Cougar's Luck (Pacific Northwest Cougars Book 2) (11 page)

“
M
other
, we are not having swans. First, swans in the heat of Vegas is just plain mean. Second, a bunch of cougar shifters are going to terrify the poor beasts.” Layla moaned this out as they sat and were two hours in on the wedding slash bonding ceremony. They would have a formal wedding, with an officiant, because her mother said she missed hearing the vows and wants them done over again. And then later they planned a ceremony where the packs would affirm the two shifter’s bond as official.

This would mean at some point Layla was going to have to loop Everett’s mother in to arrange for their pack to be there. That would mean hotel rooms, transportation, and the like. This was not a problem. She just knew if she planned anything without his mother’s input she’d have to change everything.

“I want two cakes, one by Berducci’s, it will be lemon chiffon because I like lemon and it’s my cake. Second, we will have a groom’s cake, chocolate, in the shape of a storm trooper and if any of you spill the beans about it, I’ll pummel you. Third, we are having a tent in the yard, with air-conditioning, and the theme is fairy garden. I’m a Duchess, damn it, and I want fairy lights and flowers and pretty crystals!”

Yes, this tantrum was followed by a teensy tiny foot stomp. But her three sisters and mother had been debating themes, colors, mood lighting, and food for hours now. They had run the gambit of Gatsby themed to her sister Margo’s horrible idea of a hoedown. Not happening on her watch.

Layla already knew where she was getting her dress. It was going to be off the rack and from a local shop in town. It was simple, sweetheart neckline with a pleated organza over the bodice. It had a jeweled belt under the bust and flowed down into a floor length cloud of fabric. It was soft and delicate just like her for fuck’s sake!

“You three will be wearing pale yellow, floor length gowns, and I don’t want to hear another word. Flowers, mother, I’m sure you will make sure are fitting for the occasion. And we are having a band so we can dance. I also want two bars, because with our families we are going to need the alcohol to keep flowing.”

Looking over at her mother to drive home her point, she surprisingly saw her mother staring at her with a tear in her eye and a look of sheer pride on her face.

“That’s my girl,” she said softly.

“Mom, I’m being a bitchy bridezilla, you really shouldn’t be happy right now,” Layla admonished.

“Of course I’m happy. You have a mate, you’re giving me the ceremony every mother wants for her daughters. You know what you want and you are being assertive to get it. Just shows I raised a strong confident shifter. I’m pleased as punch,” her mother said firmly.

“Well, glad to be of service,” Layla sighed.

“Wow, she’s totally a drama queen,” Margo said cattily from the side.

“Yeah, yellow really isn’t my color,” her sister Emily started.

“Suck it up, buttercup. Yellow it is,” Layla warned.

Claire was sitting in the corner nursing Bianca. “Don’t worry about me, this wedding is in two months, I’ll probably be knocked up again by then.”

“Well, tell your man to give you a freaking break!” This came from Emily who still wasn’t on the human mate bandwagon. Even though it had been years. Layla had grown to love her goofy brother-in-law. Mostly because he adored her sister and was an awesome dad. He took to a family full of cougars rather well considering he thought they were a cult for a long time.

“What can I say? My man loves me and can’t keep his hands off my saggy tits and stretch marked tummy,” she said with a little sadness in her voice.

“Claire, you are beautiful and you know it. Scott would love you know matter how you look,” Layla said, leaning over and patting her knee.

“I know, he says they are my tiger stripes. He doesn’t realize that’s kinda offensive. I get what he’s trying to say,” Claire laughed.

“Well, pregnant or not, you are still my matron of honor, so no getting out of it.” Layla leaned over and gave her sister a kiss on the cheek. When she did this she heard two mewls coming from the other couch.

“Sheesh,” she said getting up to hug and kiss her other bossy sisters.

“Well, now that the love fest is out of the way. When is Everett going to tell his family? Or has he already?” Grace asked.

“He talked to Dax this morning. Told him it was his Alpha duty to tell their mother. He also said he would try to give us a few days before calling her. She pissed him off royally with his mate recently. Said some not so nice things which made her abandon a trip they were on. This allowed her sleazy ex-boyfriend to kidnap her to try and extort money out of Dax. It was so stupid, the guy is in jail and Effie is fine. But none of that would have happened if his mom had kept her trap shut.”

“Wow, she’s a peach,” Claire murmured.

“Yes, but she’s now my mother-in-law and since I haven’t met her I’m going to keep an open mind. I’m not going to borrow trouble without cause. I’m sure when we meet, we will have a friendly interaction and she will be happy that her son found his mate.”

Layla said this, but even her cougar was scoffing at her in her mind. Hey, she was going to be positive. She knew Everett’s mom wanted Dax to mate with a Klein. So she should be thrilled that one of her sons has made the strategic connection she was looking for. Although Layla didn’t really understand what his mother wanted to accomplish with the union. They were still separate packs. They lived in different states and outside of the sharing of grandchildren, there really wasn’t any other reason for them to spend time together.

Wow, that did sound bitchy, she thought. Okay, maybe she was just feeling a little greedy and protective of her new mate. Yes, his family was now her family but Everett was her heart and soul, even without all the family drama he was all she needed to be happy.

“Good luck, baby sis,” chimed Emily and Margo at the same time.

Sheesh, she hated when they did that, it was creepy and she told them so. That earned her two double raspberries blown to her before their mother told them all to knock it off.

Everett had actually had a great time hanging out with Micah, who he finally got to know a little. He ran a trucking company that his family owned. Cross country hauling, that employed mostly shifters from their packs. He was a nice guy, confident in his position in the pack. Technically his little brother was running the real money maker, the casino. But the trucking company had come first and it was easy enough to manage which allowed Micah to spend more time with his family.

His mate Elena was a member of their pack. They’d both know each before they’d both hit puberty. Micah realized she was his mate in his early teens, but she was a few years younger. He told his grandfather he’d found his mate and the pack supported him in courting her slowly until she realized he was her One too

Micah was quiet, steady, and would make a great alpha some day. He was in no hurry and it was clear he could bear the burden of their large pack easily. Nowadays his only stress came from having two little boys running around wreaking havoc everywhere they went. Luckily they were past the age where they would spontaneously change in cougar cubs. They wouldn’t shift again until they were older. This cut down on some of their destruction, not having claws and all. Still they managed to terrorize the staff and the older pack members in the house while they ran around like little whirlwinds with Micah chasing after them.

Russell had called Will and put him on speaker phone as they worked out their scheduling on the security system, knowing Everett’s priorities had changed. He’d still oversee the installation, but he since he would be staying in Las Vegas for the foreseeable future, he had more time to help out.

“You planning on living here?” Micah asked, clearly worried that Everett was thinking of taking his little sister away.

“Of course, I wouldn’t want Layla to leave her family. The work I do for my family is simple and I can fly back and forth as needed. My brother Dax and sister Kenzi are already in Washington, so I won’t be the first to fly the coop.”

“Glad to hear it, son. I’d hate not being able to see my little Leelee every day,” Russell said. Man, he was a softy. “You’ll be staying here, of course, until you two decide on something more permanent and I won’t hear anything else about it.”

“I’d appreciate it, Russell. We’ve haven’t gotten that far in the conversations yet. I know we need to spend some time figuring out the next year or so. I was hoping to take her away this weekend. Maybe away from here, somewhere she can disconnect from the hotel a little. If that’s okay with you, Will,” Everett asked into the speaker phone.

“Fine by me, I’ve been trying to get her to take a vacation anyway. We have a perfectly capable manager for the club. She just doesn’t trust him to handle her baby. You should take her to our houseboat on Lake Havasu. It will be a bit of a break from the heat and she loves it there,” Will suggested.

Looking to Russell he saw him smile and nod. “Great idea, Will. I’ll call and make sure it’s ready for visitors and have groceries delivered,” Russell said.

Russell got up and walked to the corner of the study they were in and started dialing his cell phone.

“If you really want to play nice, she loves yellow flowers. I’ll give you the number of the florist we use. They’ll make a special run out to the boat for us. Our account is most of their income,” Micah laughed.

“Thanks, man. I really want her to have a break. Relax and feel comfortable making some plans for us. I’m afraid here there is just too much activity and she’ll be rushed,” Everett explained.

“Well, aren’t you the thoughtful mate,” Will snickered over the phone.

“I am, take notes, boys,” he said, propping his feet on the desk and crossing his arms behind his head in the pose of a confident man. Inside he was terrified of making the wrong step with his new mate. He had no idea just how pampered a life she’d led to this point and he didn’t want her changing an inch for him. He knew he’d have to make some changes and he was happy to do it. He wanted her just the way she was.

Everett realized he needed to make another call. “Would you guys mind if I excuse myself to make a call?”

“Got someone more important you want to talk to besides us? I’m hurt,” Will said over the phone.

“I haven’t talked to Stryker. I’ve been avoiding it a little. Not sure why. I feel like I’m abandoning him or something. Is that weird?”

The men were quiet for a minute, then Russell said, “You are unique, Everett. You and your brother shared a connection while your cougars were being chosen for you. Your link is split more than the rest of us. Your soul, your twin’s soul, along with your cougars, now have a mate who has to share in that bond. It’s manageable; you just have to be honest about your feelings. Stryker just needs to know that he’s still included. That you aren’t replacing him.”

“Wow, that sounds awful girly.” This was from Will again.

“You just wait until you find your mate, son. Your whole world will flip upside down. Everett and Stryker shared a soul in the womb. Then they split, then they got their cougars, split again. Now with a mate, it’s not a literal split, but it’s a joining that can’t be denied,” Russell explained.

“Hell, that actually makes me understand it better. Thanks, Russell,” Everett said as he stood.

Everett walked through the house towards the back patio. He could hear the girls still talking and laughing in another room. He was glad Layla was able to do this with her sisters.

M
aking
it to the area around the pool, he picked a shady spot and sat down. Staring at his phone a beat, he dialed Stryker. Usually his brother wouldn’t pick up, but somehow he knew he would this time.

It rang three times, then it clicked over.

“Brother,” Stryker growled.

“Hey man, how are you doing?”

“The usual. Hanging out with a local club here. Working on their bikes, just spending time. It’s quiet here, I like it.”

“Sounds nice,” Everett said, clearing his throat.

“Something’s up, I can feel it. You gonna tell me?” Stryker was always the first to know when Everett was hurt or sad. He was the first to run to his brother’s aid.

“I found her, Stryker,” he said quietly

There was silence, it dragged on as he waited for his brother to say something. He knew Stryker needed time. You could never rush him. The more anyone pushed, the further Stryker would pull away. Something his family could never understand with him. He was his own man, he had his own mind, and he would give you what you wanted in his own time.

Everett gave him that time and waited.

A minute passed then Stryker finally spoke.

“I have two new sisters,” he said quietly.

That was just like him. His pack was expanding, that was his focus. Two new lives he needed to protect.

“Yeah man, I haven’t met Effie but I’ve talked to her. She sounds sweet. I can’t wait until you meet my Layla. She’s amazing, Stryker. You are going to love her.”

“Of course I am, she’s yours.” As simple as that, Stryker hadn’t even met her but she was part of his pack.

“Do you want me to come out?” he asked.

“Only if you want. We are planning a formal ceremony in a few months. I really want to meet Effie. Maybe we can get together in Vegas soon. Kind of a bachelor party thing since Dax didn’t get one either.”

“Tell me when and where.”

“Will do brother, hey thanks for picking up!” Everett laughed. He was actually serious. You never knew with Stryker.

“I knew you needed to talk to me. I’m happy for you, Everett. You deserve a great mate.”

“Your time is coming. She’s out there, don’t worry,” Everett tried to assure him. It was going to take a hard woman to wrangle his brother. Someone with infinite patience and the ability to put up with his grumpy bullshit.

“If you say so, later man,” he said, then hung up.

“Bye,” Everett said into the dead air. Stryker got on most people’s nerves when they met him. Apparently sharing a womb with the big lug had started his tolerance early. He was sure Stryker was a kicker.

Staring down at his phone, Everett felt the deep ache of missing his brother. His cougar gave him a mental shove. No, he was never alone really. And now he had Layla. He should feel content and he did. But he wanted his brother there to share in his happiness. He didn’t doubt that Stryker would lay down his life for his mate. But he really just wanted him to like her. It was important.

Sighing, he stood up and went back into the house. He hadn’t seen his mate in a few hours and it was making him ansty. Sure he could hear her and smell her, but it wasn’t enough.

Walking into the room where the ladies were looking over fabric samples, he stopped short.

“How the fuck did you get fabric samples so fast?” he said, taken aback.

“Everett Hayes, watch that potty mouth or I’ll take you over my knee,” Grace snapped at him.

Realizing what he’d done, he had the smarts to play chagrined and mumbled, “Sorry Mrs. Klein.” The whole while giving Layla a smirking grin and wink.

“Oh, puh-leez,” Layla dragged out.

“Mind if I borrow my mate?” he said, coming out of his apologetic pose.

“Fine, but we aren’t done. You are just going to have to cut her leash until this event is planned,” Grace warned.

“Yes Ma’am,” he said, walking over to where Layla was sitting. He leaned over gave her a quick kiss on the mouth, then scooped her up, tossing her over his shoulder in a fireman carry.

“Put me down you big lug!” Layla yelled, or tried to yell since the air rushed out of her when her stomach hit his shoulder.

“Hush, don’t make a scene,” Everett reprimanded, giving her ass a sharp slap.

“Ohh you’re in for it now, honey,” Margo called out.

“You did not just slap my ass! I’m going to scratch your eyes out Everett Hayes,” Layla said, her world getting dizzy upside down.

She also wasn’t going to admit that the slap on her ass felt kinda good. Her cougar was horny, hell she was horny, and her bedroom was just upstairs.

“Ladies,” Everett called out to Layla’s mom and sisters as he carried her out of the room and up the stairs. Layla made a big show of it, kicking her legs, and slapping his ass as they went up the stairs. She was pretty sure she heard her dad and/or brother laughing somewhere in the house.

That’s fine, she’d didn’t give a flying fig. She was in her man’s arms, he was carrying her to a room that was guaranteed to have a bed. Her world was looking just peachy right now.

They made it to her room and Everett went in, kicking the door closed behind him. He walked straight to the bed and tossed her down on it.

Looking up and her husband and mate, Layla bent her one leg and let it swing open just the barest amount, flashing her cute lilac panties at him. “Miss me?”

“How the fuck long does it take to pick some colors, some food, and a preacher?”

“Hours and hours and hours, my love,” she told him honestly.

“Who am I?” he asked in a growly voice.

Oh, they were playing, goody.

“My love,” she said back huskily.

“Spread for me, Duchess,” he ordered.

She did and she watched as Everett’s fingernails elongated stretching into short but razor sharp claws. With a flick of his finger, he managed to cut through her delicate lace panties with barely a whisper against her skin.

“Hmm, talented,” she murmured.

“Oh baby, you have no idea,” he said lying down between her legs. He breathed her in, letting his cougar bask in the sweet essence of their mate. Smiling up at her, he saw how dark and hungry her eyes had gotten.

Dragging the back of his finger over her slick pussy lips, he watched her twitch and buck. His finger was barely touching, her but there were shocks of electricity arcing between them.

“What do you want?” he asked, continuing his torment.

“You, baby, please,” she mewled.

“How do you want me? Slow and soft or hard and fast?”

“Those are my only options?” she said with a gasp.

Everett dipped his finger into her wet pussy and pulled it out, slipping it into his mouth to taste her. Layla whimpered again at the sight.

“How about, I fuck you slow, but talk to you hard. Then I’ll fuck you fast and talk to you sweet.”

“Oh, yes please,” she begged.

“Hold on, Duchess,” he said, then proceeded to bring her to a screaming orgasm she was sure the whole house heard.