by T. S. Joyce
She pressed her hand over her stomach to see if she could feel the kicking from the outside yet, but still couldn’t. Casting a glance at the camera in the top corner of the porch roof, she bolted for her El Camino and got inside as fast as she could.
If she was different, if she was better, she could find happiness in a little RV in these beautiful mountains. That fate wasn’t for her, though. The most she could hope for was that fate for her cub.
Why was she crying again?
Kiera gripped the wheel as she pulled a wide circle in Kane’s yard and rolled her tires onto the gravel road that would lead out of these mountains. Her emotions swung wide. It was the hormones, absolutely, but it was also that she’d started caring about someone above herself. Someone tiny, who depended on her to give it a good life. Someone perfect and unbroken. Someone she wanted to end up so much better than herself.
As she passed the dirt road that forked off the main, she had this overwhelming urge to go find Beast, tell him what Kane had offered, and ask his opinion on what she should do. Like he knew anything about her. Like he would have the answers.
Why did it feel like he had answers? Like he could give clarity?
Why did he feel so damn important now?
Kiera hit the gas and zoomed over the bridge and up the steep incline. These woods did something to her. They were magic or something, tempting her to dream about a future she knew in her heart would never stick.
It would be best if she took some distance to make this decision and not come back tomorrow.
Chapter Seven
She wasn’t coming.
Beast swallowed yet another snarl as he checked the entrance to the trailer park for the hundredth time in an hour.
What was his obsession with this woman? He’d never attached to someone like this. Not ever. Not with any of his pride females, not with friends, not even with Callum. It’s what had made him such a good alpha. He could manage the females, made sure none felt left out because he gave equal attention to all. He could put his head down and get shit done, but since Kiera had wandered into the territory, his mind revolved like a tornado, and the soft-spoken beauty sat right in the eye of the storm.
He was irritable and swatted Dustin’s hand away when he tried to grip his shoulder. “Don’t touch me.”
“You can touch me,” Emma said to her mate, waggling her eyebrows from where she sat in an eye-scorching purple bag chair Dustin had probably bought just to burn Beast’s retinas out.
When Dustin leaned over her and started loudly sucking her neck, Beast hated everything. He checked the ribs, slathered on another layer of barbecue sauce, then closed the lid to the grill.
“Why the fuck is that ugly RV sitting here?” Beast asked grumpily. “This place was actually looking decent.”
“You have a neon orange No Trespassing sign on your fence,” Logan said in a judgmental voice.
Failing to see his point, Beast stopped chugging his beer and growled, “So?”
“So you might as well put some pink flamingos in the yard, too. Plus, you have a dick trophy in your window!” Logan’s eyes were blazing silver. Fine with Beast, he could use a fight, and Logan’s bear was a good match for his lion.
“Dude, chill,” Dustin murmured. “She’ll be here.”
“What?” Beast wanted to clip his legs out from under him for assuming he knew his mind. The wolf had gotten it right, but still. “I don’t care about her.”
Kane lifted the grill lid and said blandly, “Lie. Big lie. It wasn’t even close to the truth.”
“You know,” Dustin said, “when I’m super grumpy, Emma gives me a hand job, and all is right with the world again.”
“It’s true,” Emma said. “Maybe you need to get laid, Beast.” Smartass was smiling like she was hilarious.
The high five Dustin gave Emma made Beast want to rip his sweater down the middle and roar until everyone stopped talking. He needed moonshine to get through tonight, not beer, but alas, Dustin had gone in and stolen his whole fucking stash and left him with only empty mason jars.
He would need to go to the shooting range again soon and blow off steam. He was going to draw Dustin’s face on his target. Logan’s, too.
“The RV is for Kiera,” Kane said from beside Beast.
Beast stopped pulling the ribs off the grill and stared dumbfounded at the alpha. “She’s staying here? In the park?” He gauged the distance between his trailer and her RV. “Just fifty yards from my den?”
“Well,” Kane drawled out, “she’s putting off an answer, and I don’t have a good feeling since she didn’t show tonight. I thought if she saw it, she would be more likely to say yes.”
“Oh, she’s showing,” Dustin said confidently.
“How do you know?” Beast asked.
“Because I stole all her clothes, her bras, shampoo, and make-up, and left a note that said if she wants them back, she needs to make like a cow and moooove her ass on over to Kane’s Mountains tonight. Told her I’d burn her shit if she stood you up.” Dustin smiled brightly at Beast. “Because friends do stuff like this for each other. I’ll actually burn them, too. I wasn’t bluffing.”
Emma snuggled up to the kleptomaniac like he was cute. Beast was totally without words. A sharp headache was forming right behind his eyes, and he pinched the bridge of his nose to relieve it.
The soft hum of an engine sounded, and everyone straightened up immediately. Everyone except Emma, who couldn’t hear well in her human form and was looking around with confusion in her big green eyes.
Beast hurried to remove the rest of the food from the grill, set it on the long wooden buffet table Kane had bought for the park, bolted for the switch for the outdoor lights, flipped them on to immerse the sprawling covered gazebo in sparkling illumination, and then ran his hand over his short hair a few times…like that would do anything. Fuck, maybe he should change his shirt. He was wearing white today and had a barbecue stain on the hip. Frantically, he scrubbed at it with a napkin. He glanced up, got a flash of the D-Team staring at him, scrubbed some more, then slowed and stopped. He looked back up at the crew. They were all frozen, their eyes trained on him like he’d morphed into a four-headed octopus.
“What?” he asked, too loud. The question echoed through the trailer park.
“Did you just primp?” Logan asked.
Heat flared into his cheeks like he was a damn prepubescent teenage girl at a boy-band concert. Hell and balls. “No. Everyone shut up.”
Looking totally mushy, Winter stood and meandered to him, then hugged him as if he’d invited her to do so. “You look great, Beast.”
“No touching.”
When Dustin made his stupid sign for how much he loved him again, Beast wanted to kick everything.
For a moment he thought he was going to have to pry the weepy little barnacle off of him, but thankfully Winter unhanded him before Kiera drove under the Blackwing Mobile Park sign. Friggin’ D-Team.
He cast the RV one more look and quickly tried to process his feelings about her living so close. He waited for the lion to revolt, but the snarly horn-ball thought it was a great idea. Pussy every night, his inner lion cheered. Fantastic. He should put himself into a cage now.
Beast gave his attention to Kiera’s headlights and picked up the present he’d gotten her. As he walked by, Dustin tried to hug him like Winter had, but Beast swatted his hands away. “Don’t ruin this,” he snarled at the D-Team, cast them a last fiery glare, then strode to meet Kiera.
Down to his bones, Beast knew there was a 100% chance those idiots would absolutely chase her away.
****
Kiera inhaled sharply at the scar-faced giant headed her way with those long, confident strides of his. Her fury with the thieving wolf evaporated into thin air.
Beast knew his exact place in the world, and that was at the very tippy-top of the food chain. Every time she saw him, he caused a stronger chemical reaction between her legs than he had the time before.
His face was serious, his mouth set in a grim line, eyes blazing gold. He was a beautiful hellion come to earth. His wide shoulders pushed perfectly against a white cotton long-sleeved shirt. Holy heaven, the man could wear white.
Kiera pulled to a stop on the side of the dirt road and cut the engine and headlights.
She got out and opened her mouth to explain she was just here to get her stuff that Dustin stole, but Beast held his hand stiffly out for a shake. “I want to hug you, but those fuck-faces won’t let me live it down, so…” Beast’s lip twitched up in a snarl, then lowered again.
Baffled, Kiera slid her palm against his and shook it. He canted his head, and his nostrils flared as he sniffed. “Have you been crying?”
“No,” she lied.
He arched one blond brow up high. “Bullshit. Who made you cry?”
She let off a soft laugh because he was still shaking her hand. “Kane, actually.”
Beast looked furious in the moment before he glanced back over his shoulder at the Blackwing Crew gathered around a long table and filling plates with food. The Blackwings were pretending not to pay attention, but every one of them were casting her and Beast sideways glances.
“Do you want me to challenge him?” Beast asked.
Kiera blinked slowly. “You want to challenge the End of Days?”
Beast’s fair brows lowered to a scowl as he gave his attention back to her. “I didn’t say I’d survive it.”
Kiera tried not to laugh, really she did, but he was so earnest in his question to avenge her tears. So ready to brawl.
Beast yanked his hand away from hers. “You’re laughing at me.”
Kiera lurched forward and hugged his waist. It was like embracing a stone statue. “Kane didn’t do anything mean. He just gave me stuff to think about. Hard stuff. I cry too easily right now.”
Dustin let off an ear-piercing cat-call whistle from near the pretty, lit-up gazebo.
Beast sighed a defeated sound and wrapped his arms gently around her shoulders. “You cry easy because you’re sick? Or because you are human?”
“Both, kind-of.”
“I made you meat.”
Kiera bit back her smile. “What kind of meat?”
His heart was hammering so hard against her cheek. “Ribs. And baked potatoes. And orange slices and salad because Dustin gave me this stupid list of what human women like and apparently you like to watch your figures.”
“I’m not watching my figure.” Baby wouldn’t allow it.
Beast heaved a sigh. “Good, because watching you eat rabbit-food would be gross.”
A laugh bubbled up her throat, and suddenly she felt better than she had…well…since the last time she’d seen him. Beast had this uncanny ability to make her forget her problems.
Beast sniffed the top of her head. “I like your purple hair. You smell like tears and vanilla, and I like vanilla. And you look really nice in your baggy sweater.”
She had eased back so she could watch his face while he gave her weird compliments. He was looking up at the star-speckled sky.
“Was that on the human list?” she asked.
“Yeah, Dustin said complimenting is good. And also presents.” Beast handed her a stick.
Kiera took it gently. The shape was familiar, but she was completely baffled why he would give her a branch with a red bow on it.
“I looked everywhere for it. That’s the one Gray Dog stole from you.” Beast inhaled deeply and shrugged. “And now that I’m thinking about it, a stick is a really dumb present.”
Stunned, Kiera looked at the stick against her palms. It was the one she and Beast had held together. He’d tracked it down? For her? This might be the sweetest thing a man had ever done. “No, Beast. This is a really good present. I’ll keep it always.”
“Yeah?”
Throat tight, she nodded.
“Good. Don’t tell Dustin I read the list, though. He’ll be an obnoxious asshole for the rest of my life about it.” Beast cleared his throat and shifted his weight side-to-side. “I’m…you know…glad you like it.”
“I really like it. And the ribs smell really good,” she murmured, completely smitten and amused by this man who could walk like he owned the earth but who stumbled over his words around her.
Beast ran his hand up the back of his head and gave her a self-deprecating smile. “This is the first time I’ve cooked for the crew. I wanted to be the one to feed you tonight.” He swallowed hard and shook his head, and now he wouldn’t meet her eyes.
Kiera squared up to him again and cupped his face. His whiskers tingled against her palms. “It’s just me, Beast.”
He pressed his palms over her hands to keep her touch on his face. In a whisper, he said, “That doesn’t help.”
“Why not?”
“Because you feel like everything. My chest feels so tight, and I’m fucking everything up because I’m not good at words like Logan or Kane or Dustin, and I can’t stop thinking about you still. Or talking apparently.”
Kiera pushed up on her tiptoes and hugged his neck, pressed her body along his. Against his ear, she said, “I like you just like this.”
Beast slid his hands up her back, gently squeezing up her spine every few inches as if kneading her like a cat. It felt so good she rolled her eyes closed against the stars and relaxed against him.
“I like that you have curves, too,” he murmured. “You aren’t skin and muscle like other lionesses. I like it when you hug me. The big sweaters hide you from the others, but you let me touch you.”
She huffed a soft breath. He didn’t know what they were, but he didn’t mind her baby curves. Something about that loosened her heart up even more. Her pants didn’t fit, and she’d grown fuller in all areas of her body, but here was this perfect specimen of a man telling her he still thought she was pretty.
“Food’s getting cold!” Logan barked.
The sound of a smack echoed through the clearing.
“Ow, what was that for?” Logan asked loud enough for even Kiera to hear. She thought it had been his mate, Winter, who had smacked him, but Dustin was the one that reprimanded him. “Stop being a cock-blocker, you dunce.”
“They aren’t doing anything but hugging a lot,” Logan argued.
“I think I hate them,” Beast muttered.
Kiera snorted and then settled the stick in the passenger’s seat so she wouldn’t lose it. Over her shoulder, she said, “I want some of that food before it’s all gone.”
Beast cleared his throat again when she busted him for staring at her butt as she crawled back out of her car. “You go on.” He backed up a few steps into the shadows.
“What? No, I want to go with you. Why are you going that way?”
“Because I’m hard as a friggin’ rock right now, and I’m not going over there full-mast, Kiera.”
Her mouth plopped open, but when she looked at the zipper of his jeans, yep, boner-city. And it was the biggest city on boner continent. She tried not to stare, really she did, but hell yes.
Beast covered his crotch with his giant hands. “You aren’t helping if you look at it all hungry like that.”
“Well, think about something gross. I don’t want to go over there without you.”
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Beast gritted out. He closed his eyes and blew out a deep breath.
“What are you thinking about?” She couldn’t help the question, the curious kitty in her had to know.
“Dustin hugging me. Salad. Dustin stealing from me. Salad dressing. Dustin’s stupid face. Okay, I’m good, let’s go.” He strode past her and grabbed her hand on the way.
She yelped as she pushed her legs to keep up with his long strides. “What else was on the human list?” she asked.
“Uuuh, girls like when you pick their wedgies when their nails are wet, and they don’t like when you go too long without manscaping. They like flowers, the plan
ts or the seeds. Also, when you go on your period, I should buy you chocolate and watch sappy movies with you. Don’t make fun of you when you cry, and you’ll yell at me less.”
Kiera was pursing her lips hard to stifle her laughter. Beast sounded so serious right now.
“Do you want to see my den?” he asked suddenly.
“Yes.”
“Well, you can’t right now because it’s off in the trees.” He pointed. “And Dustin said your vision probably sucks.”
“Uh, my vision doesn’t suck that bad, but…” She squinted into the shadows, but all she could make out was the dark outline of a building. “Yeah I can’t see that from here.” She could, however, see a shiny silver RV parked near the gazebo. “Uuuuh, what is that?” she asked, fury rocketing through her blood, because oh, she knew.
“Your den.”
“It’s not my den because I haven’t said yes to staying here.”
Beast cast her a sharp look, then pulled her into the ring of light that surrounded the gazebo. He pointed to her. “This is Kiera.”
“Uh, we know, Romeo,” Dustin said from his seat closest to them.
Beast released her hand and lurched at Dustin. The wolf winced and jerked away from the railing as a soft whine wrenched from his throat. Beast’s smile was positively devilish, and though Kiera desperately wanted to hold onto her anger at Kane for renting the damn RV and putting more pressure on her, another accidental grin graced her lips. God, she had the biggest crush on him. He was a total rough-and-tumble, brawler caveman, but she was finding she really, really liked that about him.
Kiera gave a little wave to the Blackwing Crew, who were eating around a giant table on the gazebo. “Good to see you all again. Except for you Kane.” Kiera pointed to the RV and arched her eyebrow.
Kane shrugged and gulped down a bite. “Never said I played fair, Kiera. You want a tour of it? We rented you the deluxe suite.”