Sierra leaned up to brush her lips against his as Dax deepened the kiss. The tender touch sparked adrenaline in her veins, the sort that made her breath hitch.
“Stop making out,” Finn called, striding up behind them. “We’ve got a hell of a lot of drinking to catch up on. Hope this joint is stocked.”
Sierra pulled away from Dax, turning to face her beta. A smirk lit Finn’s face even as she fixed him with a glare.
Dax snorted. “If my brother was in charge, I can guarantee they’ll have booze on hand.” He grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the front door.
Kyle jogged from the opposite side of the cabin, his cheeks flushed. “Boss, there’s a keg out back. Should we tap it?”
“Like I said.” Dax gave Sierra the side-eye. He stood tall as he turned to Kyle, dominance in his stance that hadn’t been as strong before. “Grab a couple of the others and get the keg prepped. We’ve got a lot to celebrate, but respects need to be paid as well.” The orders came naturally, and she had to admit, the role of alpha looked good on Dax Williams. Kyle tossed off an easy salute before launching into a jog back to the keg.
Sierra squeezed his hand. “You’re right. Our packs will need to blow off steam tonight.” The loss of Seamus remained fresh among her packmates, a still-bleeding wound, and Dax hadn’t gotten over the death of his friend Greg. Until now, he hadn’t had the luxury of mourning. They might be celebrating Dax’s victory tonight, but they’d also be honoring those who’d fallen.
A beat-up old sedan pulled into the lot, and a familiar, pint-sized member of the Tribe stepped out. Navi’s cocoa skin gleamed with golden tones under the sunlight, and her thick hair glistened with a couple of coppery strands amid the chestnut brown. She strode over to them, as both Sierra and Dax straightened on reflex. Finn hung around with his arms crossed while he gave Navi the full eye-scan. Sierra shot him a dark look—she knew her beta well enough to gauge his interest. Finn shrugged, running a hand along his buzz cut.
“Come to visit li’l ole me?” Dax drawled as Navi approached. “I’m honored.” Sierra resisted the urge to deck her new mate. He reached out and grabbed Sierra’s hand, flashing her a mind-melting smile that managed to quell her temper and send her mind to dirty, dirty places.
Navi shook her head, a brass smile on her face. “Don’t flatter yourself, Williams. You lot should’ve reported Drew’s attack last night to us at once. Aiden Hannigan from the other Silver Springs pack stepped up and told us everything. Cleanup is going to be a pain in my ass. When Drew wakes, he’s going to have more than a blistering headache to deal with. The crimes he committed will guarantee the lowlife’s locked up for a long time. And if he happened to collaborate with the owners of those pipe bombs, he’ll be in for a different sort of hell.”
“Good,” Sierra growled, unable to stave off the venom in her voice. The monster had been a thorn in her side from the moment she heard his name. Dax stilled as he dipped his head in response, but she caught the shadow lingering in those blues. She squeezed his hand, offering a small smile. The earnest one he gave when their eyes met sent slow warmth rolling through her like honey. No matter what road bumps they faced, she’d chosen this man as her mate, and quiet, small moments like these renewed her faith in their decision.
Dax let out a breath, running his hand through his hair. “Apparently Uncle Aiden’s not completely hopeless,” he said. “So are you going to keep acting all mysterious about the threat in our region? As alphas, we should be in the know.” Dax’s gaze rested on Navi.
She pursed her full lips, hazel eyes sharpening. “All you folks need to know is if you hear word of the Landsliders, report immediately to me. And if you happen to encounter Mackey Kendricks? Run.” At that, she hooked her thumbs through the loops in her cargo pants, averting her eyes. “What are you going to do with the other rebels?” She rolled back and forth on the balls of her feet, obviously done disclosing information.
Dax heaved a sigh. “Different problem for a different day.” Marcy and Rick strolled by, their three kids in tow. The oldest girl locked gazes with Sierra before giving her a tentative salute. Sierra returned the gesture with a fierce smile, the warmth nearly bursting inside her chest. The front door creaked as the family stepped inside, followed by Raven and Jeremy close behind.
“Well, I’m sticking around the area to deal with our other mess,” Navi said with a sigh. “So you better be plying me with a lot of alcohol tonight if I’m to stomach this country-bumpkin territory for much longer.”
Finn stepped up, looping an arm around her shoulder. “Let’s go raid their liquor cabinet.”
Navi crooked a brow with an incredulous look directed at Sierra’s beta but shrugged as the two of them stepped off in the direction of the Silver Spring cabin.
Sierra glanced over, realizing her hand remained in Dax’s. She tugged forward, stepping on her toes to plant a kiss on his lips. The taste of him sent her reeling, the heat that sparked through her body like fireworks at the touch. Comfort, relief, and a deep, unrelenting warmth claimed her chest, her heart overfull with adoration for this man. Even if she wanted to punch him half the time. He placed his hands on her cheeks, drawing her toward him as he deepened the kiss in a way that made her toes curl.
With a sigh, he pulled back. “You ready to join me in there, oh mate of mine?” His eyes met hers, and behind the teasing, dancing flicker in them, she caught the gravity of his question.
“I’ve got no idea how we’ll handle being mated and running two packs, but we’ve already overcome a hell of a lot to get here,” she said, her voice sobering as emotion threatened to overwhelm. Her eyes stung at the sheer thought of the boundaries they’d crossed, the way they’d fought together and supported each other through this entire trial. “We’ll probably clash a little—well, maybe a lot. But stubbornness goes both ways, because I hold on like hell to those I’ve claimed, and you’re mine.”
“Likewise, babe,” he responded, his voice husky. “Whatever comes our way, we’ve got the support of allied packs and an unshakeable bond. I think we’ll pull through.” He squeezed her hand, guiding her toward the door. “You know, our packs aren’t the only ones who need to let loose tonight.” A dangerous glint lit his eyes, the one that stole her heart from the start. “I’ve got a couple of ideas in mind, several involving you up against a wall.”
Sierra shoved his good shoulder, rolling her eyes even though she didn’t bother to hide her grin. “Down, boy. Let’s start with a drink.” She reached out to grab his hand, her touch hunger satiated as hand-in-hand they headed for the door. When Dax Williams had entered Beaver Tavern, she never would’ve imagined she’d end up with the cocky smartass. However, she’d watched his resilience through this whole ordeal and how he’d risen to the occasion, stronger every time.
Pride thrummed through her veins as she followed her mate inside his pack’s reclaimed home filled with Silver Springs and Red Rocks united. Her relationship with Dax was worth fighting for, a desire and contentment she never dreamed possible. Somehow they’d created a bond between them deeper than the one she’d formed with her pack. With Dax, her mate, she’d found a love that could endure.
Loose Id Titles by Katherine McIntyre
The PHILADELPHIA COVEN CHRONICLES
Hunting for Spring
Scrying for Summer
Rising for Autumn
Waking for Winter
* * * *
The TRIBAL SPIRIT Series
Forged Alliances
Katherine McIntyre
A modern-day Renaissance-woman, Katherine McIntyre has learned soapmaking, beer brewing, tea blending, and most recently, roasting coffee—most of which make sure she’s hydrated and bathed while she spends the rest of her time writing. With a desire to travel and more imagination than she knows what to do with, all the stories jumping around in her head led to the logical route of jotting them down on paper. She writes novels with snarky women, ragtag crews, and guys with bad attitudes. Chances are h
igh for a passionate speech thrown into the mix.
Links to find the author:
Website: http://www.katherine-mcintyre.com
Blog: http://www.caffeinecrew.com
Tumbler: http://booksteacoffee.tumblr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kmcintyreauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pixierants
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Tribal Spirit: Forged Alliances Page 19