Furbidden Mate

by Jessica Snow

  “Not until Wolf-boy gets back,” Ashley said, shaking her head. “I may still not trust his werewolf ass 100%, but I know if I tell you, you’re going to try and leave poor Elizabeth here playing babysitter while you go charging off to get yourself fucking shot.”

  Kat growled, but she knew there was nothing she could do. The girl that she had thought was an airhead for years was, in fact, one bad ass bitch in a good way, and while she could be a major pain in the ass, she also could more than take care of herself. If Ashley said she wasn’t going to tell, then she wasn’t going to tell. “Fine, then. Elizabeth, give Liam a call. Tell him to hurry his ass back here.”

  “Will do. But I still get to keep snuggling with Hunter here. God, he’s cute.”

  Chapter 38

  It took Liam nearly an hour to get back to the cave from town; an hour that he tried to make go as fast as he could safely. It wasn’t so much a matter of distance; instead, he had to take a route that was as indirect as possible, crossing two different streams to make sure that his scent was not traceable back to the cave. When he got back, he saw that Ashley was there with Kat and Elizabeth. “What’s going on?”

  “Any leads on who firebombed your townhouse?” Ashley asked in her typical annoying fashion. Liam did not know the girl before she revealed herself to Kat as a Guardian, but her ability to deflect questions from him by answering with other questions or turning the conversation towards a matter that he thought was not important drove him up a fucking wall. Still, he had to respect the diminutive and busty girl’s skills, she was one of the few humans that he has ever seen get the drop on him.

  “We all know who threw a Molotov cocktail through the window of my townhouse,” Liam said rubbing his golden-brown head. “It was either my parents or Crystal, and firebombing is not my parents’ way of doing things. That sort of narrows down who the fuck it could have been.”

  Liam removed the backpack that he had on his back and set it down by the cooler. He didn’t have time for much, only a bunch of cans of corned beef hash, but it would be useful on the nights that he would not be able to transform and find prey for his mate. Kat was still nursing two of the babies, and even the wolf-hating Ashley looked on with affection as Hunter and Selena nestled against his mate’s beautiful body. Kat sniffed the air shrugging in disappointment as she smelled what Liam had brought, but her mind was too focused on the other matters at hand. “Ashley says that she has found a lead on my father.”

  “Let me guess, she’s not telling you anything until I’m here too,” Liam replied. He had to give it to Ashley, while the crazy Guardian bitch annoyed him to no ends with her overprotective stance on Kat and her distrust of him, in this regard she also knew how to work with Kat’s moods. Liam was also concerned with not only trying to take care of his mate, but the newfound struggles of being a father, and somehow leading his fucked up ragtag pack. There was him, Kat, Zack Lilly, who was the younger brother of Crystal, the crazy man-eater ex-betrothed of his, but who has proven himself to be an honorable and so far, loyal friend and pack beta. Then, of course, there was Liam’s cousin, Carly, who probably could have stayed with the main Greyson Pack, but her affection for Liam, who she saw as a big brother, as well as her unrequited crush on Zack, meant that she affiliated herself with his pack, even if her flirting with Zack got on his beta’s nerves constantly. All that was bad enough. Then of course, through his connection with Kat, there were her human friends Ashley and Elizabeth, and of course Kat’s family of McKenzie and Big Mike. It was enough to make even the wisest of alpha wolves head spin, and he had to handle it while being hunted by his parents as well as that crazy bitch, Crystal, and God knew who else.

  Turning his attention to Ashley, Liam sat down, taking the now yawning and sleepy Selena from her mother and cuddling with her. It helped him when he was full of energy and his inner aggressive wolf inside wanted to take over. Especially, when Selena made a sound that he could only classify as a purr, although he had no idea how that came about. “Okay, Ashley, spill it.”

  “I was finally able to confirm with the Wardens that they even have Big Mike,” Ashley said. “I spoke over the phone with the lead Warden, a guy named Anderson. Just doing that felt like I was penetrating the Pentagon, which is totally weird, the Guardians and the Wardens have always worked well together before this. Anyway, according to him, he’s doing all of this to protect Big Mike.”

  “He shot my father and now he’s saying that he did it to protect him?” Kat nearly roared in anger. “Quite frankly, he is coming off as a total fucking psychopath. No thanks. I think I have too many of them in my life as it is.”

  Liam had to rumble in agreement. Between Crystal, the vampires in town, the renegade wolf pack that had nearly barbecued his ass alive, and even his own father, the last thing Liam wanted to deal with was another unhinged asshole. “Ashley, you better explain, and explain pretty quickly.”

  “Anderson’s idea is to preserve the werebear DNA. The fact is, Kat, other than you and your father, nobody really can confirm that your kind still exists. Sure, there are a few rumors, but that’s it. Even if I count the rumors there is less then maybe a dozen of your kind left in the world today. Honestly, before all this shit kicked off and I saw you starting to go into your own maturation process, I wasn’t too sure if the DNA had even been passed down to you. I figured I’d be wasting most of my life just being the airheaded bimbo until you were too old or something.”

  “Glad to know I’m so rare and that I’ve given your life purpose,” Kat growled. “So, he’s keeping my father to preserve the DNA?”

  “Basically. I spoke with him and he said that he would be willing to release Big Mike on the following conditions. First, he wants to be able to keep a sample of both his and your DNA. Second and this is the part that surprised me when I found out, he wants a sample from your children.”

  Liam felt inside of him his inner alpha wolf surge in outrage. “You told that fucking idiot about my children? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  Liam’s claws extended of their own free will and he could feel his body want to go through the change, even if Ashley was carrying her own pistol armed with silver bullets. She had noticed, though, and held up a hand, her eyes not backing down in any sign of submission, another trick she had. She knew how to interact with his wolf side very well when she wanted to.

  “Slow down wolf-boy, I didn’t tell him a damn thing about your family. I don’t know where he heard about Kat having babies. My best guess is that somebody associated with the Wardens saw her while she was pregnant. After all that went down, it would take a pretty stupid person not to be able to recognize the fact that Kat had babies that might be the first of their kind. Nobody has ever heard of wolf and bear breeding before.”

  Liam took a deep breath, willing his claws to retract back into his hands. He had to accept that Ashley was part of his pack or at least aligned with his mate, and while the girl had often been hostile to him, she has also never blatantly lied to him so far, and she was totally devoted to protecting his family. “Fine. I can see that, so what does he want to do with the babies?”

  Kat spoke up. “Either way, I’m not letting him anywhere near my children. The last time I saw any Wardens, they captured my father and one of them tried to shoot me. It doesn’t matter if it was with a tranquilizer dart or not.”

  Ashley considered what Kat and Liam said then shrugged. “Guys, this isn’t like dealing with any of the bloodsuckers. You may not believe it, hell after shooting your father I’m having problems believing it too. But the Wardens are a good group of people. They trained me, and while they might be misguided in this instance, their hearts are normally in the right place.”

  “No offense, Ashley, but you don’t trust me any farther than you can see me, and the first time we met you almost shot me multiple times. I still think that if I piss you off enough, you’re going to try to shoot me again no matter what,” Liam said, only maintaining his calm by stroking his son’s
hair. “So, I’m going to take your claims with a big grain of salt.”

  Kat, for her part, lifted her head up and looked Ashley if the eye. “Ashley, I don’t care about the Wardens. I don’t care about the vampires. I don’t care about any of this other bullshit except to one purpose and one purpose only, that is to get my family free. I want to spring my father out of their custody.”

  “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” Ashley said. “Kat, you still don’t have full control of your transformation abilities. These people have been training just as long as I have in terms of dealing with supernatural beings. In terms of woodcraft, they’re even better, they trained me. It might be easier just to give the DNA samples that they want.”

  “If you think that I’m going to let any individual or any group shove a needle into my mate’s body or turn my children into some sort of lab rat, you are more of a piss poor Guardian that I thought was possible!” Liam exploded. “These people have already kidnapped Big Mike, they have tried to shoot Kat, and I bet if I walk into their little gathering place, they’d probably have ten guns pointed at me before I could even close the front door. Come on Ashley! I thought that you were on Kat’s side, not on the side of these Wardens.”

  Ashley considered the idea, and while she did, Liam looked over at Kat. It was one of the other frustrations that he had had over the past couple of months. While it stirred his heart and he knew that he was truly in love with Kat, not just in lust or with the desire to mate with her, the struggles and trials of being new parents, especially to the unique type of children they had, meant that there was a lot of stress and frustration in their still-new relationship. Perhaps the old saying of ‘mate in haste, repent in leisure’ was not one hundred percent true here, but Liam knew that he had his own frustrations dealing with Kat.

  She was so independent, a testament to her bear nature, and that meant that she also would butt heads with him nearly constantly if she felt that he was imposing on her ability to make her own decisions. And of course, there was the frustration of the desire that they both felt for each other. Liam could see it in Kat’s eyes that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. However, neither of them felt comfortable going at it in a cave when the kids were nearby, especially since they were triplets who were still dependent on their mother. To put it simply, Liam felt like he was facing a major case of constant blue balls, and didn’t know what to do about it. Now with Ashley’s revelation that perhaps Big Mike might be nearby and that they might be able to rescue him, even their plan of going into the woods tonight and relieving some of the sexual tension between them had to be put on hold. It didn’t make his attitude any better.

  Liam returned his eyes to Ashley, bearing into her with all his not inconsiderable willpower. “Actually, I’m going to put it simply this way: either you help us in trying to find Big Mike and spring him, or else I kick you out of this cave and I kick you out of my pack. I will not tolerate a woman who I cannot trust being near my mate and my children. Kat, I’m sorry, I know you want to be freer but I will not trust this woman if she will not help us in freeing your father.”

  Liam could see in Kat’s eyes that while she may not appreciate the way that he has been forceful in his decision, she did appreciate that he shared her point of view. Instead of saying anything, she nodded slightly giving him a smile that stirred him not just between his legs but deep inside his chest where his wolf’s heart beat proudly and fiercely, the product of generations of Alpha breeding. Ashley could see it too, and when she spoke her voice sounded resigned to the situation. “Fine, fine,” she said, shaking her head, “I still think this is a bad idea, but if you want we can go and I will lead you to the place where the Wardens are supposed to be keeping him.”

  “Let's go tonight,” Kat said, “After the babies are asleep, we can do a reconnaissance. Elizabeth knows how to watch them, and they know her well enough that they won’t freak out if we’re not home if they wake up in the middle of the night. I can leave some milk for them that Elizabeth can give them if they need a snack.”

  “Why tonight?” Ashley asked. “The Wardens will be expecting an answer from you quickly. I can give them a call within minutes.”

  “Because regardless of if they expect an answer or not, and regardless of how much training they might have, at night I can read the newspaper at fifteen feet away in a pitch-black room,” Liam said. “And while Kat might not have full control of her abilities, she is still more than a match for a regular human when you take away the advantage of daylight. Their night vision, no matter how good it is, is only a matter of their technology. Mine is built into my eyes and into my DNA. That’s why.”

  Kat nodded her agreement, and Ashley sighed. “Okay guys, if I can’t stop you, then at least let me come with you. Maybe then I can keep Kat’s ass in one piece.”

  “Oh, I plan on wanting you right next to me,” Kat said. “Now, using what you know about the construction of the Warden’s compound, draw us a map so that we can try to figure out what we’re going to do before we case the joint tonight.”

  It took them until near sundown before they had agreed upon the tentative plan for the spy mission. When they were finished, Ashley excused herself to go back to Bone City and get a few things. “Fine guys, I’ll be back by midnight. I’ll make sure that Elizabeth is ready to take care of the triplets as well.”

  Ashley left, leaving Liam and Kat alone with their children. Kat looked over at her mate, her eyes gleaming. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” Liam asked, setting his now sleeping child on the soft bed they had made for them, Selena curling up and sighing happily. “That I agree with you in terms of not giving those assholes a sample of your DNA or our children’s DNA?”

  “Not only that,” Kat said, setting her two handfuls of cub down onto the bed. Hunter and Edward snuggling against their sister and the three of them turning into an almost seamless fuzzy ball of cuteness. “I know this has been tough on you. It’s been tough on me too. But I want you to know that I don’t regret being your mate for one second.”

  “And I don’t regret taking you as my mate,” Liam replied, taking her by the hand and pulling her close. “If I have any frustrations, please don’t ever doubt that I want you with all of my heart and body and soul.”

  Kat purred, running her hands down his back to squeeze his bubble butt. “Speaking of your body, I saw the look in your eyes when we talked about going tonight to try and find out about my dad. I promise you, as soon we get an opportunity, I’m going to take your body and give it every ounce of worship and attention that it has so sorely missed.”

  “And I promise I’m going to do the same,” Liam said. “It’s been a very long time since my tongue has given your body a proper workout.”

  Kat shivered at the memories of Liam’s lustful, powerful tongue and what it could do to her body, especially to the sensitive portions of her nipples or the wet folds between her legs. His tongue was perfect, strong and quick and nimble, but slightly rough… a lot like his lovemaking in general. She had yet to return the favor, Liam was so obsessed with her body and using the magnificent gigantic cock between his legs to drive her to insane orgasms, but she was a big girl, and big girls liked to eat meat too. Especially bear girls like her. “You show me yours and I’ll show you mine,” she challenged. “Think the big bad wolf can take what I have to offer?”

  “Just try me,” Liam said, grinning. “But seriously, Kat, I love you.”

  It was a new thing in their relationship and something that went against Liam's wolf personality. Wolves mated for the need to breed, they mated to express their bodies, and they mated to produce strong offspring. In Kat, Liam had found all those things. The idea that he could also have the human side fantasy of love as well added to the perfection that was Kat. Well, perhaps not perfection, she was still a gigantic pain in the ass when it came to her father, her sister, and her challenges in harnessing her inner bear, but he loved her anyway. And it wasn’t like
he was perfect either.

  Chapter 39

  I want you to concentrate. Think about the water. Don’t just imagine it on your body, imagine your body becoming one with the water. Imagine your body becoming water.

  McKenzie listened to the voice in her head, while at the same time she stared at the bowl of water on the table in front of her. Next to her, the white cat that she had spent most of the past few years knowing as Rosie but was, in fact, her own mother Reba trapped in animal form, watched her with greenish gold eyes. She felt like hell, knowing that for nine months she had been intentionally hiding from her sister and her new babies. But she had to. There was no way that she could trust herself around the tiny defenseless younglings until she had some control over her power.

  “I’m trying Mom, but I’m just not getting it.”

  That’s your problem sweetheart. Instead of trying to focus on the water you need to be the water. I know it sounds crazy but you’ve done it before.

  “Yeah, for one night only,” McKenzie replied, sitting back and trying not to lose her temper. “Good thing I did too or else I would’ve been vampire food.”

  We know that you have the talent within you, McKenzie. I guess I got lucky, in that not only did one of my daughters inherit the wonderful talent of her father but that you’re following in my footsteps. Of course, I had the advantage of having your grandmother to instruct me in the ways for a long time.

  McKenzie wished her grandmother was still alive too. “Yeah, exactly. This would be a hell of a lot easier if I could actually watch you do it rather than just listening to you go all Yoda in my head.”

  At least you’re listening to me now.

  McKenzie didn’t have an answer to her mother’s comment. Instead, she refocused her attention on the bowl of water, trying to bring the liquid up and out of its container. So far, all she’d been able to do is make a few ripples on the surface. What worried her was that every time she’d been successful with the use of her magic abilities beyond tricks slightly less impressive than the average parlor magician, it has been when she was angry or pissed off. The first time she had used her magical powers, she somehow created fire out of thin air to escape from a vampire dungeon. She still felt bad about having to leave her two friends Daisy and Annabelle behind, knowing the fate that they were condemned to now. After leaving the vampire’s chamber, she had been able to use magic very effectively only once and that was when she saved her sister from the clutches of the renegade werewolf pack led by Crystal Lilly. Of course, setting that bitch-wolf’s head on fire haven’t been purely for protective measures. She’d been pissed off, and since Crystal had apparently been ready to burn Liam Greyson, Kat’s mate, at the stake, McKenzie had felt obliged to return the favor.