Family Harmony

by J. J. Massa

  Roland had clamped his powerful jaws around Mik’s forearm and snapped the bone. Mik grabbed him by the throat and flung him at the rock face, stunning him.

  *

  August thought he could slink away while the other men fought but Yancey had been waiting for him. He knew his older sibling well enough.

  “Going somewhere, Auggie?” Yancey said. He worked to make his voice sound mocking and condescending.

  “Do you think you’re going to stop me?” Yancey didn’t move. Apparently, upon reflection, Auggie thought a different approach might be more successful. “Yancey, you’re my little brother. You’re a full blood. I know you’re friends with Lakon but blood is thicker than water. I love you, Yance…”

  A rumbling growl built in Yancey. “You make me ashamed to be a Livingston. To be a full blood.” Yancey was shaking with rage. He knew he had to force himself to calm down. “Their blood is thicker than water. Yours is tainted. Yeah, I’m going to stop you.”

  With that, Yancey launched himself at the light red and buff wolf—his brother, his enemy. Their jaws met in a loud clash as snarls, growls and deep barks rent the air. At one point, August had the upper hand with his jaws around Yancey’s throat.

  Just when it seemed that August would kill his brother, Yancey raked the sharp nails of his hind leg across Auggie’s genitals and down the inside of his thigh. The larger Were threw back his head in a yelp and Yancey closed his own powerful jaws on Auggie’s throat.

  It looked like Yancey would be the victor but Auggie recovered himself and clamped his jaw over Yancey’s ribcage. He could feel at least one rib crack. From out of nowhere, Tav shot forward and grabbed Auggie by the tail, jerking him away from Yancey and breaking his crushing grip.

  Yancey saw Lakon surge forward to intercept Auggie. Myles had a beaten and bloody Gil by the scruff and Mik sat next to the unconscious Roland.

  Before Yancey could bark a warning, everyone realized that Roland wasn’t unconscious at all. Lakon, locked in battle with Auggie, was taken completely by surprise when Roland erupted between them.

  Myles surged forward and caught Lakon around the middle as Roland propelled the tangle of wolves toward the edge of the cliff. Yancey watched in horror as Myles only just snatched Lakon from the edge of the rocky outcropping while Roland and Auggie flowed over the side.

  Everyone was still, listening to Auggie’s plea of “Whyyyy?” until his cry was cut off by a sickening thud.

  Now the only sound to be heard in the stunned silence was Gil’s helpless retching. Myles still held Lakon around the middle at the edge of the cliff. Mik limped over to Yancey and nuzzled him in support.

  Tav was as stunned as everyone else, although he scooted away from Gil and the foul smell of his vomit.

  Yancey watched as Myles stepped back and released Lakon. “Thanks, baby brother,” Lakon wheezed and began pulling his clothes back on.

  “You two go down there and make sure they’re dead,” Mik instructed Lakon and Myles. “Tav, Yancey and I will need your help getting Gil down the mountain. I don’t want him getting any ideas.”

  “I-I-I p-p-promise, Mr. Montgomery…” Gil stuttered and stopped. Tav glared at him. “I’ll j-just carry B-Billy.”

  “We’ll get some of Beauford’s pack to meet you and take the other two bodies. There will be someone waiting at the edge of the woods to drive you to the hospital,” Yancey told them.

  “Maybe I should go, and let Myles and Lakon get back to see about Mya?” Tav volunteered.

  “No, little brother. You take care of our old man and Yancey there. Myles and I will handle this one,” Lakon told him. He walked up to Yancey and gave him a kiss on his furry head. “I love you, cuz. I’m truly sorry things worked out this way.”

  The three other men nodded agreement. Yancey felt his eyes fill but fought it back.

  “Me too, guys. I hope it’s over.” He could think of a million things to say but nothing else seemed to fit.

  Still in wolf form, he, Mik and Tav headed toward Mya’s cabin. Gil transformed, lifting Billy and followed. Lakon, in human form, and Myles turned to follow the mountain down to where the two shattered bodies lay.

  * * * *

  The room of Mya Brooks Montgomery

  Johnson City Medical Center, Johnson City, TN

  Riker stared at the small figure huddled in the bed. She was even smaller and more fragile-looking than Bethany. She seemed impossibly pale in the darkened room.

  As Riker watched her, Mya began to moan, tossing and turning. He feared she’d dislodge an IV or something.

  “Lakon! Please! Lakon, help me!” she moaned. “Mykle! My baby!” she cried.

  Riker moved to the bed and carefully took her into his arms. “Shhh,” he whispered. “Its okay, Mya,” he crooned.

  “Nooo!” she moaned. “It’s not okay! My baby’s gone!” she began to sob against him.

  Riker wrapped his arms around her and gingerly lifted her onto his lap, rocking her. There was really nothing he could say. When Marc and Bethany walked in, he looked at them, helpless. He couldn’t hide his tear-filled eyes.

  When Riker tried to move away from her, Mya became hysterical again. With a flash of insight, he realized what was happening.

  “She thinks I’m Lakon,” he whispered low. He looked at Bethany and then shifted his gaze to Marc. “That’s it, isn’t it? We’re twins—his scent and mine, his build and mine—we’re almost identical. She’s been drugged—she’s going on her instincts and senses isn’t she?”

  Marc moved over to her and touched her forehead with his open palm. She whimpered and clutched at Riker. He eased her back onto the bed but stayed beside her. Bethany moved around the other side and sat next to Mya, holding her hand.

  “Yeah, that’s a good assessment, Actor-man,” Marc gave him a small smile. “Her subconscious knows she’s safe with Montgomerys and you do smell almost exactly like your brother.”

  “Is she going to let you examine her? I don’t want her to hurt herself.” He glanced out at the nearly frantic doctor and nurse hovering in the doorway. “She’s not out of danger yet.”

  “I’ll stay here whenever you’re here. I’ll talk to the doctors and be here. She’ll come to associate me with you and Bethany. She’ll start to trust me.”

  “Don’t worry, Riker,” Bethany said softly. He thought he saw understanding in her dark green eyes. “She’s part of our family. She needs us. All of us.” Bethany reached across Mya’s prone form and stroked his cheek.

  * * * *

  Bethany and Marc were in the cafeteria getting breakfast. Riker had feigned sleep and let them go. He sat next to Mya’s bed with his head, shoulder and arm resting on the mattress. She was nestled in the crook of his arm.

  “You did challenge him, didn’t you?” Mya whispered.

  Riker turned his head and looked down at her pale face. He smoothed a palm down her soft cheek.

  “Yes,” he said simply. He’d considered and rejected a thousand excuses in the span of seconds and could think of nothing else to say. “Maybe if I hadn’t… Maybe this wouldn’t have happened.” His eyes filled with tears and he fought them back.

  He felt her palm on his cheek. He looked into her bourbon eyes. Mya tipped her head back and gently applied a little pressure to Riker’s cheek urging his mouth to hers.

  Carefully, tenderly, he placed his lips on hers and kissed her, long and sweet. He explored her satin lips with his, enjoying the soft texture. He moved his lips over hers and tested their fullness. Just as carefully and tenderly, they drew apart.

  “I love you Mya. I love you,” Riker whispered. He knew it was true and he knew it was no threat to his relationship with Bethany.

  “I do love you, Riker Montgomery,” Mya whispered to him. “I’m desperately soul deep in love with Lakon. I always will be. He’s my mate.”

  Riker smiled and kissed her again. “That’s just the way it should be, sweetheart. I’ll always be here when he can’t be though. I’ll n
ever hurt you or scare you again. I promise.”

  She nodded. After a minute he heard her even breathing. He could see that she’d gone back to sleep but now she had a slight smile on her full lips. He placed an affectionate kiss on her forehead and worked his arm out from under her.

  He was stretching when he heard Bethany and Marc coming up the hall. He stepped out of the room to greet them. Bethany handed him a cup of coffee and looked at him quizzically.

  “I’m going to go look in on Mya,” Marc said. He’d been trying to become a fixture for her so she wouldn’t be afraid of him.

  When Marc slipped into the room, Bethany hooked an arm through Riker’s and led him to a large window at the end of the hall.

  “You look better,” she told him. “You seem better.”

  “I am better.” he smiled and gave her a one-armed hug holding his coffee carefully in his other hand.

  “I knew that you felt responsible for what happened between Lakon and Mya, Riker. I don’t understand it completely but I guess you probably were to some extent. I’m glad you had a chance to talk to her about it.” Bethany leaned back against his hard body while they both looked out the window.

  “I’m glad, too, Bet.” He rested his cheek on her head for a minute. “You know I love you, don’t you?”

  “I know, Riker. I love you too, so much.” She lifted his hand and kissed it. “If I didn’t, I would have finished that coffee myself.”

  * * * *

  Ford Amphitheatre

  Tampa, FL

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re glad to be back with you. This is our first concert after the break and you know from news reports that our family suffered the loss of our son and Myles’ nephew,” Lakon addressed the audience at the end of the concert.

  His voice broke and his eyes filled. The concert hall was eerily silent. Myles and Mya joined him on stage. Myles put an arm around his shoulder and Mya put her arm around his waist.

  “I want to thank all of you for your prayers and support while our family was going through this terrible time,” Mya expressed her gratitude, her voice trembling.

  “Our family has put together a melody to remember little Mykle Montgomery. A portion of the proceeds from this concert series and the album this song is on—we’ll be giving it to children’s charities. I hope you like it,” Myles finished. His own voice was less than steady.

  Myles stepped back and a small spotlight encircled him while a larger one found Lakon and Mya. They faced each other as Myles began to play his saxophone.

  The sensual notes of Myles’ instrument joined with the harmony of their voices as they sang to one another and their family. The song was a stirring tribute to the love of their family, as well as a heartfelt lament for the loss of a beloved child.

  As the song ended, a significant portion of the audience was sobbing. They threw money and baby toys at the stage. Yancey had crewmembers clean up and assured the crowd that any gifts they gave would benefit their local children’s support services.

  * * * *

  Dressing room of Mya and Lakon Montgomery

  Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa, FL

  “I told Myles to go on to the Penthouse. I told him you’d want to rest a little, Baby.” Lakon looked at his wife speculatively.

  Mya walked up to him and began unbuttoning his shirt. “Did you want a little time alone, Lakon?” she asked him.

  “I was worried that you’d be upset, Baby. I know it’s tough.” He leaned down and kissed her chastely.

  “Lakon.” She sighed. “You’re right it is tough. I really wanted our baby. It hurts so bad that he died.”

  Lakon put his arms around her. “I know, I know. I feel that way, too.”

  “Do you still love me, Lakon?” she asked quietly.

  “Mya!” he gasped. “Of course I do! How can you ask that?” Women! What was he supposed to do? Write it in ten feet letters in the sky?

  “Do you still think I’m…” she hesitated. He was curious, staring at her. “Do you find me attractive still, Lakon?”

  “Oh, Mya,” he groaned.

  “It’s okay if you don’t, I guess. I wish you’d tell me though so I could try to get used to it. And…”

  “And?” He had many responses to make but that “and” had hung him up. “And what?”

  “Well, if you don’t want me anymore…” she took a deep breath and walked across the room. “I may need a new vibrator… or two.”

  “Woman!” He growled. “Does this feel like I don’t want you?” he thrust his burgeoning erection against her soft abdomen. The image of her using a vibrator had probably increased his size.

  “It feels very nice,” she said.

  “Nice?” he croaked.

  “Were you going to share that with me or just play with it alone?” she asked.

  “Grrrrrrrrr,” he rumbled, lifting her and sitting on the couch with her. “I’ll share it with you on one condition…”

  “What?” she asked breathlessly as he slowly began peeling her clothes off.

  He lifted up and lowered his pants. His erection jutted prominently from between his legs. Naked, she straddled his thighs.

  “I want you to get that new vibrator… or two—and play with it with me,” he whispered.

  “Really?” she grinned.

  He lifted her so that she could feel his erection pressing against her feminine center. He took his cock in his hand and rubbed his bulbous head against her dripping slit.

  “Do you want me, Baby?” he murmured.

  “So much, Lakon. I want you so much,” she whispered.

  He insinuated his rounded cock head into her sheath and slowly pushed his way inside of her, spreading her wide and going deep. They both groaned loudly when he was all the way in. Neither moved for several long seconds

  “Oh Lakon, I missed you,” she could barely speak.

  “Mya, Baby, I missed you, too. I just wanted to wait until you were ready. I love you, Baby.”

  “I love you too, Lakon. You move. You do it.”

  He grabbed her hips and held her while he pumped into her. She rested on her knees with her hands on his shoulders as he thrust. It wasn’t long before she couldn’t hold back anymore.

  He felt her begin to contract around him, cries and mewls escaping her.

  “Lakon! Lakon, Lakon, Lakon!”

  “MINE! MY BABY, MYA” he shouted. He thrust twice more and froze, then pumped himself rapidly into her.

  She collapsed against his chest. “So you do still think I’m sexy?” she whispered.

  “I’ll be glad to show you again,” he chuckled.

  “Okay,” she yawned.

  He pulled her down beside him for a brief nap. They’d head to the hotel when she awoke.

  * * * *

  Penthouse, Grande European Inn

  Tampa, Florida

  Marc’s brother, T. Paul Fonteneax looked up as Elke answered the door to the suite. Although there were twelve adults scattered throughout this enormous penthouse, it seemed very quiet. Still, it was packed with werewolves. No doubt everyone was listening.

  “Myles? Someone’s here to see you, son,” Elke said. She didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t need to. “They want to see Mya, too.”

  “Who is it, Mom?” Myles gave Elke’s cheek a smacking kiss making her squeal.

  “These people say they’re your parents.” Regaining her composure, Elke spoke as if it just wasn’t possible.

  She led the couple to the end of the sitting room. T. Paul noticed that seven sets of werewolf eyes were trained on the very large man and the hard-looking woman who had entered the room.

  “Myles, would you crush this block of marble for me? Tav’s going to show us how to make a mosaic.” Mya said walking up to him, holding a bowl with a big rock in it.

  “That’s not marble, Pet. It’s granite. Old Underdog’s just trying to find out if I can crush it.” He did. T. Paul could see the effort it took for him not to crush it into powder. “Don�
�t toddle off yet, Luv. Look who it is!”

  Mya gasped. Instantly, Riker and Lakon were at her side. Mik got up and made his way over. Marc, Tav, and T. Paul stood and moved closer to the group.

  “Introduce me baby brother,” Lakon drawled, slipping an arm around Mya’s waist.

  “Why he’s no relation…” the woman started. The man hushed her.

  “Allow me to present Jane and Eldon Brooks. Mya’s and my birth parents!” Myles said with a flourish.

  Lakon began to snarl. T. Paul stepped closer to Lakon. It wouldn’t do to have him gutting a couple of humans here in the penthouse. Yancey stepped up with a big smile on his face.

  “Let me shake your hand, Mr. Brooks!” he began pumping the large man’s hand. “Mrs. Brooks, I can’t say how excited I am to meet you!” He rested a hand on the shoulder of the man and on the woman. “That contract was a work of art!”

  The elder Brooks were smiling hesitantly as Yancey introduced them to everyone in the room, including Mik. The smile vanished completely when Mik spoke.

  “I won’t shake your hand. I’m recovering from an injury. Did you come to offer condolences about baby Mykle?” he asked. T. Paul hid a smile. He was beginning to get the picture.

  “That—that dog talked!” choked Mrs. Brooks.

  Mya surged forward. “That is not a dog! That’s Mik Montgomery, my father in law and a better man than any you’ll ever meet!”

  The large man stepped close to Mya and admonished her in a threatening voice, “You won’t talk to your Mum that way, missy!”

  Before anyone could move, Myles grabbed the big man by his lapels. “You won’t talk to my sister that way, old man,” he growled.

  “If I thump you one time,” the man said in a low voice, “you could bleed to death.”

  “Not anymore,” Myles growled. T. Paul could see his beast emerging.

  “Myles?” Riker put an arm over his shoulder. “You want me or Lake to handle this? You know how dangerous you are when you get mad.”

  T. Paul watched with interest as Myles teeth lengthened and hair began to sprout on his face and hands. As a doctor, the gene splicing and augmentation that had altered the human man’s genetic makeup fascinated him.