24. Kezia

Walking through the town,I tried to keep my face free of the anger currently coursing through my veins. I waved and smiled at the pack who, had I not been burning with fury, I would have noticed were casting me strange looks. They were preparing for a tactical strike, the whole pack was subdued, and I was waving at them like I was ready to go on a picnic.

Had anyone asked me why I seemed so overtly cheery, a phrase that had never been associated with me before, I would not have been able to lie. Because I was an honest and fair person.

Unlike the brute that was my mate.

And when I found the male whom I was bonded to, I was going to tear strips off him. Cass woke me last night, sobbing her heart out, and when I finally had her calmed down, she told me all the horrible things that Cannon had said to her.

When she had finally settled, I had gone in search of my mate…only to find the fucker wasn’t in the house.

Where was he?I hated that my first thought went to Koda, and I gave myself a stern talking-to about that. He may be harsh and cruel to people I cared about, but I knew he would never do that.

But still, it burned deep within me that he was not home and that I couldn’t reach him through the mate bond. I couldn’t ask anyone either. Because I was his mate, and I had a hotlink right to him.

Or I was supposed to.

He had blocked me.

Blocked me.

I was going to make him suffer for this. No sex. Not even a hand job. He was going to feel my frustration until I was sure he was as furious as me.

I saw Hannah approach me, her daughters in tow, and I pushed the rage down so I didn’t snarl at her when she said something nice about my mate. Because she would; she was his number one fan.

Ugh.

“Morning, Kezia,” she greeted. “I’m just taking these two to the hall to help prepare the last of the packs.” She wasn’t smiling, and she smelled anxious. “Their daddy went out last night and hasn’t come back yet, but when he does, he’ll need some extra packs.”

Fear penetrated my anger. Her fear, and I focused on something other than kicking my mate in the nuts. “Royce went out with the team?”

She nodded, pulling her youngest daughter into her hip. “Yeah, he always does. If Cannon doesn’t go, Royce does.” Anxiety was tight across her eyes.

“They need to be thorough,” I reminded her, having no idea if that was the right thing to say. “You know Royce, he’ll be so thorough he’d rather take that extra time now than lose it later.” Which was complete speculation on my part, but Hannah nodded.

“I know.” She blew out a low breath, careful not to alert her girls she was freaking out. “But…”

“You worry.” I smiled, pretty sure all I did was bare my teeth at her, but she gave me a small smile back. “As soon as I find Cannon, I’ll ask.”

“Find him? Where is he?”

Fuckity fuck fuck. “Helping.”

Hannah looked at me expectantly, and when I didn’t say anything else, she looked down at her girls quickly. “Helping? With what? I thought everything was more or less ready?”

It was?

“Yeah, but you know him, he’s…” Stumped, I rocked back on my heels.

“Thorough.”

We both looked down at Hannah’s oldest daughter, who was looking up at us with wide eyes the same color of brown as her father’s.

I felt guilty and I hadn’t even done anything. “That’s right, he is, just like your daddy.”

Her lower lip trembled, and then she was crying, which made her sister cry, and I had no idea why or what to do, so I looked helplessly at Hannah, who was also fighting back tears.

Luna’s grace, this was not a situation I should be in front of. I had no people skills at all.

“Hey, who’s crying?” Nikan scooped the youngster into his arms and bounced her into his arms. “Why are you crying, little wolf?” The tears stopped almost immediately as she beamed at him. “Where’s Cannon?” Nikan asked me quickly as he dried the tears from the girl’s face.

“Being thorough.”

“Huh?” Nikan looked between the two of us. “Am I missing something?”

Yes, your idiothead brother. “Nope. Cannon’s busy being all alpha-ey.”

“Alpha-ey?”

“Oh my Luna, why is everything you say to me this morning a question?” I snapped, causing the girl to cry again. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I blew out a breath. “I can’t do this. I need to go.”

Without another word, I left them in the street. Both girls were crying again, and I fought the urge to run from them. “I swear, Luna, you make me a mother too soon, and we’ll have words. I can’t deal with all that, yet.”

I swear the breeze that swirled around me was the sound of her laughter.

“Kezia!”

Nope. No. Not now.

Instead, I turned and greeted Leo. “What’s up?” Sliding my hands in my back pockets, I hoped it hid the fact my hands were shaking. “Why aren’t you out dropping packs?”

Leo looked at me blankly, my question catching him by surprise. “Err…I was running ops?”

Running ops? Sounded contagious. “Oh, right. Of course, you all done?” I searched the streets for my mate as Leo spoke.

“Yeah, everything is set up, and I think we have most of the terrain covered. There’s a few blind spots?—”

“Aren’t there always?” I murmured.

“Well, yeah, but if you know where they are, then it’s not so bad, right?”

What? “Yeah.” I hesitated. “But if you know where they are, why can’t you cover them?”

Leo flushed. “You’re right, of course. I’ll go run them again.”

He hurried off and I wasn’t sure what I’d said to make him redden with embarrassment. I started walking again, and someone else stopped me. When I’d answered their questions, which usually started with where’s the alpha? I listened to the reason they wanted him in the first place.

It went like that for the next few hours, and in the end, I was crouched low, hiding behind a wall that ran around a pack member’s house. I was exhausted. All the questions and constant reassurances drained me. I still hadn’t found my mate, but I was no longer angry at him. I was looking for him because now I knew why he was sometimes short-tempered and blunt.

All the questions. How did he get through the day with all of this pack looking to him for answers? I felt a flutter in the bond, and when I stood up, I saw Cannon striding towards me, a storm brewing in his eyes.

Shit. What had I done this time?

“Where have you been?” I asked him, ready to defend whatever bad advice I had given. With my hands on my hips, I was giving him attitude just from the way I was standing. I wasn’t expecting him to grab me and kiss me. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t complaining either; I would never complain about this.

Cannon didn’t give a damn that we were in the middle of the street, albeit a secluded corner. His hands cupped my ass, lifting me slightly to meet him, and I happily went, my arms looping around his neck as he kissed me deeply.

When he pulled back, I looked up at him, worry replacing my former agitation. “What is it?”

“Your friend Barbara has some explaining to do.”

“Barbara?” Sinking back onto my feet, I didn’t let go of him. “What did you do to her? Is it like what you did to Cass?” My temper was back.

“Cass? She needed to hear the truth. You and Kris shelter her for no reason.”

“You were a dick.”

“I was honest.”

We stared at each other, both of our eyes narrowing as we got ready to argue. Sounds of the pack getting ready to fight a pack war drifted in between us. I let out a sigh.

“You could have been kinder.”

Cannon’s lips twisted into a sneer but then smoothed out just as quickly. “Maybe I could have.”

We held each other’s stare. “That was almost mature of us…”

Cannon grinned. “An adult conversation. Us?”

I returned his grin. “Wow, who knew that being bonded meant we wouldn’t scream and shout at each other?”

Cannon scoffed. “Barbara.”

“Huh?” Looking around, I thought she was near. “What happened with her? Is she okay?”

“She’s a druid.”

If he had led a conga down the street naked, I would have been less surprised. “She’s a what now?”

“A druid.” The storm was back in his eyes. “She’s also the reason you have a passenger.”

“Wh-what?”

He nodded grimly. “And she drugged me with milk and cookies.”

My burst of laughter died under his icy stare. “Sorry.” I smothered my smile behind my hand. “Are you okay?” His glare intensified, and I knew it was because I was trying not to laugh. “Why would she drug you?”

“She said it was for both of us.”

“I didn’t have any milk or cookies.” I knew I was laughing at him, but he was just so big, and milk and cookies? Seriously?

“Shut up.” He turned to look up the street, his cheeks flushing.

“Where’s Barbara now? Making more sugar cookies?”

“You’re evil,” he told me with a smile playing around his lips. “No, actually, she’s gone.”

I gave him a worried look. “What do you mean? Gone?”

“I mean she drugged me and then ran for it.”

“But you’re fine.” He gave me a flat look and I rolled my eyes. “Your ego’s hurt.” I checked him worriedly. “Right?”

“Maybe.” He refused to meet my eyes, and I knew I was going to laugh again.

“Then why would she run?”

“I don’t know. If she comes back, we can ask her.”

I snickered. “Your face is a picture.”

Cannon growled at me, but he was looking around the empty streets. “My pack’s quiet.”

I choked out a snort of derision. “Quiet? All morning they’ve asked me a hundred thousand questions.”

“What kind of questions?” Taking my hand, Cannon walked us back to the main part of town while I told him all the things that I had answered this morning in his absence.

When he pulled me to a stop in the center of the town, outside the gate to the house, he was smiling so brightly that I stopped talking to stare at how gorgeous my mate was when he was happy. I mean, when he was all mean and moody, he was sexy and lickable, but happy…Luna, I didn’t think I was prepared for that. I was almost drooling.

“What is it?” I asked him carefully, his smile infectious, causing me to smile too.

“Don’t you see what you’ve done today?” he asked me softly, his thumb brushing across my cheek. “You led the pack. Like an alpha. No…as an alpha.”

“I did?” I had? I had! With a squeal, I launched myself into his arms and laughed when he swung me in a circle. “Oh Goddess, what if I gave bad advice?”

Cannon kissed me soundly. “Then we’ll fix it.” He kissed me again. “But I don’t think you have.” He beamed at me. “Thank you for looking after them.”

Now I wanted to cry. My emotions were all over the place today. “They’re our pack.”

“Yes, they are.” His kiss was gentle. “Come on, we need to make sure everything is ready.” We walked up the path, the sense of urgency returning as the fight drew nearer.

“We go tonight?”

“I do, yes.” As I tugged on his hand, he didn’t look back. “No. You need to be here. Too many will be left behind. You need to make sure they are safe and you proved today that they will listen to you.”

Cannon pushed the study doors open, almost coming to a stop when he saw Kris, Royce, Nikan, and Leo waiting for him. “A welcoming committee,” he greeted them curtly.

“Where’ve you been?” Royce demanded. “Now is not the time to go on solo missions.”

I caught Cannon’s eye and shook my head slightly. Barbara and her druidness could wait. Was druidness a word? I tried to focus on the solemness of the males in the room.

“I had things I needed to do,” Cannon said, with his eyes on me. “Kezia has served the pack well in my absence.”

When my brother looked at me in surprise, I pulled a face at him, causing him to scowl. “You can see why I doubt Alpha Cannon,” he deadpanned.

“You were absent to get the pack used to Kezia?” Leo asked with a look of understanding. “Clever.” Pride for his alpha was strong.

I almost, almost blurted out that I stepped up because their clever alpha had been duped by a druid who came bearing milk and cookies. But I held my tongue because I was a mature pack leader.

Alpha. Cannon’s warm voice sounded in my head. You’re a mature-ish alpha.

Mature-ish?

We all saw you stick your tongue out at your brother.

Go drink some more milk.

His huff of laughter enveloped me, making me feel warm and tingly.

“Everything’s set,” Royce was telling us both, and I forced myself to pay attention. “We move on your command.”

“How many stay behind?” Cannon asked, his full focus on his beta.

“Twenty-three.”

“Including my mate?”

Royce glanced at me. “Twenty-four.”

“See! Even Royce thinks I should be with you!”

“Royce does not think that.”

I pointed at the beta. “He’s right there. Ask him if he thinks I should be with you!”

Kris spoke over us both. “You will stay here.”

I turned to look at my brother. “I’m mated. You can’t boss me around anymore.”

“And you will stay here with my mate.” His blue eyes narrowed. “My pregnant mate, who is fragile and emotional because I am going to war against her father and possibly her twin brother.”

Sneaky, duplicitous asshole. Making me feel guilty like that.

“The shaman will be here,” I countered.

Kris raised his eyebrows. “Kezia…” he warned.

“That’s so underhanded.” I crossed my arms grumpily. “You’re a turd.”

Leo laughed, trying and failing to cover it with a cough.

I pouted in the corner while they discussed war tactics. Pissed off with them all, I knew why Cannon wanted me here. His fear that Moonstar would come forward was a battle he couldn’t fight at the same time as waging a war against the bastard Bale.

It didn’t matter that I hadn’t felt her since the bond was completed. He wasn’t ready to risk it.

Risk me.

“Where’s Doc?” Silence filled the study. As I looked at each of them, none of them met my eye. “Cannon?”

“Doc was compromised.”

“Mal?” My attention flicked to Royce, who studied his hands. “The Doc, Mal? Was compromised?”

Cannon cricked his neck. “He knows how to break the mate bond.” When I went to speak, he held up his hand. “He told Koda.”

Looking over at my brother, I saw his lips pressed into a thin line. I filled in the gaps they left out. “And Koda told Landon didn’t she?” Cannon nodded once. “Holy shit, that jealous bitch.”

“I’m sorry.”

Looking at Cannon, I blinked. “Why are you sorry? You didn’t tell her.” I had noticed that I hadn’t noticed her around town. “I wondered where she was. She in hiding?”

“Exiled,” Nikan told me. “We no longer let shifters stay who mean ill will to our alpha, or his mate.”

Exiled?That was huge. “Wow.” I wasn’t sure what to say. A heaviness lay over the study, and I didn’t want them to feel that, especially over a petty female who deserved her punishment. I tried to lighten the mood. “I hope you revise the whole ill will to his mate thing.”

“Why?” Royce asked curiously, but when Kris looked up and saw my smirk, he smiled slightly, knowing me well enough that I was going to say something ridiculous. I did not disappoint.

“Well, I can cook…but not that well. If the pack gets the shits because I was on cooking duty, I’m just saying…you may have a lot of ill willtowards this mate.”

It broke the tension as I hoped, and they finished discussing their final plans with lighter hearts despite the seriousness of the topic.

“You have twenty minutes,” he spoke to the room. Cannon looked only at me. “Say your goodbyes quickly.”

I was surprised when Royce hugged me before he left the study, then Nikan, and even Leo, and I returned each hug warmly.

My brother looked down at me. “She’s pregnant with my child,” he reminded me.

“She finally tell you?”

Kris gave me one of his looks, then kissed my cheek. “Protect her.”

“Consider it done.”

I watched him leave, the doors closing behind him, and I turned to look at my alpha. “Eighteen minutes left?” He made a noncommittal noise. “Wanna do it?”

Cannon’s head tilted back as he laughed loudly. “Goddess, I love you, Kezia.” Wrapping me in his arms, he looked down at me. “You’ll lead the pack while I’m gone. They’ll listen to you. Barbara’s trick proved that.” He scowled in remembrance. “She told me it was for the good of us both. I never thought it was for the good of the pack.”

“Showing me I could lead, and showing you that they will listen to me?” I guessed.

“Showing me that they trust you. That I trust you.” He kissed me. The kisses led to more, and soon our clothes were on the floor, and I was gasping his name.

Which was fortunate, because he didn’t need to realize his trust was misplaced. Not yet. They were leaving in under twenty minutes, and I fully intended to be with them.