by Ravenna Tate
“What happened to Talia if she didn’t die from a fever?”
“Jarvis killed her, and her mate helped him cover up the murder.”
Nothing Makenna could have said at that point would have shocked Stone more. “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. My own family told me this. That’s why they fled your village. They all thought Jarvis and Thomas would kill them, too, to silence them.”
“Why didn’t they go to our Elders?”
The sound she made sent shivers down Stone’s spine. He already knew the answer before she gave it to him.
“Are you kidding me? You’ve told me how three of your former Elders held so much sway over the village that the Medinas got away with anything they wanted for decades. Talia’s bloodline will live on only if Hawke’s brothers mate and have children, but I doubt they’ll know her name.”
“But we’ll have children, Makenna. Your family will live on through us.”
Tears filled her beautiful eyes as she shook her head. “No. That might have been possible once, but not now. They know. The people in my village know.”
A terrible foreboding filled Stone’s consciousness, but he pressed on. Was this why she wasn’t yet pregnant? Had they done something to her so she couldn’t conceive? “What do they know? What do you mean it’s not possible for us to have children?”
“When the Medina women came to my village, they recognized me. At first it was only curious glances and a few things whispered here and there. But soon, the same group that has been painting blood on doors in your village was seen speaking with our Elders.”
“They’re the ones who discovered who you are?”
“They’re the ones who listened to the stories the Medina females told, and put it all together. When I followed the group that night to see who was painting the blood on the doors, I sealed my own fate without realizing it.”
“Why did you follow them if you knew it would draw unwanted attention?”
“I didn’t know I was going to get caught.”
“How did you even know they were doing it?”
“I was out hunting for food, and they were in the woods, plotting. I recognized their voices from my village, and I recognized the talk I’d heard in the square. I listened to them, heard what they were planning, and that’s when I began following them.”
“But why? What did you care what they were doing in my village?”
“Because it wasn’t right. I wanted to stop them. I thought I could speak with your Elders and no one would find out it was me.”
“Why did you want to stop them at all?”
“They were the ones who had put it all together. They took what the Medina women had told them about Talia Grantham, mixed it in with their superstitions about the legend. The rest was easy to fit together. I thought if your village knew who they were, that would stop them at least. I knew I could never go back to my village, but at least others wouldn’t suffer as well.”
Stone didn’t want to make her feel worse than she already did, but her plan hadn’t been very well thought out. He decided not to say anything because he suspected she now realized that.
“We weren’t in danger only because I gave the names of the group to your Elders. It goes much deeper than that.”
Stone wasn’t sure he could handle one more secret revelation, and prayed whatever she was about to tell him was merely a continuation of the same story. He now understood why she’d kept her true past and her real surname from him, but he was still hurt that she hadn’t trusted him before now.
Chapter Five
“Once the group put it all together, I heard rumors in the village that they planned to kill me. Having the Medina women expose me was bad enough, but the group wanted me dead.”
A nasty shiver ran down Stone’s spine. He was reminded of how Arizona must have felt when he came home and found those two leopards on his mate. People Stone didn’t even know, and had never done one fucking thing to, wanted to kill his mate for something she had no control over. Her ancestors.
“Because you have human blood?”
“Yes.” He watched her swallow hard as tears trickled down her cheeks. “Because I have human blood. The Medina females were led to believe their men had been imprisoned because of a human. They blamed me for bringing all this down on their village. It didn’t help that we’d lied about who we were from the beginning.”
“Didn’t they also blame Gillian?”
“Yes, but she wasn’t there. I was. My instincts told me to run, so I did. But Gillian is in danger, too. It’s all the same in their minds.”
“Whose minds? This group that went around our village painting slogans in blood on doors?”
“Yes. Gillian being human, and me having human blood from Talia’s mate, Thomas. We’re the same because of the human blood in our veins.”
“Do you think they still intend to come after Gillian?”
“I can’t imagine why they’d simply let it go, Stone. Can you?”
“No. Not based on what we’ve seen so far. But that’s absurd. Hawke’s siblings have human blood in them, too.”
“Yes, and they know that now, thanks to the Medina women.”
“So even they aren’t safe?”
“I doubt it.”
“What about the rest of Hawke’s family?”
“Nanette was an only child. Hawke’s siblings have aunts and uncles, but they’re all descended from Amasa’s family, not Nanette’s.”
“Who are you descended from?”
“Talia’s brother, Shane. He mated with a leopard from my village named Charis, and they had one son, Blaine. Blaine mated with a leopard from my village named Katrina. I’m their only child, and of course you already know my parents were killed when I was fifteen. No one else from Talia’s family is still alive, except for Hawke’s siblings. I should have told you all this as soon as we met.”
Stone pulled her close and held her. She resisted at first, but he refused to let go until he felt her body relax. “Yes, you should have. I won’t tell you that’s not true. I understand why you kept it from me, but without trust, we have nothing. If you can tell me a lie that easily, how do I know what you’re saying now is the truth?”
A choked sob made him press her tighter against his body. “I’m sorry. I swear to you this is the truth. I’ve never told you any lies but that one story. Please forgive me.”
A sensation of being split in two invaded his mind. She had told him the story of the theft before they’d acknowledged recognizing the other as their mate, but she should have set the story straight soon after. What choice did he have right now? That was the question he needed to focus on right now.
If he refused to forgive her, regardless of why she had lied, they’d still be mated. And their lives would be forever tainted by this. They were bound together until their deaths. The only viable choice was to put himself in her place and try to understand the fearful state she’d been in, and was still in. Her family had hidden all their lives. She hadn’t known any other way.
Stone had worked with a human who had once tried to explain the Witness Protection program to him. People had to take on new identities to protect them from someone who wanted them dead. They could never tell anyone, even if they were to marry under that new name. Was what Makenna had gone through all her life that much different?
She’d lied to try to protect not only herself, but him and his friends. Because this truth wasn’t something that only affected her, and Stone realized that now.
“I do forgive you, Makenna.”
The relief that filled her beautiful face after she pulled away to look into his eyes nearly tore him apart. “Thank you, Stone. Thank you so much.”
He pulled her close again and held her, trying to put himself in her place. She’d just had a secret she had hoped would stay hidden forever exposed, and one which placed her in danger for her life from most of the people in her village. What would he have done under similar circumst
ances? How far would he have gone to protect others?
He had pulled away from his two best friends to protect Makenna. He had evaded their questions, and not trusted them with meeting his mate right away. Who’s to say how far he would have taken it if the four hadn’t come to the cabin that morning?
What Makenna had done was rooted in self-preservation, and in trying to protect him and the people he cared about. How could he hold this over her head for the rest of their lives? She had gone about it the wrong way, but she knew that now. She’d never forgive herself if he didn’t forgive her. This would haunt them for the remainder of their lives unless they moved beyond it right now.
He released her and cupped her face. God, she was beautiful. Nothing could make him stop loving her. Didn’t she understand that? “I’m your mate. I’m sworn to protect you.”
“Not officially.”
“Do you think a piece of paper changes anything? You’re my mate, and that mark on your neck proves it. Our fate proves it. The second we looked into each other’s eyes we recognized it. Nothing you tell me today, or any day, will change that. Nothing will change how much I love you.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, her eyes filled with relief at those words.
They’d never had a mating ceremony. The morning after he’d found her, she’d already been in hiding. But she did deserve a ceremony. They did have to sign the contract. She was owed that, as was he. He’d speak to Laredo as soon as they returned. He might be a new Elder, but he seemed to have a level head on his shoulders.
“Stone, what can we do to protect Gillian and Hawke’s siblings?”
“Hawke’s siblings are in prison. This group will never get to them in there.”
“But all of you have accepted me and are sheltering me. That includes you, Luke and Leah, their children, Canyon and Fiera, plus Arizona and Gillian. It includes Cash, Patti and her mate, plus all the rest of your extended families. Pretty much the entire village, Stone.”
“So, it really is a war.”
The look she gave him once she disengaged herself from his embrace was filled with terror. “Yes, Stone. It is. I don’t care what your Elders believe is over. They’re wrong. I assure you. This group will not stop until they eradicate what they see as the evil from our lands.”
“Their hypocrisy is almost unbelievable.”
“I agree, but they don’t see it that way, and they never will. Reasoning with them won’t work. They allowed two males to kill two of your patrols, and to nearly rape another male’s mate. In their minds, that was justified because she is human. Because I’m descended from Talia, whose family got mixed up with humans, I’m a target. And because I’ve mated with you and am living in your village, all of you will eventually be targets. Gillian is still a target, Stone.”
“What about the Medina females in your village? They all have ties to humans.”
Her olive-toned skin paled, alarming Stone. “Business ties, yes. But only one of them had human blood in her.”
Had? At first, he was too stunned to respond. He barely moved. But she was watching him, waiting for him to make this all right somehow. He had to focus on why they were here. He had to focus on his mate. “Nanette. Is she dead?”
“They all are. After the Medina women exposed me, this group turned on them, accusing them of being in league with humans as well. At first, it was only Nanette they wanted dead. But the villagers were afraid of all of them afterward, saying because of their ties to the human business community, they were just as dangerous. Their men are in prison for human crimes, after all.”
“So they killed all of them.”
Fresh tears slid down her face as she nodded.
“How did you get away?”
“I was lucky. When I followed the group to your village that night, I’d been hiding for over a month, watching their activities from afar. And the Medina women were already dead.”
“So, that cabin you said you were staying in? Is that part true?”
“Yes. I really did flee to a remote cabin on the other side of my village.”
“If the Medina women had never come to your village, do you think this group would have found out who you really were?”
“I doubt it. They also wouldn’t have known about Gillian mating with Arizona.”
“So all this still goes back to that damn family.”
“Yes, I suppose it does. But what does that matter? You’ve already dealt with them. The men are being punished for what they did, and now their mates, their mothers, and their daughters are dead.”
It was difficult to wrap his head around all this. She’d been running from the people in her own village for close to three months now, but it wouldn’t take them long to figure out where she was now. They probably already knew.
If enough of them showed up, they could do serious damage to life and property in the village. She hadn’t been exaggerating when she’d said this was dangerous. She hadn’t been exaggerating when she’d said this was a war. And that’s why the Elders needed to know her secret. They needed to understand the magnitude of what this could mean if the leopards got it into their heads to launch a full scale attack.
The Medina women were dead. No one in their village knew that yet. Once they did, they’d realize how far this group was willing to go. Stone turned his gaze back toward his mate. She was still too pale, and she sat quietly, watching him, waiting. All he wanted to do at that moment was hold her, and make this go away.
“We have to tell the Elders what you just told me. You do realize that, don’t you?”
“Do we have to tell them the story I told you about the theft? All they know so far is that I fled my village because my life was in danger from this group, and that is the truth.”
Stone frowned. She was right. What would be the point in embarrassing her by reiterating the lie she’d told him about why she’d fled? It wasn’t relevant. “No. That will stay between you and me.”
Surprise filled her face. “You mean you never told your friends that story?”
“Of course not. And there’s no point in telling them now. This will stay between you and me, as it should.”
“Thank you, Stone. I agree that we need to tell the Elders who I really am. They need to know the truth so they can keep Gillian and everyone else safe.”
He had been jealous of both Canyon and Arizona when they’d each found their mates. They were so blissfully happy. So fulfilled. He had begun to think he was fated to be alone forever. But that wasn’t true. Makenna was here. She was real. And now it was time to be the true born blood moon lynx he was, step up, and protect her with his life, if it came to that. He loved her. No one was going to take him from her. No one.
Chapter Six
The second it all made sense in Stone’s mind, and he realized the importance of what she’d finally told him, Makenna saw it in his eyes. She watched the change come over not only his face, but his entire being. More tears slid down her face, but this time they were happy ones. He understood, and he was ready to fight for her. She hadn’t lost him.
“I was afraid you’d leave when I told you the story.”
“Makenna…” He pulled her close and held her tightly. Makenna snuggled against his warm body, wishing she’d never bothered following that damn group. If she could take it back, she would. She should have gone into hiding as soon as the Medina women realized who she was and never looked back. Her family had never felt safe there anyway.
“I love you. You’re my mate.” He stroked her back until she relaxed a bit, and then he gently lifted her hair and kissed the back of her neck. “Nothing you could ever tell me would change that. Nothing will make me stop loving you.”
If she hadn’t followed the group, she might never have met her mate. Which was worse? Spending the rest of her life looking over her shoulder, or living without Stone?
“You’re an extraordinary male, Stone. I love you so much.”
Soft moans escaped her throat as he planted
more kisses on her neck, trailing his tongue down to her shoulders and her collarbone as well. Everything they’d talked about began melting into the background as her desire for her mate grew.
“We’ll get through this. I promise you.”
“I believe you.” And she did. He would make everything all right somehow. She knew that, as surely as she knew her own name. Her real name.
Stone cupped her face. “I need to make love to you, Makenna. I need to feel your body next to mine, and I need to taste you. I need to be inside you.”
How could she say “no” to that? Makenna only wanted to forget everything that had just happened and love her mate. She desperately needed his touch to ground her once more to what was truly important.
Every time they made love, both of them partially shifted, and this time was no different. She had asked Gillian once how she handled it when Arizona shifted, and Gillian told her she found it incredibly sexy. Makenna found it sexy, too, and it’s not like either she or Stone had a choice.
As they embraced once more, Makenna tangled her fingers in Stone’s hair and kissed his neck. She loved the taste of him, so warm and salty. Loud moans escaped her throat as he licked the wound on her neck. She’d asked Gillian about that, too. Whether Arizona touching it or licking it sent the same shockwaves of desire through her as Makenna experienced, and her answer was yes. Gillian also told her that Fiera experienced the same thing. It was universal among mated females.
The wound would never fully heal. She’d carry it her entire life, and it marked her as belonging to an alpha male. This was part of the reason why what Josh and Ricky had done to Gillian was so abhorrent.
But Makenna didn’t want to think about any of that right now. She pushed away thoughts of Gillian, and everyone else, one more time. She wanted to concentrate only on Stone, and the way he made her feel.
Shivers ran up and down her spine as they ripped at each other’s clothes, stopping only to devour each other’s mouths in kisses so molten, she expected the sofa to catch on fire. As Stone tossed her shoes across the room, something fell to the floor and shattered, but Makenna didn’t bother looking around to see what it was. She was lost in the heady sensations of her mate’s hands and mouth on her body, and nothing else was allowed inside her thoughts.