4. Kezia

"Cannon!"I raced to the ropes as I watched him push past people. "No!" I knew exactly where he was headed, and I knew I wasn't going to get to him before he got to Vance. "Shit."

Climbing through the ropes, I jumped onto the ground, ignoring the roughness of the concrete floor as I ran after the alpha. I saw Royce and the stranger battling through the crowd too and then lost sight of them as bodies crowded around me.

Fighting my way through the crowd, I pushed and shoved until I was clear, but by then, Cannon already had his hand wrapped around Vance's throat and had him pinned against the wall, his feet off the ground. Running at Cannon's back, I came to a sudden stop when he reached behind him and grabbed me, halting my advance.

His strength and speed were scary, and I staggered as he pulled me roughly into his side. Cannon kept his attention on Vance as his fingers dug into my hip, his hold tight.

"Cannon—"

"Shut your mouth," he snarled. "You've said more than enough." He glanced down at me, and I bit back my retort when I saw his normally green eyes were almost turquoise as he fought to hold back his wolf. Knowing what was at stake, I pressed my lips tightly together.

Looking up at Vance, I winced when I saw his lips turning blue and couldn't hold my silence. "Cannon, you're hurting him," I pleaded quietly. "I didn't mean any of it," I told him honestly, trying to fight against his hold on me. "Let him go. I'll come with you, I won't even fight it."

Cannon pushed Vance higher up the wall, but he turned his head to look down at me. "You let him touch what's mine," he growled.

What's his? I wasn't his. But rightnow was not the time to be pedantic.

"And I will let you kick my ass," I assured him quickly, my hands in fists at my side as I tried my best to reason with a crazy person. "Just, let him go." I swallowed my pride. "Please, Alpha, let him go."

Cannon's nostrils flared and he scoffed. "You're a shit liar. You're covered in his scent."

"Then cover me in yours!" Twisting out of his hold, I pressed myself between the two of them.

Cannon snarled in disgust when Vance's limp body touched mine. Cannon released Vance, letting him drop to the ground as he jerked me forward, away from him. I was in his arms, not how I imagined our reunion, I admit, his arms wrapped around me like a vise.

"Cannon," I whispered. "Everyone's watching."

"You think I care?" His eyes were turning back to their normal forest green. Vance groaned behind me, and I tried to turn, but the alpha caught my head, forcing me to look at him. "Eyes on me," he warned softly.

"Cannon," Royce spoke lowly behind us. "We need to move."

"I know," he answered, watching me. Only me.

I felt some of the tension leave his body but not enough to relax me. I was still pinned in his arms, my friend regaining consciousness at my feet.

"You stink of him," he told me again. "Tell me why he should live." Cannon's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Because you're overreacting," I hissed at him. "Like the colossal asshole you are." I felt his arms loosen slightly as the alpha stared down at me.

"You kissed him."

"For the first time, tonight!" I said in exasperation. "Everyone's staring at us while you have your jealous fit of rage. Can you just get your shit together? Things are bad enough without you being a possessive dick!"

Vance moved and I tried to look, but the alpha's grip stayed firm. "No."

I saw the shift of his eyes, and I moved closer. "Let's leave," I urged him. "We can talk, fight, or whatever you want."

"Fuck?"

I swallowed hard, but I was already nodding. "Whatever you want," I told him as I pressed closer, hoping he didn't call my bluff. "We need to go."

"To the pack?"

I nodded again, slower this time. "Of course."

"Say it."

My wolf was alert and wary, but she remained silent. "Say what?" I asked, unsure, unable to look away from his hard stare.

"Tell your alpha what you want." The blue eyes of his wolf mingled with the green, and I knew how close he was to losing control, even though I wanted to smack him with something hard and heavy off the side of his head.

"I want to go back to the pack," I spoke softly but clearly. "With you, Alpha."

I didn't expect the cold, almost cruel smile as Cannon released me and stepped back. His eyes were clear of any wolf presence, but they stayed on mine as he spoke to Royce. "You heard her, she wants to goback to the pack, with me. Let's go." Royce stepped forward, his hand reaching for me. "Leave her," Cannon barked. "Kezia, now."

Jumping at the command in his voice, I hurried to his side, resenting his tone but prepared to run as soon as we got outside.

"And him?" Royce asked from behind.

Cannon smirked at me as he spoke. "Bring him."

"You can't take Vance!" I hissed at the alpha furiously.

"Watch me." He turned away from me, and for the first time, I noticed the sheer number of shifters who had surrounded us, keeping the humans back. "Move out."

I had no choice but to follow as they cleaved their way through the confused but excitable crowd. Looking over my shoulder once, I saw Royce half carrying a still stunned Vance. The beta looked at me, and I saw his warning look before the low growl from in front jerked my head around so I was once more staring at the broad back of the alpha.

Outside, the cool air brought little clarity as a shifter, who I didn't know, spoke quietly to the fight organizer, and I saw him hand over a large wad of cash. There were several Jeeps, some full cars, some open tops, and I realized the shifters were getting into them. My time to flee was running out, but when I saw Royce place Vance in the back seat of one of the covered Jeeps, I knew I couldn't leave him.

As I turned to look for Cannon, my breath caught when I met his gaze, anger still riding his emotions. Cannon jerked his head to the back of the warehouse, and I hesitated as I understood his intent. He raised an eyebrow in challenge, and I felt my wolf grumble in retaliation.

"Just go," Royce mumbled beside me, almost inaudible amongst the noise of the shifters revving engines and getting ready to leave. "He needs to calm down," he added. "The Jeeps will hide you."

"My stuff?"

"We got it." Royce looked over my shoulder and I took the hint.

I slipped between the cars, making it look like I was getting in one of the few with tinted glass, so anyone looking at security footage later didn't see me run to the back of the warehouse. I hurried to the back of the building, hoping that I was quick enough to shift and run. They wouldn't hold Vance, I was sure of it. I could shift and run and come back and get him.

My plan was ruined when I saw Cannon already waiting for me. His alpha speed was far faster than I could ever be, I realized.

"Planning on running?" he mocked me as he stood still under the moonlight.

"No," I lied and saw his lip curl upward in a sneer. "Fine, I thought about it."

"What else have you thought about tonight?" Cannon folded his arms across his chest. He was still shirtless, and I was having a hard time not looking at his body.

"My fights," I struggled to answer without losing the fake confidence I was clinging to.

"Your friend?" he sneered.

"Jealousy is a poor fit for you," I snarked back. The speed with which he moved forward made my knees shake.

"Strip."

"Fuck you."

Cannon's head tilted slightly. "You said whatever I want," he reminded me. "You said to cover your body with my scent."

I couldn't swallow, my throat was too dry. I was too far out of my depth. "Here?" My question was a whisper, but he heard me.

"Here." Cannon's voice was harsh and cold. "Take off your clothes, or I'll rip them off."

I was in jeans and a sports bra. He'd seen me naked before. Shifters were used to nudity—we were werewolves after all—but this felt…different. My sports bra had a front zip, and with shaky hands, I tugged at the zipper, freeing my breasts to the cool night air, tossing it to the side once it was off. Keeping my head lowered, I unsnapped my jeans, pushing the denim down my hips, kicking them off and stepping to the side.

"Underwear."

My jaw clenched as I followed his command.

"Shift."

Surprised, I looked up at Cannon to see his cold hard glare as he watched me. "Wh-what?"

"I said shift," he told me. "When we get back to my pack, I want his stench off you as much as possible."

The nausea in my belly settled. "We're running back?" I said in understanding. "You don't want…" My head dipped again, and I saw the bare feet of the alpha as he stepped into my space.

"Want you?" he asked me gruffly. "Want a female who's so terrified her scent is making my stomach turn?" he added harshly. "You think so little of me?"

I couldn't look up at him, my relief warring with my lingering anxiety. "You implied…"

"I'm not a monster," he growled at me. "You're my mate, remember?" I heard the sneer even though I wasn't looking at him. "While you may want to fuck a human, the bond still exists between us," he told me bitterly.

"I didn't," I whispered, feeling tears burning my throat. "My heat is near, I…I was thinking of you?—"

"As you stuck your tongue down another's throat? Gee, I'm thrilled." Cannon let out a bitter laugh. "Shift."

I had nothing else to say. Nothing I could say. I knew how it sounded. Goddess, I knew how it looked. I had no excuse, so instead, I let my wolf forward and turned my head as Cannon took off his jeans. I felt the heat of flames, and she turned her head as he set fire to our clothes in the exact spot I had stood when Vance kissed me. I'd unpack that later when I was calmer and he was in more control of his temper.

Run.

His voice in my head was warm and comforting, a contrast to who he was in his human form. We ran to the woods to start the journey north to the mountains that housed the Blackridge Peak Pack. I was under no illusion he was taking me home.

* * *

We ran for days.He kept quiet for most of it. We hunted together, our wolves sharing our kills, but the alpha maintained his silence. Still, it was impossible not to enjoy the journey. His wolf was huge, a large black wolf with no hint of any other color, and bright electric blue eyes watched me and the terrain, seeing far too much of both, I suspected.

My wolf was content beside him. I knew she wanted to sidle up to him, but I kept her back from him. When she caught two rabbits, dropping them at the alpha's feet rather than eating her fill first, I pretended not to notice how easily she submitted to the more dominant wolf.

All too soon, the familiar peak rose above us, and with reluctance that our time was nearing the end, I followed the alpha as he ascended the mountain.

We were near his pack lands when he turned to look back at my wolf.

Shift.

She did so willingly. I had a lot more questions, and as I rose from the crouching position, pulling my hair over my shoulder, I heard Cannon sniff.

"Better," he grunted. "Not good, but better."

My snappy retort was lost when I heard the command.

Sleep.

I heard the distant snort of amusement as I whispered "asshole" as sleep covered me like a warm welcome blanket.

The fact I woke in the same cell that I'd escaped all those months ago didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was seeing Cannon stretched out in a chair in front of my cell, eating a chicken leg and reading a document. He looked as I sat up, and pointed wordlessly to the corner of my cell with his half-eaten chicken leg.

Turning my head, I saw the plate of covered food, and with hunger gnawing at my belly, I crossed the cell and brought my tray of food back to my bed. Uncovering it, I ate the first two chicken legs without looking at him.

"How long was I out this time?" I asked him, opening my bottle of water.

"A day."

"And Vance?" I asked, picking up the third leg and taking a bite.

"You no longer have his stench."

My gaze flicked up from my plate to his, and I watched him lick his fingers clean. "That's not what I meant." I was dressed in gray sweatpants and a white tank.

"Don't care," Cannon said with a shrug, his attention going back to his document. "Do you know that your heat surfaces every time I'm near?"

They'd mentioned it last time, and I hadn't been sure, but as soon as he said it, and knowing how I reacted to him, I realized that it made sense. I wasn't in control of my body any time I was in the same space as him.

Hormones.

A shifter's cycle was a cruel joke of the Goddess's.

"And do you know, when your heat spikes, you make really, really bad choices?" he added, turning the page of his report without looking at me. "First with that limp dick Landon and then, I actually don't know if it's worse, some horny human."

"Been naked or next to naked with you a few times too," I added with more bite than I intended. I pretended to think about it. "You're right, I make really, really bad choices."

"My mate," Cannon drawled sarcastically. "The tramp."

I was on my feet, the tray at my feet as I surged towards the bars. "I hate you," I hissed at him. "If you despise me so much, Alpha, let me be free, away from you."

Cannon stood, slowly uncurling from his relaxed pose. In one step, he was in front of me, glaring down at me. "You are not free," he reminded me. "Your crimes are as yet unanswered. Your brother and your shaman have not aided you by letting you run."

"I was in seclusion," I defended Kris immediately. "I ran. He doesn't know."

"You are as poor a liar as you are a judge of character."

"Says tons about you, mate."

Cannon smiled as he watched me. "I am the only thing that's keeping you alive right now, pup."

"By locking me up? Again?"

"Would you rather stand in front of the Pack Council and tell them how you cannot control your wolf? Tell them that you are feral and rogue, or how about you tell them you fight illegally in human fight rings, using your supernatural strength to beat men for money?"

"I fight as a human!" I shouted angrily.

"No. You don't," he said, grabbing the bars. "Because you are not human, and you never will be." Cannon's hard glare cut into me. "Until you control your wolf and accept you are a shifter who has superior strength to a human, you will stay in this cell."

I stepped back in confusion. "Until when?"

"Until I am convinced you are not a danger."

"I'm not dangerous," I protested weakly.

"Which is exactly why you remain here, pup. You are the most dangerous thing I've ever met."

The heavy silence hung between us until the alpha turned, scooped up his stuff, and left me in the cell.

It had been months. Months of freedom. Why then was I back in this cell, having the same conversation with a male who refused to hear me? Tiredly, I sank onto the bed and closed my eyes.

A rhythmic knocking brought me out of my wallowing. Turning my head, I looked at the wall to the side of the room I was locked in. There was someone else here. Snapping my eyes open, I sat up in bed. I wasn't alone here, there was someone else here, and they were here because of me.

Because of my stupidity.

"Vance!"