Moonlight Betrayal: A Reverse Harem Shifter Romance (The Witch and the Wolf Pack Book 5)

by K. R. Alexander

  Instead, I said, “Happy birthday,” as I drifted off.

  And dreamed of America. Of Rocky Mountains and coyotes and wolf packs and corn fields and little brick houses and porch swings and red deserts and beaches and tree-lined streets and glittering skyscrapers of mighty cities, until I was shocked there weren’t burgers and apple pie in the mix. Maybe there had been and I just missed it through the shuffle.

  By the time I woke up—by Kage’s kisses and touches—I felt like I had the stars and stripes painted across my eyelids and was practically humming the national anthem. Dammit.

  Chapter 46

  The first time he woke me, it was still dark. My mind was spinning with red, white, and blue. I couldn’t tell him off, but made a half-hearted effort to participate with his kisses and fondling. Then he went down on me—his tongue instead of his dick finding its way inside me—and I was wide awake with him for many more minutes. He brought me to an orgasm with lips and tongue and teeth before surging up in a rush, trying to join me before it was too late. He was already coming as he thrust into me.

  When he woke me again, sucking my nipples, hand between my legs, there was real morning light flooding the room. I imagined shower sex was in our future. No … we didn’t get that far. Rested, he was rather fast off the draw again. Nor was he in the least self-conscious about it—with a cheerful attitude of There’s always next time.

  By the time he rolled off me and I rolled out of bed I was glad to hit the shower alone—head and whole body spinning, needing a long break. I’d never had a night like it, in so many ways, and I dragged out that shower as if it was my last.

  Kage had the TV on when I emerged from the bathroom. Though he waved me to the bed to join him, he never pulled his gaze from the screen—a commercial about a meal kit delivery service.

  “I’ll be right back,” I told him. “Just need to get my coffee. And maybe speak to Gabriel. I never heard him come in. Did you?”

  Kage nodded.

  I headed for the door.

  “Cassia? Mobile was chirping.”

  “Oh…” I returned to check my phone, sitting on the edge of the sheet.

  Kage slid over to push my damp hair aside and nibble the back of my neck. Considering how riveting those commercials were, I found this strangely touching. And insatiable.

  Warm and fuzzy feelings vanished when I saw the texts. The old ones were from Rowan and Gavin. But I didn’t even check those yet.

  “It’s Andrew. On their way here. When—? Oh, geez—they’re probably in London by now. They’ll be here in twenty minutes. Tops.” I twisted around. “What are they doing so early—?”

  He kissed me. “I love you.”

  His mouth tasted like sweet almonds. I held his face, looking back into his multi-layered eyes, as it sunk in that my panicky feelings were probably unjustified.

  “I love you too. Kage? I dreamed about the States.”

  “I know.” He smiled, sliding his thumb down my jaw, eyes taking in my face. “Seeing a bit better.”

  “I’m glad. What do you mean you know?”

  “You said, ‘How do we go, Nana?’ ‘How can we?’ and stuff last night.”

  “I did?”

  “Woke me up a few times. Thought maybe it was important visions or something so I tried to leave you alone.”

  So that had been him leaving me alone? Goddess, what if he’d wanted a busy night?

  “I’m sorry about that.”

  He kissed me again.

  “You’re distracting me. We’ve got to meet with everyone in just a minute. They’ll be in here. Could you please shower and get dressed? And I’ve got to dry my hair and—”

  “Want one?” He produced the box of marzipan fruits. Only one was missing.

  “Those are for you.”

  But he lifted the little peach, still offering, wanting to share, reminding me of Zar.

  “I … don’t suppose I’ve ever tried marzipan.”

  He held it up and I bit off just a taste, my lips on his fingers.

  Had to think about that but…

  “Maybe not my thing,” I said. “You have it. Do you want to shower in here? You’re welcome. There are more towels. But all your stuff is downstairs.”

  He bit the soft candy peach just as I had, with great care, a sight which so fascinated me, I lost my train of thought. I’d never once seen him take a small bite out of anything. And this from something that even some humans would have popped whole into their mouths. It made my pulse quicken for some reason.

  “Guess I’ll go downstairs.” He nibbled off a bit more. “Razor and clothes and all.”

  I nodded. “That is extremely sexy.”

  “Yeah?” He felt his own face.

  “Not the stubble. The way you’re eating.”

  “Oh. I know. They slow the chocolates down on the tellie. Close up. Red lips, dark chocolate, slow bite. I thought maybe you’d like it.”

  “I do.” I hugged him.

  “We’ve time for—”

  “Please go shower. Then come back up here and we’ll meet everyone. I’m not spurning you. This is just time sensitive.” I kissed his disheveled hair and ran for the coffee maker, taking my phone so I could answer Andrew.

  Gabriel sat in the front sitting room by the windows, reading a newspaper and drinking tea.

  After good mornings, I briefly explained about the impending company.

  “I’m sorry about all of this. Kage is here now but he’s going downstairs and maybe we all could. Meet in one of your conference rooms?”

  “If you wish. But you’re perfectly welcome here.” Gabriel sounded tired and looked sad. As always. “There’s plenty of space to gather here.”

  “Do you work on Sunday?”

  He wore usual dress slacks, but the button-down was open at the top, no jacket or tie, looking like he was only getting ready for work.

  “I work seven days a week as a rule. But not full always and there’s some leeway. We have a charitable lunch downstairs today which I will look in on. For now, if you’d like to meet up here, I’ll sit in. If you don’t mind?”

  “Please do. We’d value your opinion. Trying to sort some things out right now…”

  I started coffee.

  Kage came wandering through, mostly dressed, and gave Gabriel only an aloof nod in answer to the good morning. Almost to the door, he seemed to remember himself and turned.

  “Uh … thanks, Gabe. That was a bang on lunch.”

  “Many happy returns. I’ve missed a few birthdays.”

  Another awkward nod and Kage went out.

  While I fixed my coffee I answered Andrew and read the messages from our druid and vampire friends.

  From Gavin:

  No idea. Do I look like a drum-pounding fleabag?

  As if one had to be a shaman shifter to know something about them.

  I tried Rowan’s multiple answers. Much more satisfying. Yet, also…

  I’ve heard of them. Where did you get the idea? Did you scry them? I’m sure they’d be interesting to talk to if you know where to find them.

  I just talked to Ellasandra. She says the old shamanic shifters are a bridge between the shifter and caster worlds. They’re not like usual shifters, who avoid magic. Really sounds intriguing. Wish I could meet some with you.

  Too bad there are none closer to hand. It could be huge to get someone like that involved. Bridging the gap? Magical and shifter? Seeking answers, or maybe they already know something?

  Let me know. Good luck. Really hoping you get to talk with one.

  Chapter 47

  I’d miscalculated and didn’t even get the chance to dry my hair before Andrew, Jason, Isaac, Zar, and Jed arrived. Jason was still on edge. Zar anxious to know if I was all right here—yes, but the roaches and ceiling leaks were a problem. And I was most glad to see Isaac, who kissed my cheek, brought me a latte, and apologized for rushing over so early on a Sunday morning: they wanted to get home and back to work for the day. T
hey’d also brought four boxes of doughnuts. In other words, six doughnuts for each of us, including Gabriel.

  I don’t know why that still surprised me. How many times do you have to see a yellow stop sign to believe it’s yellow and not red?

  Anyway, I introduced Isaac to Gabriel—the former being the only one unfamiliar to the latter.

  Then, as soon as I could see everyone was settling down, with much peering about the room and, yes, sniffing, I dashed to dry my hair and finish with my face and accessories like necklace and bracelet.

  I was again startled to return—in what I’d thought record time—only to find Kage had beat me there. That had been a flash shower and shave, but he’d obviously done both, hair still damp.

  He sat with Andrew on the stiff loveseat by the window, the two of them holding a magazine of some kind that I couldn’t see because Zar sat on the edge of a chair to lean over it. Jed also watched from a bit off to the side, on his feet and pretending disinterest. Jason remained away, hovering by the kitchen and empty doughnut boxes.

  In the kitchen stood Gabriel and Isaac, both holding cups of tea, Isaac nodding and talking, seeming to be answering questions.

  “Look at that one,” Zar was saying to the magazine, wide-eyed.

  “Like to burry my face in that,” Kage said.

  “Too skinny,” Andrew said. “Look at those.” Jabbing a finger.

  “Think they’re expensive?” Zar asked wistfully.

  “Moon, what do you think?” Andrew asked. “That they’re giving it all away? Probably fake also. At least ‘digitally enhanced.’”

  “What are you doing?” I snapped, stalking over. “Eyes all better today?”

  Zar sat back quickly, blinking up at me as if he’d forgotten I was around.

  Kage appeared taken aback, while Jed gave me a blank look. Andrew, however, leered at me, his eyes hooded.

  “What do you think we’re doing, darling?”

  I lifted the magazine from Kage’s unresisting hands. And stared.

  “It’s all right,” Zar said, uncertain. “Gabe said we could take a look.”

  A lustrous, double-page spread of full color photographs and captions of meat. Steaks, chops, ribs, all shown raw as examples of the products.

  “Where his chefs order from?” I handed it back to Kage. “Sorry.”

  “Yeah.” He frowned. “You want it?”

  “No, go on.”

  He shook his head at my eccentricities and went back to browsing.

  Only Andrew continued smirking as I headed for the kitchen. I’d just about finished my regular coffee cup anyway so I switched to the latte and allowed myself one doughnut—from the single remaining full box.

  With my treats on a saucer and in hand, I took a seat in the other chair, across the long coffee table from Zar, with the loveseat to my right.

  “How do they get it to do that?” Kage was marveling over a crown roast.

  “Look at that wrack of lamb…” Zar murmured. He had to keep swallowing.

  Andrew got up. “Ready to call to order, Belle?”

  “Am I? No … not really.”

  “Come on, darling.” He walked over, which involved shoving against Jed as if Jed wasn’t there—the latter growling. “Where’s your silver spirit?”

  “Oh … it’s tired today, I guess.”

  “Long night?” He grinned even more.

  “Not that. Long week, I think. Concern for our futures.”

  “Why don’t you tell us about it?” He started to back up, as if offering me a stage, which would mean hitting Jed again.

  “Andrew, please don’t open hostilities just for the hell of it. Go stand or sit wherever you want, but not on your packmates.”

  “Oh.” Andrew gave a little start as he looked around, almost backing into Jed. “Sorry, blackie, didn’t see you there. You grim brothers are popping up everywhere these days. At least now we know who the ‘grimmest of them all’ is. Gabriel could make Pollyanna sob. Makes you seem a proper jolly old soul, mate.” Andrew slipped past Jed and went to lean against Zar’s chair back, where he could face me and see the room.

  He caught Jason’s eye and Jason joined him, sitting on the floor beside Zar’s chair, attentive to me. Zar sat back to watch me. Kage looked up, closed the food catalogue, but kept it rolled beside him against the arm—as if for a quick peek in case the meeting grew boring.

  “Jed? It would help if you could take a seat. I can’t see you. Thanks.”

  He occupied the nearest end of the loveseat to me, leaned away from Kage.

  Isaac came over to stand by the window, leaving Gabriel in the kitchen—out of sight for me as I sat with my back to it.

  “Thank you for making the commute up here,” I said. “It’s no small matter. I wasn’t sure I should be here at all, but … Zacharias coming to meet us on Friday was pretty scary from my point of view. I’m grateful we can be here. And that you all were paying attention. Especially Jed’s … scouting.”

  They watched me as I spoke, Kage’s eyes clear, even Jed not glaring off into the distance.

  “Has everything been okay for you there? How are they treating you all at home?”

  A pause. It seemed as if everyone was waiting for someone else to answer.

  “We’re all right,” Isaac said, voice quiet, reassuring. “They know we’re still working with you, but it soothes tensions to have space and everything go on as usual.”

  “Therein lies the trouble,” Andrew said under his breath.

  “Nothing’s ‘usual’ anymore,” Jason said.

  “When we got back last night the council was having a little meeting of their own,” Andrew said.

  “You mean South Coast Cooperative silvers? Like when I met you?”

  “More selective than that,” Isaac said. “And Diana didn’t call this one.”

  “Zacharias?” I asked.

  “He fancied a chat with Elijah,” Andrew said. “Silver of the Aspens.”

  “I remember him. He seemed a decent sort.” Then again, Zacharias had seemed perfectly pleasant early on.

  “He is,” Andrew said. “The Aspens are traditional, even more than the Sables for keeping to themselves—a smaller pack. But they are good sorts. Elijah is canny, gets on well with Diana. No trouble there. But they’re dying.”

  “They were only a few mixed families to start,” Isaac said. “After five losses, they have less than twenty adult members left. We’ve lost eight.”

  Jed suddenly seemed tense, now looking at the coffee table.

  “Talk about making lists,” Andrew said. “Even in France they’ve had three dead. But the Greys? One. One early on and that’s it. As far as we know, not a single death from the Beeches.”

  I also stiffened. “We’ve been through the Beech Pack.”

  “We’re only messengers, darling. The thing was, it seemed time for the Sables and Aspens to put their heads together. Diana wants Peter to get a few wolves together and start inquiries here. Wales, Cumbria, go over to France. But Zacharias, and Elijah, most of the Aspens and Sables, are saying inquire right here first. How do we know the Greys really lost anyone? Maybe they just said that to get the heat off them. How do we know the Beeches aren’t nutty enough for something like this? Sure, we believe you and Jed. Does the rest of the pack?”

  “Diana won’t allow a witch hunt—” Isaac started.

  “If you’ll pardon the mundane expression,” Andrew said.

  “But the packs are scared. We’re breaking. The only way she can keep us together is to show something is being done to deserve that trust.”

  “Which, in case you haven’t figured it out yet, isn’t us, Cassiopeia. Our investigation is only adding to the panic. Who knew?”

  “Can’t blame them for that,” Kage spoke up. “What the hell have we done when you look at it from the outside? In our minds we’ve been all over creation and stirred up clues and found out who’s not responsible.”

  “Until you look through their e
yes. Then we’re at best a waste of time,” Isaac said. “At worst, part of the problem.”

  “An idea of yours that has caught on, though?” Andrew said. “That it’s other shifters.”

  “Plenty of wolves thought that from the start.” Zar shook his head. “Wanting to turn on the Beech Pack, suspicious of each other. It’s the old wars. Just like our history with vampires.”

  “Back to square one,” Andrew added. “Shifters or casters? Nothing they can do about casters except hate on you. But they can certainly go wolf hunting.”

  “That’s not what it was all about last night,” Isaac said. “Yes, that sparked debate, but there’s more. The packs are discussing consolidating—just for temporary protection, setting up better boundaries, getting more militarized in our own security. Or going into hiding. Abandoning the territories and fleeing. Breaking up into smaller units and moving out. Possibly forever.”

  “None of this is happening yet,” Zar said. “It’s all talk. Some of these ideas have been on the table from the start. Should we hide? Should we join up? Should we ask humans for help? Should we find the Beeches? The meetings are always like that. Silvers keep everyone rational and we do our best. It’s just that we’re reaching a tipping point: when Zacharias’s radical ideas become the rational ones and her ideas are simply passive and outdated. The only thing actually going into play as we speak is a group getting ready to investigate other packs on a regional level. Diana and Zacharias both want that. We all wanted that. It’s only the details now that could be troubling.”

  “Diana doesn’t favor violence. Or running,” Isaac said. “But we’re coming down to one or the other. Not today. Not tomorrow. But soon. If we can’t turn up answers.”

  “That’s the thing.” Andrew tapped the back of the chair. “Diana and Atarah still have faith in us.”

  “Enough for most of the pack to hold out some shred of hope,” Zar said. “They might be scared, they might want casters far from our territory, but they see our silvers believing and they want to believe also.”

  “Which,” Isaac said. “Gets us to the pressing matters. Andrew says you have new insights for us.”

  I’d eaten my doughnut while they talked, leaving my mouth and fingers sticky. I drank from the cooled latte and took a moment to answer.