23. Kezia

"We were just talking,"Nikan said beside me, and I felt him shift his feet nervously. "Nothing important."

Had I been able to glare at him without Cannon seeing me, I would have. Instead, I nudged him in the ribs to shut up, but I heard Cannon's low chuckle.

"Kezia, would you like me to walk you back to the house?" He walked forward until it was so obvious I was avoiding looking at him, I had no choice but to lift my head.

"No?"

Cannon laughed loudly and I jumped in surprise. "Come on," he said jovially, walking past us both to lead. "This isn't a conversation for the street. You two aren't as subtle as you think you are," he added dryly.

Nikan huffed when I jabbed him in the side, but like dutiful chastised children, we followed the alpha through his town, and as we walked, I looked even more closely at the buildings and the pack we met along the way. This pack was happy. It was so obvious, when I watched them interact with each other, that they were content.

The Anterrio Pack weren't unhappy, but we were much more reserved with each other. It wasn't even just with me, although they were a lot more standoffish; they were simply a quiet pack that kept to themselves. But as I observed the Blackridge Peak Pack, I couldn't help but wonder if this was how pack life would be and if this pack was different because they had a better alpha.

Better alpha?

Was Cannon better than Bale? I knew that he was. If we didn't have the whole awkward mate thing happening, this would be a pack I could easily stay with. But was I only here because of the Goddess's sick, twisted sense of humor, and was I only being shown around because Cannon probably thought I was in his pack too?

I wondered, if we managed to break or resist the bond, if I could still stay. Like the universe itself was toying with me, I saw Koda up ahead, looking like one of the fashion models on TV. She was wearing simple black pants and a loose shirt. But with her hair down and luxurious looking and her perfect-looking face, I knew I didn't measure up to her. Looking down at my simple borrowed shorts and T-shirt that had a couple of food stains, I looked grubby.

There was no other word to describe it. I dressed in whatever was comfortable because I didn't care what I looked like.

Koda obviously cared and made the effort.

Is that what he liked? Girls whose hair bounced when they walked?

Self-consciously I patted my ponytail. I had no idea what my hair looked like, probably like a female who had spent the morning fighting and barely showered.

"Why are you frowning?" Nikan asked quietly. He followed my gaze. "You've nothing to worry about there," he assured me.

Cannon looked over his shoulder. "Worry about where?" Coming to a stop, he waited until we were beside him. "Who's worrying? You?" His look was searching. "What are you worried about?"

I was going to punch Nikan by the end of the day, I just knew it.

"I'm not worried about anything." Pulling at the hem of my shirt, I pointed to the stain. "Coffee stains." I looked closer. "Could be bacon stain?"

Nikan snorted. "It's not food, not the way you eat," he teased, just as Koda was almost beside us. "You're like a mechanical digg—" I punched him. "Ow!"

Cannon looked at me and I shrugged. "Knew it was going to happen today."

"Alpha?"

Oh great, now Seductive Koda was looking at me in horror, having obviously witnessed me punching Nikan. Looking between her and Cannon, with her hand on his arm like he was a possession and him not shaking it off, I stepped back.

"I'm going back for a shower," I told all of them. "I'll catch up with you later," I added to Nikan.

"Zia?" Nikan called after me, but I ignored them. All of them. I was overreacting, I knew I was. I just felt confused, and I needed time. I needed time to just get my bearings and feel within myself how I felt about everything that had happened to me over the last few days.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I jumped ten feet in the air.

"Luna!" I fixed him with a glare. "Why the fuck are you always creeping up on me?"

"I don't creep." I could see him trying not to smile though. "Are you all right?"

"Yes." No.

"You know you are really bad at hiding your emotions," Cannon commented quietly.

"Then be a gentleman and don't look." We were almost at his house, and I picked up the pace.

"You running from me?"

"No," I scoffed. "What's the point? You always find me," I added bitterly. Circling my hand in the air, taking in the town, I added, "Plus this is your pack, where could I possibly run?"

"So just avoiding me then?"

I leveled him with a look. Standing at the top of the steps to get into his house, I looked down at him, standing on the path. "I just want a shower."

Cannon put his hands in the back pockets of his jeans and rocked back slightly. The move showed off the definition of the tone of his arms, his dark gray T-shirt pulled across his upper body. His jeans were the same dark ones I liked, the ones that sat a little bit low and hugged his ass just right.

The jeans I liked? He had jeans I liked? Dear Luna, what was happening to me?

"Something wrong?" His tone had dropped slightly, his voice huskier.

My tummy fluttered and my lower body wakened. "No." Forcing myself to look at him, I reached for the door handle. "I just need a shower. You"—licking my lips, I remembered the last time I was in the shower with him—"you don't need to come in."

Cannon didn't move, his expression didn't change, he simply nodded. "Okay. You sure?"

"I'm fine." I was almost inside, and Cannon hadn't moved from the path. "You can go do your alpha things."

He smiled widely. "I'm due in the fields. We're planting for spring harvest," he told me. "I was late, and then hearing you and Nikan, I got distracted." He looked over his shoulder briefly. "We can talk if you have things you want to discuss?"

"Nope. No questions or anything to discuss. Just need a shower. I feel grubby."

His smile turned wicked. "I like you grubby," he said so softly that only I could hear, and that part of my body that knew only him wanted to get to know him some more.

We held each other's stare for a moment until a nauseating floral scent overloaded my senses.

"Alpha, Doc's looking for you."

Koda looked perfectly innocent, but I knew I would never trust her. Realizing I was jealous, I stepped inside the house. "I'll see you later," I told Cannon. I never heard his reply. I was already halfway up the stairs to the bedroom.

A quick shower later, I searched the bathroom and then the bedroom for a hair dryer. Coming up empty, I decided to check Cannon's bathroom.

Pushing the door open, I checked over my shoulder, making sure he wasn't behind me in one of his creeping-up-on-me tricks. Seeing no sign of him, I stepped into the alpha's bedroom and was at once surrounded by his scent, which hit me so hard that I stumbled. My nostrils flared as I breathed his scent in, filling my lungs with the familiar, welcoming presence of my mate.

"Luna," I breathed shakily. Cannon's room was devoid of anything personal, but it was so overwhelmingly him that I drank it all in, from the plain white linens on his bed to the two pillows straightened with military precision, the closet door slightly open, and the simple wooden bookshelf crammed with books of all genres, which sat beside a large desk with papers on it and a simple desk lamp. I frowned at the hole in the wall, wondering what happened there.

A high-backed gray chair sat in the corner beside the window, and I wondered why he would need a chair here when he had a window seat, until common sense reminded me that Cannon was just too large of a frame to sit there comfortably.

My feet took me across the room, and soon I was sinking into the sturdy chair, surprised at how comfy it was. Dark blue drapes hung on either side of his window, and I hoped they shielded me as I sat on the alpha's chair and looked out over his town. The simple act made me feel closer to him, causing me to shake my head at my romanticism. He wasn't even here, and I felt him all around me. I could feel how being able to sit here and watch his pack go about their lives would please him.

I could practically feel how content he would be sitting here.

A sense of peace spread through me, and I let myself feel it before I gently pushed it away. I didn't need to be here, experiencing this. This was his space, and I was an intruder. Ignoring the sense of disappointment, I stood and walked to the adjoining bathroom. Papers on his desk made me pause.

Without thinking about it, I moved the top papers aside, picking up the one that had caught my eye.

"Vance Forbes," I read. "Twenty-eight, weighs one-hundred-eighty-nine pounds, height five eleven. Blood type B positive. Criminal record, arson, grievous bodily harm, possession of drugs, illegal fighting." I swallowed, my hand shaking as I read the next note. "Targeted Kezia when she returned to the human world, sought her out. Employed a large network of eyes and ears for a white-haired girl. Unknown why he wanted her, but three guns were retrieved, all carrying?—"

"Silver bullets."

Dropping the paper, I turned to the doorway where Cannon stood leaning against the frame. "Three guns?"

Cannon nodded, entering the room and closing the door behind him, and I felt the room seal with the same magic as the study.

"You need soundproofing in here?"

"Not everyone needs to hear their alpha snore." He was in front of me, reaching for me, and I went unresisting, eager for his kiss. "Among other things," he teased, kissing me lightly. Anticipating my outrage, he kissed me more firmly. Our mouths softened against each other, and then he was kissing me the way I hadn't realized I desperately needed him to.

When we pulled apart, Cannon kept me close to him. Reaching behind me, he picked up the paper and scanned it. "I told you all this." He frowned. "Did you not believe me?"

"I saw his name, and"—I took a deep breath—"I'm ashamed to say I forgot he was even here." Pushing against Cannon's chest slightly, he loosened his grip, and I stepped back. "I've been so disoriented lately I can't keep track of all the shit in my life," I sneered at how easily I had lost sight of everything.

Cannon's large thumb brushed over my lips as if to wipe the sneer away. "I don't like that look on you," he murmured. "You've dealt with everything you've had thrown at you. Let me deal with this."

"I want to see him."

"Absolutely not."

"I think I have the right?—"

"You thought wrong."

I gaped at the alpha in front of me. "I'm sorry, did you just tell me what I can think?"

"Yes." He saw my outrage. "No," he said with a sigh, rubbing his head. "You can think whatever you want, you can be whoever you want here."

"But I can't see Vance?"

"No."

"Even though it was me he was going to shoot with silver bullets?" I demanded.

"Exactly why you can't see him."

"That's exactly why I should be the one who sees him. Why I should be one of the only people to see him!"

Cannon crossed his arms over his chest. "I said no."

With wide eyes, I pointed at him. "I don't give a damn what you say."

"Too bad." Cannon turned his back on me, heading back to the bedroom door. "Why were you in here?"

"I wanted a hair dryer." Hurrying after him, I pushed the door closed when he opened it, feeling the spell reengage. "Do not walk out on me. I want to discuss this."

"There's nothing to discuss, Kezia. You asked, I said no. End of discussion." Cannon jerked the handle, and the door opened so sharply I needed to step out of the way. "I think there's a hair dryer on the bottom shelf of the vanity."

He left me. I watched him as he walked down the stairs without looking back, and I heard the front door close.

"Asshole."

Pulling my damp hair off my face, I quickly braided it, ducking back into my bedroom for a hair tie. Checking my clothes and deciding I was stupid to be put off by Koda's appearance, I hurried down the stairs in my leggings and a T-shirt. I had bigger things to worry about other than how I was dressed for an alpha who didn't even listen to me.

On his front porch, I scanned the streets for him. Seeing him nowhere, I jogged down the steps, and then I was making a beeline for the bunker.

He could tell me whatever he wanted. Didn't mean I had to listen.

The bunker was unguarded, which took me by surprise, but then it dawned on me that the pack would have no reason to be here. Carefully I entered and took the stairs slowly, waiting for a pissed-off alpha to appear at any time. The corridor was empty, and slowly I made my way to the door that was damaged, stepped inside, and saw the room with my cell.

"It looks bigger," I spoke out loud, walking closer and seeing the bars pulled apart, a stark reminder of her strength and the fact I wasn't alone inside myself. I'd let too much be put aside while I enjoyed the benefits of being with the alpha. I had so much to work out and get through that I shouldn't be letting physical pleasure be the reason I got sidetracked. "I'm not thinking with the head on my shoulders," I scolded myself.

Before I left the room, I hesitated at the approximate spot where the alpha had shot me with silver bullets. "Asshole."

In the corridor once more, I picked a direction and listened for movement as I walked along. The bunker was far bigger than I thought, and I was in danger of getting lost when I saw a door ajar and a light coming from it. Praying to Luna, I pushed the door open, vaguely seeing Hannah, but my entire focus was on the back of the room and the man who sat on a cot, watching me as I approached him.

"Vance."

He held my stare as I looked him over. He was thinner and had a few bruises, but he looked okay.

He looked fine.

Irrational anger surged through me. How dare he look fine! He was going to shoot me with silver fucking bullets. As I moved forward, the cool hand wrapping around my upper arm surprised me.

"Hannah?"

"He can't hear you," she told me gently.

"Why?"

"He's sealed in. It's a pod."

"A pod?" I looked more closely, seeing the enclosure for what it was. It was a cell with no bars and no obvious exit. "Magic?"

Hannah nodded. "Mixed with science." She tugged my arm, turning me away from Vance. "Let's not give him the chance to lip-read," she murmured.

"I need to talk to him."

"Nuh-uh." Hannah glanced at Vance and then me, and I suddenly knew how her children felt being chastised, because she was definitely wearing a "mom" expression. "And does your mate know you're here?"

I could lie. I could avoid the question. Instead, I shrugged. "If he knows me as well as he seems to think he does, then yes, he does."

Hannah groaned loudly. "For Luna's sake, Kezia. Are you just trying to make him lose his temper?"

"He's a pigheaded asshole."

"Who has done everything to keep you safe," she scolded. Her look was speculative. "I thought you had sex?"

My eyes widened in shock and embarrassment. "Did he put it on a bulletin board?" I demanded incredulously.

Hannah chuckled, taking her seat at a computer desk. "No, silly. Royce was in the house when he concluded that neither of you were coming back down."

"Oh."

We both jumped when the door was open, but my spike of apprehension settled quickly when I saw it was only Doc.

"Kezia?" He looked surprised but it was gone quickly. "What are you doing here?"

"I want to talk to him."

Doc looked over my shoulder at Vance and then me and nodded. "Sounds reasonable."

"Doc?" Hannah stood. "Is this a good idea?"

"He can't get out, and maybe he'll answer her, because he's said shit to me. I need a pad and a pen."

Turning, I faced Vance and saw him leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, his eyes missing nothing of the exchange, even if he couldn't hear us. He looked at me with expectation, sitting back, entirely comfortable despite being in a pod.

I smiled widely as I took him in. He wasn't fooling me. Not again. "Oh, he'll talk to me. I guarantee it."