by Riley Storm
Taking pity, she fought her laughter down. “I’m sorry. I thought you were going a totally different way with this. That you were going to ask a serious question.”
The red was slowly fading from Dani’s cheeks. “I wasn’t exactly joking, but no. Nothing serious. Unless you think he’s going to propose soon, but that would be pretty fast.”
Haley slowly nodded. “I can see how you’d think that. It is moving fast but,” she paused, trying to find the right words. “I’m not really sure how to explain it, Dani. What Kincaid and I share it’s…it’s more.”
There really were no right words to describe the bond she had with Kincaid. Her last remaining doubt, that she would be unable to bear him kids, had been laid to rest when she’d met several of his friends the day before, and found that many of the women were human, and several had given birth to shifter children.
It was then that he’d explained to her how shifters only ever chose one mate, and that person was the one they would spend the rest of their lives with. That knowledge, knowing that what she felt toward him was because of fate, that they were meant to be together, had assuaged any last doubts she may have had about spending the rest of her life with him.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t tell Dani any of that. Not unless she hooked her friend up with one of the other shifters.
“I want that,” Dani said, smiling at her over the rim of her mug.
“Want what?”
“That look you get on your face when you think of him or talk about him. I’ve never seen it on anybody before, never quite like with you.”
Haley didn’t know what to say. She’d never felt like this either.
“Hey, I have a question for you,” she said to Dani.
“What’s that?”
“If Kincaid does propose, I, um, I don’t have any other friends, and, well, you see. There’s supposed to be people, and then they do the thing, and like it’s a party, there’s the one that holds the flowers and then the one…”
Dani reached out, grinning broadly from ear to ear. “I would be honored, no matter what it is you’re trying to say. You can count on me.”
Haley blushed and looked into her mug. “Thank you, Dani. For so much more than I can say. Thank you.”
“Hey,” Dani said, raising her mug. “That’s what friends are for.”
Haley lifted her own, clinking them softly together.
40
Kincaid bounced into the room like a whirling dervish.
Haley, who had been sitting on the bed, jumped in the air, yelping in surprise as he barreled over to her, wrapping her up in a hug.
“You’re in a suspiciously good mood,” she remarked, returning his kisses fondly, but at the same time wondering just what he had up his sleeve. She’d been waiting patiently for him to return from the ceremony.
For the most part, the shifters of High House Ursa had welcomed her into their world. Like any group, there were dicks and those who just didn’t care one way or another, but overall, she felt accepted.
Today, however, he had been taken to a ceremony somewhere deep in the heart of the house, a place that she, apparently, was not welcome. It had something to do with his confirmation as Hunter, of High House Ursa, one of the Title Holders, the ruling members of the House. Not much more had been disclosed to her about it. Maybe now she would get some answers.
“I’m not in a good mood.”
She frowned. “Really? Are you sure?”
“I am. Because I’m in a great mood!” he all but shouted, spinning her around wildly and smothering her in kisses.
Sputtering with laughter at the affection, she returned them all, before eventually wiggling free from his grip. “Okay, I’ll bite, my love. Why are you in a great mood then? What happened? Did everything go well?”
“Well?” He swelled up his already powerful chest. “You, darling, are looking at the newest official Hunter of High House Ursa.”
“I knew it!” she squealed, leaping into his arms anew, confident he would catch her. “I knew you would do it. Congratulations, my love. You deserve it.”
He grinned and planted a huge sloppy wet kiss on her cheek.
“Ack! What was that for?”
“That is for being so amazing and wonderful and perfect, and all around the best woman I could ever have imagined for my mate.”
Feeling buoyed by the warmth and tenderness he was showing, Haley snuggled in close. “Does this mean you’ll finally tell me what’s going on?”
“Sure.” Kincaid showed her over to the couch, where they both sat down and curled up close to one another. “The Hunter is one of the more unique positions in a House. When one is confirmed, we go through a ceremony that essentially gives us sensitivity to magic. Specifically, the magic that binds a mated pair together. We can feel it, and we are often given visions, I guess you would say, of mates that are destined to come into contact soon.”
“So, like a seer?”
“I guess. I can’t control it, and the visions come when fate works its own magic. Some Hunters go years without one, some have really busy weeks.”
“And this makes you happy?”
“Haley, my love, my everything. I can sense you. I can feel the magic that binds us together. I knew you were the one I wanted, but having life itself tell you that you made the right choice? That’s a pretty great feeling.”
“So you can see the connection between us?”
“In a way. It’s hard to explain, but yes. You and I. We are meant to be together.”
Haley blew out air through her lips. “I could have told you that.”
Kincaid laughed. “Well, if you’re so sure about it, I guess I’ll have to marry your ass.”
“Are you going to marry the rest of me too?” she asked with as much sass as she could muster.
He stared at her, unfazed. “If you’ll let me.”
She knitted her eyebrows together. “Is this a proposal?”
Kincaid bit his lip, hesitated, then nodded. “Yes. I guess it is. I…I didn’t really intend for it to go like this, but…”
Shock, wonder, joy and happiness rushed through her system all at once, a confusing parade of emotions that left Haley crying and nodding her head and speaking repeatedly. “Yes,” she told him. “A dozen times, yes. Screw the rules. I just want to be with you. We’ll do it our own way!”
Kincaid shouted with joy and picked her up, holding her tight to his chest as he ran back out into the hallway.
“What are you doing?” she asked in astonishment as he started shouting to the rest of the House.
“We’re getting married!” he bellowed, running up and down the hallways, announcing it to everyone.
Haley laughed. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em I guess.
“We’re getting married!” she shouted, adding her voice to his.
We’re getting married.
Epilogue
Kincaid strode down the Grand Hallway, wondering just how much of a coincidence his being called to meet with the Queen was. Was it possible she knew something was still eating away at him? That there was still one last question he had about it all?
He hadn’t voiced his concerns to anyone, not even Haley. The last thing he wanted to do was stress her out. This was something that would have to be dealt with by his House, by those that could be trusted. The only problem was determining just who to trust. The numbers, it seemed, were smaller than he was comfortable admitting.
“Hello Khove,” he said calmly, nodding at the head of the Queen’s private guard, the Queen’s Own.
“Kincaid,” the man said gruffly.
“She’s expecting me.”
The big, stern-faced guard nodded, but instead of pulling one of the doors to the Throne Room open for him, he turned and pushed it inward, accompanying Kincaid inside.
“Out,” Khove said, jerking his head at the other guards.
Kincaid frowned. “Something wrong?” he asked quietly once the door closed behind the
m, the two walking side-by-side up to where the Queen sat on her throne.
“Always,” Khove replied, both of them inclining their heads toward Kaelyn.
“Thank you for coming so promptly, my Hunter.”
“Of course, Your Majesty,” he replied. “I actually wanted to talk with you as well.”
“How coincidental,” Kaelyn replied with a wry smile. “I thought you should know that Laurent Canis is dead.”
Kincaid jerked upright in surprise. “What? But we let him go?” Anger welled up inside him. “Did you let Kvoss go after him without telling me? He was mine.” Kincaid’s voice was a low growl. Khove stiffened next to him, but the Queen waved him down.
“No,” she said calmly. “It was not Kvoss, any of his men. It wasn’t any of Ursa.”
“Are you telling me that someone in Canis killed him?”
“Yes. I don’t know who. All I know is he is dead, and the position is currently unfilled.”
“Fascinating. I did not see that coming, but I suppose it’s not that big a surprise either. He was an embarrassment and a weak link. It’ll be interesting to see who Laurien appoints in his stead.”
“Indeed,” Kaelyn said in casual agreement. “Now, what did you want to talk about?”
The Queen may have been seated on her throne, but the conversation between them was decidedly more casual. Kincaid was a Title Holder now, a lord of House Ursa, and because of that, the Queen and he could converse on near equal levels.
“Khove, can you give us some privacy,” he asked politely.
The guard looked unimpressed, but Kaelyn gave him approval with a nod, and the head guard retreated to the door, though he didn’t go outside.
“What is it Kincaid?”
“There is a lingering question,” he said, keeping his voice low. “About all of this. Something I don’t understand.”
“If you’re here to ask questions about how to figure out your mate, I am probably not the best person for that,” Kaelyn teased.
Kincaid chuckled. “No, that I’ve got figured out.” He looked upward. “Mostly. No, this is about the investigation. About how it all got started, something nobody has seemed to address.”
Kaelyn leaned forward. “What is it?”
“How did Laurent know how much money to put in my bank account? It couldn’t have been a guess, and I would assume that the exact figure of how much was stolen was kept a secret from the masses. I sure didn’t know until I got implicated in it. So how did someone from House Canis know?”
Kaelyn gave him a long appraising look before leaning to the side. “Khove, please send for Kirell to join us. Immediately,” she added with a strong emphasis, assuming the mantle of Queen.
Kincaid tried to keep his surprise down as Khove spoke to the guards outside, several of whom took off at a run, judging by the sound of footsteps.
“I take it this is something that has crossed your mind as well?” he asked.
Kaelyn nodded, while the two of them waited in silence for Kirell to arrive. Thankfully, he must have been close, because no more than five minutes had passed before he was ushered into the Throne Room and walked up to join them.
“Kincaid,” the Captain of House Ursa said, extending his hand.
“Kirell.” They shook.
“What can I do for you my Queen?” Kirell asked, looking back and forth between the two of them.
“Kincaid here was just wondering how Laurent Canis discovered just how much money was stolen from the central Ursa account during the uprising.”
Kirell looked sharply at Kincaid, then back at the Queen. “I see.”
“Anyone care to tell me what’s going on?” Kincaid asked, looking back and forth between the pair.
“A traitor still lives in my House,” Kaelyn said icily. “Neither I nor Kirell know who it is, but we suspect they are the real mastermind behind the uprising.”
Kincaid frowned. “I thought Kven was acknowledged to be the head.”
“And so we will continue to do publicly,” Kaelyn informed him. “But Kirell and I have been working quietly in the shadows, trying to figure out who it could be. Our suspect pool is shrinking, but none of them has given us any indication they might be guilty. Whoever it is, they’re good.”
“Why tell me?” he asked, looking at Kirell and Kaelyn.
“Because, now we can expand who we trust with this information. It’s no big secret that we haven’t caught all the traitors. Krawll is a perfect example of that. But nobody knows we’re still searching for the head.”
Kincaid nodded slowly. “Very well. Count me in. Let’s find this bastard.”
***
***
Mated to the Enemy
1
“I’ll be right back.”
Jessica tried not to sigh with relief as her sister’s mate announced he would be leaving the two of them alone. Lorran bent over, kissed Zoe on the top of her head, gave Jessica a polite but abrupt nod of his head and wandered out of the sitting room, leaving the two sisters to themselves at long last.
“What?’
Looking over at her sister, Jessica tried to look innocent.
“Don’t give me that bullshit, Jess. I can read you like a book.” Zoe settled back into the oversized loveseat and snagged her wineglass from the side table. “What is that look for?”
Jessica sighed, closing her eyes. “Is it that obvious?”
“Not to anyone else, probably, but to me, yes. We are sisters, even if I barely see you anymore.”
“I meant to come visit,” Jessica admitted. “But first it was work, and then…”
Zoe took a sip of her red. “Then what? Why haven’t I seen you in—what—three, four years now?”
“I just…” There was no way around it. The cat was out of the bag. It was happening sooner than she’d expected, and Jessica just wasn’t ready. She hadn’t prepared the words yet. All the little speeches and comparisons she’d come up with, they didn’t seem appropriate anymore.
“Come onnnn. You can tell me!”
“Fine.” Jessica steeled herself, glancing around to ensure they were still alone. “Something changed, Zo.”
“Changed how? With what? I changed, is that what you’re trying to say?”
“No, not you.” Jess looked skyward, but no help came. “Lorran.”
She saw the defenses immediately clamp into place around Zoe’s eyes as she prepared to defend her mate. It was instinctual by this point, she was sure, and Jessica had no idea whether her sister could see what was going on, or if she was too close to the situation.
“Well, we’ve grown, Jess. The two of us. Together. Of course, he’s going to change.”
“Are you happy?” Jessica asked, switching gears. That was the main thing.
“Yes.”
To her dismay, Jessica realized that Zoe was telling the truth. The honest truth. She was still happy with Lorran. Which meant she’d been sucked in deep into the vortex surrounding the man. Either that, or Jessica didn’t know her younger sister as well as she thought she did.
“Okay.” She took a long sip of her own wine, nearly draining the glass. “That’s the big thing for me. You’re happy, and he doesn’t treat you badly.”
“Lorran? No. He’s rarely even raises his voice with me.” Zoe smiled sweetly, working away at her own beverage as well. “Of course, I do my best to ensure he never has to, but he treats me nicely. Every Friday, he brings me fresh flowers.”
Jessica had to smile at that. It was a cute gesture. Still, she couldn’t share her sister’s faith in the shifter. By and large, the Canis Household had welcomed the Hanes sister into their midst after Lorran had made his intentions about Zoe quite clear. That was seven years ago now and she’d always been welcomed back to Moonshadow Manor, even as she’d felt less and less at ease within its walls.
Perhaps the life among shifters just isn’t for me?
“How are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
&nb
sp; “Come on, Jess. You know what I’m talking about. Your job.”
Jessica snorted softly into her glass. “What job, Zo?
“That’s precisely what I’m talking about. Don’t be so dense, you know that. I want to know how you’re doing? How are you holding up? Do you need anything? Money? A place to stay?”
Jess shifted in her chair, uncomfortable at the reminder that her sister had married into fabulous wealth. “No, I’m fine for now,” she said, giving her honest assessment of the situation. “The house is paid off, and they gave me severance for nearly a year and a half as a deal for taking it early.”
Zoe nodded. “Okay, that’s good. So, you can make that last for a while?”
“Yes. Between what I already had saved away and the package, I’ll land on my feet.” Jessica stated that last part emphatically. The last thing she wanted was more assistance from her sister and her husband. The pair had already insisted on paying off the house she’d bought and sending her on a fancy vacation, but Jessica didn’t like taking help from others. She made her own way in the world.
“I know you hate the idea of me helping you out, big sis, but if it ever does get to that point, promise me you’ll come to me, okay? I won’t shove it down your throat if you promise me you won’t let it get too bad, okay?” Zoe gave her that weird combination of a smile and a glare that only a sister could do.
“Okay, I promise.” She had no intention of taking more money from them, but Jessica wasn’t an idiot either. If life fucked her over again, on top of the factory she’d worked at for 12 years closing, she would come to her sister and Lorran before living on the streets. Still, she wasn’t going to let that happen. There were jobs to be had still, she just had to find them. She quietly didn’t tell Zoe that the house was already on the market, in case she had to move.
“Now, onto happier subjects!” Zoe said, biting her lip to hold down a smile.
“Like what? Are you pregnant?” she teased.
Zoe gave her a full-on glare this time. “You know Lorran doesn’t want any children. Play nice.”
