Family Harmony

by J. J. Massa

  Mya explained that her brother, Myles, was in the hospital at Duke University Medical Center and that she planned to stay close by until his treatment ended.

  When they finished their coffee, Bethany pulled out a card and scribbled a number onto it. “I like you, Mya. I really like you. One day soon, you may need someone to talk to. Just call me, okay?”

  “Okay,” Mya agreed. The women walked back to the amphitheatre.

  Chapter 7

  Suite of Lakon and Mya

  Hotel Elegancia, Raleigh, NC

  The concert had gone well but Mya noticed that Lakon had been acting oddly all day. When she had returned with Bethany, he’d steered her roughly away from Bethany and Riker and they’d begun to rehearse.

  Lakon had been equally short tempered at lunch when Riker and Yancey brought another man to join them. Bethany seemed happy to see the man and he’d been polite to Mya.

  “Tav, Tavist Darke, is a very dear friend of our family,” Bethany explained to her.

  “Nice to meet you, Tav,” Mya said, shaking the dark-haired man’s hand. Lakon gave her a hard look and while she couldn’t understand the anger in his gaze, she gave a mental shrug and thought no more about it.

  During that night’s concert, Lakon had pulled her roughly away from one of the band members when she’d strolled too close to him during their duet. Later, as she was explaining to a new roadie how best to store some of the equipment, Lakon had demanded that she leave with him immediately.

  Now, in the room they shared, Mya turned to Lakon who was pacing. “Lakon, you seem awfully tense. What’s wrong?” she asked him.

  “Now why would anything be wrong, Baby?” he growled. “I love watching my mate check out other men all day. Did you enjoy snuggling up to my brother this morning?”

  “Lakon?” She was incredulous. “Where is this coming from? Bethany said you two do that to be mean to each other. I didn’t want him to…”

  “Oh, you didn’t want a famous actor to rub all over you and suck on your neck? You sure, Baby?” He advanced on her as she backed toward their bedroom. “I’ve been in the movies. I’m not good enough now?”

  “You’re acting ridiculous Lakon Montgomery! If I were interested in another man do you think I’d try to pick him up right in front of you? I’m not stupid!” she snapped angrily, stomping her foot in agitation.

  “No, Baby, no—you’re not stupid, not at all. Maybe you’re just feeling neglected,” he offered, his voice oddly low and suggestive. “I’m not giving you the attention you so badly need, am I? Maybe you want me to make love … differently? Is that it?”

  He continued to crowd her, his hands skimming over her hungrily. He was making her uncomfortable—he wasn’t acting like the man that she loved.

  “Lakon, stop, this isn’t…” He reached forward and ripped her dress in half. She tripped, backing away. “Don’t! Lakon. Stop!”

  She turned to run into the other room. Grabbing her from behind, he ripped the dress from her and tore away her undergarments.

  “Which is it, Baby?” He growled behind her, “Don’t or don’t stop? You want something I’m not giving you, don’t you?”

  “Lakon, I love you, I like how we make love!” She heard his zipper being lowered and felt his hard erection against her naked rear-end. “I don’t know what I did but I only love you!”

  “You’re MINE!” he snarled.

  With a growl, his jaw clamped onto her shoulder muscle and she thought she could hear the sound of his teeth meeting. Still growling, he lifted her onto his jutting cock. Mya tensed, crying out as she felt him force his way into her, stretching her wide, wider than she thought possible.

  She had been dry at first and it hurt, tearing her tender opening. Lowering her to the floor, he covered her body with his. He began pumping into her, pinning her in place with his body and his hands. His teeth held her immobile, still embedded in her shoulder.

  She bucked, trying to struggle against him, hating that he’d take her this way, in anger. The struggling, bucking movement slammed her rounded cheeks against his lower belly. What control he might have had was lost then as he began to thrust and withdraw piston-like into her.

  Bracing himself with one arm, he wrapped his other arm around her waist. He gripped her tightly as he thrust inside of her over and over, pounding her as each thrust moved her forward. At last he pumped one final time, his rod pulsing in her core, as he growled his climax into her shoulder and collapsed on top of her.

  Mya didn’t move. She barely breathed. She could see Lakon’s green eyes glowing in the moonlit room. He still had his jaw clamped around the muscle between her neck and shoulder. He gave it a rough shake and then let go, licking it.

  He lifted himself off of her and stood. Without a word, he zipped his pants and left the room. A minute later, he left the suite. Still, Mya waited. He’d been so angry, so enraged. It was as if he’d been another man entirely—a man she wasn’t sure she could live with.

  When she was sure he wouldn’t be back, she quickly showered and dressed in old jeans and one of Lakon’s old shirts. She took the time to pour some twenty-five year old scotch onto her shoulder and then rinsed it with water. Quickly, she packed a small backpack with two spare long sleeved shirts, extra panties, a pair of his sweat pants and a second pair of her jeans. She rolled a hotel blanket up and secured it to her bag.

  She found a first aid kit in the bathroom and bandaged her wound as best she could. She knew there would be muscle and tendon damage. Everything that she didn’t use from the first-aid kit went into her backpack.

  She stuffed some of Lakon’s socks into her backpack, too, and grabbed a well-lined leather jacket that was his. It was bulkier than the jackets she owned and she could wear more layers under it. She tied one of his sweatshirts around her waist.

  Looking around the room, she stuffed portable snacks into her bag and into her coat pockets. Deciding that she’d taken as long as she dared, Mya looked for and found the hotel stationary.

  She decided to keep her note to him short, but honest, so she wrote:

  Lakon,

  You hurt me. I don’t know why. I need to go think about things. I’ll always love you.

  Mya

  She took a Band Aid and taped the note to the head of the bed. After straightening everything else and disposing of her torn dress, she left the room.

  * * * *

  When Lakon arrived back at the suite hours later, he was filled with remorse. He realized that his behavior toward Mya had been inexcusable. Even that word didn’t articulate his out of control behavior. He decided to punish himself by sleeping on the couch and letting Mya get some rest.

  Awakening late the next morning on the couch, Lakon tried to remember why he was there instead of the bed. Finally, it hit him. Mya. He’d been rough with her the night before.

  He’d been more than rough—he’d taken her in anger. Now that he thought about things, he realized that his behavior had been irrational even before that. He’d let Riker’s stunt that morning push him over the edge and he’d taken it out on Mya.

  Mya… His stomach fell to his knees. Her scent was fainter this morning. Faint scent and no noises. The suite was too quiet. No matter how late she stayed up, she’d usually be awake by this time of morning.

  With his lupine hearing, he should be able to hear her roll over in bed. At least he’d hear the even breathing of her sleeping or the furtive noises of her trying to be quiet.

  It was as quiet as a tomb in his suite. A tomb. The suite was empty and he knew it. Once again, he felt a fleeting empathy for his brother. No quiet had ever seemed as quiet as this room without Mya in it.

  With dread, Lakon forced himself to get up and go to the bedroom he’d shared with her. Standing in the doorway, he looked around. As it was meant to, her note taped with a Band Aid caught his eye immediately.

  She’d told him last night that she loved him. Twice she’d told him. Now, he held the same message in writing. Sh
e loved him. She loved him, but she was gone.

  Lakon dropped to his knees and howled. His brother was there in less than two minutes.

  Chapter 8

  Duke University Medical Center

  Durham, NC

  When Lakon stormed into his hospital room, Myles was waiting for him. Before his boss could open his mouth, Myles began to speak.

  “Take the video, take the camera. Watch the tape.” When Lakon would have spoken, Myles cut him off, “Don’t come back here today. Somebody will let you know if I can stand to look at you tomorrow.” He resolutely closed his eyes and turned his back on him.

  * * * *

  Suite of Lakon and Mya

  Hotel Elegancia, Raleigh, NC

  Lakon, Riker, Yancey, Tav and Bethany sat down in Lakon’s suite. Lakon had inserted the tape and turned it on, using the remote control. He really didn’t care anymore who saw what was on the recording, as long as he could see it.

  As the video began to play, they were treated to rustling and then a view of the night sky through the hospital window. There was a full moon.

  “I’m just going to stand over here for now, Luv.” Mya’s voice said. “Let’s make a midnight movie.”

  “I know we’re night owls, Pet, but I thought you had a warm body at home to keep you indoors on nights like this?” Myles asked. His voice sounded worried.

  Mya could be heard swallowing before she answered. “Himself is out enjoying the night air, just now.” Lakon felt the knot of dread in his chest grow tighter.

  “Is that what’s wrong, Sweet? He’s left you in while he chases other skirts? You think that’s…”

  “Um no, Myles, no. We had a bit of a spat, if you will. He’s been in a twist all day and fair exploded a while ago.”

  The camera seemed to shake a little and then stilled. Lakon knew the effort it cost her to still her shaking hand.

  “Did he hurt you, Mya, did he?” Myles’ voice took on a hard edge.

  The camera panned left and then back to the right, stopping to focus on a large group of people in a nearby field. Murmuring could be heard from Riker, Yancey and Tav. Bethany and Lakon just stared at the screen.

  “Earlier, I was going to tell you that he was out chasing his tail and howling at the moon,” she croaked. “Seems he really is.”

  The picture had zoomed in to show one person on the edge of the crowd transform into a wolf.

  “What’re you on about?” Myles’ voice sounded closer now.

  Another person on the screen changed into a wolf.

  “My? Come hold the camera.” It changed hands with barely a ripple. The camera focused on Lakon as he changed. “So, if I said that I saw the man I love change into a really big dog?”

  “If you were alone, Luv, I’d say you were barmy.”

  “Since I’m not?”

  “Handsome brute, innit he?” Myles observed.

  “Dead sexy, he is, even in fur,” she agreed. “There goes his brother. I saw Bethany at the hotel when I left so…” Mya let that sentence hang.

  “Blimey! That’s Maisie.”

  “Must be what they meant by their family being primal, huh?” Mya mumbled.

  “Yeah, guess so… There’s Yancey.” The man in question stirred, embarrassed.

  “That explains a lot, really,” Mya said. “No one looks Lakon or Riker in the eyes. They must be Alpha and Beta or something.” Riker arched a brow and looked at his brother who shrugged.

  “Yeah? How’s it feel being hooked up with the big bad wolf, Luvvie?” Myles let out a nervous laugh.

  On the screen, the two largest wolves, one brown and one blonde, turned toward the wood line and bounded away.

  “I’m not saying this doesn’t bother me, Darling, but I was leaving anyway. I came to see if you want to stay or go.” Lakon leaned back and expelled a breath, moisture gathering in his eyes.

  “Mya?” Her brother sounded worried again.

  “I might be able to deal with my husband having a secret life as a wolf, even though he didn’t trust me enough to tell me about it. It’s just that there are too many things he doesn’t trust me about, Myles. I need to go think. I can’t stay right now.”

  Her shadow could be seen leaning down to switch on a dim light. Those watching the tape could see she’d been crying. The men in the room looked at Lakon for a second and then back at the screen.

  Mya turned her back to her brother and said, “He turned into a snapping, snarling beast before he changed into a wolf, Myles. He thinks I want to bonk somebody else.”

  The flannel shirt she wore, one of Lakon’s, slid off of her shoulders and exposed her bare upper back. At the curve where the right shoulder met her neck was a large blood-covered gauze bandage. Myles’ hand could be seen gingerly tugging at it, exposing a large and bloody, bite-shaped wound with four punctures—two on either side of the shoulder. The injury was clearly visible from Myles’ higher vantage.

  “Bloody Fucking Arse-wipe, Bung hole, Bleeding Son of a Bitch, Mother Humping, Bum Sucking Son of a Whore,” Myles gritted in a low voice. Yancey’s eyes went wide in shock, as did Bethany’s.

  “You kiss your mother with that mouth?” Mya whispered.

  “No, only ever my lovely little sister. I’m getting someone in here to fix that, Pet.” His voice was shaking with anger.

  “Don’t call anyone, My, don’t!” she said in a frightened voice. “You have to do it. We don’t know who’s who right now and if he’s Alpha or Beta…”

  On the screen the camera was lowered to the windowsill and taped the full moon reflecting off the glass while the two spoke.

  “Shhh, little sister, shhh. Don’t worry,” he soothed her. “I’ll take care of it. It needs to be tighter.” They could hear the tearing sounds of a new bandage being put in place. “Can you stand that?”

  “S’okay.” She spoke through gritted teeth, pain evident in her voice.

  “Can you give me one good reason not to kill that bastard, or die trying?” Myles spoke again after a minute.

  “I have three.” Myles turned the camera to show her talking. She was pale and shaking. “First, dogs have thicker skin and stronger neck muscles than people do.” She seemed to know what she was talking about.

  “So you’re saying that the son of a bitch, no pun, forgot you weren’t one of his kind and bit you too hard?” Lakon squirmed in his seat hearing Myles’s disgust.

  “Yeah, I guess. And second, you know he doesn’t know his own strength. We talked about that when you got hurt.”

  “I don’t care how strong a man is, he should remember his strength around his woman, no excuses. Bastard!” Myles spat. “What’s the third?”

  “I love him, Myles. It doesn’t matter if he’s a rat, a rabbit, or a hyena—I love him. I’m just going to love him from a distance now. You coming?” Myles set the camera down. The screen showed him moving to the bed and her curling up on the bed next to him.

  “No, Luv, I think I’ll stay. I may have feelings for Maisie and, fool that I am, I want to see where things go, even if she is a…”

  “Lupine,” Mya finished for him.

  “Lupine.” He repeated. “Maybe it won’t work out. I’m not sure which of us is the lion or the lamb in this relationship, if there is one. Where’re you heading? North or South?”

  “North, I guess. Maybe northeast. The mountains are big enough to hide in while I sort things out.”

  “He might come looking for you, Pet.” Mya could be heard sniffling a little. A tear could be seen trickling down her face.

  “Can’t imagine why… He apparently thinks I want to have a hump with his brother, his best friend, the guy at lunch, the drummer, and the roadies.” She’d managed to control her spate of tears.

  “Anybody that jealous will probably wonder where his favorite toy rolled off to, Pet.” Myles combed his hand through her hair.

  “Well, I guess you won’t know until I tell you, will you?” She sounded a little angry again. “So you can’
t rat me out, can you?”

  “Just drop an ad in the big local so I’ll know you’re set, okay? There’s “The Herald Sun” and “The Raleigh News and Observer”.”

  “I’m set, Myles. I know a vet that will help me with this bite. Won’t ask too many questions.”

  She kissed her brother and hugged him tightly. Myles had hefted the camera again and was following her movements. Lakon watched as she lifted a bag with her left hand and walked from the room.

  All went quiet on the screen and after a short while, the camcorder turned itself off.

  Chapter 9

  Home of Sandy Eiderhook

  Blowing Rock, NC

  Mya was glad to be walking in the mountains. She had always believed that she belonged here. This was where she truly felt at home.

  Right now, she was heading toward the home of her friend, Sandy. She thought about how she’d come here after Myles’ big injury six years before. That time she’d sold herself and her virginity to the hospital administrator for the price of her brother’s treatment, drugs and two months of home care.

  The last time she’d visited Sandy was three years ago. She’d been working for a veterinarian who was a wildlife expert. She’d loved that job and had hoped that she could learn a lot from the man. She’d learned quite a bit about wildlife and she’d learned a little something about defending herself.

  After a year of working for him and soaking up all the knowledge he could give her, her employer had decided that she was just playing hard to get. He’d nearly succeeded in raping her. She’d escaped and the man had tried to follow her.

  They’d been in South Carolina then and Myles had been working for a local newspaper. Her foot and leg had been injured and getting to Sandy’s hadn’t been easy.

  She’d understood how hard it had been on Myles. He’d understood how hard it had been on her. Now, they were on something closer to equal footing. She was hiking in the mountains to find peace with herself. He’d stayed behind because he chose to.