22. Kezia

Everything felt betterwhen I was my wolf. I had said it all my life, and I would continue saying it until the day I died: there was nothing that beat being a wolf.

Nothing?

Are you going to tell me that sex is better? I asked my alpha as he ran beside me.

Are you seriously going to tell me it isn’t?

He may have a point. I wasn’t letting him know that though, so I chose to say nothing. It didn’t matter—his massive black wolf nudged me playfully and sent me tumbling. I was back on my feet instantly, racing after him as he ran ahead, both of us relishing the run and being free to be with each other.

I should have felt guilty. I knew that these were serious times, but the sense of freedom and rightness as we ran together couldn’t be dented by something like guilt.

Cannon saw the white rabbit first, about the same time as it sensed him, and by the grace of the Goddess, it gave us a wild run. The chase was exhilarating, both of us working together almost seamlessly as we hunted down one rabbit. When Cannon finally had his jaws around the beast, I waited for the snap of its neck, which never came.

Did you forget how to kill?

The shaman never stated if it was to be dead or alive.

Shit. I remembered asking, but I didn’t remember the answer. I had a more pressing problem, I realized, when I felt an urge rise inside me that only my alpha could satisfy.

Shifting to human form, I looked around the lowland brush that we were in. “If I make a cage, we could keep it alive.”

Turning to look over my shoulder, I saw that Cannon had already shifted. He held the rabbit by the scruff of the neck as he watched me. His body was hard and inviting, his cock resting heavily against his thigh. The sight of it made me lick my lips. I remembered tasting him earlier.

“Kezia,” Cannon growled. “Keep looking at me like I’m dinner, and I’ll let this thing drop.”

“That’s why I am looking for a cage,” I explained. Pulling twigs off a bush, I tried to make them form a weave. All I did was scratch myself. I felt his warm body behind me, one large hand ran down my back and over my hip. “I need to make the cage.”

“You’re not making a cage,” he said gruffly. Pushing my hair aside, Cannon kissed along my shoulder to the crook of my neck. “The rabbit’s gone.”

Spinning around, I faced him. “What? Why?”

“Didn’t have red eyes. Wasn’t the right one.”

“Are you sure?”

Cannon’s kiss took me by surprise. Pulling me tightly against him, his hand settled on the small of my back, pressing me even closer to his body. I could feel the strength of him all around me, a strength that almost made me nervous, but I knew he would never hurt me. The thought made me bold as I took his cock in my hand and stroked his length. His groan made my knees weak, but still, he never broke the kiss.

Opening my mouth, I pushed my tongue between his lips, parting them, tasting all of him as we kissed. The scent of him made my mouth water, and I wondered if I would ever get enough of this male. Cannon drew back slightly, breaking our kiss, the look in his eyes enough to make my blood heat.

“Kezia?”

“I need you,” I told him simply. “Right here, right now.”

“The rabbit?”

“Can go fuck itself.” His burst of surprised laughter made me grin. “Sorry.” I bit my lip. “Nope, not sorry. I’ll say it again, I don’t give a fuck about the rabbit right now.”

Cannon pulled me closer. “In that case, I say stop talking.”

He kissed me deeply, almost forcefully, exploring my mouth as if he had never tasted me before or would never get to again. His fingers stroked against my throat before cupping my chin, holding my head in place, exactly where he wanted it. I didn’t want to escape his hold, but even if I did, I doubted I would be able to. The kiss was all-consuming, it took my breath away, and I knew without a doubt I was a fool to have let another male kiss me.

My body was on fire. Heat was gradually building in my center and slowly spreading outwards. My nails dug into his shoulders as Cannon laid his claim on my body. The sensation of his touch was burning hot in my veins, and I needed to quench the fire. Wetness pooled between my legs as the pressure built deep in my core, and I knew only having him inside me would ease my craving.

“Cannon.” It could have been a groan or a whisper, or I may not have even spoken. The ache for him was everywhere.

He moved us and I felt rough bark press against my skin. I didn’t care, so eager to have him inside me. I pulled my leg up his thigh, my body slick with sweat. Hooking my leg over his hip, I pulled my mate into me. So desperate, I ignored everything around me.

“Fuck me.”

The frantic need to be filled by him was overriding all my senses. I felt wild and out of control. All I wanted was his cock pushing inside me, stretching me, making me his.

“Fuck, Kezia,” Cannon groaned against my neck when I bucked my hips against his hard length, eager for him to take me. “So eager for me, my mate.”

He pushed inside in one thrust, taking me hard, knocking the air from my body, and both of us groaned in appreciation. There was no finesse. No lovemaking. Cannon fucked me hard and deep, and I begged for more. We had lost control, acting on pure instinct, which only made me crave him more.

My legs crossed behind his back, pulling him into me as hard as I could. I needed to feel his strength against me; I needed to feel almost squashed against his weight as he drove his cock deeper and deeper into me. My fingers were tangled in his hair, pulling his head down so I could kiss him, lips crushing mine as we lost ourselves in each other.

Cannon ground his hips against me, increasing his speed. His moan of approval as I angled my body to take more of him only made him take me harder. So hard it was almost brutal, and still, it wasn’t enough.

We’d had sex before, but he’d never been this uncontrolled. This rough. It felt as if he was giving me all of him, all his force, uncontrolled and wild, and I wanted it.

I needed it.

As his thrusts became more punishing, I knew I’d wear the bruises, and I relished the pain as well as the pleasure.

“More, Alpha,” I grunted against his skin.

“I’ll give you more,” he snarled, eyes wild with lust. Grabbing my hands, he pinned them above my head, using the tree to push off against me as he picked up his punishing rhythm.

My entire body was strung so tight I knew my orgasm was going to ruin me. His thumb stroked over my clit once, and my orgasm hit me so hard I may have blacked out. My teeth sank into his skin where his shoulder met his neck, and I felt my alpha’s body still as he spilled inside me.

Cannon rested his forehead against mine as we both panted, desperate for air, our gazes locked.

“Holy Goddess, what the fuck was that?” he asked me with a shaky breath.

“Sex.” My voice was rough, hoarse sounding. “Good sex.”

“Great sex.”

“The best sex,” I agreed. Cannon moved back slightly, and all my muscles screamed in protest. “Ow!”

“Are you hurt?” He cupped my jaw, concern in his eyes. “Did I hurt you?”

“Hurt me?” I grinned up at him. “I think you tried to split me in two.” Gingerly I dropped my legs from around his waist, and on shaky feet, I tried to stand. “Ow, ow, ow.”

Cannon half turned to show me his back. “Feel like I’ve been shredded. Have I?”

His back was a mess of bloody scratches, and with a glance at my hands, I saw blood under my nails. “Um…I think you need to shift, to heal.”

Cannon kissed me softly. “Savage little mate.”

“What the heck was in that potion the shaman gave me?” I asked ruefully as I stretched my arms over my head. “That was…unexpected.”

Cannon shook his head from side to side, almost as if he was shaking his head clear, before coming to a complete standstill. “Kezia?”

“Mm-hmm?”

“There’s a very big fucking rabbit with red eyes, eyeing us as if we’re dinner,” he spoke quietly.

Following his line of vision, I held back the gasp. I’d never seen a rabbit so big. “Did we just screw that into existence?”

Cannon’s snort of laughter broke the stare off. The rabbit turned on its heel and ran for it. The alpha and I both shifted at the same time, and soon we were running after it.

What a wild and crazy day this had been, and as we chased down the biggest rabbit ever seen, I knew I wouldn’t have changed one moment of it.

“That’s a big rabbit.”Royce eyed the beast thoughtfully. “Is it supposed to be eyeballing me like that?”

Drinking my coffee, I leaned casually against my alpha’s chest. We were on a couch in the study, he was sitting behind me, and I was using him as my support as I leaned against him. “It runs quicker than a wolf too.”

“No shit? Really?”

“Almost broke my neck trying to catch the darned thing,” Cannon said, sipping his coffee. His head bent to speak in my ear. “You comfy there?”

“I’m deliciously comfy,” I told him as I burrowed in deeper.

“You two make me nauseous.”

“Liar,” I teased Royce. “You love it.”

He gave me a look that told me I was right, but he wasn’t admitting it. “The pack’s ready to move when you give the word, Alpha.”

I felt Cannon tense slightly, but then he relaxed once more. “I’ll check everything over before I give the order.”

“Of course,” Royce murmured.

Sitting up, I turned to look back at Cannon. “Are we ready?”

Lifting me off his lap, Cannon stood. “We are ready. I’m up-to-date with all the preparations. I’ve given my orders, and most of them have been followed.”

“Most of them?” I hesitated. “You’ve done what? How are you up-to-date? You’ve been with me the whole time!”

“I’m alpha to my pack, Kezia. Because I’m with you doesn’t mean I am not with them.”

“Huh?” The mindlink meant that he could talk to any of his pack. “Are you always with them?” My gaze darted to Royce, who was studiously examining the bookshelves.

“Not all the time.” Cannon winked at me, and I knew I was blushing.

“Why is the rabbit in the study?” Royce asked suddenly, obviously keen to change the subject.

“Because the shaman told us to put it somewhere until he needed it,” I told him, leaning back on the couch, which was no longer as comfortable without my alpha to lean on.

“So…we’re keeping it? Like a pet?”

Cannon and I exchanged a look. “We don’t know,” Cannon admitted. “It’s as unknown to us as it is to you.”

“Have you asked him?”

“Have we asked him?” I slapped my forehead. “Cannon, why didn’t we ask him?”

“Okay, fine, I get it, stupid question.”

“We asked him,” Cannon told him, shooting me a look of reprimand, and I stuck my tongue out at him. “He deemed it wasn’t pertinent to answer yet.”

Royce was once more looking between us with confusion. “That means what?”

“We don’t know.” I got off the couch, wandering over to the window where the alpha just happened to be standing. Cannon pulled me into his side, and I felt content once more.

“Do you ever not touch each other?” Royce asked us.

“You make it sound sordid,” I admonished him, sharing a smile with Cannon.

“Do you even know you’re doing it?”

“If you don’t want to look at us, don’t keep coming into the house.”

“Kezia.” Cannon nudged my hip, and I glowered at him. He ignored me as he spoke to his beta. “It’s still new for us,” he reminded him. “I am sure in time, we will be like any other married couple. Until then, I’m not going to not touch my mate in case it makes people uncomfortable.”

Royce flushed and, for once, looked put out. “You know I don’t mean it like that,” he spoke to Cannon directly. “But you plan to lead us into a pack war. Your pack is ready, and you haven’t been exactly…present.”

I felt Cannon bristling behind me, but before I could come to his defense, he spoke first. “You’re right. I need to be seen.” Turning me to face him, Cannon kissed the tip of my nose. “Do you want to come check the pack with me? Or stay here with…it?” We both looked over at the rabbit, which was still watching us.

“Don’t leave me alone with it.”

“Agreed.”

And that was how the three of us went on pack patrol. Cannon told me not to call it pack patrol, but since I had coined the phrase, it was firmly implanted in my head.

We met Kris deep in conversation with Ned, and I loved how easily my brother fit into this pack. I didn’t love the fact that Cass still hadn’t told him she was pregnant. A fact I decided I was going to rectify right then.

“I need to go back to the house.”

Cannon’s look of surprise faded when he saw me looking at my brother. “Kezia…”

“It happens today.” My voice was firm, and he gave a slight dip of his head in agreement.

“Kris, I need you.”

My brother’s head snapped up, and he looked at me with concern. “Why? What’s happened? Are you hurt?”

Luna, I loved this man. Why had I been such a brat to him when I was younger? “No, I’m fine. I just need you to come with me.”

“But—”

“Just humor me, okay?”

Kris mumbled his goodbyes, but like a good brother, he followed me as I made my way to the house.

“You sure you’re okay?”

“I’ve never been better,” I told him truthfully. “You?”

“I could be better,” he said with a tired sigh. “I feel guilty for wanting more. I have my mate, my sister is happy, and we all have our health, but…”

“But we’re still going to fight a pack war and overthrow a Pack Council?”

Kris chuckled as we walked. “Yeah. That.”

“We can do this,” I told him with a confidence I was sure I was channeling from Cannon.

“We better, it’s death otherwise.”

I stopped in the street. “Death?”

Kris frowned as he turned to face me. “Obviously, Kezia. You think we just get our knuckles rapped for rebellion?”

“They kill us?”

“Why are you freaking out? You know this!”

I gawked at him before I found my voice again. Pointing at my face, I glared at my brother. “Does this look like the face of someone who knew this?”

Kris scratched his jaw. “What did you think would happen?”

“He said we would be exiled, and I said I would be exiled with him.” I had given absolutely no thought to the consequences of our actions if we failed. “Everyone dies?” I whispered.

“Most likely just the alphas, the betas, other important instigators.”

Once more, I was gaping in horror at my brother. “Luna, Kris! Why didn’t you tell me this?”

He stared back at me in confusion. “Why didn’t you know this before you ran around talking about rebellion?”

“Oh my Goddess! You know me almost better than anyone. Have you ever, ever known me to think through things first?”

“No, but you have a mate now.”

“You think Cannon is thinking for me?” I snapped.

“Well, he better be thinking of his pack!”

“Why are you both shouting in the street?” Nikan asked casually as he joined us. “You’re loud.” He gave a tight-lipped smile. “It’s not a good look for the pack leaders.”

“Nikan,” I breathed out loudly, hoping the tension in my chest would ease now Nikan was here. “What happens if we don’t win?”

“We die.” He looked similar to his brother, his hair lighter, the green of his eyes not as deep, his face almost boyish, but still, the no-nonsense attitude was exactly the same.

“You say it so casually.”

Nikan shrugged. “It’s war, Zia, people die.”

Looking at my brother, I almost kicked him in the shin when I saw his I told you so look.

“I don’t accept that.”

“Then you’re an idiot.”

“Nikan!”

He shrugged. “What, Zia? We’re not going to exchange pleasantries and share a cup of tea. They tried to kill my brother. They beat and tried to rape you. If they aren’t dead by the end, it means we will be. That’s what fighting is. That is war.”

Taking a step back from them both, I shook my head. “Not everyone has to die.”

“True.” My brother held his hand up to stop Nikan from speaking. “But the ones responsible for all of this, for what happened to our parents, to us, Cannon, Cass, fuck, even Landon…” His eyes softened. “Their mom, Claire. They need to be held accountable. The Pack Council needs to be held accountable for the wrongs they have let slide because money was being put into their hands. They chained us with silver, Kez. They put silver into the hands of the humans and let them hunt us.” Kris licked his bottom lip as he looked away. “They need to be stopped. We will stop them.”

“Or die trying?” I snarked back at him.

“Or we die trying.”

My head was reeling. Was I so naive? Probably. I was rattled and I couldn’t think properly, but I could focus on what I could fix. “You need to go to the house.”

Kris looked at Nikan and then sighed in defeat. “Cass will tell me when she’s ready.”

I blinked. Had I heard right? “What?”

Kris reached out and ruffled my hair. “I know, Kez. She’s my mate. Of course I know.”

“She hasn’t told you though.”

“She’ll tell me when she’s ready.”

Weirdly, I wanted to cry. “I think I’m overwhelmed.”

Nikan slung his arm over my shoulder. “Welcome to the Blackridge Peak Pack, Zia. You’re in for the ride of your life.” He dipped his head into mine. “And I don’t mean when my brother’s rocking your world.”

When my brother punched him for his smart mouth, I laughed out loud, and just like that, the world was right again.

We had right on our side, and I had faith in the Goddess that she knew that.