28. Kezia

I feltmyself move closer to Cannon as I watched Landon approach us. His hands were in the pockets of his jeans, his posture relaxed, and for the first time in my life, I wondered where he got his confidence from. I knew he could have had it easier in the pack. He was the pack leader's son after all, but Landon did his chores like the rest of us.

Sometimes, Kris would scold him for slacking off, but considering Cass did nothing, pulling Landon up for relaxing instead of working wasn't as effective. Of course, now I knew why my brother wasn't scolding his mate. I resented all the times I was berated for taking advantage of the friendship of the twins.

With a narrowed gaze, Cannon watched Landon approach, and I wanted to link our fingers together to let him know I was here, but we were in the open, and for the few pack members who saw Landon approach, they all thought he was my mate. The thought made my stomach turn.

"This isn't going to end well," I murmured so only Cannon could hear me, "if you don't keep your temper," I warned, my voice barely a whisper, and felt the whisper of a caress across my mind from the alpha beside me.

Landon hesitated at the gate, his eyes full of mirth as he grinned insolently at Cannon. "And here was me thinking I'd have to search this town, and I find you as soon as I come over the hill."

"What do you want?"

So much for holding onto his temper.

"What do I want? My mate, of course." Landon pointed at me as if there was any doubt to anyone watching he meant me.

Cannon moved forward, and I grabbed his arm. "Let's go into the study?" I spoke loudly. "Landon, inside. Now."

Instead, Landon leaned on the gate and grinned at Cannon. "Bossy, isn't she? Is she like this when you fuck her?"

I grabbed at Cannon, but I missed him as he jumped the steps and barreled towards the male I once thought of as a friend. Landon jumped backward not to run, but into a defensive stance.

I couldn't take in the craziness, but I was already running after Cannon, but it was the bundle of muscle that threw himself between the alpha and Landon that got there first. Royce pushed Cannon back, just as Nikan raced between them also, and he pushed Landon away.

"Let's all calm down," Royce spoke firmly but pleasantly, his eyes hard as he looked at Cannon. "Alpha," he warned.

"We were going into the study," I told him, feeling anxious.

"Excellent idea," Nikan agreed. I noticed he had a hard grip on Landon and practically dragged him towards the house. Cannon hesitated and I was sure that the alpha wasn't going to move, but he did. As he turned on his heel, his gaze clashed with mine, and I saw his barely restrained fury. Then we were all following him inside the house.

The study had several chairs and couches, plenty of seats for everyone. I sat perched on the edge of a seat while Cannon chose to remain standing. Royce took a seat on the couch, as did Nikan, leaving Landon with a chair or a smaller couch. The couch was nearer me, and when he moved to sit beside me, Cannon sat down, his legs kicked out in front of him, his hands on his stomach as he watched the fair-haired male with an almost violent insolence.

Landon chuckled as he took the seat. "I prefer not to bullshit either," he told Cannon when he sat down. His cool gaze turned to me. "Kez, you look great."

I ignored his bullshit. "Why are you here?"

Landon let out a dramatic sigh. "Would you believe I missed you?"

"No."

"We've been friends for years, Kez. You wound me."

"I wouldn't mind wounding you," Cannon drawled with a smirk. "Permanently."

Landon threw his head back and laughed. "I bet you wouldn't," he said, his grin wide. "But I think you've had enough time to break her in. I want her back. It's my turn now."

The silence was deafening and then chaos erupted. The whole couch was tipped backward when Cannon launched himself off it and landed on top of Landon, the sound of fist meeting flesh echoing in the room. Landon was ready for him, but he was no match for a pissed-off alpha whose mate had just been insulted.

Royce and Nikan struggled to pull Cannon off as he and Landon punched the shit out of each other, and when I tried to dodge the male limbs in the area, I got an unintentional smack across my face, causing me to curse in pain as I jumped back.

My cry penetrated Cannon's temper, and suddenly he was beside me, his hands cradling my face.

"Fuck, baby, who hit you? Was it me?" Cannon frantically searched my face, only calming when I placed my hands over his.

"Baby?" I tried to tease him. "That's new." I moved closer to him, seeing him calm down as he watched me. "It wasn't you, and I'm not hurt," I assured him. Cannon dipped his head, his lips brushing over mine gently, and I reached up for another kiss.

"I'm right here, Kez."

Cannon stiffened and I squeezed his hands.

Don't let him get to you.

Cannon's eyes widened in surprise and then delight as he heard me through the mindlink, and he was kissing me again. Not softly, not tentatively. Full-out kissing, and I dimly heard another smack on flesh and figured Nikan or Royce had punched Landon for whatever he had just said.

The alpha stepped back, letting me go with reluctance. He turned and straightened the couch, pulling me onto his lap when he retook his seat.

Overkill, no?

Fuck him. Figuratively not physically.

My snort was loud in the quiet of the room. With effort, I turned my attention back to Landon. "Why are you such a dick?" I cut him off before he could speak. "I'm not your mate. You know it, I know it. And"—I played my trump card—"your father knows it."

Landon watched me, his eyes flicking now and then to Cannon's large hand, which rested with familiarity on my hip. "Says who?"

I blinked. "What?"

"Who says I'm not?" Landon eased himself back in his seat, appearing completely relaxed. "You've never denied it."

"I never accepted it either!"

He leaned forward with the speed of a striking viper. "And you've never denied it." Easing back, he inspected his knuckles. "So, I ask again. Says who?" He glanced at Cannon. "Many mates fuck around first, and honestly," he said with a sigh, "I wasn't looking forward to fucking a virgin, the whimpering and the inexperience, gah. So, thanks for that." He gave Cannon a nod, and I felt the alpha's fingers bite into my hip, but he said nothing. "But it's getting embarrassing now, Kez, so pack your shit and let's go."

There was a low rumbling growl, and I almost, almost wanted to let Cannon punch him again, but something wasn't adding up. I'd known this male for most of my life. This wasn't the carefree Landon I knew.

Not taking my eyes off him, I spoke quietly. "I need the room." Silence once again surrounded me, and when I turned to them, Nikan and Royce were both looking at me in varying degrees of shock. Turning on his lap, I locked eyes with my alpha. "I need a moment alone with Landon."

"No."

I knew that was coming, so I gave him an eye roll and was pleased to see his top lip curl upwards. "Search him," I told him quietly, knowing the others would still hear. "But then leave me with him." Swallowing, I leaned forward, kissing him lightly. "Please."

Cannon was no longer smiling as he watched me, but after a long moment, he nodded, and I heard his brother and his beta's reaction.

"Make it quick, Royce," Cannon told his beta, standing with me still in his arms. The noise of the three others in the room allowed Cannon to move me until I was fully facing him with my legs around his hips. "Whatever you think you're doing, it isn't happening," he whispered in my ear.

Moving into him, I moved my mouth to his ear. "Trust me, Alpha," I whispered back, my teeth catching his lower lobe.

"Pup…"

Pulling my head back, I looked into his eyes, and I felt a thousand emotions race through me as we held each other's stare. Cannon kissed me with urgency and passion, and I kissed him back, even as he unwrapped my legs from around him and lowered me to the ground.

"You have five minutes." He let me go. His look was hard when he spoke to Landon. "Touch her and you die. I don't give a fuck whose son you are."

"I'll wait 'til she's no longer full of your saliva," Landon grunted as he took his seat.

Trust me.

I am, pup. Don't make me regret it.

He was at the door to the study when I sent the next message. I'll make it up to you tonight.

He looked at me over his shoulder, and I saw the gleam in his eye. Hiding my smile, I turned my attention back to Landon, who was watching me openly. The door closed and I felt the seal of magic enclose us, as did Landon, whose eyebrows rose in surprise, and when he got off the seat to come towards me, my punch landed him on his ass.

"That's for the way you spoke about me." I shook my fist. "Don't get up. I will quite happily punch you a hundred more times. What the fuck, Landon?"

Rubbing his jaw, Landon slowly got to his feet, his other hand out to hold me off as he retook his seat. "We even?" he asked me. "You hurt me with your fist, I hurt you with my words."

"No! We're not even, you dipshit." Sitting on the couch Cannon had just left, I tried to calm down. "Why are you here?"

"I told you, I want you to come home."

I waited, but when he said nothing further, I knew I was gawking. "Home? Anterrio Pack has never been my home!"

"Bullshit, Kez." Landon stood abruptly but it wasn't to come towards me, it was to pace. "How can you say that? Cass and I are your family! We've known each other almost our whole lives. And Kris? Is your brother no longer home?"

He was right, but he was also wrong. "You three will always be my family," I agreed, then gave him a pointed look. "You may be the family outcast after the shit you've said today, but three people don't make a pack?—"

"Don't they?" Landon watched me closely. "It was enough for your parents."

My heart lurched. "What do you know?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Landon looked away from me. "I know enough."

"Tell me."

He turned back to me, and I saw his gaze harden. "No."

"Landon!"

"No." Pushing his hands in his pockets, he shrugged. "I told everyone you were my mate. You didn't deny it. Cass has started planning a wedding, for fuck's sake."

"What? Why?"

"Because she believes you're my mate!" he roared in anger.

"I'm not your mate, you asshole. I'm his mate!" I pointed to the doors and then realized what I'd said, snapping my mouth closed, although I knew it was too late.

Landon looked so shocked I almost laughed, and then he was shaking his head. "How?"

"Luna?" I said tiredly, dropping back onto the couch. "Just tell me what you know about my family, Landon."

"I don't believe you."

"I don't fucking care!" Curling over my knees, I dropped my head in my hands, trying desperately to hold onto my temper. "I am not your mate." I lowered my voice. "It doesn't work like that." Straightening, I watched him as he took his seat, avoiding my stare. "But you know that already, don't you?"

He didn't meet my glare. Instead, he made a show of reading the titles of the books on the shelves. "You need to come back with me."

"So you don't lose face?" I guessed and saw his slight wince. "Is that what this is? You saving face?"

"The Pack Council can break any bond. Fathers already checked with them."

I felt my mouth go dry. "You knew Cannon was my mate. How long?"

Landon glanced at me and then returned to looking at the bookshelf. "Your heat. The time you were in the cells, Kris was with you. Him I could have gotten past, but that fucker? He guarded your door the whole time. His eyes changed to his wolf, and he almost took Grant's head off when he tried to take water down to you."

"I don't think Cannon even knew then." My voice was quiet as I watched my childhood friend.

Landon snorted. "He knew. He was fucking furious when Kris came back without you."

"Then if you know this, why are you trying to make me go back to a pack that never wanted me?" I leaned forward. "Your face is decent enough; you don't need to save it." I tried to be lighthearted even though I was in knots on the inside. "And I think the pack may be relieved if you are free to pick another."

Landon's flat stare held more animosity from him than I had ever seen. "Alphas have mates," he bit out. "You will be my mate."

Rising to my feet, I backed away from him. "No. I won't. You are not an alpha, and my mate, my alpha, is out there."

Landon crossed the room with surprising quickness. His hand wrapped around my throat, tightening as he pulled me closer. "I know everything that happened with your parents, Kez. Everything. Agree to this, and I'll help you kill the ones who killed them."

My hands were clawing at him as I struggled to breathe.

Landon pulled me closer, his lips almost touching mine. "Do this, and Kris lives." He saw the panic in my eyes, and he nodded. "You think you're the only one who will suffer if you continue to be a selfish bitch?"

"Landon!"

"Think about it." Releasing me and pushing me away, he straightened his T-shirt. "I'll be waiting at the alcove you fucked him at."

My brain was scrambled, and my breathing was coming in pants, but I watched him like a hawk. "You were there?"

Landon snorted with contempt. "Fuck no. I could smell you both when I went to see where our pack beta and the shaman had sneaked off to."

"Why are you doing this? We were friends, I was never this for you. Why is this happening?" I struggled to understand. "If you need help, we can help you."

Landon tipped his head back and laughed. When he stopped, he cocked his head as he watched me. "You're as na?ve as always, Kez. I'll wait one night."

"Or what?"

"Or you better say goodbye to Kris before it's too late."

I lashed out at him, but he caught me, turning me so my back was to his chest. "You tell that fucking animal outside, or any of his pack, and Kris dies."

"You wouldn't do that to Cass," I countered desperately, struggling to get free. "Kris is her mate, her true mate."

"Just like I wouldn't threaten your brother," he taunted in my ear. "Right?" His hand cupped my breast and squeezed, freezing me in place. "At the alcove, you come tonight, you come back to our pack, our home, and you will mate with me. Reject Cannon, and if you do all that…" His tongue licked up the side of my face. "You do that, and I will tell you everything you need to know about the day your parents died. I'll hunt those left down with you, and you and your brother will have your vengeance. Plus, both you and Kris will live."

Landon stepped back, and I watched him carefully, fear in my belly when he smiled at me like he always had done. "You'll adapt to this, Kez," he told me casually. "You're a fighter. Do what you need to survive."

The doors opened and Cannon walked in, his eyes on me. "Kezia? Are you okay?"

I couldn't look away from Landon, the male I grew up with. The stranger in front of me, who looked just like the male I knew.

"Kezia?"

The sharpness in his voice startled me. "Yeah?" I tried to smile when I saw his concern. "I'm fine. Landon understands now," I told him. My lips felt swollen as I lied to him. "Everything is sorted."

"Kezia is right," Landon said as he looked at the others. "I should head back. My ego is bruised, but as I was reminded, we're survivors." I felt Landon's eyes on me, and I looked away from Cannon, who was ignoring Landon, to meet the blue-eyed look of a former ally. "No hard feelings, right, Kez?"

"None." I willed my heart to slow down before Cannon demanded answers that I couldn't give him. Answers that put my brother at risk. "Have a safe journey back to the pack." I swallowed. "Say hi to Cass and Kris for me."

He gave a sharp nod of his head, understanding my compliance, and I felt sick. I didn't pay attention as Landon was escorted out of the alpha's house. I was caught in the hard stare of an alpha.

"What the fuck did he say to you?"