Greyson - Part 1: An Alpha Billionaire Shifter Romance (The Silver Moon Pack)

by Cali MacKay

  “If they come near her, not only will they have me to worry about, but my whole pack.” Which would end up being a fucking mess—and one he’d have to answer for. His pack would always back him and show a united front, but it would cause massive problems to be on bad terms with the Black Ridge Clan, especially when there was already unrest brewing with Raven Wood pack. “We’ve kept the peace for years now, Sawyer… Don’t let something stupid like this disrupt it all.”

  “Then let us talk to her—and she can tell us what happened firsthand.” Sawyer took a step forward as the other bears in the distance started to spread out around his home.

  “Not fucking happening. I told you how it all played out, and since I saw it happen, my word is as good as hers. Now take your men and get the fuck out of here. You’re trespassing on wolf territory, and the pack won’t take kindly to it.” A growl rumbled through him, the energy of the shift building so he could change in just a moment—and Sawyer knew it too.

  It’d be one hell of a fight if it came to that, since the odds were definitely against him, but this was his home, his mate. He’d lay down his life to protect them. If Greyson ended up mauled—at his own home, no less—it’d mean war.

  “Honestly, I have no beef with you and I don’t want trouble, but someone’s going to be held accountable, and I’m afraid this is far from over, Greyson.” Sawyer turned, and a moment later shifted into a massive beast of a bear, snarls and grunts being heard in the woods, no doubt from Sawyer trying to rein in whoever was still looking for a fight.

  Once Greyson was sure they were gone, he headed back inside. Juno was already dressed and looking annoyed. “Does no one around here wear any fucking clothes? I swear I’ve never seen so many strangers’ cocks in one night.”

  If Greyson had to guess, her annoyance and sarcasm were likely a defense mechanism and her way to cover up just how scared she was. Closing the distance between them, he pulled her into his arms, needing to reassure her that she wasn’t alone in all this. And the fact that she held onto him instead of pushing him away was an indication as to just how scared she was. “I’ve got you, Juno. You have my word—I’d lay down my life to protect you.”

  “Though I appreciate the sentiment and potential sacrifice—what the hell are you thinking? You’ve known me all of a few hours.” She shook her head and tried to pull away, but he wasn’t letting go of her just yet. “That’s just not right, Greyson, even if it’s terribly honorable and chivalrous, and it makes my girl parts tingle.”

  “Tingle, huh?” At least she still had a sense of humor about the whole thing. Greyson kissed the top of her head, and breathed in her scent, as if it somehow strengthened his connection to her. “We may have just met—but you’re my mate, Juno. That changes everything. It means we’re fated to be together.”

  “Oh…fate. Well then…by all means, let me just give up all free will and sensibility, since my entire destiny’s already been determined.” She blew her bangs out of her eyes with a puff, the action somehow making his argument feel absurd.

  “Don’t you think I know how fucking crazy it sounds? And hell…I’m not sure I even believed it—until tonight. The moment I caught your scent in the air, I was a goner. I knew there’d be no turning back for me—and there could be no other. And I swear, it’s not supposed to be like this—so intense, so immediate. But it is, Juno.” Greyson knew how scary and insane it must all sound to her, but it didn’t change the fact she was his mate. He just had to hope she’d come around—because not having her in his life wasn’t an option.

  “I get that it might be that way with you—but I’m just a regular ole human, and it doesn’t work that way. Not for me anyway.” She took a step out of his arms, and he let her, since he didn’t think she’d attempt to leave when the bears had just been there.

  “I get that you need more time. But the bears…they’re not going to back off. And to be fair, there’s something going on here. It’s just not normal for a bear to drop dead like that—and not a scratch on him.” He shook his head as he took her in, trying to figure out what was going on.

  “Well, that’s not my fault, now is it?” Her eyes widened with fear, though it was clear she was mulling it all over in her head. “Like you said—not a scratch on him. Besides, it’s not like I’m strong enough to hurt him, let alone kill him.”

  “Sweetness…I hate to say it but maybe you did kill him, and you don’t even know it.” Greyson ran a rough hand over his thickly stubbled chin, giving it some thought. There was something there…something about her that didn’t read one-hundred percent human. “All I know is that the cabin you inherited is on this mountain—which means he was something other than fully human.”

  “Wait…what the hell do you mean?” She shook her head as if trying to wake up from a bad dream. “The whole mountain?”

  “Different packs and clans, different creatures… It keeps us safe—from the outside world, at least.” And it wasn’t just this mountain. There were plenty of communities just like this one all over the world. Traditionally, they were in remote locations, but these days, there were also plenty of shifters who roamed the cities, though the urge to shift and hunt could be a problem. And though there was a solution, it was far from ideal.

  “Look…coming here, to the mountains, the cabin... All I wanted was a bit of peace and quiet—and a place where I wouldn’t have to deal with the craziness of the city. But maybe this has been a big mistake. I don’t belong here.” She sucked in a deep breath, looking more panicked than before. “I need to go. I’m sorry, Greyson.”

  “That’s not an option.” Not when the bears wanted blood. “Get some sleep. We’ll be leaving at first light.”

  “Leaving? Going where?” She shook her head, panic in her blue eyes as she once again looked ready to pull a runner. “I get that you’re trying to help me, but this is insane, Greyson. I didn’t sign up for any of this—and you don’t get to tell me what to do.”

  Fucking hell. Why couldn’t she just listen to him? And why the fuck did his mate have to be a non-shifter who didn’t have the foggiest clue about the world she’d landed herself in?

  Mustering what patience he could, Greyson kept his voice calm and soothing, as if speaking to a spooked animal, while closing the distance between them. “If you leave here, they will find you. All I’m asking is for you to hold off on doing anything rash until we’ve gone to speak to my father. He’s also pack leader, and will have a better idea as to what our options are.”

  “Fine…I’ll stay until tomorrow, but then…I’m sorry, but I need to go, even if it means getting off this mountain.” She looked rattled and uncertain, and after the night she’d had, he couldn’t blame her.

  “Come on…bed. We’ll be up in just a few hours, and it promises to be one hell of a long day.”

  Chapter Six

  Juno was a bundle of nerves as she slipped on the helmet Greyson handed her, and then climbed onto the back of his dirt bike, the motor already growling at a deafening rumble. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on for dear life, even though they’d yet to move.

  “That’s it, love. Just hold on tight. I’ll take it nice and slow for you.” He gave her a reassuring smile over his shoulder, though every time he looked at her with those gold eyes, every time he said anything remotely suggestive, her body’s reaction to him was immediate. And she may be able to count all the guys she’d been with on just a few fingers, but she couldn’t imagine ever finding a more talented lover—something he’d proved to her time and time again, all night and morning long.

  Racing over the uneven terrain of the woods forced Juno to focus on holding onto Greyson, since every bump felt like it’d bounce her off the bike, even if he was no doubt taking things slower than he normally would. Yet once she got used to Greyson’s maneuvering and she relaxed just a little, it became impossible to ignore her body’s reaction to the rumbling of the bike and how Greyson’s muscular warmth felt against hers as she clung to him. She
swore the man threw off enough heat to melt icebergs—perfect for the coming winter this far north into the mountains. If she stuck around that long.

  He must have taken this route a million times before, maneuvering them expertly through the swath of trees and undergrowth along a barely noticeable trail. Eventually, the trees started to thin and then opened up into a bit of a clearing with several homes built a good distance apart, as a creek ran past it to one side. Greyson aimed for the house highest up on the ridge, partially buried in the tree line.

  Greyson pulled up in front of the impressive stone and log home, and then killed the engine. Shifting around, he gave her a hand getting off his bike before hopping off and joining her, setting aside their helmets as his smile kicked up. “The purple in your hair always surprises me.”

  “Always, huh?” She couldn’t help but tease him, given that he’d known her no more than twelve hours. “Does that mean you like it?”

  “I like everything about you, June bug.” He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her in close, stealing a kiss that went straight through her core, and reminded her of all the things he’d done to her with that amazing body of his. “Come on…they’re waiting for us.”

  They? Juno wanted to groan, unsure of what she was walking into. She wasn’t exactly socially adept at the best of times—and that was under familiar circumstances. This was completely new territory for her, and she was already in a shit-pile of trouble after last night.

  When Greyson grabbed her hand and escorted her up the steps to the large porch that overlooked the creek, she held onto him like he was her only lifeline. Something had her on edge. Though she didn’t know what that was, she trusted her instincts—and at the moment, it felt like something big was going down, even if she trusted Greyson to be there for her.

  That in and of itself was odd, since she didn’t tend to be a very trusting person, given her past experiences. Yet things somehow felt different with Greyson. Maybe it was because he was going out of his way to protect her, or maybe it was because he’d given her so many orgasms she’d lost count, and being that intimate with someone tended to bring you closer. Either way, she felt like Greyson was her one ally in this nasty mess.

  Before they’d even had a chance to knock, the door was pulled opened by a gentleman in his fifties, who immediately pulled Greyson into a big hug. “Son… You should have told us you were back.”

  Juno looked for the resemblance, assuming this was Greyson’s father, but it just wasn’t there. As dark-haired as Greyson was, his father was fair. And instead of Greyson’s gold eyes, his father had eyes of ice blue. The only thing that was similar was their height and muscular build, age having little effect on the older man’s body.

  “Dad—this is Juno. Juno—this is my dad, Cullen.” Greyson made the introductions as Juno shook Cullen’s hand and went through the formalities as Greyson continued, in answer to his father’s comment. “I know I should have called. I just needed a few days to get settled in. Is Kiernan here?”

  “Yeah…in there.” Cullen tilted his head toward the great room as they wandered in that direction, though Juno swore there was a newfound tension in Greyson. “Figured it’d be best to have him here since…well, you know.”

  A massive stone fireplace was the focal point of the room, though Juno’s gaze drifted to the massive windows flanking it, the view of the mountains simply stunning. Greyson hugged the other man, who was closer to his age—and was the spitting image of Cullen, just a few decades younger. “Juno, this is my brother, Kiernan—Kiernan, this is Juno, my mate.”

  Juno shook Kiernan’s hand, while she fought the blush that crept up her cheeks at being identified as Greyson’s mate—which was still up for debate, as far as she was concerned. But when she let go of his hand, Kiernan held onto it in a firm grip, so she couldn’t pull away without making a bit of a scene. “His mate, huh? And a human, no less. That’s…perfect.”

  Juno didn’t have a clue as to what the hell was going on, but when Greyson let out a low growl, Kiernan let go of her hand.

  “I have no interest in leading the pack, Kiernan, so keep your alpha bullshit in check, or I’ll make you fucking regret you started this crap.”

  Cullen stepped to her side with a shake of his head. “Manners from the two of you, or I’ll be the one teaching you both a lesson. I do believe there are more important issues that need seeing to.” With a final glare at his sons, Cullen turned to her with a kind gaze and tilted his head toward the living room. “Have a seat, darling, and tell us about this bit of trouble you’ve gotten yourself into.”

  Juno sat down with Greyson at her side, relieved to have him close by, protecting and reassuring her. “I moved to the mountain about a month ago.”

  “The Weston cabin, right?” Cullen took a seat diagonally from her, his blue eyes kind and focused on her.

  “I’d inherited it about a year ago, but only recently decided to move in.” She still wasn’t buying the part about her great-uncle being anything other than human. “Yesterday, I ended up going for a hike later in the day, and somehow got myself a bit lost, so it was getting dark out when I was still trying to make my way home. That was when I was attacked by a bear.”

  “Turns out it was Atticus.” Greyson cursed under his breath. “He was toying with her and she was already hurt, when he dropped dead as I came on the scene. We all know what that bastard was capable of, and it wouldn’t have ended well if he hadn’t just keeled over.”

  “And how exactly did that happen? No offense, but we all know how unlikely that is.” Kiernan shifted in his seat, taking her in as if he didn’t quite believe their story—and rightfully so.

  “All I know is that I was fighting for my life one second, and he was dead the next.” Juno knew she was digging herself into a hole with her lies, and yet she couldn’t confess to killing Atticus, especially when those bears already wanted her head. Any hope of them being reasonable rested with her being innocent. If they found out she’d killed him, even if it was in self-defense, then she’d have no hope of surviving it. Greyson and his pack might be willing to help her if they thought she was innocent—but not if they knew she’d already killed two other men before her run-in with Atticus.

  “I was there just as it happened, and I can tell you Atticus wasn’t wounded in any way. But Sawyer already paid me a visit and Atticus’s family wants blood. Juno had nothing to do with it—and even if she had, Atticus would have deserved everything he got, since he was the one attacking her, and on pack territory, no less. So I’ll be fucked if I’m handing her over to them so they can dole out their revenge under the guise of justice.” There was a fierceness in Greyson when it came to protecting her, and she had to admit, right about now, she was damn happy to have him on her side.

  In a way, it felt sort of old-fashioned, like he was her knight in shining armor, and she might not want to admit it, but she found it rather endearing, even if she wasn’t buying the whole fated mate thing. And given how dire her current circumstances were, she was glad she didn’t have to deal with all this on her own, since it was becoming more and more clear that she was in a world of trouble, and she wouldn’t just be allowed to walk away from what happened.

  Cullen frowned as he addressed Juno. “I hate to say it, but it’s not a great situation, given how odd his death is, especially when you’re an outsider. You can go to the Black Ridge Clan and make your case. Tell them that you had nothing to do with his death, and even if you did, that it was self-defense, but given that you’re not part of a pack and don’t have anything to really leverage in your favor, you’re taking a huge risk, especially when his family wants blood and you’re an easy target.”

  Greyson shook his head, all but snarling out his response. “She’s my mate—and I’m her leverage. That’s got to carry some weight if she has the pack behind her.”

  “Son…she’s also duine—a human. And she may be your mate, but she’s a human mate, and you know how some of the pack will be abo
ut that. Unless she becomes one of us, the pack won’t stir up that sort of trouble to save her—not even for you, I’m afraid. And even then, you’ll be faced with a whole other set of problems.” Cullen’s words left Juno feeling rattled, especially when she wasn’t quite sure what it all truly meant.

  Yet Greyson didn’t seem at all fazed by it. “Then she’ll become one of us, if that’s what it takes to keep her safe, and I’ll deal with the fallout.”

  “Whoa…hold up there.” She was trying not to panic, and failing miserably. “What the hell does all of that even mean?”

  Cullen’s gaze shifted from her to Greyson, before he got to his feet and motioned for Kiernan to join him, resting a fatherly hand on Greyson’s shoulder. “I think the two of you need to talk.”

  Chapter Seven

  Greyson knew it might come to this, though he was hoping he’d have a bit more time to prepare Juno for it. Shifting in his seat, he faced her and took her hands in his, though she was already looking ready to either murder him or bolt. “You basically have two options. You let me bite you once I’ve shifted on a full moon and hope you survive the Change or we get married.”

  Her eyes went wide and she shook her head no. “You forgot about option three—I get the fuck off this crazy-ass mountain.”

  She was already getting to her feet when he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to the sofa with a sigh. “That’s not an option unless you want to spend the rest of your very short life looking over your shoulder until they finally catch up with you. And they will find you, Juno. Doesn’t matter where you go.”

  “Yet you’re trying to tell me that becoming part of your pack will just make it all go away, even though they’d otherwise hunt me across the globe? Why don’t I believe that?” She ran her hand down her face, looking utterly miserable.