Tagging Her Lynx (Alaska Lynx Clan)

by Abby Wood

  "What's so funny?" She didn't turn toward him, but stood and held out her hand for his plate.

  He handed the trash to her and leaned back. "You, my curious cat."

  She scoffed and marched to the back of the cabin to throw away their plates. In the opposite direction, Darren slipped out the front door after nodding at Granger. He stretched out his legs, crossed his ankles, and smiled at the way the other women clustered around his woman. She fit in perfectly with the other Lynx.

  For someone who worried about living here and getting along with people of her own kind, Chloe seemed to have no problem touching the lives of the others. Her alpha did her proud.

  She roamed the room. A friendly stroke to Susan's arm, a hug for Gretchen, a tender caress to one of the younger women who lowered her eyes at the sight of the alpha female—Chloe bonded with the women. She'd come so far; if he didn't know any different, he'd have guessed she'd grown up knowing about her abilities and accepted them.

  "Hey, Granger." Tucker sat down in Chloe's empty chair. "Your mate is lovely. A great addition to the clan."

  Granger kept his gaze on Chloe and didn't acknowledge the compliment. "Any news?"

  From his peripheral vision he viewed Tucker shake his head. Damn it. The men in charge of cleaning up the disaster at the refuge lost the man who'd helped the person Granger attacked at the refuge.

  The crew failed to kill the one man who'd witnessed the whole fight, although they did dispose of the evidence. He had a bad feeling the guy was running with the other hunters who kept trying to invade the clan's area.

  Chloe tilted her head back and laughed. He ran his gaze from her head to her hands, which she had clasped in front of her chest. The men needed to get aggressive and put a stop to the threat hanging over them. If anything happened to Chloe, he'd not survive.

  "I'll meet with the crew in the morning. I want them gone." He turned to Tucker. "I'll go after them myself."

  "But—"

  "No one hurts my family." Granger stood up, ignoring Tucker's attempt to stop him, and crossed the room.

  "Looks like everything is winding down." Granger wrapped his arms around Chloe's waist from behind. "Let's get out of here."

  She laid her head back against his chest. "Okay, but let me say goodbye to the girls first."

  "I'll meet you outside." He leaned to the side and kissed her lips. "Hurry."

  Outside the community cabin, a dark shape ran along the tree line. He sniffed, scanned, and deemed the area safe. Stepping farther away from the door, he stopped Darren.

  "Everything set up?" He grinned.

  His brother nodded. "Yep. Better hurry. Not much daylight left." He chuckled. "There's a nice thick layer of ice on the lake. You shouldn't have any problems. Winter came early this year."

  Granger clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks." He heaved a sigh. "The men are meeting up in the morning. I want you to stay back and guard Chloe."

  "You're going after the hunters?" Darren's mouth tightened.

  Granger turned toward the cabin to see Chloe walk out. "Yes."

  "Be careful, my brother." Stepping back, Darren nodded and turned to go back to the cabin.

  Granger stepped forward, smiled, and held out his hand. "Ready for an adventure?"

  "I guess." She puckered her lips. "Is this about your job that you mentioned earlier?"

  "Yes." He pulled her closer by the front of her coat, zipped her up, and gave her a quick kiss. "You'll need to stay warm. We'll be hiking for about fifteen minutes."

  "Okay." She held his hand in both of hers and followed him.

  Chapter Nine

  This late in the year the golden globe of the sun lay far off in the horizon and cast shadows amongst the few trees Granger led Chloe through. She slowed down and glanced up at the sky. Maybe one hour of daylight remained, and the darkness would return.

  "Not much farther."

  She hurried to keep up with him. "I'm not worried, just enjoying the scenery. You've never taken me in this direction."

  It didn't faze her that they often spoke telepathically even when they were alone. It came naturally now, and it was nice to feel that deep connection with someone. She enjoyed their private conversations.

  Chloe's lips curved upward. Granger never missed a chance to tell her his wicked thoughts either. Whether she was washing dishes, practicing her skills, or lying in bed with her eyes closed, he'd whisper his thoughts and laugh at how flustered she would become.

  The previous night she orgasmed from the words he spoke in her head alone. Goose bumps broke out over her arms despite the heavy down coat covering her. He certainly kept life exciting.

  Chloe gazed out in front of them, squinted, and squeezed Granger's hand. "There's a plane out there."

  He needed to tell the Lynx. If the pilot spotted one of them from the air and he taxied hunters, the clan's lives were at stake. Granger continued to pull her closer to the aircraft.

  "Granger?"

  "It's okay." He stopped, turned his head, and grinned. "This is my plane."

  "What?" She glanced from the airplane to him. "You're a pilot?"

  "Yes." He scooped her hand back up and pulled her along with him. "I transport people, goods, and once a week, the mail to the people living out in the bush. Because of the weather, I have a lot of time off in the winter." He grinned. "Now that I've found you, I'm happy about that."

  She laughed. "That is so not what I expected you to do for a living." She shook her head. "I had you pegged for a builder or some kind of laborer."

  "Yes, my manly body does make you think of physical labor." He joined in her laughter. "Nope, I love to fly." He took her arm and set off in a jog. "Come. Let me show you my world."

  The light layer of snow over the ice-covered lake gave them enough traction to keep their feet from sliding out from under them. Chloe clamped her lips shut against the stinging cold air. She'd never flown before, despite her father's using a charter service to go farther south to pick up supplies for the refuge. She'd wanted to fly for a long time, and she grew excited at the prospect of experiencing it for the first time with Granger.

  Once they reached the plane, he opened the door, lifted Chloe into it with one gentle toss, and climbed into the pilot's seat. She clasped her hands together on her lap and turned her head back and forth to check out the small area.

  Eight seats behind them sat empty, and she turned to study the console in front of Granger's seat. So many buttons, switches, and gauges adorned the panel. How someone learned all the skills to fly something this big amazed her.

  "Buckle up." He pointed to the side of her seat. "We won't be up in the air too long. Snow's coming."

  Everything happened so fast. Before she knew it, the plane built up speed over the frozen lake and began to lift off. She leaned over, peered out the window down below, and squealed. The ground grew farther away, and the plane tilted a fraction, sending her the biggest thrill—they floated in the air.

  The noise of the plane grew louder, and Chloe turned back to Granger. He operated the controls with an ease that told of his experience flying. His facial muscles relaxed and an aura of calm came over him—he appeared in his element, doing what he loved.

  Granger glanced over at her, smiled, and wiggled his eyebrows. "This never gets old."

  "I bet." She laughed. "I can't believe you're a pilot." She turned and peered out the window. "Can I go with you sometimes while you work?"

  "Anytime you want."

  The plane flew steadily over the treetops following the dip and rise of the land. Close enough that Chloe recognized landmarks from her many runs through the birch trees at the edge of the river north of her home.

  She sat up straighter and pressed her forehead against the glass.

  "Oh Granger, there's my home." Moisture clouded her vision. "It appears so vacant."

  "Everything will remain there for you. You only have to ask, and I'll take you back to visit." Granger turned the plane and dipped the wing
to give her a better view. "Your home is with me now."

  "I know." She swallowed. "I hope the animals are faring well."

  "They'll survive." He turned and headed back in the direction from where they came. "Just like you will do fine with your new life. Everyone is back where they belong, with their kind, their mates, and in their natural surroundings."

  She nodded. "I know."

  He tapped her leg, and she turned to him. He held out a pair of binoculars. She smiled and raised the viewing equipment to her eyes.

  A few adjustments to the knob on top, and the ground came up close enough that she felt she could almost reach out and touch the snow. Her view through the binoculars grew fuzzy, and she laid them in her lap and rubbed her eyes. "This is giving me a headache."

  "Another minute and we'll be descending. I can already see Darren at the edge of the lake, waiting." Granger reached over and flipped a switch on the console. He quickly set off a myriad of buttons, and the engine grew quieter. "Looks like we beat the storm coming in."

  "How can you see Darren? I don't see anything except snow." She raised the binoculars back up to her eyes. "Oh, there he is!" She waved, laughed, and smiled over at Granger. "I guess he can't see us, huh?"

  "You need more training to heighten your vision, Aningan." Granger laughed. "We can't have a lynx wearing glasses."

  She rolled her eyes. "Funny…not."

  Granger landed the plane nice and easy on the lake. It turned at the end of the ice and rolled to a stop. He cut the engine, unfastened his seat belt, and turned to Chloe. She grinned and shook her head.

  "You amaze me." She flipped her hands in the air. "You came into my life when I needed you most, and every day I learn something new about you."

  "Come." He opened his door and held his hand out for her to climb over his seat. "Let's get you back to the cabin. I have this wild urge to fuck you."

  She hovered with her knee on the seat. "Oh, you do?" She lifted her legs and slid down into his arms. "I like the sound of that."

  Granger nodded over at Darren. "Go ahead and tie it down." He waved. "We're going to leave our clothes over there. Do you mind taking them back with you?"

  Darren shrugged and muttered, "Damn life mates. Always ready to go off and leave everything for the singles."

  "I heard that, little brother."

  Darren laughed. "Get the hell out of here!" He shooed them away with his hands. "You both need to learn some self-control."

  "Never!" Granger squeezed her hand.

  She gazed over at Granger and laughed. The thrill of claiming these two brothers as her family settled in her chest.

  "Bye, Darren." She waved over her shoulder.

  Chloe stripped out of her clothes at the same time she shifted into her lynx form. The transition was smooth, limiting the amount of time her human body had to deal with the elements. She lifted her front leg and stretched. In her animal body, she luxuriated in the freedom to stretch her muscles. She wanted to run.

  "Ready?" Granger sidled up beside her and rubbed his body along her fur-covered side.

  She trilled low in her chest. Waiting for him to lead the way, she gazed at the thick, silvery fur covering his sleek body. It fit him. With one glance, anyone could see he was an alpha lynx.

  Able to stay steady atop the snow-packed ground, she followed Granger and matched him step for step. With her breathing under control, she was able to pick up all the different smells coming their way. The long hours of training had paid off, and she grew excited at the freedom of giving control over to her lynx.

  Caught in her own thoughts, she missed the quick turn Granger made to leap onto a log. He landed on top of her. Startled, she snarled and bared her teeth.

  "Pay attention." He licked the side of her face, apparently to take the sting out of his words.

  Her anger melted away. She purred and stretched her body out from under him. He nipped at the loose skin on the back of her neck. She wanted him. A need deep in her womb cried out for him to take her, to force her to submit.

  Granger jumped off her, took one leap, and flew over the log out and of sight. She lay sprawled out where he left her, her rump lifted, and her tailed twitched in frustration. He left her aroused and alone. She opened her mouth and sounded off a scream of frustration.

  His laughter echoed in her head.

  With her nose in the air, she ran over the same path Granger took back to the cabin. His fresh, woodsy scent left a trail she could follow even over the heightened rage that built inside her body. How dare he tease her and then leave her behind?

  She ran at top speed, ignoring the wind that grew and the beginning of another snow flurry. Propelling herself through the opened window and into the cabin, she shifted into human form and landed on her bare feet.

  Granger stood in the middle of the room, stroking his cock. His grin lit a spark inside of her. Without missing a step, she charged toward him, captured his face in her hands, and sealed her lips to his mouth. She'd wipe the amusement off that gorgeous mug of his.

  Even in her human body, the hair at her nape stood on end. Her back arched, pressing her breasts against his naked torso. The bare lips of her pussy grew damp, where Granger shaved her the other day. The extra-sensitive skin pulsed with a need to be impaled by his cock and experience the way he alone brought her fulfillment.

  Chloe pushed against him, but Granger held her back from dominating him. She ripped her mouth off his and snarled. She shifted enough for him to view her cat's eyes.

  He matched her show of power. He curled his lip, and she caught a glimpse of the razor-sharp incisors. The beta in her backed away. Her nipples were rock hard. A desire to get down on her hands and knees, open herself, and accept his mating grew stronger.

  Granger slipped his hand around her neck, grasped her hair, and pushed her down to her knees. Holding the back of her head, he used his other hand to bring his cock to her lips.

  "Open." He ran his swollen cock head over her lips. "Take it."

  She obeyed, and her tongue came out to draw his cock into her mouth. Sealing her mouth around his width, she sucked and consumed his cock. The large vein underneath pulsed against her tongue, and she swallowed, hoping to ingest more of him.

  He pulled on the fistful of hair. She cried out not from pain, but from having his cock taken away.

  "Don't." Granger pushed her down farther and pressed her head to the floor. "Think." He moved around and knelt behind her raised ass. His hand pulled her head up. "You're mine." He slipped his cock slowly into her pussy and groaned. "Say it."

  Chloe stretched her arms out in front of her body. Her fingers spread out on the hardwood floor, bracing her body for the fucking she hoped he'd give. A trill escaped her open mouth, approving of the position Granger had picked. This is what she wanted outside in the snow earlier.

  "Say it."

  "Mine." She gasped.

  He ran the head of his cock along her slit. "You're mine. Say it."

  "You're…" She thrust back, but the hand in the tangle of hair stopped her.

  "Say it!"

  She growled. "Mine!"

  Removing his cock, he held her from him. "Say it all. Say, you're mine."

  She wanted Granger to dominate her. To put her in the place her body craved. She'd submit to him and give him everything. "You're mine!"

  The added weight on top of her pushed her down on the floor. Her hips fought to buck up and meet each powerful thrust, but he took away any freedom she had to move. His hand still pulled her hair back. The rush of his hot breath beat on the side of her neck.

  "You're mine." He latched on to the soft indentation where her neck met her shoulder.

  She groaned. Her body convulsed underneath him, out of control. Tears came to her eyes and fell down her cheeks as the contractions began at her very core and spread out to each limb.

  Granger's pace sped up. His cock slid in and out with each burst of his cum filling her cunt. She gasped for breath, unable to put any
effort into the mating past this point. He'd given her multiple orgasms, frequent thrills, but this was the first time that her lynx got exactly what she wanted.

  Granger laid his forehead on the back of her head, loosened his clutch on her hair, and shuddered. "Okay?"

  She nodded. "Yeah."

  He rolled off and lay on his back beside her without taking his gaze off her. "Incredible." He blew out his breath. "Fucking unbelievable."

  She laughed. The sound came out low, husky, and filled with contentment. She should have known.

  "Your lynx came out to play, didn't he?" She raised her head and propped her hand under her chin. "I had no idea mine would merge with…me. That I'd let her have control."

  "I've heard it could happen but have never experienced it before."

  He inhaled and turned his head to gaze up at the ceiling. "I remember my father telling us boys that one day we'd touch the sky." He closed his eyes. "He'd look over at our mother, smile, and get that dopey expression we kids never understood."

  "Granger…" She reached out and stroked the side of his face, brushing the long strands off his cheek. "I'm so glad that you have those memories and that you share them with me."

  He rolled over onto his side. "What about your parents? Did your father talk to you much about your mother?"

  She drew a deep breath into her lungs and let it out on a sigh. "I think…no, I know my dad loved my mom. He lived off the memories he had of her." She sat up and crossed her legs. "He wasn't really the kind of man who talked about his feelings."

  "I'm sor—"

  She waved her hand. "It's okay. I loved him." She smiled. "I do love to hear about your memories." She nodded. "I can't imagine growing up seeing that love and having the experience of living with shifters your whole life."

  Granger sat up, groaned, and pushed off the floor to stand. "I'm too old to sit on the floor."

  Chloe laughed. "How about I fix my old man something to eat?"

  She rose and stepped toward the kitchen. "We can gain our strength back and cuddle down for the night."