The Alpha's Taboo Mate (Blood Moon Lynx Book 1) (11 page)

They stared each other down for long moments before his father nodded. “All right. Agreed. Good night.”

Canyon didn’t want to talk about the Medinas anymore tonight. He only wanted to hold his mate in his arms and sleep. He turned again and led Fiera home.

Chapter Fifteen

Fiera spent all of Monday at Luke’s and Leah’s house. She wasn’t as convinced as Canyon was that the Medinas would keep their word and not come around the homes unless invited. He told her it was a matter of honor now, and also explained that’s why he refused to feel guilty over tipping their hand.

Tuesday morning, she was relieved to learn that Canyon and his father would be working from Port Angeles the remainder of the week. “Is your father still upset with you for spilling the beans about Nanette’s mother?” she asked as Canyon got ready for work.

“No. He realizes my comment didn’t do as much harm as he’d initially thought. And he’s walking on air right now because Gillian believes we have everything we need to send a formal complaint to the SEC. She’s working in Port Angeles with us today. No one else is in that office, so we can take care of this without being interrupted by other work.

“Oh that’s wonderful! Maybe Arizona can make time to stop by the office? He and Stone said they have to be in the city all day.”

“Arizona is quite transparent, isn’t he?” Canyon grinned.

“I think it’s adorable. I only hope the village won’t give him grief about it. Has he said anything to the Elders yet?”

“No. He wants this mess with the Medinas wrapped up before he does. Plus, he and Gillian are still in the shy talking stage.”

“What? He needs to get moving. She’s human. She’ll expect to be wined and dined. They need to
date
. He can’t simply say ‘You’re my mate. Let’s do it.’”

“Is that what I did with you, my love?” Canyon laughed and kissed her neck, sending shockwaves of desire coursing through her.

“Well, not exactly. You enticed me to that cabin first, before you said you’re my mate so let’s do it.”

A low growl in his throat accompanied his fingers snaking down to her breasts. Fiera moaned, pushing her body closer to Canyon’s. If only he didn’t have to go to work.

“And it was the right thing to do. You are my mate.” When his gaze grew dark and possessive, she wanted him again.
Now
.

“Yes, I am yours.” Fiera licked her lips slowly, rubbing her breasts against his shirt. “I will
always
be yours.”

“Fiera…” He pulled off her tank top, slid down her shorts, and cupped her pussy. “You’re always so damn wet for me.”

“How can I help that?”

“I’m going to fuck you. I have to.” Canyon kissed her, shoving his tongue into her mouth. Her entire body was on fire for her mate. He turned her around roughly and pushed her over the counter.

As he smacked her ass cheeks, one after the other, Fiera cried out in pleasure. Without warning, he slid his dick into her pussy from behind. She clutched the counter as he slammed into her showing no mercy, pushing her entire body forward with each thrust. Her orgasm was powerful, and as soon as it started, it didn’t take long for Canyon to climax as well.

Once he finished, he pulled out, turned her around, and held her close. Fiera closed her eyes, smiling, as she listened to his ragged breathing. She loved these quickies as much as she loved it when he took his time, because they meant she was so seductive he couldn’t wait to have her again. Shivers ran down her spine when he showed her that she belonged to him in this way.

“I wish I could stay home.”

“I’ll be here when you get home from work.” She kissed his chest through the fabric of his shirt.

“Naked?”

“Sure, as long as you don’t bring home dinner guests without warning me first.”

“Yes! It’s a deal.”

When Canyon pumped his fist in the air, Fiera laughed.

How could she help but be hopelessly, helplessly in love with this man?

****

It was difficult for Canyon to concentrate on work Tuesday and Wednesday. Not only because Fiera had kept her word and been waiting for him the afternoon before, stark naked in bed, but because Gillian had been right about what they had on the Medina family and their business practices.

Wednesday afternoon, they filed a formal complaint with the SEC. Canyon’s father had long-standing contacts at the San Francisco Regional Office, which was the nearest one to where they lived.

The contact told him that this wasn’t the first time complaints had been filed against that family, so they already had a file open. “They were also able to tell me that they are close to handing down indictments.”

“That’s wonderful news! Did the other complaints come from people in our village?”

“They couldn’t tell me that, but does it matter? The Medinas were already on the radar. All we did was put another nail in the coffin. I only wish we’d done so earlier. I didn’t realize how deep this went.”

“None of us did.”

“Maybe not, but I do wish we could have addressed it before Cash nearly lost his business.”

“Cash hasn’t lost it, and he’s a changed man. He credits us for that.”

The look his father gave him was filled with pride, and Canyon couldn’t help but smile. He might be all grown up now with a mate, but he still wanted to make his father proud.

“I credit
you
for all this, Canyon. You refused to back down. You stood your ground because you knew you were right about Fiera being your mate, and about her father deserving a chance to run his own business.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“You’re happy, right? I mean with Fiera.”

The question surprised him. “Doesn’t it show?”

“It does, but I’m asking you now just between us. This is what you wanted, correct?”

“Father, the only thing I want more is to have children with her.”

“If you’re doing your duty, she will be with child soon.”

No female in Canyon’s family had ever been shy about their monthly cycles. Now that he thought about it, he realized Fiera hadn’t yet had a cycle since they’d first mated, three weeks ago. But that didn’t necessarily mean she was with child yet.

Still, it
might
mean that. Canyon’s heart pounded with excitement at the thought of it. “I’m sure when she is, she’ll tell me.”

“Son, there are ways to tell without them having to say it.”

“She hasn’t bled in the three weeks since we first mated.”

“Then perhaps you’d best ask her if she might be with child.” His father frowned. “
Gently
, of course, so you both aren’t disappointed if it takes a while to happen.”

When his mother had become pregnant with Lissie, Canyon was seventeen years old. Each of her pregnancies had taken years between children to occur. Canyon knew how much his parents had wanted many children. He only hoped he and Fiera would be as happy being parents as his own were, even if they only had one child.

“I’ll talk to her this afternoon.”

As soon as Gillian walked over to where they stood, his father told her what his contact at the SEC had told him. Canyon and his father had already told Gillian what was going on in the village, and how Amasa expected an answer by Friday, as to when and where they intended to settle the dispute over Canyon mating with Fiera.

It amazed Canyon that Gillian was having an easier time listening to their tales of life as a shifter than he had imagined. She seemed almost too accepting of it, at least compared to what Canyon had believed of humans to this point.

“I’ve been on the phone with a few contacts as well,” she said. “Indictments are likely to be handed down this week, so you might not have to deal with Amasa or his family on Friday. They all might be in custody by then.”

A look of disappointment spread across his father’s face. “It’s a question of honor. If we don’t have the chance to settle this with them, it might look as though we interfered.”

“You can’t dictate to the FBI if or when to arrest someone for fraud.”

“We know that,” said Canyon, “but not everyone in our village does.”

“I’d be happy to speak to them if you think it would help.”

“Let us give that one some thought,” said his father. “The last thing we want to do is promote further superstition of humans.”

Another phone call came through, this time for his father. “I have to take this.”

As soon as Canyon and Gillian were alone, Canyon asked if she was all right.

“I’m not sure. It feels a bit like I’m trying to help people from a foreign country, only I don’t understand their culture, and it’s clear they might never accept me as an equal.”

“Even though my family doesn’t share the same superstitions surrounding humans as others in our village do, we do understand the difficulties they would face becoming part of our village.”

“Is that your way of asking me how things are going with Arizona?” She gave him a sheepish glance.

“I’m not very good at being subtle, am I?”

“No.” She smiled. “But I also know you mean well. As for me and Arizona, I’m sure things would be fine if he’d only believe me when I tell him that I accept his nature, and that I’m not afraid of any of you.”

“We’re not used to taking humans into our fold.”

“But not all of you have objections to doing so, correct?” Her expression grew concerned. “Arizona made it sound as though your family and Fiera’s family would support him if we started dating.”

“Of course we would support him. But with us, it’s more than just going out on dates. Our mating law is sacred. If he’s chosen you, you are part of us. End of discussion.”

“He’s been trying to explain the whole mating thing to me, but it would help if he’d stop using euphemisms and just say what he means.”

Canyon didn’t think it was his place to fill in the gaps, and realized he may have already said more than Arizona had yet told her.

“We’re finally going out next weekend,” she said. “I’ve been so busy with all our projects I’ve had no time to catch up, except on the weekends. I promised him I’d take next weekend off to spend time with him. I’m afraid he was beginning to think I didn’t want to.”

That explained Arizona’s surliness the past few days. “He’ll wait for you. He won’t be happy about doing so, but trust me when I say he
will
wait for you.”

“It sounds kind of stalkerish when you put it that way.” She gave him a cautious look.

Canyon shook his head. “I can understand why it would, but if you fully comprehended our ways, you would know why I say that. Once we’ve chosen a mate, there is no other option for us.”

“And what happens if the mate you choose doesn’t feel the same way?” She frowned. “I mean, isn’t that what started all this between you and Hawke? He believed Fiera was his mate, but she didn’t want him, right?”

“Not exactly. Hawke didn’t really believe Fiera was his mate. He was using that as an excuse to get close to her and Cash. It’s what the Medinas do. They use threats and underhanded tactics to get what they want. They pervert our law and make a mockery of our ways.”

“Why do they do that? I mean, other than the reasons why anyone does something illegal? Is it simply a matter of them doing so because they think they can get away with it indefinitely, or is there a deeper reason? Something to do with your pack law?”

“Leopards and lynxes have never liked each other. No one is sure where the rift began, or why. Some say the human female the lynx in the vampire legend took as a lover had leopard shifters among her ancestors, and that’s what began the feud. Others say it was a legend that is now lost to us. Whatever the reason, I can’t recall a time when the two cats liked each other.”

After sighing, she placed her elbows on the desk and rested her chin on folded hands. “Isn’t that part of what your Elders are supposed to do? Mediate issues like this?”

“Yes.”

“Sounds like you could use some new blood there, no pun intended.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more.”

“Are they elected?”

“In a way, yes. They are appoinsed by the Council, who are elected. But once chosen, an Elder servve until they die.”

“Is there a way to kick one of them out if the village isn’t happy with how they’re doing their jobs?”

“No. We have no provisions for that.”

“You’re kidding.” She sat up straighter.

“Absolutely not.” Canyon shook his head. “That’s why every time a Council member is elected, we’re each told to vote wisely.”

“How long have the current Elders been in their roles?”

Canyon thought for a moment or two. “It ranges from ten years to over forty.”

“And there are twelve in all, correct?”

“Yes.”

“When they decide on a matter brought to them, do all of them have a say-so in the final decision?”

“It’s supposed to work that way, yes.”

“Are they all lynxes?”

“No. All the cats are represented, but the majority are lynxes.”

“Has it always been that way? Have the lynxes always been the majority?”

“I’m not sure, but I believe so.”

“That might have as much to do with the animosity between lynxes and leopards as anything.”