Sierra settled into the couch as if she belonged there. “Hey now, no one said this was a booty call.”
A lazy smile reached his lips. “The mere sight of me shirtless takes your mind there? Good to know. I’d rather a solid fuck than getting my kumbayas out.”
She snorted before bursting into a full laugh, the deep throatiness of her voice sexier than any subtle flirting. “Please, I hear enough bitching from every member of my pack. What makes you think I want to add your whining to the list? I come offering a drink. That’s all.”
The seriousness in her eyes communicated what she didn’t say. The weight of a day like this and the burden of leading a pack could break even the toughest soldier. That she understood the loneliness of lying alone in the dark consumed by all that noxious guilt. The fact she was willing to stay by his side right now with no expectations or demands offered a comfort he hadn’t realized he’d been missing. He’d been coming home to an empty house for so long he’d forgotten the relief of walking in the door and having someone notice you were gone. Having someone care.
He took a swig of Jack, relishing the burn as the amber fluid rolled down his throat. She snatched the bottle out of his hands and gulped down more. As she rested the bottle on her thigh, the liquid glistened on those sinful lips. Even though he wanted to talk about anything other than what had happened, the events dominated his mind.
She gave him the side-eye. “Since I’ve had enough of your mouth for the next decade, let’s drink with a movie on. We could use the distraction.”
Dax shook his head, unable to help his weary smile as he settled back into his couch and grabbed the remote. “Were you just born bossy? Did you slide out of the womb making demands at the doctor?”
“If you’ve got a natural talent for something, why quash it?” She shrugged, even though her eyes gleamed with wickedness. Dax let out a bark of a laugh. Already the whiskey quelled the fraying edges of his nerves, and while exhaustion squeezed his muscles like pulp, he managed to turn on his TV to a random channel, the flickering images barely registering.
He reached for the bottle, his hand brushing against Sierra’s in the process. Even the simple touch jolted him, a shock of electricity he wasn’t prepared for. That must come with the whole mate package. The thought stirred the buzzing hornet’s nest in his mind, so he took another sip of Jack and leaned back. Sierra carved her own stretch of space on the opposite side, her legs wide open and her arms lining the back of the couch. The sight sent his blood flow south, even though his body had long since given up on movement.
Despite the stubbornness Sierra wielded like a weapon, after a couple of minutes her lashes started flickering. Moments later, she sank into the curve of the couch, her head lolling to the side as she conked out. A smirk rolled to his lips as he pushed himself up to grab a blanket. He covered her, the amber scent and heat of her teasing him with the not so distant memories of the way she’d felt in his arms. Of the taste of those lips.
Dax plunked down on the couch and leaned against the arm, the heavy tug of exhaustion drawing him in like an eddying tide. He placed the bottle on the floor and snagged some of the woolen blanket as he settled in. Might not be the most comfortable sleep, but here would be a hell of a lot better than settling into his dark, empty bed. Here there was whiskey, warmth, and a woman who had proved to be extraordinary.
With the threat of the mating bond looming over him, he should be pushing her away and running as far and fast as possible. Yet she’d arrived and offered comfort when no one else had. She’d supported him and given him strength at his weakest.
The more he got to know Sierra Kanoska, the closer to an unavoidable collision he came. She wasn’t some casual fling. If he dared fall for her, and if the bond between them deepened any more, he’d find himself mated for life.
Chapter Nine
Sierra’s legs creaked as she swung them over the side of the couch. Passing out at Dax’s place hadn’t been part of the plan, but after the long day she’d had, the comfort of whiskey and warmth in his cabin had lulled her to sleep. She stretched her arms over her head, glancing to the side where Dax slept, his well-defined chest rising and falling with his luscious tanned skin on clear display. He’d curled on the opposite side of the couch rather than in his bed, though she had no idea when he’d hit the hay.
She wrinkled her nose as she hopped off the couch. Time to duck out before he woke up. Whatever audacity had possessed her to show up at his house yesterday sure as hell hadn’t lingered.
The normal early light trickled through the window, a regular sight from her sunrise wake-up times. An alpha’s work never ended, and she liked to get a head start on the off chance she could field problems before they started. Not like they’d ever dealt with the magnitude of what had happened to the Silver Springs pack last night. After the grief etching Dax’s face at witnessing his people hurt and finding his friend murdered, she couldn’t leave him to face those troubles on his own. Even if this closeness caused the tug toward him to grow all the stronger.
She grabbed her canvas bag off the floor and stood, smoothing out the wrinkles on her pants. Sierra needed to head to her own pack. She’d called her contact in the Tribe yesterday, which meant depending on where the members were along the coast and how many cases they had in their workload, someone could arrive today or tomorrow.
“That would make this the second time you’re rushing away from my place,” Dax’s voice came from behind her. “Am I your dirty secret, Kanoska?” She turned to face him, annoyance thrumming through her chest at his teasing tone. He sat up from the couch, one arm resting on the back while his blue eyes glittered with amusement. Even though his ash-brown hair had the mussed quality of having just woken up, his gaze sharpened to alert, as if he’d been awake the past half hour.
“Obviously,” she retorted. “I can’t be going back smelling like cat. My wolves will get all riled up.”
“Not like I marked you, sweetheart. Though if you want to give them something to talk about, I’d be happy to oblige.” At the mention of marking, his tongue darted over his lips and his tone heated. Sierra couldn’t help the flush racing through her. Her core sparked to life at the thought of his teeth scraping against her skin and the way those strong hands had caressed her body yesterday.
“Ass. Unlike you cat shifters who lounge around all day, I’ve got work to do.” She crossed her arms, hoping he couldn’t scent how her body responded to him. The way his grin widened at her statement hinted he had.
“Let me make you a cup of coffee at least,” he said, rolling to his feet with fluid grace before he strode to his kitchen. “Least I can do for the visit last night.” He stopped at the doorframe, his hand resting there as his lips pressed together and his gaze turned solemn for once. “Thank you.”
The gravity of the words hit her like a sucker punch, a gasp of seriousness from the man who mastered distraction and avoidance. Sierra squeezed the strap of her pack. At that, he ducked into his kitchen, and within seconds the coffeemaker’s hiss resounded through the air. The fragrant scent of freshly brewing coffee wafted over from the kitchen, stilling her feet. As much as she wanted to leave, the lure of coffee was a siren’s song she could never conquer.
She wandered in and was rewarded by the sight of Dax’s tanned muscles in action as he reached to the top shelf of his cabinet to pull two mugs down.
“The Tribe’s been alerted,” she offered, hoping to break the awkwardness in the room at the subject they both avoided. The mating bond seemed trivial in comparison to the loss and destruction that had occurred last night.
“Good,” he said, grabbing the carafe and pouring the molten liquid into the cups. “Called in the enforcers to report the ruckus so the local cops weren’t roped onto the scene. Not like humans want to be roaming around well-known shifter territory. I’m guessing your rise to alpha wasn’t this dramatic?” He passed her a mug and nudged the creamer and sugar forward along the countertop. Sierra fixed up her cof
fee and then wrapped her palms around the hot ceramic.
Sierra snorted. “Hell no. My alpha had trained me and a couple of others for a while, so when the time came and he passed, the strongest of the pack got together and duked it out. Everyone had been placing their bets on Finn—he’s tough, capable, and has a bucketload of charisma. They forgot not only am I smarter, but I’m way more stubborn.”
A smirk tugged his lips. “Color me surprised.” He leaned against the counter, his snug jeans drawing her eyes to the way they slung low on his hips, a sprinkle of hair following the well-defined trail of his abs. “Mine’s turned into the shitshow I’d give my left nut to avoid. Never expected Drew to stoop as low as he did last night though.”
“It was some sort of fucked up,” she agreed, tension percolating through her with the intensity of the coffee she drank. Sierra raised her lips to the mug and took the first couple of sips.
Dax ran a hand through his hair. “You know I’ve reached a whole new hellscape when the conversation we left behind last night is a lighthearted distraction. You were about to say something about this mating bond business before Ally burst in with the news?”
The subject switch gave her whiplash, and she ducked her head to blow the steam off her coffee, finding the surface fascinating all of a sudden. Accepting responsibility, leading her people—those actions came readily for her, but the complex burst of emotions surfacing around Dax Williams had turned into a different beast. She could pretend she didn’t feel the fire burning inside every time her mind wandered to him or the easy way she enjoyed his company, a comfort she hadn’t felt in a long time.
Except Sierra didn’t waste time with self-deception. Whatever existed between them was as tangible and real as the bond she’d breached. And the more time they spent together, the deeper she might fall.
She set her cup of coffee on the counter. No point in avoiding the subject. “Why don’t we put aside the fact we’ve got a mating bond. It’s a big noose neither of us wants to deal with, so we should proceed like we would if it wasn’t there. At the end of the day, if you drive me so nuts I want to run you over with your own stupid truck, the mating bond doesn’t make a bit of difference, so let’s not give the thing more power than it deserves.”
Dax’s grin widened, his eyes twinkling with mischief. Sierra’s stomach flip-flopped. She had the feeling whatever came out of his mouth next would have her wanting to deck him.
“You know, if the bond hadn’t interrupted us, I would’ve had you pinned against the wall or maybe bent over my couch.” His words came out in a purr that stoked her coals into a blaze. Sex oozed from his pores, making it hard to forget the sparks that flew between them the last time they’d crashed together. She lifted her mug again to drink the smooth liquid, the piping-hot coffee not the only reason heat coiled in her belly.
“Glad to see your one-track mind is functioning as normal again,” she muttered, trying to ignore the way her body responded to the sound of his voice and the fire in his eyes. The room charged between them, tension descending as if it had never left. After the events of last night, the two of them could use a chance to unwind. Sierra let out a sigh and placed the mug of coffee down. Bad, bad idea. Hopping in the sack with him, however tempting the tango, wouldn’t solve any of the problems on the table.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she jumped for the distraction, tugging it out. Finn’s name blinked onto the screen, so she answered the phone, aware of the way Dax stared at her. Those predatory eyes were the intense sort of gorgeous she couldn’t ignore.
“What’s happening, Finn?” she asked. Dax’s brow rose, and he walked over to grab the cup she’d left on the countertop. Except then he didn’t budge, standing inches away with a slight smile on his lips. Sierra glowered at him, knowing what predatory power games he played. She’d been possessed by the same streak of jealousy yesterday, part of the frenzy the mating bond inspired.
“We’ve got some visitors at the bar, and they’re looking for the alpha who summoned them,” he said, his tone sharper than normal. Couldn’t be anyone but the Tribe to inspire cautiousness from her beta. Multiple people surprised her though, same as their next-day arrival. They must’ve been dealing with bigger problems in the area than this alpha feud.
“I’m heading out now,” she responded, wishing she’d been there to prepare.
“Let Williams know? They’re here asking about the Silver Springs pack, figure he’d want to be in on this,” Finn replied. Sierra glanced at the looming presence beside her, a faint smile lingering on his lips since the bastard heard every word Finn said.
“Uh, yeah. I’ll let him know,” Sierra said before hanging up. The second she slipped her phone in her pocket, she glanced up to speak to Dax—only to find him vanished from the spot.
“Going to take a shower before we go,” he called as he strode to the bathroom. She balled her hands into fists, following him. If the Tribe already waited at her bar, she didn’t have time for him to primp and preen. She had to head out now. Sierra clutched the frame of the bathroom door, taking the first step onto the ceramic tiles.
Only to get an eyeful of Dax stripped to nothing again. He turned on the shower, and the spray hissed out. Water streamed down, and he hopped in, leaving the curtain open. Not like the man gave a damn who saw him, and with a body that fine, she didn’t blame him.
“Instead of standing there gawking at me, you’re welcome to join,” he said while he started scrubbing away.
Sierra sucked in a breath, restraining the urge to deck him. “I’ve got to get to the bar.”
“And I’ll be two seconds,” he responded. “Beaver Tavern won’t burn down without you there. Finn seems capable enough to keep them entertained.”
“Shocking. With the way you were all up in my business the second he called, I thought you hated his guts.” Sierra crossed her arms, refusing to admit how much the sight of Dax in the shower worked for her in a real way right now.
He ducked under the spray to wash the remaining suds off his body before responding. “Can’t help it, babe. You make me burn,” he said, flashing her a grin as he stepped out, leaving puddles on the tile in his wake. Beads of water glistened on his skin, and the urge rose in Sierra to lick them off his chest and keep heading downward. “But also this bond business messes with my head. I’m not normally the jealous type.”
Sierra nodded as she met his gaze. He wasn’t the only one experiencing irrational impulses at the moment. “Fine, toss on some clothes, uncivilized one. Let’s get out of here.” She turned away from him and headed out of the bathroom before she did something stupid. As she glanced back, the feline grin on his face got her blood thumping.
She stepped into the kitchen and poured herself another cup of coffee before slamming the elixir down while Dax rustled in his room to get dressed. Lust didn’t bother her. Sierra had tumbled with guys she’d never keep before, but what annoyed her to no end, what drove her crazy was from what she’d seen of Dax, she actually liked the man she was getting to know. She shouldered the weight of leadership with no complaints, but she had to admit she enjoyed having someone around who didn’t fall under her rule, someone who understood.
Dax emerged from his room. His shorter strands already dried under the brim of his Flyers cap, and his undershirt glued to his shower-damp chest. Even in simple jeans and a T-shirt, he emanated the raw power of an alpha with the dangerous gaze of a mountain lion. “Mind if I hitch a ride?”
Sierra’s brow rose. “This some flimsy ploy to spend more time with me?”
His grin widened. “Or maybe I want the chance to get you back to my place tonight.”
Sierra rolled her eyes as she walked out of his door, the urge to get going returning full force. She loped over to her beat-up car parked off to the side and placed her hand on the door handle. Dax locked up and stood in the center of his driveway, arms crossed and his brow lifted with the question still hanging in the air.
She heaved a sigh and ta
pped the top of her car. “Stop wasting time and hop in, jackass.”
Dax slipped over faster than she could blink and slunk into the passenger seat as she opened her own door. He wrapped his broad arm around the driver’s seat as he leaned forward. “Hurry up, Sierra,” he teased, his gaze twinkling. “We’ve got somewhere to be.” She plunked into the driver’s seat and gripped the steering wheel so hard she nearly tore it off. As she turned on the car and began to edge out of his driveway, Dax continued, “You’re growling, babe. Might not want to show up to meet the Tribe brimming with aggression.”
Sierra forced a smile as the car rumbled down the gravel, and she emerged past the forest into the sun-splattered asphalt of the highway. “Well, you’ve earned your place as the most singularly annoying individual I’ve ever met.”
“At least I stand out from the crowd,” he replied with a smart grin. As much as he made her skin prickle with irritation, relief spread in her chest at the way he cracked jokes with her, the same charming, teasing man she met a couple of days ago. Yesterday had been the intense sort of day to break anyone, but he’d proved himself man enough to step up to the plate and resilient enough to not let his brother’s crimes destroy him.
Sierra’s car flew across the highway, the tall pines from the neighboring forests flickering by. Fresh air danced through the open windows, the acute aroma of ozone mixing with Dax’s cedar musk. When they first met, the foreign scent of the mountain lion brushed her wolf’s fur the wrong way, but too fast it had become familiar. Now her wolf stirred for him in a different way, the animal side of her able to bond much faster than the human. After all, Sierra might take people on their honor and might give them a chance, but she didn’t trust easily.
The guys she’d bothered trusting always left, so why try? She had the pack by her side, a group of people she could depend on and that filled the void for her. Sierra swallowed, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth. At least, it had filled the void. The more time she spent around Dax, the more the ache grew in her chest, the desperate longing for an equal to spend her years with. And that terrified her more than anything, because as soon as she dove in, as soon as she let down her defenses and allowed the vulnerability she protected in a fierce way to poke through, he would leave. They always left.
Tribal Spirit: Forged Alliances Page 8