hold the force of the alpha he was born to be. It was also a voice Colt didn’t hear Tucker use very often.

  Laci closed her mouth. She looked as though she still might protest, but then the fight went out of her eyes and she dropped her gaze to the floor. “Yes, Sir.”

  Colt almost fell over, the force of recognition hitting him like a physical blow. He knew that compliant expression Laci wore. He knew the implications behind the way she had said “Sir.” Colt turned to Tucker and narrowed his eyes, sure his glare should be burning a hole into Tucker’s skull.

  Tucker must have felt Colt’s pointed stare, because he turned his head toward him. A sheepish look crossed his face. “We need to talk. Meet me downstairs tonight.”

  Jealousy and betrayal coursed through Colt. He fought it, but he felt as though a thousand-pound weight pressed down on his chest. He cast a disbelieving glance at Laci, whose forehead was creased with obvious worry as her gaze bounced between Colt and Tucker. Colt turned his attention back to Tucker.

  “Tonight. And this better be damn good.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Colt felt like kicking himself. He’d been an idiot to not pursue Laci harder and sooner, rules be damned. Especially now that he knew what had been going on right under his nose between Tucker and Laci. When he saw Laci’s reaction to Tucker earlier today, he knew—or strongly suspected, at least—exactly what had happened. Tucker had taken a new submissive. And it just happened to be the same woman Colt wanted for himself.

  Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He did want Laci, but he hadn’t sensed much submissiveness in her. Colt enjoyed playing the Dom role, but he also had qualities that made him want to be topped every now and then. He knew it came from the fact that he was born to be Tucker’s beta, second in command of a pride. Colt could switch from being domineering, when Tucker needed him to be in charge, to being submissive to his alpha’s commands. As friends and business partners, he and Tucker were equals, but their roles were clear when it came to their place in the pride.

  Those qualities carried over into their sex lives. Tucker was an alpha, through and through. Colt had never seen Tucker be submissive to anyone and doubted he ever would. Colt, on the other hand, enjoyed handing over control every now and then. Laci was feisty and strong-willed, qualities Colt appreciated in a woman. He’d thought the dominant role would come to her naturally. It was the submissive role he thought she would have trouble with. Apparently, he’d been wrong.

  How many times over the
last couple of weeks had Colt been tempted to break the pact he and Tucker had made years ago? He’d come so close earlier in Laci’s bedroom and she’d seemed so willing. Or had she? Had Colt read her reactions wrong? Had his own feelings and arousal been so strong that he had only thought she wanted him as much as he wanted her?

  Colt had lain awake at night, imagining himself pushing Laci up against a wall and claiming her as his own. Or better yet, Laci pushing him against a wall. Colt’s cock swelled just thinking about her hands on him, her lips and tongue exploring his mouth.

  Stupidity, as well as a good portion of betrayal, surged through him as reality crashed back down. He dragged his feet as he made his way to the basement. He wasn’t looking forward to having this discussion with Tucker. It was one thing to strongly suspect something, but it was altogether worse to be told outright that those fears were true.

  He entered the basement and scanned the room, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. He didn’t see Tucker. Either he wasn’t here yet, or this discussion would take place in Tucker’s dungeon room, where no one would dare to interrupt them and there would be absolute privacy. Colt hoped it was the former, and not just because having the discussion out in the open around other people would make it less likely for him and Tucker to beat the shit out of each other. No, the thing Colt really hated was the thought of having his presumptions confirmed in the very room, surrounded by all the implements, being used to carry out his worst fears.

  Matt caught his attention from behind the bar, and Colt crossed the room. He knew it wouldn’t help much, but he needed a drink.

  “Whiskey.” Beer just wasn’t going to cut it tonight. Maybe he could drink enough before Tucker arrived to at least dull the pain a bit.

  Matt poured a healthy measure and placed the glass on the bar in front of Colt. “Tucker’s waiting for you.” He jerked his head toward the back hallway.