Tagging Her Lynx

Tagging Her Lynx by Abby Wood

Breathless Press Calgary, Alberta www.breathlesspress.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Tagging Her Lynx Copyright© 2010 Abby Wood ISBN: 978-1-926771-25-0 Cover Artist: Justyn Perry Editor: Sandra Rychel All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. Breathless Press www.breathlesspress.com

Chapter One

The lone woman carried a bucket overfilled with half-frozen raw meat to one of the many cages on the wildlife refuge. Granger sat back on his haunches. He wanted to keep his presence unknown to the other animals and the woman. With the grace of one who knew how to walk in a foot of snow, she moved in and out of the enclosure, performing her normal morning chores. The prominent long hairs at the tips of his erect ears twitched. He’d watched her in utter fascination for so long, yet he never tired of learning more about this woman, his mate. The snow flurries picked up and swirled around him, coating his back and the fur between his eyes. Every couple of minutes, he swished his ass to shake off the snow, only to have it return within seconds. The beginning of winter, and yet snow lay thick over every surface, coating the landscape and anything else that dared to stay outside. The woman’s arctic parka didn’t hide the smooth flow of her walk or the shape of her body. He knew her inside and out. Every valley 1

Tagging Her Lynx and round part on her body was branded in his head, without his ever having touched her. His highly developed sense of smell absorbed every aroma. Jasmine came from her chestnut-colored hair, and a hint of womanly scent clung to her clothes. One whiff and he knew she’d taste perfect. Each night he licked his lips, just imagining the moment he would approach her and take her for the first time. Not yet, though. She needed time to mourn before he toppled her world upside down again. He’d been waiting for the pain in her heart from her father’s passing to lessen, but lately a new danger presented itself to her, and she had no clue someone else stalked her. His people struggled to stop the danger, but every minute of the day and on through the long nights he worried about her safety. If she’d come to accept her powers, they would serve to protect her well if he weren’t around. His mate moved to the outside cages, where a bear sat huddled in the corner of a sturdy enclosure. Set apart from the other cages, inside a six-foot cyclone fence, the bear didn’t move at the sign his breakfast had arrived. She smiled and stepped back. No fear radiated off her, nor did she flinch from standing so close to an animal that possessed the ability to rip her to shreds. He’d already checked to make sure that she didn’t house any shifters by mistake, and the place had come back clean. She remained in his territory, and even without her knowledge, he swore to keep her safe. The crunch of tires over the snow-packed road leading to her house drew his attention away from the refuge. His ears flicked back flat to his head. The muscles in his legs tightened, and he crouched deeper into the snow. Hunters this time of year preyed on lynx for their full winter coat. The truck moved past him at a steady pace, the tires sending a continuous crackling noise resembling an inflated balloon being rubbed over the shifting powder of snow. He slunk along the mounds of snow that hid the brush normally found on the side of the road. Creeping closer to the house, he needed to place himself within a close distance, in case she needed him. His woman raised her head at the hum of the approaching truck. She was not yet fully using her senses; he’d have to help her with that. She reacted slowly to the arrival of visitors. The scent of apprehension and distaste ran off her, and he bared his teeth in a snarl. She didn’t want to deal with these men, and he 2

Abby Wood wondered why. What made them different from the men who showed up in an official Alaska Department of Fish and Game truck twice a week? Chloe slid the small pan of meat into the hare’s cage, hurried out of the enclosed area, and waited to find out why these men had come back to the refuge. She lowered her brows in irritation. They had better not have a wounded animal with them. This would be the second time this week they’d stopped at the refuge. Judging by their suspicious natures, she concluded the last time they dropped by unannounced that they snagged animals on the side. It didn’t make sense. Hunters and trappers always dispatched the wounded. Why these two men even cared about saving an animal’s life puzzled her. She decided to put her foot down and refuse to accept anymore animals from them. The passenger-side door opened, and a heavyset man bundled up in a camouflage parka and wearing bunny boots stepped out into the snow. The fur-lined hood tied around his face hid his features from her view. She wrinkled her nose. Even from this distance and with the snow coming down, distorting the space between them, the scent of evil assaulted her nose. Taking care of hurt and sick animals was second nature to her family. It killed her to think about sending one away. Her father ran the place even before she came along, and now that he no longer lived, she alone kept the refuge up and running. Besides the occasional citizen who brought her a wild animal they’d befriended and needed to let go, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game warden kept her small business brimming with caged animals that needed her help. The last few animals these men brought her were riddled with buckshot. She understood why people hunted and trapped; this was Alaska. But neither man owned up to pursuing those lifestyles. Their concern for the animals rang false. Her refuge was the only rehabilitating facility on the North Slope. Without her, the animals would end up down in Anchorage. There they’d be dispatched, or worse, made to suffer. “Hey there. Found another one for you.” The heavier man approached her. Once he was up close, she took in his unshaven face and haggard appearance. She fought the desire to step away from him, but she didn’t want to leave the entrance to the other animals’ area unprotected. Not that a man twice her size couldn’t knock her out of the way with one swipe of his arm if he wanted to force his way inside. 3

Tagging Her Lynx The driver joined them in front of the truck. “Got a wolf for you.” “What’s wrong with him?” She didn’t change her position. “Shotgun blast over its back end. Its momma is gone.” He spit on the ground. “It’ll never make it through the winter alone. It looks like a yearling, perfect size for a predator.” The fat man walked away from the conversation, and although he tried to sneak behind her, she was aware of his every step. Last time they tried to gain entrance to the animals’ area, she’d set the rules down hard and fast. Nobody was to go inside the refuge except herself and the occasional inspector from the animal control department. That was it. “Get your friend out of my area, and bring me the cub.” She stepped back and motioned at the man who stood ready to step into the entrance. He stopped, turned, and headed back toward the truck. She exhaled the breath she held. Why they would want inside the refuge puzzled her; she wanted them gone for good. She dealt with people she trusted, and these two were wily and bad. The two men shared a glance, then walked behind the truck and proceeded to yank off the tarp covering the metal cage. Together they hefted the pole they had inserted through the bars of the cage and lifted the container down to the ground. “Go ahead and keep the cage. We’ll come back for it later.” The heavy man smacked the top of the enclosure, and if that weren’t good enough, he swung out his leg and kicked the cage, startling the animal inside. His friend laughed. “No!” She stomped over to the cage and bent down. “You’ll take it now, and for your information, I will not take anymore wounded animals from you. I take legal animals only. I don’t want to know what you are doing or where you get them. I want you off this property.” She unlatched the cage door and gently lifted the young wolf out. She straightened up with the animal clutched in her arms. The men stepped back, mouths hanging open, and held up their hands. She didn’t care if they wondered why the animals never bit her. She wanted them gone. “Go! Now!” She lifted her chin. “Christ, lady! Your dad never turned us down.” The smaller man stepped toward her. She held her stance. “He’s dead. I’m running this refuge now.” She swallowed the lump that rose in her throat, desperate to hide how much it hurt to talk about her father. “I’ll accept no more illegal animals. That’s final.” 4

Abby Wood He advanced. The wolf in her arms had stayed quiet throughout the conversation but perked up at the man’s approach. He lowered his head and let out a low growl. Good pup. Her hand roamed over the thick, matted fur on the wolf’s hindquarters. Little round buckshot balls fell to the ground silently and were lost in the depths of the snow. She concentrated on drawing each one out to comfort the animal. “Listen here, bitch. Your ol’ man dealt with us, and you will too.” He wiped the frost that gathered over his mustache. “You’ll work with us and keep your fucking mouth shut, or...” His arm rose. She squeezed her eyes shut as if to hide from the pain heading her way. A bloodcurdling scream came out of nowhere, and she opened her eyes. The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and in record time, she absorbed every detail of the lynx sailing through the air at the height of the man’s crotch. Claws, razor sharp and fast, struck out repeatedly on his intended target, faster than the man could move to protect himself from the damage. Gray fur tinged with white, the lynx moved with agility and strength. She inhaled. The cat’s pleasant, musty scent kept her from recoiling in horror. Human screams mixed with the snarling of cat. The man staggered back, his arms spread wide in disbelief. He seemed unable to grab the animal or shield his body from harm. She guessed the shock of surprise paralyzed him. His friend stood glued to the same position beside him, raised his hand, and covered his mouth. He didn’t lift a finger to help, his anguished gasps the only proof that he understood what was happening to his friend. Chloe stroked the wolf to keep him calm. She cocked her head at the lynx. This was not one of those she’d helped recover and that revisited her on occasion. A stranger, but she wasn’t afraid. It barely registered that the lynx intended to kill her attacker. Red drops of blood splattered the white canvas of snow around the brutal attack. Her lips curled into a smile, which then turned into a snarl of pleasure. Her nose twitched at the sweet metallic scent that wafted along the ground in the cold air. The bones in her arms tingled with thousands of pricks, taunting her to shift, but she continued to pet the wolf’s back. 5

Tagging Her Lynx Unable to control the desire any longer, she ran back to the enclosure of the refuge, past the other animals staring out of their cages, and deposited the wolf in a vacant receptacle. The pup recovered fully from the buckshot she drew out with her power. Desperate to find privacy, she shoved boxes of food, feed sacks, and bedding aside. She could not allow herself to shift in front of the others. She couldn’t handle it if someone witnessed the disgusting way her body contorted into a lynx. Chloe huddled down on the floor, closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around her middle, and waited. Any second, and she’d transform into the animal inside of her. The screams out in the parking area stopped. She dared a peek out between the aisles of cages to see the outcome of the fight. The attacked man lay on the ground, the lynx gone from her view. On hands and knees she crawled out far enough in time to see the other man drag his friend to the truck and heft him inside the cab. The injured man lay dead to the world, and she wondered if he’d survive. Even if he held on to life until the other man got him to a hospital, the chance that infection would set in and claim his life was likely. The muffled spin of the truck tires and the roar of the throttle hitting the floor preceded the vehicle’s move. She sat back on her butt. Whether he lived or died didn’t matter. Any news of an animal attack would have the proper authorities sent in to investigate. Because of her previous illegal transactions with the men, the future of her beloved refuge depended on the authorities believing her side of the story. No way would they allow her to continue her operation if they didn’t. Her father’s track record for running a clean refuge and her continued upkeep would go up in smoke. She protected everything she and her father had invested in the refuge, and to have it all blow up in her face over a couple of fools caused a pain deep in her chest that threatened to cripple her on the spot. Using the boxes she hid behind for leverage, she pulled herself up. She held out the palms of her hands, touched her face, and clenched her toes inside her insulated boots. Nothing changed. She was still Chloe Barrant. She frowned. Why hadn’t she shifted? She always transformed after the urge came upon her. She’d never been able to stop the process, although she tried many times. She’d never wanted to have another person witness the grotesque way her body betrayed her. 6

Abby Wood The only person who knew her secret was her dad, but even then, she hid from him whenever the desire came. He’d walked up on her once years ago when she was in midtransformation, and freaked out in horror. She never wanted to make that mistake again. She sniffed and shook her head to forget the memory of that dreadful time. Maneuvering around the objects in her path, she halted in midstep. The lynx that attacked the man outside sat in the aisle of the enclosure, licking his paw and running it over his face to clean up the blood dotting his fur. She scooted over to the nearest cage, reached for the shovel propped up against its door, and wrapped her hand around the handle. The cat acted too calm now that his display of rage was over. “You can put the shovel down. No harm will come to you.” Chloe glared and gave her head a tight shake without moving her gaze off the lynx. She swore the animal talked, but his mouth didn’t move. In fact, he now sat completely motionless, with the innocence of a house cat on his face. “My name is Granger, and I am a shapeshifter like you. We have the ability to talk to each other telepathically.” The shovel fell from her grip, and she jumped back at the clatter of the handle skimming the chain links of the cage. She hurried over to the other side of the aisle and stood with her back against the wires. Her coat caught on the metal, and puffs of downy feathers billowed out from the snags. She gnawed on her bottom lip and stared, not wanting to believe the voice in her head. There was no way that lynx had just spoken to her. “It’s true, Aningan. We are from the Lynx family. I’ve seen you shift and run through the woods, keeping to the deep shadows, too afraid of discovery. I’ve bided my time in coming to you, but unfortunately those men meant you harm and forced me to come out of hiding.” “Go…go a-away. Scat!” She motioned with her arm for him to take off. His chuckles filled her head. She froze, her lips pursed in disapproval. Why did she even contemplate the reality of the cat laughing in a very masculine, husky voice? She even heard a hint of tenderness in his teasing. This is crazy. “You’re not crazy. I am your mate, and together we have the ability to communicate telepathically. I can explain everything to you. Is there somewhere we can go, sit down, and I can transform back into my human form? What I have to tell you will answer many of the questions that have troubled you lately.” 7

Tagging Her Lynx She shook her head. Not possible. This is all in my imagination. A…an aftershock from watching you tear apart another person. She raised her gloved hand and rubbed her forehead. The action flipped her hood off, but she didn’t bother tugging it back on. She glanced back at the cat. He sat on his haunches and studied her with a critical eye. Forget this. She strode past the lynx without giving him another look. She turned her head to the wolf’s cage, but he slept peacefully after her magically healing his body during the attack. She glared over her shoulder at the lynx. He sat staring at her exit. She wanted to blame him for all the trouble that landed on her doorstep today. Damn it! She’d have to hurry if she wanted everything in order for when the authorities came. And they would come. She’d be lucky if she didn’t lose the house and property along with all the animals. “You have no reason to worry. I have called my brothers in the clan. The men will not get any farther than the end of your driveway. I can promise you that. No one will even be aware of the attack. Your refuge is safe, Aningan.” “What are you talking about? What will your clan do?” She smacked her forehead. “Oh God, I’m losing it.”

8

Chapter Two

Muttering to herself, Chloe marched the shoveled path to the house and slammed the door. She fell back against it, closed her eyes, and concentrated on breathing deeply to calm her rapid heartbeat. She found it impossible to grasp what that lynx told her. Could he be like her? Not wanting to become upset on the off chance that she changed forms, she willed herself to relax, to forget about the cat outside. She swallowed. What if he spoke the truth? God! What if there was someone like her who could shift from human to animal too? She’d have a friend to talk to about the crazy shit that has happened to her… Her fingers curled, and she opened her eyes. She tilted her head and looked down, unable to move the hand. Her fingers formed the exact position of someone holding her hand, but she stood all alone. Warmth flowed throughout the palm. She pulled, but whatever invisible force that grasped her hand held on. “Listen to my voice. You’ll be OK. I am here to help you, protect and care for you. Never again will you have to travel through life 9

Tagging Her Lynx alone now that I am here. I am your life mate, Granger. There is a clan of us north of here. We live out in the bush where no one can find us. We guard our area and protect everyone so that our kind can go on living. We have a few women. I think you would like to meet them. We can help you understand.” Her shoulders relaxed, and the hand holding hers trailed up to stroke the inside of her wrist. She grew warm inside her outer clothes, but she didn’t want to move and undress in case the voice left. He brought a sense of belonging to her that she hadn’t felt since before… before the incident. “I would love to come in, talk to you, but as you know, I am in my cat form, and I do not have any clothes to put on. I can promise that no harm will come to you. I think inside you know this too, Aningan, even though no one has ever told you before what you are hearing now. I can help you come to terms with who you are, to celebrate our uniqueness.” “Oh God.” She swallowed. “Can you really hear inside my head? And why did you call me your life mate?” “Yes, Aningan. I have shown myself to you. From now on, we will never be apart. A continent can separate us, but here, inside our heads, I am only a second away. You will never be alone again. Paired lynx have a special bond from the very start. Our hearts beat as one. That only happens between life mates. You know you feel the difference.” He purred. “Listen to your lynx, Aningan. She’s telling you that we belong together.” Wondering why he called her a by different name, she walked through the living room, down the hall, and entered the master bedroom where her father slept when he was alive. Unable to deal with going through his things and throwing out the belongings she no longer needed, she kept the door closed since the day she buried him. Out of sight, out of mind—she wasn’t ready to open the wound that had begun to scab. Opening the middle dresser drawer, she removed a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. On the way back to the living room, she tried to wrap her head around everything this lynx—this supposed man— told her this morning. She never realized there were others like her, but it brought a sense of excitement to know she wasn’t alone. “I’m putting the clothes beside the front door and unlocking it. I’ll be in the kitchen. Please let me know when you are dressed, and go sit on the couch afterward. Stay on that couch, or I’ll kick you out. Understood?” The words spoken aloud, she bit the inside of her cheek at how stupid she sounded. 10

Abby Wood “Thank you, Aningan.” She hurried out of the room. For a flashing moment her curiosity won out, and she turned back to peek around the corner, but his soft laughter in her head stopped her cold. “I’m sorry. You may look. I will not laugh anymore.” She tried to not imagine what kind of man lived inside the lynx. Yet whoever he was, he made her feel more alive than she’d felt the last few weeks mourning her dad. Something about him excited her, and it went beyond his voice, his soothing manner, or the idea of kinship with someone that turns into a lynx like her. Granger was right. She did feel the magnetic pull toward him. Growing up in the bush of Alaska, she lived a more sheltered life than others did. She understood that most people lived with neighbors, television, phones. Not here, though. She lived without modern conveniences and with no electricity. Once a year she traveled into Fairbanks, and even doing that turned into an all-day trip if she picked up groceries and supplies. After she started shifting, she avoided those trips with her father. Now alone, she relied on a family who lived about ten miles farther north to stop by and offer to bring her back supplies. She didn’t want to chance a transformation while in the presence of others. Powerful fingers crawled up her spine and spread warmth throughout her body. Flustered, she realized that she still wore her outside clothes and quickly shed them. The warmth didn’t leave with her clothes. Lush tingles of delight washed over her breasts, and she crossed her arms. She was not a stranger to her own desires, but nothing about this day should have had her craving a private moment on her bed with Mr. Finger. She glared down at her clothes sprinkled on the kitchen floor. Somewhere between the fight outside and inviting the lynx inside her house, she lost control. “I am dressed and sitting on the couch, Aningan.” The idea of meeting the first person who claimed to live with the same affliction she did made her anxious and nervous. She glanced down at the clothes she was still wearing and groaned. She stood in a pair of white long johns with tiny pink flowers and an oversize Tshirt with the logo “Bears do it in the woods” that used to belong to her father. She ran her hands through her hair, trying to remember if she had brushed the usual rat’s nest that she woke up with each morning 11

Tagging Her Lynx before heading out and doing morning chores. Feeling self-conscious, she licked her lips and ran her hands down the front of her shirt to try to stretch it farther down to cover more of her legs. “Come on out. It does not matter what you have on. When I am near you, I sense every curve of your body, your scent, your moods. I know you inside and out like I know my own body. Anything that you wear will please me.” “Ugh, I’m not worried about what you’ll think of me.” She sighed and muttered, “Pig.” She stepped out of the kitchen. That was as far as she walked. Rooted to one spot, mouth open, she stared. Whatever she expected was not what sat on the couch. Dark-skinned, he resembled the Inuit people of the area. His hair hung past his shoulders in one full, thick length. The corners of his mouth lifted in a knowing smile, and his eyes…his eyes shone darker than the Alaskan sky in the wintertime and danced with amusement. “Come, sit down, Aningan. We will talk.” He hadn’t put on the sweatshirt she left out for him, but he did put on the sweatpants. His bare feet even brought an uncomfortable…no, an unsettling sensation to her lower stomach. “Breathe. Nothing is going to happen. I just want to talk with you.” “Stop doing that. You are right in front of me. There is no reason to get inside my head and hear my thoughts.” She sat in a chair across the room from him. “I don’t want you to do that. Can I do something to keep you out of my head?” “We are life mates, Aningan. From now on, we will be with each other no matter where we are. You have only to reach out to me, and I will be with you. My lynx has claimed you. It is the way it is done in the Lynx clan.” He nodded and waited. “I see you don’t believe me, but you will learn. I know this is all new to you.” His tongue slipped out to wet his full lips. “Can I ask how long you have been transforming?” “How do you know that?” She rubbed her temple. “No one knows that I do that.” She tried not to grimace, but this part of her life only caused her great shame and embarrassment. She wanted to stop transforming, not learn about it. “I know you have no control over when you shift, and it scares you. You have no more need to worry about that. As your mate, I am able to control it for you and teach you how to use your lynx.” She jumped up from the chair. “Stop it!” She rubbed the back of her neck. Warmth from his hand massaged the tight muscles at the 12

Abby Wood back of her head. She moaned. “I…I don’t… Stop touching me for a minute.” The pressure from his touch left immediately, and she inhaled a deep breath. Her hands shook, and she ran them through her hair. “I can’t think when you touch me. My body… Oh God! It’s like you morphed and your soul is inside of me…comforting me.” She rubbed her arms. “I don’t understand any of this. How you talk to me, how you can touch me when you are on the other side of the room. This isn’t normal!” “It is normal, Aningan. Give it time. You will see.” She didn’t see him move, but his arms wrapped around her and held her to his chest. All the fight inside her fled, and she succumbed to his caress. Every worry and troubling thought vanished. It was as if Granger absorbed them all, freeing her from her burdens, and deep inside her soul, her lynx purred. She laid her cheek against his chest. He stroked her hair, and her eyes drifted closed. He whisked her back to the couch, and cradling her in his lap, he never dropped his secure hold on her. She floated in a dreamlike fog, knowing what was happening but not caring enough to get up or argue with him about what he did. This man—this stranger—somehow connected with her, but she didn’t know how. She snuggled against his bare chest, then lifted one hand and laid it to rest over his heart. She was amazed that his heartbeat matched the rhythm of hers, and at that moment, she knew he spoke the truth. She recognized something deep inside of him. Unable to speak, she lay basking in the glow this strange man gave her. With gentle hands, he caressed her. His fingers lingered over the curve of her shoulder, the slope of her neck, and followed the waves of her messy hair down her back. “Granger?” He kissed the top of her head. “Yes, Aningan?” “I don’t understand any of this. Why can’t I run from you? My head tells me I should be afraid, but my body wants to curl up around you and never leave.” She sniffed. “I’m scared.” “Chloe.” He pulled her up and helped her sit next to him on the couch. “There, that will help. It is our body’s way of celebrating our finally coming together.” He gathered her hand in his. “I don’t mean to frighten you, but what happened today pushed me to come for you. I was going to wait for you to heal from you father’s death.” 13

Tagging Her Lynx Her head came up, and she stared at him. “How do you know about that?” “I’ve been watching you.” He smiled. “I found you out running in the woods one day in your lynx form, and couldn’t understand why I was attracted to an animal.” He laughed at the way her mouth fell open. “I had to know more about you.” “You’ve been spying on me?” She sat up straighter but did not pull her hand from his grasp. He chuckled and shook his head. “No, I’ve been watching over you. There is a difference.” He grinned. “You are a submissive to my alpha status. You do not have control over shifting or the capabilities to protect yourself yet. I can help you with that.” “Can you stop it?” She squeezed his hand. “I don’t want to shift.” Granger shook his head. “No, Aningan. You are a shifter of the Lynx.” He cocked his head to the side. “Do you remember how or when you changed?” He caressed the side of her face with his knuckles. “Seldom do we find one of our own living alone.” He brushed a wayward strand of hair from her face. “All this time, and I had no idea my mate lived so close by.” She swallowed and nodded. “For many years I’ve wondered and worried over how I am different. The one thing I keep going back to is the bite I suffered from an injured lynx when I was eleven years old.” She caught her lower lip between her teeth and tilted her head back to gaze up at Granger. “That doesn’t make sense, though. People don’t turn into an animal because of a bite. Think of how many dog shifters the world would have if it happened that way.” “You’re right. A bite must come from a shifter. A regular animal doesn’t have the ability to infect.” He swept the hair back off her forehead. “It’s possible that the lynx that bit you came from the Lynx family.” Her brows came down. “But, I didn’t shift until after I turned thirteen. That was two years later.” Granger smiled. “Tell me, did you start your period around the same time?” Chloe’s eyes widened, and she sat up even straighter. “Yes.” “People who are not born shifters don’t get their full power to change until they go through puberty.” He chuckled. “The need to go into heat plays havoc with someone young and inexperienced. I imagine it took you by surprise each time you shifted, yes?” She nodded. “That means the lynx at the refuge wasn’t a true animal.” 14

Abby Wood “Yes.” He let her get off the couch, but his gaze followed her across the room. “I believe that is what happened to you. Although, I thought I knew every lynx shifter in the area.” He shrugged. “So many years ago… The person who infected you is probably long gone.” Chloe paced the living room floor. Pausing at the fireplace mantel, she straightened the picture frames lining the rock shelf. A sense of understanding came with someone else giving her the answers she sought all this time. She was a freak of nature, but at least she understood that it happened to others too. She ran her finger along the wooden picture frame of her father smiling for the camera. His hair hung down to his shoulders, and his eyes lit up his face. She’d teased him to get the shot of him holding a newborn bear cuddled to his chest. He’d carried the animal around for weeks, waiting for it to gain enough strength to go without food for more than a few hours at a time. “What are you thinking, Aningan?” Chloe glanced over her shoulder. “I thought you could read my thoughts.” “No.” The corners of his mouth lifted. “I can hear your thoughts toward me, but you are deep in thought and far away at the moment. What is it that makes you appear so sad?” She turned back to gaze at the picture again. “My father. He is… was the only person I had in my life. My mother passed away soon after I was born.” “He’ll always be a part of you, Aningan.” “What does that mean? Aningan? You call me that, but I have never heard that word before.” She turned and crossed her arms. “It is a term of endearment. The Inuit part of my ancestry has a myth about the moon god. She is beautiful, caring, and soothes even the restless soul.” He rose from the couch and approached Chloe. “To me, you are Aningan. You bring peace and tranquility to my life.” “You don’t know me.” She uncrossed her arms and shook her head. He picked up her hand, placed it over his heart, and then positioned his hand over her heart. “We’re life mates, Chloe. Feel how our hearts beat together. Tell me you feel the connection running through our veins. Can you deny what you feel beneath your fingertips?” She pulled her hand away and stepped back. Disoriented, she turned to break away from the hold Granger placed on her. This wasn’t how things worked. People met, dated, and then fell in love. She scoffed. Life mate? 15

Chapter Three

Keeping a wide berth, Chloe walked past Granger and sat in her dad’s recliner. She pulled the afghan off the back and held it bunched up in her arms, tight against her chest. Did she not get a choice about her life anymore? What did he expect her to do? Go with him and give up the refuge? “Breathe, Aningan. I am sorry for rushing all of this at you. I didn’t want it to come to this.” “But…?” Her gaze never broke away from Granger. “You are not telling me everything. Why now? What happened to make you approach me today? Was it the men who brought me the wolf cub?” “Yes.” He moved over to the coffee table, sat, and forced her to turn in his direction. “I believe the men are involved with a larger group that is trying to get rid of my people.” A chill moved through her body. “Your people? The other shifters?” “Yes.” He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. “They are wounding animals on purpose to either gain entry into your refuge or to get a hold of you. I’m not sure which yet.” 16

Abby Wood “Me?” She shook her head. “I don’t understand.” Granger stood. “There’s a group of men that have found out about the Lynx clan. We’ve kept them away from our area with guards stationed around the perimeter twenty-four-seven, but we’ve heard their conversations and have stopped their attempts to capture us.” He bent down on one knee. “Aningan, that is how I found out they’d murdered your father.” She shook her head. “My dad died from a sudden heart attack. I found him inside the enclosure.” “I’m sorry.” Granger stroked her leg. “I wish I could tell you differently, but one of our men heard a few of their men talking about using a Taser gun on him when he refused to hand over the shifter. Since I had already learned of your existence when I found you running through the woods, I knew their ultimate goal…was you. Finding out you ran a refuge made everything click. I’ve been watching out for you ever since.” She shook her head wildly. “No, that isn’t true. The doctor said he’d died instantly from a heart attack.” She wiped away a tear that escaped her eye. “Why are you lying to me?” Granger stood up and backed away. She glared. The doctor told her he’d died a few hours prior to her finding him. She’d even asked for an autopsy, but he’d refused based on her father’s age and health records. “He always forgot to take his high blood pressure medicine. I told him all the time that he needed to take care of himself.” She sobbed. “It was a heart attack.” Granger came back to her and settled at her feet. “Sh…” She lifted her head. “It’s true, isn’t it? You are telling me the truth.” Staring in his eyes, she believed him. He nodded. “I didn’t find out about it until afterward, or I would have stopped them. The best thing I could do was protect you from a distance in the meantime.” “Me?” She cocked her head. “Maybe one of the animals here is the shifter they are after. No one knows about me. M-my dad was the only one who knew.” He shook his head. “I’ve already gone through all the animals. There are no shifters among them.” The silence in the room pounded in her ears. Her hands fell to her lap at the realization that she’d caused her father’s death. She stared into Granger’s eyes, absorbing everything he’d told her. 17

Tagging Her Lynx “Oh God.” She scooted out of the chair, slapped the hands that came out to hold her, and ran out of the room, covering her mouth. She barely made it to the toilet before losing the contents of her stomach. She bent over and retched. Cool hands gathered her hair away from her face. Struggling to inhale, she gagged. “Inhale through your nose, Aningan. I will help you. You are no longer alone.” She coughed and fought for breath. “I killed him.” “No! It is not your fault. This should not have happened. If you must blame someone, blame the men who are causing all the deaths and damage.” Granger removed a towel from the rod on the wall. He turned on the pump that ran the water and wet the towel. Patting her face, he wiped her mouth and calmed her stomach. “Now that you know the truth, I’d like you to come home with me. I can guard you better if you are under my care.” He led her back into the living room. She stopped. “The animals…” “We have people who can come here and heal the animals.” He rubbed her back. She shook her head. “I’ve already healed them. They won’t survive out there this winter. They are used to having me feed them.” She sighed. “They’d never remember how to protect themselves from predators.” “You have the gift to heal?” His eyebrows came up. “You’ve been using this power?” She nodded. “Why?” He broke out into a grin and pulled her close. “Aw, Aningan. You are the alpha female of our clan. Your lynx is very strong and powerful. No other female Lynx in Alaska possesses such an important ability anymore.” Granger chuckled. “Though it is strange that you have this power, since I’ve only heard of healers born within my own bloodline, never of one not born a shifter…You have a lot to learn, my life mate.” “I don’t understand anything, Granger.” She wrapped her arms around his middle and laid her head against his chest. “I’m scared to death, mourning, and yet, I know that we need to stay together. I do feel it, but…” “One step at a time.” He enclosed her in his arms. “Just now I called out for a few of our people. They will come and work with the animals, stay with them in the wild for a few days and help them relearn what they have forgotten to do naturally.” 18

Abby Wood “That can be done?” She smiled. He squeezed her tighter. “Of course.” Granger inhaled, pulled back, and nodded. “Let’s pack you a bag, and I’ll take you home. It’s time to meet your other family.” Granger left her to gather her things and went outside to talk to the men who’d come to help the animals. Chloe grabbed some clothes, and because she had no idea when they’d be back, she removed the picture of her parents on their wedding day from its frame, placed it between the pages of a book, and secured it in the middle of her pile of clothes. Somehow she’d have to get a message to the Norfalls and ask them to check on the house periodically. Chuck would be able to do that the weeks he ran his trapline. He often stopped for coffee with her dad those days. “Ready?” Granger stuck his head into the bedroom. She nodded. “Give me a minute to put my outer gear on.” “No need. We’ll have to travel fast, and it’ll be much easier if we run.” He removed her backpack from her hands. “I’ll give this to the guys, and they’ll bring it home.” Chloe didn’t budge from the room. “Uh, Granger?” He turned back. “I can’t shift on demand.” She bit her lip. “I have no control over when it happens.” She attempted to smile. “Maybe if you make me really mad or upset, I can try to shift. It seems to happen when I’m out of control.” He winked. “I got it covered.” Chloe clamped her teeth together and narrowed her eyes. Not able to read his expressions, she doubted his mischievous grin meant he was up to anything good. “What are you doing?” She stepped back and crossed her arms. He matched her step, not letting her get away, and untangled her arms. His gaze never left her eyes. Unable to find the desire to fight him, she allowed him to pull her T-shirt over her head. Without a bra to hide her breasts, her nipples peaked. He lowered his chin and sucked in a breath. Her pussy grew damp under the lustful gaze he gave her body. “You are more beautiful than I imagined.” He trailed his fingers underneath each slope of her breasts, then lifted, weighed, and admired the way her nipples tightened even more. “Rose petals in fallen snow.” He licked his lips. “That’s what your breasts remind me of… 19

Tagging Her Lynx So creamy white, yet here…” He circled her areola. “And, here…” He lowered his head and swiped her nipple with his tongue. “Perfection.” Chloe’s back arched, and she moaned. “G-Granger?” “I know, Aningan.” He straightened up and cupped her face in his big, strong hands. “Your body wants to mate with me.” She purred. Not some feminine sexual signal of flirtation, but the lynx inside her mewed deep in her chest in a sign that she needed more. Every thought that this would be her first time having sex with a man and that she had no experience with the dynamics going on between them fled her mind. She wanted to fuck him. She needed to fuck him. She would fuck him. Granger pulled her thermal underwear off her legs along with her socks, and she lifted her feet. Standing before him naked, she moved closer. A primal desire to rub her body against his rose from her belly and took control. Her pussy lips swelled and dampened. The musky scent of her arousal wafted to Granger, and she watched his nostrils flare. “I’m not sure we can hold off, Aningan.” He nuzzled her neck. “I wanted to give you time, but your pheromones are out of control.” He shuddered. “Hell, I’m out of control.” She slid her hand between their bodies, slipped her fingers inside his sweatpants, and grasped his cock tightly with her fingers. He moaned, stripped off his pants, and dragged her down to the floor. She spread her legs wide and pushed off the floor, thrusting her pelvis against the heat radiating off him. Balancing on his elbows, he locked her head between his arms. “I will do this swiftly to cause you the least pain, Aningan.” She nodded. Her hips thrust of their own accord, wanting him to take her body and make her his. “Claim me.” Granger drove his body downward as she lifted hers, and impaled himself balls-deep inside her. She gasped and froze in place. Not daring to move, her pussy convulsed around the invasion. The heat inside her cunt intensified, making it hard to breathe. “I’m sorry, Chloe.” He rested his head against her forehead. “There is no other way to get around your first time.” Within seconds her body became accustomed to his size, and she squirmed underneath him. The sharp, stinging pain subsided, and a powerful urge to move against him filled her lower belly. Oh dear Lord. The frantic need to go further, to reach out and grasp the ultimate fulfillment, overcame her. She raked her nails across Granger’s chest, 20

Abby Wood leaving welts trailing down the front of him. He picked up the pace, and she lay back to let him thrust in and out, driving her higher. Her body luxuriated in the pleasure he created with his cock. Chloe clutched his arms and let the orgasm spill out of her core and take her over. She arched her back and screamed out his name. Granger thrust deep inside her pussy and then held still. Each squirt of his cum heated and soothed her pussy. He rolled over onto his side and dragged her with him without exiting her body. He rubbed her back, and together they fought to catch their breath. She never dreamed her first time having sex would bring her such complete fulfillment. “Are you OK, Aningan?” “Yes, I am complete now. You have given me what I have sought since I changed all those years ago. I didn’t know…” She paused. Talking to him in her mind suddenly seemed second nature. She forgot about being different, about developing this new talent for communicating, and accepted the differences that came from within. With Granger, she wasn’t alone anymore. Even when her dad was alive, she still knew a part of her was different from her blood relative. “Try not to think too much. Just accept what you feel. Your lynx will not steer you wrong, Chloe.” He tilted her face. His lips connected with hers, and she closed her eyes. He explored the surface of her mouth and nudged her lips to open. She accepted his tongue and moaned at his slightly sweet taste. He broke off the kiss slowly, inhaled, and smiled. “Let’s go home.”

***

Granger explained how he’d help her shift and together they’d travel over the land back to the area where his people lived. With his hand on her shoulder, her body became lighter. Her bones shifted, and in fluid motion, she landed atop the snow on all four limbs. She purred. His acceptance and understanding of her animal side pleased the part of her she usually tried to ignore. She stood outside in front of the enclosure. Her body warm, she looked forward to a nice run. Not feeling ashamed of having the men who milled about, talking to the caged animals, witness her lynx, she smiled inside. When Granger’s men arrived, she’d never seen so many lynx in one area before. The sight was so beautiful, she wanted to remember it forever. Chloe gazed beyond Granger to the animals in their cages. Her happiness drooped. A lump formed in her throat at giving up her 21

Tagging Her Lynx father’s dream and her livelihood. She had no idea what the future would bring. She shook her head and turned to Granger. In a few short hours, he’d completely changed her world. She fought the doubts creeping into her head and tried to follow Granger’s instructions. He wanted her to listen to her heart and body, to the lynx inside her. Used to shutting that part of herself down, it surprised her that she wanted to go off to live with him. “Don’t be sad.” He sidled up beside her and rubbed his head under the soft fur of her neck. “You’ll be back, and the men will make sure the animals survive.” She purred. “Ready?” Chloe glanced over her shoulder. “I guess…” He began to walk. “Come.” The muscles in her legs stretched and pulled to keep up with Granger’s faster pace. An aura of calm settled over her body once she gave in to the exercise. Free and alive, she bounded over the snowpacked ground, letting the fresh air invigorate her body. The pure, clean scent of the outdoors along with the quietness of the world wrapped her in a protective cocoon. This was where she belonged—out here with her mate, running across the beautiful landscape, with few worries hanging over her to disturb the peace.

22

Chapter Four

Granger skirted around the other cabins, but he needed to get Chloe inside and let her rest. The distance from her home to his was greater than the usual runs she made by herself around the refuge. He came to a stop. “Aningan, we are here. We must continue farther between those two cabins up ahead, and then you will see my place on the other side. As the alpha, my house is protected on all sides.” She sat back on her rump. “I have never been this far north. It is even more secluded.” “Yes. It is almost perfect for our kind. We have more freedom this way.” He stepped over her body, straddled her back, and nipped her neck. “I am already eager to mate with you again.” A trill came from her throat, and she stretched her neck. “Me too.” Others wandered out from the houses the closer he and Chloe came, and stood to watch the alpha and his mate. Granger saw Chloe’s hair stand up along her back, and her ears flicked as she took in all the strangers. His heartbeat sped up to match hers. 23

Tagging Her Lynx “You are safe, Aningan. You will come to know the others and find comfort in being around those of your own kind.” Granger approached his house and stopped beneath the front window he’d left open. Springing up onto the ledge, he slipped into the house and hurried to shift. Chloe followed him in and stood stiff on the floor, gazing up at him for help. “Soon you will shift on your own.” He grinned. “Concentrate with me…” A few seconds later, Chloe’s human form emerged, and she stood on her two legs. His gaze swept her body from head to toe. No other had ever appealed to him this much or stirred such a basic carnal need within him. Finally, he’d brought his life mate home. Shifting was so easy with Granger’s help. Without the worry of someone witnessing the transformation and wondering why she was different from everyone else, she welcomed the change. The world now seemed right in her lynx. “Welcome to our home, Aningan.” Granger held out his hand. She reached out and let him pull her into his arms. “Everything is happening so fast, but it feels like I have been waiting for you forever.” “It is the way it happens. Many shifters go a lifetime without ever finding their mate.” He kissed her lips. “We are the lucky ones.” A blunt knock on the door reverberated through the room, and Chloe jumped. She covered her breasts with her arms, and her eyes widened. Shit! She didn’t have any of her clothes with her. “Granger?” She glanced from the door back to him. “Is there a place I can hide?” He chuckled and pointed toward a door at the back of the cabin. “You’ll find clothes of mine that you may borrow.” She scuttled out of the living room, opened the door, and hurried to shut herself inside his room. Leaning against the door, she held her breath to hear if Granger let the visitor in. She groaned. Not up for meeting new people, she wished that she could hide in here for a few days to get her bearings before Granger thrust her upon a group of strangers. The room smelled fresh with a hint of spruce from the outdoors. She inhaled and smiled. Her lower belly warmed at the familiar aroma. Granger’s belongings carried his scent. She walked over to the bureau, opened the top drawer, and found socks. Closing it, she moved on to the second drawer. Rummaging 24

Abby Wood through the neatly stacked clothes, she pulled out a worn T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. They’d be too big, but anything was better than parading naked around the other shifters. Shifters! All this time, and people who turned into animals—lynx—lived in the same area. She’d never heard a word about them in town, but her once-a-year trip didn’t make for forming friendships. Heck, Granger was the first man who paid her any attention. “Chloe?” She hurried to slip the shirt over her head. “Just a minute.” The extralong pants tangled between her feet. She toppled over and landed on the edge of the bed. She stuck out her lower lip and blew the bangs out of her eyes. She could just imagine what she looked like—her hair hadn’t seen a brush all day, and she smelled of sex. “Are you OK?” Granger opened the door and stuck his head inside. “Need a hand?” She snorted. “No.” “Come out when you’re dressed. I want to introduce you to someone.” The skin at the corners of his eyes wrinkled, and he scanned her body. Chloe pulled the elastic bottoms of the pants over her ankles, stood, and slid the sweatpants over her hips. “I’m ready.” I think. “You look beautiful.” She rolled her eyes and slipped her hand into his. The contact warmed her insides. With him supporting her, she’d find the courage to join his family. A dark-haired woman stood at the front door, staring in Chloe’s direction. Chloe’s nails dug into the back of Granger’s hand, leaving half-moon indentations along the skin. The hair at the back of her neck bristled at the smell coming off the other woman, and she snarled. “Aningan! Gain control over your lynx. The alpha is coming out and wants to dominate.” She inhaled to relax, but the fear radiating off the other woman filled her nostrils with a pungent odor. Forcing her lynx to quiet down and ignore the smell, Chloe studied her. Despite the long hair shielding half her face, she could see the woman form a hesitant smile. With her girl-next-door demeanor, she didn’t appear to challenge Chloe in any way. “Chloe, this is Gretchen. She’s a shifter too.” Granger squeezed her hand. 25

Tagging Her Lynx “Hello, Gretchen. It’s nice to meet you.” Chloe didn’t break her gaze. Gretchen smiled and bowed her head. “Hi. Granger called me over to help you get settled in.” She frowned and turned toward her life mate. “I don’t need help. You are the only person I need.” She bit down on the inside of her cheek. “Can’t you put on some clothes? I do not like that woman seeing what is mine.” “I am yours.” He ran his finger down the side of her cheek. “But it is natural for all of us to see each other’s nude bodies. We are shifters. It is hard to shift in clothes, as you know.” “I need to go and make sure that all evidence from this morning’s fight has been cleaned up and that no one comes searching for you.” He ran his hands down the length of her arms. “You will stay with Gretchen and get to know her, Aningan. That’s an order.” “But—” He shook his head. “She understands your distaste and how your lynx wants to dominate.” He turned to Gretchen and smiled. “She looks forward to having a female alpha here.” Chloe’s cheeks filled with air, and she slowly blew out. “I don’t get this whole alpha shit.” Gretchen laughed. “I’ll explain it all to you while Granger is gone. Watching you try to understand your lynx is fascinating. I’ve always known that this was a part of me. I can’t imagine how you feel right now.” She rubbed her forehead. “I’ve also never met someone who isn’t natural born, so you are an oddity.” She glanced over at Granger. “It is nice that our leader has found his life mate. I hope…” She laughed. “I’m talking too much, aren’t I?” Chloe raised her brows. “No.” She smiled, feeling more at ease. “Listening to you makes me stop thinking about what happened to bring me here today.” She turned to Granger. “I’ll be all right. Go, do what you have to do.” He kissed her lips. “I won’t be long.” Granger slipped out the door and left the two women alone. Chloe raised her hands and shrugged. This wasn’t her house, and she didn’t even know where to invite Gretchen to sit. “Why don’t we sit at the table?” Gretchen walked over to an oblong wooden table in the corner of the room. “You are from this area, right?” 26

Abby Wood Chloe cleared her throat. “Yes. Not far from here. My father… We ran a wildlife refuge catering mostly to the state animal control department. They’d bring us injured or orphaned animals, and we’d rehabilitate them.” “Wow! And it doesn’t bother you to be around the different species of animals?” Gretchen shook her head in amazement. “I’d be snarling up a storm. I prefer to keep to myself.” She laughed. “Wait till you meet the others. They are so eager to meet and get to know Granger’s life mate. You’re all the talk around here today.” “But…” She inhaled. “Granger found me this morning. How would—” “Oh, he let us all know after he shifted and told you the truth.” She waved her hand. “He has the ability to communicate with all of us over distance. That’s an alpha talent.” Chloe nodded her head and gazed around the room. Gretchen might as well be speaking a foreign language. She didn’t understand how the hierarchy of the Lynx shifters worked. Gretchen and Granger accepted things so easily, and here she sat, confused and feeling out of place. Gretchen suddenly jumped up from her chair. “I know what we can do! I’ll show you around the area.” She arched her brows and nodded. “I bet Granger has extra boots and a coat that you can borrow.” Chloe remained silent but let Gretchen lead her into the bedroom. She sat on the bed and gazed at the woman. She certainly seemed to know her way around Granger’s closet. Chloe’s eyes narrowed. A flare of jealousy rose within. Could she trust this woman? “How long have you known Granger?” Her hands balled the hem of her shirt. The other woman turned, her arms laden with clothes. “Forever. His parents and mine played a big part in finding this area for us.” She tossed the clothes on the bed and turned back to dig through the shoes. “We’ll have to stuff some socks in the toes of his boots, but I think you’ll manage to walk OK in them.” Gretchen returned and sat on the edge of the bed. “Anyway, our parents are all gone now. They fought the good fight, created a safe haven for the Lynx, and now Granger is the alpha.” She smiled, leaned over, and bumped shoulders with Chloe. “Along with you, my alpha friend.” “How do you know that?” She snorted. “Is it kind of like having loser painted on my forehead?” 27

Tagging Her Lynx Gretchen laughed. “No, it is instinct. You feel it too. You just don’t recognize the signs. That’s why you are fighting with wanting to talk to me and pulling my hair out one at a time for daring to speak about Granger.” It didn’t take long for her new friend to bundle her up and push her outside. Lifting one heavy boot at a time, she trudged along behind Gretchen. Her breath billowed puffs of white mist in front of her face. By the time they’d finish walking around, she’d be ten pounds lighter and dead to the world. “That’s my cabin over there.” Gretchen stopped. Chloe halted, lifted her head, and gazed in the direction she pointed toward. “I bet it’s beautiful in the summertime with all the birch trees scattered around the cabins.” Gretchen nodded. “Here come Johnny and Darren.” She waved them over. “I…I don’t—” Chloe backed up the closer the men came. Her gaze locked on the darker-haired man. She shook her head in denial. Her body hummed from recognition, and the need to shift pricked at the back of her spine. In her haste to kick off Granger’s oversize boots, she tumbled in the snow and scrambled to rise. She ran back in the direction they had walked from. Her need to escape from the dark-haired man was much stronger than her desire to shift somewhere in private. “Chloe!” She continued to run, ignoring the way her stockinged feet picked up clumps of snow and slowed her down. Intent on finding somewhere to hide, she fell against the door of Granger’s house and struggled to turn the knob with Granger’s mittens still on her hands. “Come on, come on.” She glanced over her shoulder. All three shifters headed toward the cabin. She opened the door, closed and locked it, and hurried to open a window at the back of the house. Throwing off the many layers of clothes, she barely removed her shirt as her body morphed into her lynx. Bang! Bang! Bang! She whipped her head toward the door, bared her teeth, and snarled. “Chloe! Open up!” In one leap, she bound through the window and into the woods, her paws finding traction over the snow and taking her farther away from the danger than she’d ever achieve in her human body. 28

Abby Wood “Aningan. What is wrong?” She slowed down, stopped, and turned around. The others hadn’t caught up with her yet. She had to keep going. “Chloe. Answer me.” Granger’s voice grew deeper in her head. “Are you in trouble?” A low mew came from her throat, and she realized her ability to speak aloud was gone. She concentrated. “Granger?” She hunkered down in the snow. “Don’t go back to your house.” “What is happening? I can sense your fear.” Spotting a fallen log that stuck out from the snow, she crawled over and squeezed below it. “One of your people is the lynx that bit me.” “That’s not possible.” “I do not lie!” Chloe left the confines of the log. “I will not wait around for that thing to hurt me worse.” “Chloe!” Snowflakes fell the farther Chloe traveled away from the area Granger called home. Her tail twitched, and the pace she set for herself dropped. Nerves along her fur-covered back quivered. She searched for somewhere to hide. Nothing but the flat lands of Alaska where the trees grew scarce met her gaze, and her options dwindled. “Oh God, not now. I can’t shift out here.” Her bones stretched and grew heavier. Unable to move, she willed the process to stop. “Aningan. Concentrate.” The freezing temperature and blowing snow bore into her skin to chill her marrow. Hot flames shot up from the soles of her feet, burning the skin in seconds. She’d never make it back to the cabin with no clothes on. Even if she did, that man waited there to hurt her again. “Damn it, Chloe. Hold on, I’m coming.” One precarious barefooted step at a time, she worked her way over to the fallen tree. She attempted to brush the snow off the log. Leaning over on the wood, she pulled her feet out of the snow and lay across the makeshift platform, exhausted. Shivers racked her body. Unable to pull her legs up into a fetal position to form a ball of warmth with her body, she waited for Granger.

29

Chapter Five

Granger inhaled through his nostrils and kept his mouth pressed firmly shut. The adrenaline spiking in his veins gave him an extra boost of protection against the weather. His legs flew over the powdered snow. He ran on automatic pilot because his mind screamed for Chloe to pay attention. She had stopped communicating with him, and the need to find her drove him forward. He still had five more minutes, give or take, before reaching the cabin. He hoped to hell she hadn’t wandered too far away. He didn’t understand her fear over the distance that separated them. The shifters took harming a human seriously. They either killed the offender or left him to live alone. There was no middle ground. To harm a child was unthinkable. They’d certainly never leave one alone all these years to suffer through the changes and mystery of their new life without helping in some way. Did Chloe have flashbacks of the attack in her childhood? 30

Abby Wood “Aningan, please answer me. I am coming up on my cabin now. Where are you?” Granger didn’t bother going inside the cabin, but called throughout the area for Gretchen. “Where is my woman?” “Johnny and your brother are with me. We are searching in the northeast woods, about two miles out. None of us can pick up her scent.” Gretchen panted “I’m so sorry, Granger. I didn’t—” “Find her!” He broke through the brush and headed west from the back of the cabin. She’d have sought out this area because of the denser foliage. With fear driving her forward, she’d not think ahead but run blindly, looking to flee to safety. The sweet, almost flowery scent of his life mate grew stronger. He picked up his pace. A spot of blue lay on top of the white landscape. At finding his clothes that Chloe wore earlier scattered around, he let his jaw drop and sucked in a lungful of air. He lowered his head. Chloe would not stand a chance out in these elements in her human form. “Aningan. Please.” Granger passed on every ounce of love in his body to his mate. “Granger?” Chloe’s voice came back weak and soft. “I can’t…” “Can’t what, baby?” He slunk over the snow. “Change.” Up ahead, draped over a log covered white with a blanket of snow, lay Chloe. He’d almost missed her. He burst over the distance separating them. Her arm hung over the side of the log, and he rubbed his face against her cold fingers. It’d do him no good in this weather to change form and carry her home. She’d traveled too far from the cabin, and already he could feel her heartbeat slowing down. “Concentrate with me, Aningan.” Granger purred. “I need to get you into your lynx. You’ll gain your energy back and be warm.” It took all his power to start her transformation. His heart rate picked up the second she landed on all four paws beside him. He arched his neck and swiped the side of her torso. She crouched down in the snow and submitted. “I’m sorry.” Chloe trilled deep in her chest. Granger straddled her body and nipped at the fold of her neck. “Don’t. Ever. Run away.” 31

Tagging Her Lynx “You don’t understand. I can’t go back with you.” She shook her head to get the snowflakes off her whiskers. “The lynx that bit me all those years ago is one of your people.” “How do you know?” He thrust down on her ass. She must learn to obey. She pressed back against him. “I don’t know. I could just tell. You have to believe me.” He purred. “I do. He sank his teeth into her fur and pulled. “You have to trust me. We will go back to my cabin, and you will let me find this person. I will get to the bottom of this.” It didn’t take long to make their way back to the cabin. Once inside, he shifted with Chloe and set about getting her more clothes. He didn’t find her bag, which Derrick had promised to bring back with him. That must have meant business at the refuge was taking longer than they had hoped. “Here. Put these on.” He thrust the clothes into her arms and hurried to dress himself. She laid the pile on the couch and slipped her feet in the sweatpants. “Granger, I am sorry. I see how foolish it was to run.” She reached over for a sweatshirt. “All the different feelings, though… First Gretchen, and then when I saw those two men walking toward us.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry.” Granger knelt down in front of her. His hands cupped each side of her head, forcing her to meet his gaze. He stroked the skin below her eyes with his thumbs, wiping away all traces of the tears she shed earlier. “I will take away your fears.” He kissed eyelids. “Can I trust you to stay in the cabin? You may lock the door. I will knock when I come back.” Chloe opened her eyes and nodded. “I love you, Aningan.” He slipped out the cabin and ran to Gretchen’s house. Pounding on the door, he bounced on the balls of his feet to keep warm. He’d find out what set Chloe off and fix the problem. “Granger! Come in.” Gretchen stepped back. “I’m so sorry.” She swallowed hard enough that Granger heard it. He waved off her apology. “Who are the two men that came up to you on the walk with Chloe earlier?” She frowned. “Johnny and Darren, but they helped in the search. They did nothing wrong. One minute Chloe was fine, and the next… whoosh! She was gone.” 32

Abby Wood Granger nodded. “Thank you.” He turned to leave, but Gretchen grabbed his arm. He snarled and gazed down at her hand clutching his wrist. She quickly let go. “Honest, Granger. They didn’t do anything.” A single tear trailed down her cheek. The click of the door shutting closed in the quiet of the evening echoed inside Granger’s chest. Chloe said the dark-haired man scared her. Johnny had blond hair. Damn it! He marched over to the cabin across from his, pounded on the door, and added a swift kick in case it wasn’t locked. “Open up!” “I’m coming, I’m coming. If your balls are freezing, hold on to them tighter.” The door swung open. Granger hauled back his arm and drove his fist into the man’s jaw. He flew across the room and landed on his back. Granger stalked into the cabin, ready to do more damage. “What the fuck is your problem, brother?” The man scrambled to his feet, his hands up in front of his chest, letting Granger know he’d not get another free shot in. Granger’s lip curled. “Why would my life mate believe you bit her?” “Fucking hell?” He rubbed his jaw. “I haven’t bitten anyone. I wouldn’t, you know that. I didn’t even get a chance to meet her before she ran off.” Granger stared him down, sighed, and stepped back to shut the door. Darren wasn’t lying. “What’s going on? Why would she think I bit her?” Darren walked to the fridge, lifted out two bottles of beer, and handed one to Granger. Granger took the beer and sat down at the table. “She’s scared. Like I explained earlier to everyone, she’s not natural born, and her feelings… This is all very confusing to her. Hell, she’s an alpha, but she can’t even shift on her own yet. She almost killed herself earlier.” He took a long swig of beer. “I found her butt naked and almost dead out in this snowstorm.” “Damn.” Darren sat down across from him at the table. “She just needs time. She’ll come around, right?” Granger picked at the label on the bottle. “That’s the thing. I don’t know how much time we have. The hunters know about her.” “Shit.” “I’m going to have to scale back on helping the men and put Chloe through training. The faster she learns her alpha skills, the better I’ll 33

Tagging Her Lynx feel.” Granger chugged back the rest of his beer. “I need you to come over to the cabin with me. She needs to see that you are not the man she believes bit her.” “Sure. Anything.” Darren finished his beer, collected Granger’s bottle, and dumped them into the recycle bin. “Let me grab a coat.”

***

The wind blew the door out of Granger’s hand. He ducked his head to protect his face from the pelting snow. The northern winds blew like a bitch, and by morning there would be another couple of feet of snow on the ground. At his cabin door, Granger grabbed Darren’s coat sleeve and leaned over. “She’s not expecting you. Try to look friendly so you don’t scare her more.” Darren flashed his white teeth and nodded. “By the way, congratulations on finding your life mate. You’re a lucky son of a bitch.” Granger shook his head. His brother dallied with Gretchen, but somewhere out there was Darren’s mate; he had yet to find her. Until he found Chloe, Granger had no idea there was a difference between sex with a female and sex with his life mate. “Remember, put on your happy face.” Granger narrowed his eyes. “I don’t want her bolting again.” Then his expression softened, and he said in a low voice, “I can’t lose her.” Darren grinned. “Fuck dude, you’ve fallen hard. I never would have dreamed I’d ever hear you say something like that about a woman.” He laughed. “You are so tagged!”

34

Chapter Six

The clomping on the floor roused Chloe from her nap. She opened her eyes, smiled, and squirmed to sit up on the couch. Granger stood inside the doorway, covered in snow, his long hair windblown and heat in his eyes. Another person stepped out from behind him, and she screamed. Shrinking back into the corner of the couch, she hugged her arms to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. Why did he bring back that man? He’d harm her again, or worse, he’d hurt Granger. She opened her eyes, threw off the blanket, and launched herself at the man with her fingers spread out, ready to claw him to death. Granger caught her by her middle and hauled her back. “Let me go!” She swung her arms, trying to do some damage, but Granger picked her up. “He’s the one who bit me, you jerk!” “Settle down, Aningan. He is my brother.” He carried her to the couch and sat down, keeping his arms wrapped tight around her to prevent her from trying to attack the man again. 35

Tagging Her Lynx “I don’t care. He’s dangerous. Look what he did to me!” She pulled up her sleeve and showed him the ugly thick scar where the infection festered after she was bitten. “Tell me he’s not dangerous now.” “Sh…” Granger rested his head beside Chloe’s and looked at his brother. “Sit down. Let’s get to the bottom of this.” The man sidestepped over to the chair on the other side of the room, never turning his back on them. Chloe stopped thrashing about but glared at the man. No way in hell would she trust him to not come after one of them. “Chloe, this is my younger brother Darren.” Granger leaned his head back. “Darren, my life mate, Chloe. Years ago she was bitten at her family’s wild animal refuge by who we think is a rogue shifter.” Darren shook his head. “I’m sorry.” “Go to hell!” Chloe snarled. “You know exactly what happened that day. I opened the cage to pet you, and you attacked me! I almost died afterward.” “I think you can understand why she is so upset.” Granger let up on the pressure around her waist. “She was very young. Innocent. Then, to go through the transformation…” He shook his head and pulled Chloe back to his chest. “You’ve got to realize, Aningan, that none of the people here would ever do that to a child.” He raised his gaze toward his brother. “Right, Darren?” No response. Granger repeated, “Darren?” His tone was laced with a trace of urgency. Granger’s brother stared at her, inhaled, and held his breath. She narrowed her eyes. Guilt played all over his face. Why couldn’t Granger see it? “Shit.” Darren rubbed both hands over his face. Granger’s hands tightened against her waist. “Darren? Tell her it wasn’t you.” His brother raised his chin. His jaw muscle twitched. “I can’t.” Granger tossed her off his lap and hurled himself against Darren. He barely had time to stand up when Granger slammed him against the log pilings of the cabin wall. She stood, unsure whether to help Granger in case the man turned on him or to flee for her own safety. “Don’t move!” She froze. “You better start explaining…” Granger slammed Darren’s head against the logs again. “Now!” 36

Abby Wood “I will!” Darren hung his head. “I will,” he said again, his voice full of remorse. Granger gave him one more slam against the side of the cabin. “Spit it out or so help me, I’ll kill you myself.” He walked backward to Chloe and wrapped his arms around her. Granger shook with anger. Chloe found herself stroking his back, trying to calm the rage building up inside her mate. She frowned. He’d spoken the truth. Granger would kill his own brother for her. She sensed it deep inside. “It was back when I lost Shawn.” Darren sank down against the wall, his arms limp at his sides. “I had just watched them kill Mom and Dad. The hunters got hold of both of us, but Shawn escaped, and they shot him down not thirty feet away from me.” He sobbed. Granger stiffened. She glanced back and forth between the two brothers. The pain in the room was palpable. “Go on. Chloe needs to hear what happened.” Darren wiped his face. “I just wanted to go home. I wanted to find Granger to see if I had any family left.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just wanted to go home.” He opened his eyes and stared right at Chloe. “In my head, I imagined Shawn waiting for me, but my nightmare really happened.” He sniffed. “I never meant to hurt you, but I had to go home.” Granger turned Chloe around and held her by the arms. “Darren and Shawn were twins.” His facial muscles flinched. “Two identical lynx, only eight years old. Younger than you at the time.” Understanding dawned, and she gasped. She pulled away and sat on the edge of the couch. She shook her head at the recollection Darren shared. He was just a baby, and he had lost the most important things in his life. Tears fell down her cheeks. “I…” She blew the bangs off her forehead with a shuddered breath. “I… Oh my God.” She covered her mouth. “Shifters have been hunted since the beginning of time, Aningan.” Granger crossed the room and held his hand out to his brother. “On that day, tragedy hit our family hard.” He pulled Darren to his feet, patted his cheek, and turned back to Chloe. “Shawn and Darren…” He chuckled. “You’d never seen two boys closer. They slept, ate, played together every minute of the day.” Darren hung his head. “Chloe.” He raised his gaze to her. “I did not bite you out of malice or to turn you into a shifter. I wanted my life back.” He thumped his chest with his fist. “I needed to find Granger.” 37

Tagging Her Lynx She stood up and approached Granger’s brother. She ran her hand down his wet cheek and caught her breath on a sob. So very young, and he’d lost almost his whole family right in front of him. The terror he must have gone through tugged at her heartstrings. “It’s OK.” She glanced back at Granger. “Maybe this is what was supposed to happen in my life, but certainly not what should have happened to you.” She laid her hand on his chest, over his heart. “I am so very sorry.” “I will make it up to you, I swear.” Darren rested his hand on top of hers. “If it takes my whole life, I will do whatever it takes.” She shook her head. “No. You are innocent, just as much as I was.” She held her hand out to Granger. “In a small way, I hope you will accept me into your family.” She frowned. “Not as a replacement, but as someone new.” Darren nodded and gave her a shaky smile. “That’ll be no problem. Granger’s tagged.” Granger playfully punched Darren’s shoulder. She raised her eyebrows. “Tagged?” “Yes, he seems to find amusement in my settling down with a life mate and refers to you as a hunter punching a tag on my ear.” Granger grinned back at Darren. “I don’t even know what Granger has here for drinks and snacks, but will you stay and visit with us for a little while?” She touched Darren’s arm. He nodded. “I’ll be right back.” She headed over to the corner of the cabin, into the small and efficient kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and pulled out three bottles of beer, a brick of Colby cheese, and some mustard. With any luck, Granger stocked one of the cabinets with crackers that she could use to give the men something to nibble. Suddenly starving, she realized that she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast earlier that morning. Today would definitely go down as the longest day of her life. To be standing in her mate’s kitchen seemed so surreal; it was hard to grasp that she had met Granger only this morning, and here she was fixing snacks for their first guest. Living in the bush of Alaska had never given her a social life or even a tad of the excitement she’d found today. Despite learning the truth of how her dad died, finding out she wasn’t alone in her ability to shift into a lynx, and confronting fears from her childhood, she thought the day turned out to be the 38

Abby Wood most incredible of her life. Deep inside, she knew her lynx luxuriated in connecting with her life mate. Chloe carried the tray of crackers with cheese topped off with a drop of mustard in one hand and hung the bottles between her fingers of the other hand. “Here you go, boys.” “Damn, Granger, she’ll fit right in with this family.” Darren pulled two beers from Chloe and handed one to Granger. “Thanks, Chloe.” “You’re welcome.” She sat between the two men on the couch and balanced the tray on her lap. “Eat up. I know I’m starving.” “Me too.” Granger picked up a cracker. “Although, I need more than this snack to feed me.” He cocked his eyebrow. She ducked her head. He wasn’t talking about food. Her nipples hardened, and she swallowed. She’d forgo a real dinner for another romping round of sex. “How did the cleanup go at the refuge?” Darren reached over and scooped up a few more crackers. “Who would have thought to pair mustard with cheese? This is good, Chloe.” She smiled. “The men are hanging back with the animals. They said they’d give a full report the moment they get back on the cleanup.” Granger leaned back and took another swig of beer. The cracker in her hand didn’t make it to her mouth. She turned and stared at him. Her appetite disappeared. “Oh God.” She tossed the cracker back on the tray, shoved everything onto Darren’s lap, and stood up. “Oh God.” She paced in front of the couch. “It didn’t dawn on me…” She pushed back the hair on her forehead. “Your men killed the poachers, didn’t they?” Granger nodded. “It had to be done to protect the Lynx, Aningan. They were after you. I’d kill anyone who would threaten my life mate or one of our people. It’s the hard reality of how we have to live.” “Isn’t there some way that you could talk to them? Scare them?” She shook her head. “No.” Granger set the beer bottle between his legs. “This is the way it is done.” He patted the empty spot she left on the couch. “Sit down. This is a good time to explain your role within the Lynx clan.” She plopped down on the couch, crossed her arms, and clamped her lips together. Didn’t she have enough to worry about with men wanting to hunt her down, losing the refuge, and trying to fit into a community that belonged in a science-fiction movie? “As the alpha—” 39

Tagging Her Lynx She threw up her hands. “Enough about the alpha crap. I don’t get it!” Granger grinned. “Like I was saying, as the alpha female of our group, there are certain things that you will have control of. Not right away, because you have so much to learn, but eventually you’ll be able to talk with the other shifters in your head.” He nodded. “Like you and I can already do. A beta can hear you and me, but not each other.” “Why?” He glanced from her to Darren, shrugged, and turned back toward Chloe. “Why what?” “Why can’t the betas do it?” She crossed her arms. “That doesn’t make any sense. If this is like the alpha in a dog pack, it’s the strongest, most stubborn dog that challenges the others, right?” “Uh, yes.” Granger scratched his chin. “None of these people know how strong I am or if I even want to challenge them for the supreme spot in the clan.” She huffed. “I don’t want to be the alpha. Someone else can have the spot.” “You have no choice. You have the gift.” Granger sat forward. “You’ve already shared with me how you can heal the wounded and sick animals at the refuge—” “So!” “God damn it, Chloe, will you stop interrupting me and be quiet?” He frowned and blew out his breath. “Fine.” Granger closed his eyes, inhaled, and looked back at Chloe. “There is a sense of supremacy in you, and now I realize why. The power to heal is only known to come from my ancestors. I believe it was Darren’s bite that gave you this awesome power. The other lynx sense this power in you. Deal with it.” He winked. “I will teach you how to speak with the others, give orders, and lead the females.” He held up his hand as she opened her mouth to interrupt again. “You also need to learn how to shift, track, and use the natural gifts that come with being a Lynx shifter.” Darren laughed. “He’s telling you that your lynx sucks.” Granger glared at his brother. “Not exactly. You’ve done very well on your own, but your animal needs to dominate. You’ll find you are much happier if you let your animal have its lead.” Silence filled the small cabin. She bit the inside of her cheek and debated if she even wanted to continue finding out more about shift40

Abby Wood ing. She had spent years trying to get rid of her lynx, and now she was supposed to just embrace it? What he was asking was for her to lose control over her own body. “Fine.” She sighed. “I’m telling you that I’m perfectly content the way I am.” She raised one of her eyebrows. “You have to listen to me, because I am your alpha.” Granger’s head turned back to her, the corners of his lips curled, and he sat studying her without blinking. She pursed her lips, sighed, and lowered her gaze to her lap. That little show of independence didn’t go over very well. She glanced over at Darren, but he shrugged and threw back his head to finish off his beer. Her stomach churned, and she lowered her gaze to the floor. She had upset Granger. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “What?” She swallowed. “I’m sorry.” “Why are you apologizing?” Granger reached over and stroked the side of her head. She turned away her gaze, not looking him in the face. “I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.” “Aningan?” He leaned over and kissed the tip of her nose. “Although you are an alpha female, you are my beta. You will submit to me naturally. Inside your lynx, you will let me dominate you in everything, understand?” She frowned, but in the end, nodded. For a change, she wanted to give him something he needed, and she did enjoy letting him take control. “I suppose.” “Good.” Granger stood up, clasped his hands in front of him, and grinned at his brother. “OK Darren, get the fuck out of my house. I’m going to feed my mate.”

41

Chapter Seven

After the front door banged closed behind Darren, Granger growled and stalked over to scoop Chloe off the couch. She giggled in a way she never thought she’d hear come from her more sensible self. It almost sounded…girlish. “I wanted this all day. I’ve thought of you sticking your cock inside me and marking me.” She nuzzled the area where his neck met his jaw. “I could smell you on me. Your scent mixed with mine.” “Keep talking like that, and I won’t make it to the bedroom with you.” He kicked open the door, and it bounced off the wall. “Clothes. Off. Now.” He set her down, and she hurriedly stripped. Her skin burned with a desperate need for his touch. To connect. To please. She finished undressing before he did and stood back to stare in admiration of a body she deemed perfect. He was broad at the shoulders, and his waist tapered to lean hips that fit perfectly between her legs. His cock jutted out from a thatch of pure black hair. She mewed. Her pussy grew damp, and he grinned. 42

Abby Wood Without breaking eye contact, she advanced toward him. The attraction was so strong, she let the emotion take control. He held up his hand, stopping her from touching him. “Turn around.” She rotated on the tips of her toes, and a warm blush of heat crawled up from her chest to her face. His gaze drank in her body, exciting her, and she hoped she pleased him. His hands spanned her waist and traveled down over the spread of her hips. “Perfect.” Her head fell back, and the brush of her hair swept down the bare skin of her back. Every nerve stood aware and waiting for his next touch. His hand skimmed her spine beneath her hair, and he gathered a fistful of strands between his fingers. “Don’t ever cut your hair, Aningan.” She shook her head. The pull on her scalp sent a trickle of juice out of her pussy, dampening her lower lips. She tugged against his hold. Pleasure and pain built inside her lower belly and spread out to all the hidden places inside her body. He slapped her butt cheek. She jumped and moaned at the same time. “On the bed. Stick your ass in the air.” She crawled to the middle of the bed, lowered her head to the mattress, and widened her knees. A groan came from Granger, and the walls of her pussy quivered. She needed him inside her. He slid a finger from her clit to her anus, and she squealed. Unable to take the torment of waiting, she pushed her ass back, searching for his cock. Instead, the warm velvet heat of his tongue lavished her hole, her lips, and her clit. Her hips bucked wildly against his mouth. Granger turned and lay on his back between her legs. “Lean up, Aningan. Ride my tongue.” She raised her upper body. He wrapped his arms around her thighs and pulled her womanhood against his mouth. He sucked her labia into his mouth. She squirmed and rubbed her juice over the lower part of his face. She grabbed the top of his hair to balance herself and gazed down at his face. Seemingly intent on pleasuring her with his mouth, Granger opened his eyes. The heat in his expression drove her wild. A craving so deep and strong curled around her, and she lost herself in his licks and nibbles. 43

Tagging Her Lynx Granger lapped her pussy up and moaned for more. Pressing his lips to her clit, he then flicked his tongue over the sensitive nub. Her fingers held on to his hair like a rope. She threw back her head and let her orgasm pleasure her whole body. Her sexual high exploded in his mouth. Riding the spasms, her hips jerked with every swipe of his tongue. She fell forward and lowered the side of her face to the mattress. Granger scooted out from underneath her pussy. Exhausted, she lay panting with her eyes closed, trying to catch her breath. A trickle of cream ran slowly down the inside of her thigh. His hand slapped her ass, and she raised her head. He grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled her head back. “I’m not done with you.” He positioned his dick at her entrance. “I’ll make you come again, Aningan.” He shoved his cock into her pussy with one thrust. Wet and slick, her cunt recovered fast and pulsed around him. In and out, in and out, he set a pace that reawakened her desire. She strained against the hold he had on her hair. The fleet touch of his balls banging her oversensitive clit drove her crazy. The swirl of pleasure grew again. Faster. Deeper. The rocking motion he created threw her back against him. His cock stroked the heart of her pussy, and an urgency she never expected washed over her. “Take it, Aningan.” He huffed. “Take all of it.” “Yes!” Her teeth clenched. She knew she’d come again and wanted to wait for him. He grunted with each slap of his balls against her body. She mewed at the extra stimulation. Her hands dug into the blanket to keep in position against the force of his fucking. “Come.” He pulled her hair hard. A guttural scream came from deep in her chest, her knees came off the bed, and her pussy squeezed his cock tight and wouldn’t let go. He groaned, held himself still, and filled her cavity with cum at the same time he roared his pleasure. The only movement came from the aftershocks of her orgasm, which rocked her body. Granger leaned against her back and rolled with her on the bed, leaving his cock inside her pussy. He stroked her hair. “You are mine.” “Yes.”

***

44

Abby Wood The heat from the fireplace did nothing to block the cold wind blowing into the cabin through the open window. Crossing her arms across her bare breasts, she hopped from one foot to the other, waiting for Granger’s instructions. Her mate stood away from the heat and didn’t even have goose bumps. “You’ve got to dig down deep and wake up your lynx, Aningan.” Granger pushed the extra chair from the living room under the window. “Don’t think about the cold. Concentrate. I’m not going to help you this time.” “Can’t you open the window after I’ve changed? It’s freezing in here.” Her teeth chattered. “No.” “Fine, but don’t blame me if my precious nipples that you love to suck on fall off and roll across the floor.” She snorted. “I’m dying here, Granger.” “Suck it up.” He put his hands on his hips. “You’re not always going to have time to think or plan for a shift.” She closed her eyes and pictured the warm fur that would come if she succeeded. She imagined the soft pads covering the bones of her hands and the fur growing thicker on her face to protect her from the cold. Heat came from the pit of her stomach and spread up her spine. Opening her eyes, she curved her body over and landed on all fours in time to finish the shift. “I did it!” “Yes.” Granger came over in his lynx form and rubbed his body along her length. “Good girl. That was the fastest you’ve done it. It’s getting easier, no?” She purred. He headed toward the window, jumped up on the chair, glanced back, and leaped out. She followed him, surprised that the snow had piled up to the pane. The night’s storm was so severe, it broke records. “Now change back.” Granger blocked her from going back inside. She snarled, but already her back stretched and popped. Her system took a shock from the attack of the cold. God, this is crazy! “This will save your life.” Granger rubbed against her bare legs. “I wasn’t talking to you.” She wanted to bury her face in the side of his fur. “It’s f-freak-ing c-cold.” The shift happened even faster than the last dozen times he made her do it. Granger stepped away from the window, and she sped past him. She hurried and shifted. “Excellent!” He followed suit and quickly shut the window. “You’ve got it now.” He walked over to her, wrapped her in his arms, 45

Tagging Her Lynx and tucked her head under his chin. “You no longer need to rely on me or high emotions to shift. You’ve got control.” She smiled into his chest, enjoying the moment. Congratulating herself for all her hard work, she wondered if Granger would give her the rest of the day off so they could have sex again. All through the night—every night—he’d fuck her, rest, then fuck her again. If she slept two hours a night it would surprise her, but she wasn’t complaining. She couldn’t get enough of him. Each new sexual position he introduced to her was new and exciting. Granger pulled back and rubbed her arms. “Warm enough?” She nodded. “Good.” He pulled her over to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and pointed for her to sit at the table. “Close your eyes.” She sat in a chair, laid her hands on top of the table, leaned forward, and closed her eyes. Cupboards banged and silverware clattered. She smiled. Maybe her life mate knew how to cook. That would be heaven. Lately she found herself hungry all the time. “Dream on.” Granger chuckled. She sighed in disappointment. “Keep your eyes closed. I’m going to help you develop your sense of smell.” A chair scraped against the hardwood floor. “Lynx have an exceptional ability to pick up scents.” The pop and poof of a sealed jar opening sounded off to her right. She sniffed. Duh! “Pickles.” “OK, that was too easy.” Granger laughed. “How about this?” This time no noise gave the contents away. She concentrated and pushed past the usual scents found in the cabin. She found it hard because the rugged, outdoorsy aroma that clung to Granger was overriding all other odors. “Olives?” “Good girl.” He coughed to cover the crinkle of paper. “Again.” “God, I’m starving!” She laughed. “How about you pass that cereal over here, and I can munch on it while you put me through lynx class for kindergarteners.” He shoved the bag into her hands, and she reached in to scoop out a pinch. “That’s better. Now I can concen—” She leaped out of her chair and opened her eyes. “What are you doing?” She grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the sink. “Of all the crazy shit to do, why would you ever cut yourself?” 46

Abby Wood He shook his hand away and grabbed the dishrag to blot the small cut. “The best way to track someone is by picking up their blood scent.” He grinned. “You’re doing excellent on this drill, by the way.” “Idiot.” She walked back to the chair and plopped down. “I didn’t like that. Don’t do it again.” “You’re telling me what to do?” He sat down beside her and leaned against the table. She lowered her chin. “No.” Granger cupped her face and lifted it up to meet his gaze. “Close your eyes, Aningan. You need to trust that I know what is best for you.” She lowered her lashes. Granger’s dominance caused a tingling warmth to spread through her belly. She loved how secure he made her feel, knowing that someone would always be there to look out for her safety; it was comforting. “Open your mouth.” A jar lid squeaked and a utensil tinged against the side of a glass. She licked her lips, rubbed them together, and parted them. The cool, smooth surface of the bottom of a spoon touched her bottom lip and slipped into her mouth. She closed her lips. Oh dear God. The decadent richness of milk chocolate exploded on her taste buds. She moaned. Without swallowing, she sucked on the spoon. The world’s best medicine made the lynx lessons more tolerable and sent quivers of pleasure rippling throughout her body. “Look at me, Aningan.” She opened her eyes to see Granger’s heated gaze. The strength in her spine fled and she slouched against the back of the chair, the spoon still in her mouth. He reached over and pulled the treat out of her mouth, but not before she sucked a glob of chocolate off to enjoy. Granger dipped his finger into the chocolate syrup, held his hand up, and reached over to draw circles around each of her areolas. Her nipples puckered, and she gasped. She hoped to God lessons were over and Granger wouldn’t ask her to sit at the table for hours without letting her touch his body. She’d fail that test. He dipped his finger into the jar again and drew a line from between her breasts down to the top of her mound, his gaze never leaving her face. She swallowed a bit of the chocolate sitting on her tongue. A tingle crawled up her spine as she thought about him licking the masterpiece he’d just created. Chloe leaned forward on the chair, and Granger lowered his head. She ran her fingers through his long midnight hair and brought him 47

Tagging Her Lynx to her breast. His tongue lapped at the chocolate, his lips gathering a mouthful of her breast and suckling it. Instant carnal pleasure swirled inside her belly and flooded her pussy with cream. She moved his mouth to her other breast. Her head fell back, and she mewed as her body screamed for him to fuck her hard. “Oh Granger…” Licking her nipple clean, he moved down and began an upward stroke with his tongue. From her mound, over her stomach, and up to her breast, he cleaned the trail of chocolate from her body. She raised her hands and pushed her breasts together. He delved his tongue into the crevice she created and groaned. He ignited every nerve and her legs bounced against the chair. She needed him. The craving to connect their bodies in a way that pleased them both shook her to the core. “Stand up, Aningan.” On legs that wobbled, she stood and reached out for him. He slid his hands around her waist, lifted her up and onto the top of the table, and swiped the assortment of food beside her to the floor. Her pussy juice dripped onto the table, and she squirmed, unable to sit still. She leaned back on her elbows and spread her legs. Granger walked over to the cabinet, opened a drawer, and shuffled through the contents. He returned with a dishcloth. He ignored the invitation she presented with her open legs and approached her head. With a gentle hand he pushed her head down to the table. He folded the cloth and placed it over her eyes. “Concentrate on how your body responds to my touch. Forget about watching, forget about smelling, and just enjoy the way I touch your body.” He kissed her lips. “Your body drives me wild, Chloe. I’m about to burst just seeing you spread out and wanting me.” Without knowing what he planned, she shivered in anticipation of what would come next. The suction-like sound of the refrigerator opening startled her, and she bit down on her lip. He told her not to listen, and she blocked out all distractions. She felt him part her pussy lips, and she widened her legs to encourage him to touch her more. She gasped, her back arched off the table, and her knees came up to press together. He’d put something extremely cold inside her pussy. “A small ice cube, Aningan.” Granger kissed her cunt. “Wait for the pleasure.” Her breath came out in hard puffs. As the shock wore off, a new sensation began to grow. The pain turned into pleasure, and she 48

Abby Wood thrust her hips up and down to spread the warmth that continued to grow deep inside. Granger grabbed her ankles and pulled her across the table. She reached out to clutch the edges. Her ass hung off the surface, and he hooked her ankles around his neck. With his arms locked around her legs, he entered her in slow motion. The heat from his cock further warmed her insides. She quivered at the sweet torment. His thumb—or was it his finger?—pressed down on her clit and rubbed. She let go of the table and beat her fist against the wood. “Please. Please. Please.” He pinched her clit between his fingers and plunged into her pussy hard. “Come.” He pulled back and thrust again. “Squeeze me.” She convulsed in an orgasm that lifted her head off the table. The towel fell off, but it didn’t matter. She kept her eyes shut and rode out the intoxicating spasms pressing down on Granger’s cock. “Yes!” He buried his cock to the hilt and stilled. Her body trembled. Blessed relief turned her muscles to Jell-O, and she lay back on the table, completely relaxed. Granger removed her legs from around his neck and let them dangle off the table. He pulled her hands and set her feet on the ground. She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. His heartbeat raced beneath her ear, and she giggled. “What is so funny, Aningan?” “I think I like these lessons.” She smiled. He rubbed her back. “Is that right?” She tilted her head back. “Does my teacher have anything I can do for extra credit?” “Oh yeah. Lots and lots of extra work for you.” He grinned.

49

Chapter Eight

Two weeks later, Granger walked Chloe to the other end of the Lynx’s area, where a large cabin served as a gathering spot for the clan. She squeezed his hand in a death grip but continued along beside him with her chin held up. He’d explained to her how every one of the shifters wanted to welcome her into the fold, and they’d put it off long enough. Between training and discovering everything about each other, they’d fallen into a secure bliss with no influence from the others. Granger even called a halt on tracking the other hunters because of all the snow they’d received. If the weather made it difficult for the Lynx, it would be impossible for humans to make it this far north. Mother Nature created a haven for the cats and a wonderful break for Granger and her to explore their feelings. She loved him. It wasn’t something she learned. It wasn’t something that needed to grow from a feeling. It existed inside both of them, as important as breathing, and each day they thanked their lucky stars that they had found each other. 50

Abby Wood However, the time had come for her to become involved with the clan. Her stomach cramped, and she laid her hand over her belly button. She wanted this, but she didn’t have any experience with large groups. Hell, her father schooled her at home like all the other kids who lived in the bush. Social outings didn’t happen after her near death from the bite she’d suffered for fear of shifting in front of others. “You will do fine, Aningan. Remember everything that you have learned, and the rest will come naturally. Your lynx will not let you down.” He dropped her hand, pulled her to his side, and draped his arm around her shoulders. “Besides, I will be there the whole time, and if you need me, you only have to ask for my help.” She nodded. “I know. It’s the whole alpha-beta thing. I’m used to seeking comfort from you. I can’t imagine that the other women will seek me out to bring them a sense of security. Especially when I’m shaking like a leaf and worried about speaking like the village idiot.” “Trust your lynx, Aningan.” He chuckled. “She won’t want her human to make a fool of herself.” “Somehow, that doesn’t bring me comfort.” She snorted. He continued to laugh. “See? Even I am not the perfect alpha.” Chloe strolled inside the cabin with a smile on her face and her arm wound around Granger’s waist. He’d settled her nerves with his playful banter. A good thing too, because all at once, everyone in the room had stopped their conversations and turned toward them; it threatened to send her to her knees. “Everybody, this is my life mate, Chloe Barrant.” Granger urged her forward and turned to Chloe. “She has taken the last couple of weeks to fine-tune her skills. You’ll all be impressed with how far she has come.” He smiled. “I’m excited to meet you all.” She swallowed. “You’ll have to pardon my shyness. I didn’t grow up around other people the way you all have lived together. It was just my dad and me…” She shrugged. “I guess you know everything else about me.” Smiles and friendly waves greeted her, and Gretchen pushed her way through the crowd. Chloe smiled at the first person of the Lynx clan she met on her arrival, glad to see her friend. After learning Gretchen had a crush on Granger’s brother, she stopped worrying if she had designs on her life mate. “Hi.” She gave the other woman a hug. Gretchen returned the squeeze. “Look at you! A big smile on your face. You look so happy.” 51

Tagging Her Lynx She nodded and laughed. “Thanks to Granger. I don’t think I could have managed to come here without all his help.” “Come with me. I want to introduce you to the other women. We’ve practically formed a committee to barge into your cabin and take you for some girl time.” Gretchen raised her eyebrows to Granger. “May I?” He nodded and leaned down to give Chloe a kiss. “Go make friends.” He slapped her ass. She jumped and laughed over her shoulder on her way across the room. “She’s something.” Darren joined Granger at the refreshment table. “Hand me a beer, will ya?” Granger reached over and picked another can out of the tub of ice. “She’s amazing.” He grinned and passed the beer to his brother. “Is everyone ready to get back on the trail?” They’d wasted enough time, letting the hunters grow closer. The last couple of nights he swore he could smell them on the wind. This group proved to be more skilled than the last. Afraid that they’d get the upper hand, he wanted to start out the next morning and find out where they’d moved to since Chloe’s wildlife refuge shut down. If the hunters searched for proof of the shifters, the Lynx could handle it. Everyone in the clan took extra care to cover the Lynx clan’s existence. If they planned to continue their hunt on his life mate, though, he’d kill every one of them with great pleasure. No way in hell would he lose another member of his family. “Yo!” Darren jabbed his elbow into Granger’s arm. “Are you talking to Chloe or deep in thought?” He turned his back on the room and leaned in closer to his brother. “Whatever happens, we must protect Chloe with our lives. Promise me.” Darren’s eyes narrowed, and he nodded. “That’s a given, bro. I owe her. She’s family now.” Granger nodded and stepped back. A sudden urge to go find Chloe and stay by her side washed over him. He cut a straight path into the circle of women surrounding his life mate. “Guess what?” Chloe gazed up at him, smiling. “Sharon”—she pointed to the woman—”is going to teach me how to knit.” She raised her eyebrows. “Since I was a child I’ve always wanted to learn how to do that.” She threaded her hand around his arm and squeezed. “Think of how many blankets I can make for the cabin.” 52

Abby Wood “Sounds great.” He smiled over at Sharon and tilted his head. “Want to grab something to eat?” She glanced around at the women, then back up at him. “Sure. I’m hungry.” Filling their paper plates to overflowing, he led her over to the side and pushed two folding chairs together with his foot. She sat down, and he handed her plate to her. Her appetite increased each day, and he secretly hoped that she carried his baby. The subject of kids had never come up, and he doubted that she’d even thought about the consequences of having unprotected sex. They fucked all the time, day and night, and even with the difficulties some lynx had getting pregnant, he knew deep down they’d have children. After losing his parents and one little brother, karma owed him a family. Having Darren kept him sane all those years after the killings. Although, he had pushed her extra hard through training, and that could account for her increased appetite. She’d shifted and stayed inside her lynx more than usual the past couple of weeks, and cats were notoriously hungry. “It’s amazing how much I can connect with the women.” Chloe waved her fork in the air. “I thought it would be like it is when I go into Fairbanks and everyone stares.” She shook her head. “Kinda freaky, you know? I think you’re right. I’ll be OK here with all of them.” “Dare I say I told you so?” He winked and lifted his head to gaze out across the room. “Most of these people I grew up with, some of them came later.” He pointed. “See the group hanging out by the back door?” He paused. “They are the children of Johnny, Dominic, Chuck, and Sean…and their mates.” He smiled and turned toward Chloe. “I’ve watched them grow up since they were babies.” Her brows lowered. She swallowed her bite of food, and the corners of her lips turned down. He could almost see the wheels turning inside her head while she thought about the prospect of having children. He’d given her just enough information for her to draw her own conclusion. He hadn’t realized how much having kids meant to him until he found Chloe. “None of the others who have mates have babies? Those kids are teenagers, right?” She laid her fork on her plate and turned her head to view all the people in the room again. “There are no babies in the group?” “It’s difficult for two shifters to conceive.” He sighed. “Not impossible, but each woman who becomes pregnant is well cared for 53

Tagging Her Lynx and protected for the duration. Offspring means that our kind goes on for many years. That is very important to all of us.” Chloe dropped her gaze to the floor. She chewed on her lip and seemed to be lost in her thoughts. He waited for her to grasp the reality of the shifters’ existence and understand the situation. It was a lot to take in, especially for her. She’d never thought of mating, babies, and the Lynx as a group before. Hell, he’d bombarded her with so many startling facts in the short time they’d been together, he didn’t want her to have one more thing to worry about. “Talk to me, Aningan.” “I…I have always wanted babies.” She inhaled. “Growing up an only child, I dreamed of the time that I’d have three or four of my own to fill those quiet days here in the dark winter hours of Alaska.” Chloe turned her head, brought her hand up, and wiped the corner of her eye. He wanted to reach out to her and tell her that she would have the children she wished for, but he’d never lie. Each female shifter dealt with the knowledge of their existence in her own way. “We will take whatever we are given. If we are blessed…” He shrugged. She returned her attention to her plate and jabbed at the food, but stopped once she brought the fork to her mouth. “I’ve wanted to ask you something, but every time you’ve distracted me.” She gave him a shaky smile. “How do you all earn money? Without the state paying me an income for the refuge, I have no clue what I will do. Even the state’s kicker check is getting smaller every year. Certainly not enough to live off of the rest of the time.” “Our women do not work.” He shook his head. “I’d never allow you to put yourself in a position where your identity is at risk.” She leaned back and raised her brows. “You wouldn’t allow?” She laughed. “Good one.” A soft snort came from her direction. “I’m serious.” “Granger, I have to do something. I’ll go insane sitting at home waiting for you to entertain me.” She smiled, shook her head, and leaned closer. “You’re not kidding, are you?” “Nope.” She turned away and went back to stabbing her food. By the way she took out her frustration on the food, in no time she’d wear a hole in the paper plate. “There are lots of things you can do around here. Ask the other women, and they will tell you all the activities that keep them busy.” 54

Abby Wood He pointed across the room. “Lance works down at the mill during the summer, Jonathon is a de-barker for a company in Fairbanks, and those two over there”—he motioned with his head—”they take tourists out on fishing expeditions. The rest have regular jobs with the locals.” “And you?” She blew the hair out of her face. The corners of his mouth lifted. It pleased him to hear her interested in the life the Lynx had built. “I’ll make a deal with you.” He lifted a piece of venison, popped it into his mouth, and chewed. “After the party, I’ll show you what I do, OK? I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.” Her brows lowered, and she studied his face. “Fine.” They finished their meal in silence. He communicated with Darren and let him in on his plans for Chloe. She’d learn what he did for a living firsthand. He chuckled and hurried to wipe the grin off his face. “What’s so funny?” She didn’t turn toward him, but stood and held out her hand for his plate. He handed the trash to her and leaned back. “You, my curious cat.” She scoffed and marched to the back of the cabin to throw away their plates. In the opposite direction, Darren slipped out the front door after nodding at Granger. He stretched out his legs, crossed his ankles, and smiled at the way the other women clustered around his woman. She fit in perfectly with the other Lynx. For someone who worried about living here and getting along with people of her own kind, Chloe seemed to have no problem touching the lives of the others. Her alpha did her proud. She roamed the room. A friendly stroke to Susan’s arm, a hug for Gretchen, a tender caress to one of the younger women who lowered her eyes at the sight of the alpha female—Chloe bonded with the women. She’d come so far; if he didn’t know any different, he’d have guessed she’d grown up knowing about her abilities and accepted them. “Hey, Granger.” Tucker sat down in Chloe’s empty chair. “Your mate is lovely. A great addition to the clan.” Granger kept his gaze on Chloe and didn’t acknowledge the compliment. “Any news?” From his peripheral vision he viewed Tucker shake his head. Damn it. The men in charge of cleaning up the disaster at the refuge lost the man who’d helped the person Granger attacked at the refuge. 55

Tagging Her Lynx The crew failed to kill the one man who’d witnessed the whole fight, although they did dispose of the evidence. He had a bad feeling the guy was running with the other hunters who kept trying to invade the clan’s area. Chloe tilted her head back and laughed. He ran his gaze from her head to her hands, which she had clasped in front of her chest. The men needed to get aggressive and put a stop to the threat hanging over them. If anything happened to Chloe, he’d not survive. “I’ll meet with the crew in the morning. I want them gone.” He turned to Tucker. “I’ll go after them myself.” “But—” “No one hurts my family.” Granger stood up, ignoring Tucker’s attempt to stop him, and crossed the room. “Looks like everything is winding down.” Granger wrapped his arms around Chloe’s waist from behind. “Let’s get out of here.” She laid her head back against his chest. “OK, but let me say goodbye to the girls first.” “I’ll meet you outside.” He leaned to the side and kissed her lips. “Hurry.” Outside the community cabin, a dark shape ran along the tree line. He sniffed, scanned, and deemed the area safe. Stepping farther away from the door, he stopped Darren. “Everything set up?” He grinned. His brother nodded. “Yep. Better hurry. Not much daylight left.” He chuckled. “There’s a nice thick layer of ice on the lake. You shouldn’t have any problems. Winter came early this year.” Granger clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks.” He heaved a sigh. “The men are meeting up in the morning. I want you to stay back and guard Chloe.” “You’re going after the hunters?” Darren’s mouth tightened. Granger turned toward the cabin to see Chloe walk out. “Yes.” “Be careful, my brother.” Stepping back, Darren nodded and turned to go back to the cabin. Granger stepped forward, smiled, and held out his hand. “Ready for an adventure?” “I guess.” She puckered her lips. “Is this about your job that you mentioned earlier?” “Yes.” He pulled her closer by the front of her coat, zipped her up, and gave her a quick kiss. “You’ll need to stay warm. We’ll be hiking for about fifteen minutes.” “OK.” She held his hand in both of hers and followed him. 56

Chapter Nine

This late in the year the golden globe of the sun lay far off in the horizon and cast shadows amongst the few trees Granger led Chloe through. She slowed down and glanced up at the sky. Maybe one hour of daylight remained, and the darkness would return. “Not much farther, Aningan.” She hurried to keep up with him. “I’m not worried, just enjoying the scenery. You’ve never taken me in this direction.” It didn’t faze her that they often spoke telepathically even when they were alone. It came naturally now, and it was nice to feel that deep connection with someone. She enjoyed their private conversations. Chloe’s lips curved upward. Granger never missed a chance to tell her his wicked thoughts either. Whether she was washing dishes, practicing her skills, or lying in bed with her eyes closed, he’d whisper his thoughts and laugh at how flustered she would become. The previous night she orgasmed from the words he spoke in her head alone. Goose bumps broke out over her arms despite the heavy down coat covering her. He certainly kept life exciting. 57

Tagging Her Lynx Chloe gazed out in front of them, squinted, and squeezed Granger’s hand. “There’s a plane out there.” He needed to tell the Lynx. If the pilot spotted one of them from the air and he taxied hunters, the clan’s lives were at stake. Granger continued to pull her closer to the aircraft. “Granger?” “It is OK, Aningan.” He stopped, turned his head, and grinned. “This is my plane.” “What?” She glanced from the airplane to him. “You’re a pilot?” “Yes.” He scooped her hand back up and pulled her along with him. “I transport people, goods, and once a week, the mail to the people living out in the bush. Because of the weather, I have a lot of time off in the winter.” He grinned. “Now that I’ve found you, I’m happy about that.” She laughed. “That is so not what I expected you to do for a living.” She shook her head. “I had you pegged for a builder or some kind of laborer.” “Yes, my manly body does make you think of physical labor.” He joined in her laughter. “Nope, I love to fly.” He took her arm and set off in a jog. “Come. Let me show you my world.” The light layer of snow over the ice-covered lake gave them enough traction to keep their feet from sliding out from under them. Chloe clamped her lips shut against the stinging cold air. She’d never flown before, despite her father’s using a charter service to go farther south to pick up supplies for the refuge. She’d wanted to fly for a long time, and she grew excited at the prospect of experiencing it for the first time with Granger. Once they reached the plane, he opened the door, lifted Chloe into it with one gentle toss, and climbed into the pilot’s seat. She clasped her hands together on her lap and turned her head back and forth to check out the small area. Eight seats behind them sat empty, and she turned to study the console in front of Granger’s seat. So many buttons, switches, and gauges adorned the panel. How someone learned all the skills to fly something this big amazed her. “Buckle up, Aningan.” He pointed to the side of her seat. “We won’t be up in the air too long. Snow’s coming.” Everything happened so fast. Before she knew it, the plane built up speed over the frozen lake and began to lift off. She leaned over, peered out the window down below, and squealed. The ground grew 58

Abby Wood farther away, and the plane tilted a fraction, sending her the biggest thrill—they floated in the air. The noise of the plane grew louder, and Chloe turned back to Granger. He operated the controls with an ease that told of his experience flying. His facial muscles relaxed and an aura of calm came over him—he appeared in his element, doing what he loved. Granger glanced over at her, smiled, and wiggled his eyebrows. “This never gets old.” “I bet.” She laughed. “I can’t believe you’re a pilot.” She turned and peered out the window. “Can I go with you sometimes while you work?” “Anytime, Aningan.” The plane flew steadily over the treetops following the dip and rise of the land. Close enough that Chloe recognized landmarks from her many runs through the birch trees at the edge of the river north of her home. She sat up straighter and pressed her forehead against the glass. “Oh Granger, there’s my home.” Moisture clouded her vision. “It appears so vacant.” “Everything will remain there for you. You only have to ask, and I’ll take you back to visit.” Granger turned the plane and dipped the wing to give her a better view. “Your home is with me now.” “I know.” She swallowed. “I hope the animals are faring well.” “They’ll survive.” He turned and headed back in the direction from where they came. “Just like you will do fine with your new life. Everyone is back where they belong, with their kind, their mates, and in their natural surroundings.” She nodded. “I know.” He tapped her leg, and she turned to him. He held out a pair of binoculars. She smiled and raised the viewing equipment to her eyes. A few adjustments to the knob on top, and the ground came up close enough that she felt she could almost reach out and touch the snow. Her view through the binoculars grew fuzzy, and she laid them in her lap. “This is giving me a headache.” She rubbed her eyes. “Another minute and we’ll be descending. I can already see Darren at the edge of the lake, waiting.” Granger reached over and flipped a switch on the console. He quickly set off a myriad of buttons, and the engine grew quieter. “Looks like we beat the storm coming in.” “How can you see Darren? I don’t see anything except snow.” She raised the binoculars back up to her eyes. “Oh, there he is!” She waved, laughed, and smiled over at Granger. “I guess he can’t see us, huh?” 59

Tagging Her Lynx “You need more training to heighten your vision, Aningan.” Granger laughed. “We can’t have a lynx wearing glasses.” She rolled her eyes. “Funny…not.” Granger landed the plane nice and easy on the lake. It turned at the end of the ice and rolled to a stop. He cut the engine, unfastened his seat belt, and turned to Chloe. She grinned and shook her head. “You amaze me.” She flipped her hands in the air. “You came into my life when I needed you most, and every day I learn something new about you.” “Come.” He opened his door and held his hand out for her to climb over his seat. “Let’s get you back to the cabin. I have this wild urge to fuck you.” She hovered with her knee on the seat. “Oh, you do?” She lifted her legs and slid down into his arms. “I like the sound of that.” Granger nodded over at Darren. “Go ahead and tie it down.” He waved. “We’re going to leave our clothes over there. Do you mind taking them back with you?” Darren shrugged and muttered, “Damn life mates. Always ready to go off and leave everything for the singles.” “I heard that, little brother.” Darren laughed. “Get the hell out of here!” He shooed them away with his hands. “You both need to learn some self-control.” “Never!” Granger squeezed her hand. She gazed over at Granger and laughed. The thrill of claiming these two brothers as her family settled in her chest. “Bye, Darren.” She waved over her shoulder. Chloe stripped out of her clothes at the same time she shifted into her lynx form. The transition was smooth, limiting the amount of time her human body had to deal with the elements. She lifted her front leg and stretched. In her animal body, she luxuriated in the freedom to stretch her muscles. She wanted to run. “Ready, Aningan?” Granger sidled up beside her and rubbed his body along her fur-covered side. She trilled low in her chest. Waiting for him to lead the way, she gazed at the thick, silvery fur covering his sleek body. It fit him. With one glance, anyone could see he was an alpha lynx. Able to stay steady atop the snow-packed ground, she followed Granger and matched him step for step. With her breathing under control, she was able to pick up all the different smells coming their way. The long hours of training had paid off, and she grew excited at the freedom of giving control over to her lynx. 60

Abby Wood Caught in her own thoughts, she missed the quick turn Granger made to leap onto a log. He landed on top of her. Startled, she snarled and bared her teeth. “Pay attention.” He licked the side of her face, apparently to take the sting out of his words. Her anger melted away. She purred and stretched her body out from under him. He nipped at the loose skin on the back of her neck. She wanted him. A need deep in her womb cried out for him to take her, to force her to submit. Granger jumped off her, took one leap, and flew over the log out and of sight. She lay sprawled out where he left her, her rump lifted, and her tailed twitched in frustration. He left her aroused and alone. She opened her mouth and sounded off a scream of frustration. His laughter echoed in her head. With her nose in the air, she ran over the same path Granger took back to the cabin. His fresh, woodsy scent left a trail she could follow even over the heightened rage that built inside her body. How dare he tease her and then leave her behind? She ran at top speed, ignoring the wind that grew and the beginning of another snow flurry. Propelling herself through the opened window and into the cabin, she shifted into human form and landed on her bare feet. Granger stood in the middle of the room, stroking his cock. His grin lit a spark inside of her. Without missing a step, she charged toward him, captured his face in her hands, and sealed her lips to his mouth. She’d wipe the amusement off that gorgeous mug of his. Even in her human body, the hair at her nape stood on end. Her back arched, pressing her breasts against his naked torso. Cream moistened the bare lips of her pussy, where Granger shaved her the other day. The extrasensitive skin pulsed with a need to be impaled by his cock and experience the way he alone brought her fulfillment. Chloe pushed against him, but Granger held her back from dominating him. She ripped her mouth off his and snarled. She shifted enough for him to view her cat’s eyes. He matched her show of power. He curled his lip, and she caught a glimpse of the razor-sharp incisors. The beta in her backed away. Her nipples were rock hard. A desire to get down on her hands and knees, open herself, and accept his mating grew stronger. Granger slipped his hand around her neck, grasped her hair, and pushed her down to her knees. Holding the back of her head, he used his other hand to bring his cock to her lips. 61

Tagging Her Lynx “Open.” He ran his swollen cock head over her lips. “Take it.” She obeyed, and her tongue came out to draw his cock into her mouth. Sealing her mouth around his width, she sucked and consumed his cock. The large vein underneath pulsed against her tongue, and she swallowed, hoping to ingest more of him. He pulled on the fistful of hair. She cried out not from pain, but from having his cock taken away. “Don’t.” Granger pushed her down farther and pressed her head to the floor. “Think.” He moved around and knelt behind her raised ass. His hand pulled her head up. “You’re mine.” He slipped his cock slowly into her pussy. “Say it.” He groaned. Chloe stretched her arms out in front of her body. Her fingers spread out on the hardwood floor, bracing her body for the fucking she hoped he’d give. A trill escaped her open mouth, approving of the position Granger had picked. This is what she wanted outside in the snow earlier. “Say it.” “Mine.” She gasped. He ran the head of his cock along her slit. “You’re mine. Say it.” “You’re…” She thrust back, but the hand in the tangle of hair stopped her. “Say it!” She growled. “Mine!” Removing his cock, he held her from him. “Say it all. Say, you’re mine.” She wanted Granger to dominate her. To put her in the place her body craved. She’d submit to him and give him everything. “You’re mine!” The added weight on top of her pushed her down on the floor. Her hips fought to buck up and meet each powerful thrust, but he took away any freedom she had to move. His hand still pulled her hair back. The rush of his hot breath beat on the side of her neck. “You’re mine.” He latched on to the soft indentation where her neck met her shoulder. She groaned. Her body convulsed underneath him, out of control. Tears came to her eyes and fell down her cheeks as the contractions began at her very core and spread out to each limb. Granger’s pace sped up. His cock slid in and out with each burst of his cum filling her cunt. She gasped for breath, unable to put any effort into the mating past this point. He’d given her multiple orgasms, 62

Abby Wood frequent thrills, but this was the first time that her lynx got exactly what she wanted. Granger laid his forehead on the back of her head, loosened his clutch on her hair, and shuddered. “OK?” She nodded. “Yeah.” He rolled off and lay on his back beside her without taking his gaze off her. “Incredible.” He blew out his breath. “Fucking unbelievable.” She laughed. The sound came out low, husky, and filled with contentment. She should have known. “Your lynx came out to play, didn’t he?” She raised her head and propped her hand under her chin. “I had no idea mine would merge with…me. That I’d let her have control.” “I’ve heard it could happen but have never experienced it before.” He inhaled and turned his head to gaze up at the ceiling. “I remember my father telling us boys that one day we’d touch the sky.” He closed his eyes. “He’d look over at our mother, smile, and get that dopey expression we kids never understood.” “Granger…” She reached out and stroked the side of his face, brushing the long strands off his cheek. “I’m so glad that you have those memories and that you share them with me.” He rolled over onto his side. “What about your parents? Did your father talk to you much about your mother?” She drew a deep breath into her lungs and let it out on a sigh. “I think…no, I know my dad loved my mom. He lived off the memories he had of her.” She sat up and crossed her legs. “He wasn’t really the kind of man who talked about his feelings.” “I’m sor—” She waved her hand. “It’s OK. I loved him.” She smiled. “I do love to hear about your memories.” She nodded. “I can’t imagine growing up seeing that love and having the experience of living with shifters your whole life.” Granger sat up, groaned, and pushed off the floor to stand. “I’m too old to sit on the floor.” Chloe laughed. “How about I fix my old man something to eat?” She rose and stepped toward the kitchen. “We can gain our strength back and cuddle down for the night.” “Chloe?” She stopped and turned around. “We’ll give our children that.” His brows came down. “They’ll have the perfect childhood with parents who stay around for many, many years.” 63

Tagging Her Lynx She nodded, smiled, and turned around again to head to the kitchen. A lump formed in her throat, and she swallowed. The doubts of her fertility reared their ugly heads.

64

Chapter Ten

“Fuck.” Granger whipped around and stared at Tucker, and then turned his golden eyes back to the scene in front of him. “How did they manage this?” “Are we sure they are humans?” Tucker trilled and moved over to make room for Lance, who joined the cats up on the snowbank. “Yes.” Granger stood up. “I’m going in. I’ll try to hurry.” He stepped forward, paused, and gazed back at the handful of cats hidden in the landscape. “Don’t let them get back to the others.” In a silent slink, Granger moved along the outskirts of the camp. With three durable winter tents fitted for subdegree temperatures, these men took their hunting seriously. He’d have to shift at the right time, surprise them, and rush back into his lynx form. Naked to the elements, he’d not last long and would have to work fast. He had no idea there were two groups of men that posed a threat to his clan. They regularly watched the larger group, but this one appeared smaller. What did they want? Were they after the shifters too, or were they illegally harvesting animals? 65

Tagging Her Lynx Hate coursed through his body, warming him up for the task, the only surviving witness from the refuge incident his main target. He would take care of the other men later if they pressed on and threatened the Lynx clan. He wished he’d had more time to plan an attack. Fighting in the summer was much easier for the lynx. He slowed once he reached the back of the nearest tent. His ears perked up, straining to pick up a voice he’d recognize. A cough and some rustling inside gave him no clues. He moved on to the next canvas wall. The two voices inside were unfamiliar. That left one more. The third tent sat farther away from the first two, and he dashed away from the camp in case any of the men decided to come outside. The winter sun still hadn’t shown itself, but he wasn’t going to depend on the dark for coverage. Chloe’s happiness rode on him getting back to her in one piece. He stopped once he was out of sight from the tents, and his eyes narrowed in delight. He’d left his mate curled up in bed, satisfied beyond anything she’d ever experienced. Hell, he walked out of the house with an extra spring in his step. A zwing from a zipper drew his attention, and he crept low on all four paws. His heartbeat sped up at the sight of the overweight man from the refuge. Holding his position, he curled his upper lip into a snarl. The man made this easier than catching a chinook during spawning season. Without making a sound in the snow, he approached the man at a steady pace. Shifting at the last possible moment, he flew threw the air and tackled the man. Unbalanced and caught off guard, the man lay facedown in two feet of snow, probably wondering what the hell hit him. Granger’s arm wrapped around the beefy neck, and once he grasped the man’s chin, he gave it a quick snap, breaking his neck. He shifted and, keeping to the man’s boot prints, worked his way along the path the men used to hide any evidence that a lynx caused the death. “It is done.” Granger sprinted across the land. “Tucker and Lance, stay behind and make sure everything is OK. The rest of you…”—he caught sight of the cats up ahead—”let’s go home.” He didn’t break his run, and the others gathered on each side of him to follow him back to Lynx territory. Pushing himself, he wanted to jump back into bed before Chloe woke and found him missing. Not 66

Abby Wood that he’d hide what he’d done this morning, but why worry her now that the problem was resolved? None of the others milled outside once he reached the cabins. He shifted, walked through his front door, and hurried to close it to keep the cold from rushing in. Bouncing on his toes, he padded down the short hallway to the bedroom. His lips curved into a smile at the thought of Chloe’s toasty warm body. He stopped inside the doorway. Something wasn’t right. The sweet, wild smell of his mate didn’t fill the room. His hand swept the wall and hit the light switch. Chloe wasn’t in bed, and a heady, putrid smell filled the room, telling him another man had touched his woman. He whirled out of the room, out of the cabin, and shifted while throwing out a call for help to the others. Cats gathered in the center between the houses and waited for direction. He joined them and scanned the faces with the hope of seeing Chloe’s. “No one has seen her?” He turned to Darren. “You didn’t hear anything?” The negative answers he received made breathing difficult. Pacing, he tried to grasp how she could disappear right out from under everyone’s watch. Who took her? The humans who normally hunted them were back at their camp and accounted for. Why didn’t Chloe call for him? If danger came to her, she knew to let him know. Unless… He stopped and snapped his head around. “How many men are usually in the group we watch?” He directed his question at Jonathon. “Dominic?” He paused and waited for him to step up. “Go back to the camp, bring back Lance and Tucker, and catch up to our trail.” He turned back to Jonathon. “Eight, maybe ten at the most.” The lead man on the cleanup crew stood his ground. Granger hissed. “I made a mistake. I thought the hunters worked for one group. We dealt with the threat to the refuge, but left ourselves open to the real threat. Now they have Chloe.” He moved through the crowd, heading westward. “Same orders. The men who came with me earlier, come with me now.” He turned his head. “Darren, come along.” Cats normally didn’t run around in one large group, but Granger’s only thought was to find Chloe and keep her safe. Adrenaline coursed through his system, and he picked up his pace. He should have sent the others to take care of business this morning. Fuck! 67

Tagging Her Lynx “We’ll find her, bro.” Darren looped up to the front with Granger. “I don’t know how I missed the sons of bitches coming into our camp.” “Just help me get her back.” Granger let out a cry that echoed over the land. “I love her.” Without knowing how much of a head start whoever took Chloe had, everyone ran their best in hopes of making it to the camp they’d watched weeks ago. Puffs of frosty breath exited Granger’s mouth. By his calculations, it would take another fifteen torturous minutes to arrive. He hoped they’d find Chloe there unharmed. The hunters had long believed in the existence of shapeshifters. They ran a lab outside of Juneau under the guise of a fishing charter business, but the clan had managed to stay out of their hands for the last five years. Losing even one shifter hurt the group as a whole. “I smell him.” Granger darted to the left, aiming for the cover of a snow-laden brush. In pairs, the cats circled the camp, staying far enough away so their movements would go undetected. Holding everyone back, Granger alone moved forward to sniff out his mate. The putrid smell of the men masking her sweet scent made his blood boil. He’d kill each one of the filthy pigs who dared to lay a finger on her. “Aningan.” He’d called her numerous times on the journey here, but so far she remained silent. “Come on, Chloe. Answer me. Concentrate. I know you can hear my voice. Give me something.” Two crew cab trucks and a Suburban were parked where the gravel road ended. He crept under the truck, putting him within fifty yards of where the men gathered around a bonfire. He doubted that they’d hear him approach over the crackling of the flames. The men all seemed to be in good spirits, talking and laughing. They obviously were not expecting him or the rest of the cats. “Grange…” He scooted backward and behind the rear tire. “Thank God. Are you OK, Aningan? Did they hurt you?” Chloe didn’t answer right away. He held his breath. The fur at the base of his neck stood up. Why couldn’t she communicate with him? He’d trained her well to talk in any situation. “Help me.” “I will.” He stepped out from under the vehicle. “Where are you? Can you see what is around you?” The wait for her response was killing him. “Please, Aningan. Answer me. I want to take you home.” 68

Abby Wood “Home?” “Yes, sweetheart. I’ll take you home. Just tell me where you are?” He put a call out to the others to get ready and to tell them he’d communicated with Chloe. “The others are here too. We won’t let them hurt you anymore.” I can’t see a thing. I—” Her breathing became heavier. “I shifted and can’t get my lynx back.” She moaned. “I’m in a cage, but…” He waited, but she didn’t continue. Fuck! If she’d shifted, she’d not last long in the harsh elements. He’d have to find her fast. Where would they keep her? “Spread out and find Chloe. She’s shifted! We need to get to her now. Take anyone down who tries to stop you.” He darted for the first tent. “Whatever you do, be careful.” Granger shifted. “Darren. Stay safe.” He poked his head underneath the canvas cover over the back window on the tent. Peering inside, he couldn’t see any cages or shapes that hid a cage. Shifting back to his lynx, he stilled. The lynx’s ability to heal and warm instantly was the only thing making it possible to shift out in the cold. No way was Chloe outside. She’d not survive. The friendly conversation within the group died down, and the men grew quiet. He curled down into the snow, shrinking out of sight. He’d like to rescue Chloe without bloodshed first. Fighting the whole group would waste precious time that Chloe didn’t have right now. “Give me a second. I want to change and get these bloody clothes off before we take the female to the lab.” One of the men broke away from the fire. Granger’s eyes narrowed. He stayed in position behind the tent where the man opened the zipper and stepped inside. Inhaling, he didn’t recognize the smell. The blood didn’t come from Chloe. “Hey George, I’m going to start the SUV. I don’t want the shifter dying before we get back.” The man laughed. “Damn if that serum didn’t shift her right quick.” “Whatever.” Rustling came from inside the tent. “Go ahead and take her to the lab. I’ll catch up with you in the truck. Take Johnson with you.” Granger’s ears pitched forward, and he slunk on his belly along the snow to the side of the tent. Two men walked away. The snow made returning to the parking area slow for the humans. “Chloe’s in the red Suburban. Get her out now. Two men are coming to take her back to Juneau.” Granger sprinted for the snowbank to make his way around the men. “Hang on, Aningan. We found you.” 69

Tagging Her Lynx Running fast and hard, he took the chance that the men would spot him and darted out from the drift. He arrived at the back of the Suburban, shifted, and without missing a step, jumped onto the tailgate. Darren followed him into the vehicle, shifted, and crouched naked beside the cage, frowning. “She won’t wake up, but she’s breathing.” “Aningan, I’m going to help you shift.” He reached through the open door of the cage and stroked her cheek. “Help me, Chloe.” He closed his eyes and concentrated, but even with his ability to help others shift, Chloe remained in human form. “Fuck!” “Why isn’t it working?” Darren’s body shook from the cold. “I heard them say they used some kind of drug on her to make her come out of her lynx.” Granger gazed over the seats and out the front window. “Jesus, they’re coming.” “Let’s carry her.” Darren unfolded Chloe’s legs and pulled them out of the cage. Granger waved his hand. “No. We’d never make it. Not in these temperatures.” He inhaled through his nose. “She’s half frozen already, and there’s no way we would survive carrying her out in our human forms.” “I’ll go out and kill them. It’ll give us a few more minutes.” Darren shifted. “Keep working on Chloe.” “No.” Granger reached around his brother and closed the back door without shutting it completely. “Jump into the driver’s seat. I’ll shift and take the passenger seat. That way we’ll both surprise them and take them out of the picture. It’ll be faster.” Granger stroked Chloe’s leg one more time, shifted, and bounded over the seats. He crouched low so as not to give away his position. The moment the door opened, he’d slice the main artery in the man’s neck. If they got lucky, neither man would scream and alert the others. “Hey Grange?” Darren purred. “I think I found our answer.” Granger turned toward the driver’s side. “What?” “They left the keys in the rig.” Darren opened his mouth and gave a lynx version of a smile. “Shift!” Granger’s body stretched out on the seat, and he scrambled over the double row of seats to the back. “Go!” He shut the back door and turned toward Chloe as the engine roared to life. “Get us out of here!” Darren maneuvered the SUV around, the tires spinning out of control atop the packed snow. “Where to?” 70

Abby Wood “Just drive.” Granger pulled Chloe out of the human-size animal crate and cradled her in his arms. “Turn on the fucking heater too.” The sight of the two men standing still with their mouths open almost put a smile on his face. He pulled the wool blanket Chloe’s captors used to cover the cage and wrapped both Chloe and himself in it. He wanted to hear her voice and watch the way the skin around her eyes curved up when she smiled. Her breathing barely caressed his chest, and it worried him. Did the drug they gave her harm her, or did she suffer from the extreme temperatures? “Come on, Aningan. It’s safe now. No one will ever get hold of you again. I promise.” “Hold on! The county road is coming up.” Darren sped up. Granger braced his legs against the inside of the truck and pushed his back next to the spare tire. The road crew in Alaska was notorious for plowing the main roads and leaving a hill of snow blocking any access to the side gravel roads. His brother drove fast enough so that the SUV wouldn’t get stuck in the mound of snow. Granger’s ass lifted in the air, but he held on to Chloe and cushioned the landing. The SUV bounced and continued down the paved road. He wanted many miles between them and the men he knew would follow. A big red Suburban wasn’t exactly easy to hide. The men would follow, hunt, and prey on them to get their prize back. All these years of having no solid proof to examine, test, and mutilate, they’d be desperate to get Chloe back. Over my dead body. “Granger?” Chloe moved her hand up, rubbed his arm, and let her arm fall again. His heartbeat sped up, and he held her away from his chest. He needed visual proof that she woke up. “Oh, Chloe.” He smiled into eyes that blinked up at him in confusion. “Are you in any pain? Did they hurt you anywhere?” “I—” “Granger. We’ve got trouble coming.” The vehicle slowed down, and Granger peered out the back window, expecting to see a truck barreling toward them. He cocked his head. No car followed them.

71

Chapter Eleven

Granger whipped his head around and stared out the front window of the SUV. He wanted to cringe at the sound of sirens piercing his ears. How the hell were they to get out of here? Three naked people in the dead of winter riding in a stolen vehicle… They’d get a one-way ticket to the nearest mental hospital. Darren brought the vehicle to a complete stop. “Better hurry and come up with a plan, Grange.” “Fuck.” He gazed from the back of Darren’s head to Chloe. “Let’s try and get you back in your lynx.” “Oh God. I can’t. I…I can’t even lift my head.” She closed her eyes and groaned. “Try, Aningan.” He laid her head back against his chest, closed his eyes, and willed everything in his body to give her the strength to turn. It took all his might to transfer enough power to Chloe so she could shift, but at last she moved in his arms. He opened his eyes and smiled. His hand stroked the beautiful thick fur at her lynx’s neck. 72

Abby Wood “Good girl, Aningan.” He turned at Darren’s cough. “Shit. He’s walking this way. You’ve got about ten seconds to come up with a plan to get us out of here.” His brother’s hand thumped repeatedly on the steering wheel. “Shift and get back here.” Granger moved from underneath Chloe, where she stood waiting for instructions. In no time Chloe and Darren stood beside Granger, staring at him. He purred and stretched out on the floor of the Suburban. Having the cop find no humans would buy them some time. “He’s going to see us.” Darren stepped over Granger and paced. Granger flashed out his paw and struck him in the side. “He’s also going to have to radio this in and leave the vehicle.” “What if he doesn’t?” His brother stopped and stared. Granger licked his paw and ran it over his face. “What do you think the asshole is going to do? Come in and hold us on his lap? Take the cute kitties home to his daughter?” Chloe giggled. “You’ll have to excuse him, Aningan. I think he loses more brain cells with each shift.” He rolled onto his back, used both paws to pull Chloe down, and licked her whiskers. “God, you smell good. Feeling better?” “Yes. Almost perfect now that I am back with you.” She lifted her head. “I still love you, Darren, but Granger got you with that one.” “You talked to me.” Darren cocked his head and sat back on his haunches. “Did you hear that, Granger? Your mate is a true alpha female.” “Ding, ding, ding.” Granger rolled over and lay on Chloe’s back in a submissive hold. “And the prize goes to…” His playful manners stopped at the driver’s door opening. “Hurry, crouch in the corner and act scared.” The cop stuck his head inside the door, gazed around at the interior, and backed out, leaving the door open. Granger stretched his neck to look out the front window, but the officer didn’t walk back to his patrol car. “Hurry, out the front door!” He led them over the seats and jumped down to the ground the second the back door opened up. Darting off the road, they ran over the snow and didn’t stop. With Chloe recovered enough to shift, they could travel back to the Lynx clan with no problems. Once surrounded by the other cats, they’d figure out how Chloe could have been taken from underneath their noses and find a way to make sure it never happened again. He never dreamed there were two groups that put them all at risk. The larger group he’d known about, but the smaller one he’d never 73

Tagging Her Lynx seen before the morning he introduced himself to Chloe. It was stupid and careless of him to lump them all together. The last couple of miles Chloe fell behind him and Darren. He slowed and circled around to run at her side. “Are you doing OK, Aningan?” He kept Darren in his sight. Her breath came in pants, and her tongue hung out, but she kept running. “I guess. I’m so much weaker now. I don’t understand why or the reason I couldn’t shift.” “We’ll figure it out.” Granger moved closer, brushed his side against hers, and sprinted forward. “I’ll make them pay for taking you, but I want to see you safe and guarded first.” “Send the others. I don’t want you hurt.” She dropped back to a walk at the sight of Granger’s cabin up ahead. “No.” He shifted and opened the door. “I want revenge. They must know never to mess with my family.”

***

Chloe stretched, opened her eyes, and sat up in a hurry. “How long have I slept?” Granger sat at the end of the couch. Her feet were propped up in his lap, and he ran his hand up her bare leg. “Six hours.” “Oh man.” She groaned. “It must be the middle of the night.” He nodded. “You needed your sleep. We don’t know what kind of drugs they gave you, and sleep is a good way to gain your strength back.” He lifted her legs, stood, and faced the couch. “Get up and shift. Let’s see if everything works the way it should.” “You do know that I tried to call for you. I woke up, saw the man, shifted, and he stabbed me with something. Afterward, I called and called… Our communication didn’t work.” “I know.” Granger sighed. “It isn’t your fault. That is why we need to get rid of these men. As long as they hunt us, we will always be at a disadvantage.” He rubbed her cheek. “Now, let’s test this out. Go ahead and shift.” She inhaled deeply. What if it didn’t work anymore? Maybe those people knew a way to change shifters back to humans. At least shifters who were once human, as she was. The hallway lamp cast enough light on her that she looked away from Granger to hide her worry about losing a part of herself. All those years of denying her lynx, and suddenly she agonized over the 74

Abby Wood damage the drug may have done to her body. Without her lynx, she’d never feel complete now. “Stop stalling, Aningan.” Granger reached over and squeezed her hand. “You can do this. Let your lynx out.” She inhaled, closed her eyes, and shifted. In an instant she stood on all four paws. She cried out in joy. Yes! Darting around the living room, over the couch, and between Granger’s legs, she wore off the excitement. She flopped down onto her side and batted the bare skin at his ankles with her claws. He threw back his head and laughed. “OK, Aningan, change back.” She shifted so easily and quickly that her human body was what slithered up his leg and then his toned stomach. Plastering herself against him, she wound her arms around his neck. “God, it feels good. I’m whole…complete again.” “Damn straight you feel good, but you always do.” He nuzzled her neck. She sighed and dropped her head back. His tongue came out and caressed the tender skin at her neck. She moaned, unable to keep her eyes open. Her mate’s touch melted her insides. Her hands fell to roam his chest. She marveled at the smooth, almost hairless skin and the way the muscles bunched tight under her fingertips. His body so different from hers, she never got tired of exploring every inch. She felt a deep shiver run through his torso. She lifted her head and frowned. “What’s wrong?” She smoothed the long strands of hair that fell down each cheek. He closed his eyes and inhaled, then opened them again. “I almost lost you.” “But you didn’t. I’m here, because of you.” She drew his face down and touched her lips to his. Gentle at first, she tasted and cajoled the hardness out of his mouth. His lips relaxed and became pliant. She drew in his bottom lip and ran her tongue along the edge. Cream rushed to the entrance of her pussy. Granger didn’t have to lift a finger, but rather stand there and let her touch his body. She parted her lips, and her tongue delved inside the warm recess of his mouth, making her moan. His tongue came out to tempt her more, adding to her hunger. 75

Tagging Her Lynx Smooth, solid, and strong, his tongue explored her mouth as well, stroking and teasing her until she squirmed in his arms. His cock pressed against her stomach, hot, hard, yet with skin so soft. She reached down and wrapped her hand around the tip. The blood pulsed inside its hardness, and her nipples ached and throbbed in response. Her body matched the desire that radiated from him. She tore her mouth away. “Fuck me.” She trailed her lips down his neck, then his chest, and sought out his nipple. Her teeth nipped the hard pebble. He groaned and thrust his hips forward. She gazed up into his face as she licked the sensitive nerve endings and smiled. Sinking down onto her knees, she pulled his cock into her mouth, not breaking eye contact. His pleasure at her touch showed on his face. He loved her. Sliding her mouth down the length of him, she coated his cock with saliva. She sucked and drew back. Not daring to let go of the bulbous head, she kept her lips sealed around his girth. Flicking her tongue, she teased the large vein on the underside. He rose up onto his toes, his leg brushed her breasts, and she moaned. “Enough.” He pulled her hair, removing her mouth from his cock. “Lie down.” He positioned himself between her legs, and then his fingers found her clit and rubbed it in a circular motion. She mewled. The sweetest desire flooded her pussy. His mouth clamped on to her nipple, and he returned every tantalizing move she made on him earlier. Her hips rose and fell. The need to orgasm grew. Her body screamed for release. “Grange?” She arched up off the floor. “I need”—she gasped— ”you!” Capturing her mouth, he thrust his cock deep into the tightness of her pussy, slick with juice, letting his length touch her womb. “Jesus, you are so wet, tight.” He bucked his hips. “Yeah.” He ground his pelvis between her legs. “I love your juice covering me.” “Oh.” Her jaw closed, and her breath hissed out. “Yes. Yes. Harder.” He drove her crazy. Her blood pounded through her veins. Her hips rose to meet each plunge of his cock. His balls slapped her anus and sent her over the edge. Grabbing his arms, she stiffened, held her breath, and let her orgasm claim her body. Each muscle in her body quivered at the release, and she sank back down to the floor. Granger heaved and lunged 76

Abby Wood balls-deep into her pussy. A roar of pure male satisfaction filled the room. His hips jerked in response to her muscles convulsing around him. A shudder ran through her lower stomach, and she purred. His lovemaking fed her spirit. Granger kept his weight braced off her with his arms but let his head drop. He inhaled deep and blew out. She mewed. This is what their love created. The love they shared grew stronger every time they fucked. “I love you.” She lifted her arm and ran her hand down the side of his cheek. He kissed her little finger and opened his eyes. “God, I love you too.”

77

Chapter Twelve

With her arms braced around the toilet, she sank to her knees. A wave of bitter bile rose in her throat, and she gagged. Oh God. Why wouldn’t she stop getting sick? “Here, Aningan.” Granger handed her a wet washrag. “Wipe your face, and come lie back down.” “I’m sorry.” She did what he ordered and tossed the rag on the floor. “I don’t understand. The only time I’ve really been sick was when I turned into a shifter. I was sick for weeks, but it was different.” She put her hand on her forehead. “Do I feel warm to you?” Granger laid his palm against her skin. “No, you are cool to the touch.” He led her into the living room. “I made up the couch. You can lie here. I’ve called Gretchen over to stay with you, and Lance is standing guard outside the door.” She groaned. “Do you have to leave? Can’t the other men take care of it?” “No.” 78

Abby Wood She plopped down on the couch. “I know.” She sniffed. “I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “It’s just this damn…cold or flu talking.” Granger frowned and rubbed his chin. “Maybe I should take you into Fairbanks. Have a doctor see you.” He walked toward the door but continued looking at her. “You’ve been throwing up ever since those men drugged you.” She waved her arm. “Answer the door. I’m just sick, Granger. I’ll probably be better tomorrow.” Gretchen stepped into the cabin, stripped off her hat and coat, kicked her boots behind the door, and gasped. “You look like shit.” Chloe managed a chuckle. “Thanks.” “God, I’m sorry, but you do.” Gretchen turned to Granger. “What’s wrong with her?” He shrugged. “I don’t know. Ever since she was drugged she’s been throwing up and sleeping a lot.” He scratched his head. “She hardly eats anything because she gags at the smell of food.” Gretchen clapped her hand over her mouth. Her eyes grew wide, and then she blinked quickly several times. Chloe wrapped her arms around her middle and moaned. Her stomach twirled out of control. Her friend moved over to the couch. “Oh. My. God.” “Don’t worry. I don’t think it is catching.” She gazed up at Granger. “At least, Granger hasn’t gotten sick this last week.” Another knock on the door drew everybody’s attention. Granger twisted the handle and stood back to let Darren inside. Gretchen leaned over. “Are you pregnant?” Chloe’s head snapped up, and she frowned. “Why?” “You’ve got all the symptoms.” She peeked at the men talking beside the door. “Don’t you know the signs of pregnancy?” She shook her head. “My…my mom died when I was a baby. My dad didn’t talk about sex and babies.” She snorted. “Animals don’t get sick.” “No, but humans do.” Gretchen grinned and stood up. “Hang on. There are pregnancy tests in the pantry at the community cabin.” She walked over to the men and whispered into Granger’s ear. His eyes narrowed, widened, and then narrowed again. He snatched his coat off the hook on the wall and stormed out the door without saying a word or looking at her. I’m such an idiot. He probably thinks I’m the stupidest woman in the world for not recognizing all the signs. Her stomach seized, and she ran for the bathroom. Slamming the door, she fell toward the toilet and lost the rest of her toast. She 79

Tagging Her Lynx sobbed, but no tears came. So tired of getting sick, she wondered if Gretchen was right. Could she really be carrying a baby? Her and Granger’s child inside of her? The door clicked, and Chloe turned her head. Granger slipped inside and shut the door behind him. He stuck out his hand. A home pregnancy test. “I…I…I don’t know how to use it.” He opened the box, read the instructions, and handed her a plastic stick. “Pee on it.” “Granger?” She held the thing between her fingers. “Are you mad?” He shook his head. “Scared.” “Of what?” “Just take the test. We’ll talk when it’s over.” He pulled her sweatpants off her hips, placed his big strong hands on her shoulders, and pushed her down onto the toilet. “I’ll be right out—” “No!” She inhaled, blew her cheeks out, and exhaled. “Stay in here with me. I don’t want to do this alone.” She stared down at the plastic stick in her hand. “Please?” He nodded. Holding the stick between her legs, she willed her bladder to relax. Granger turned on the faucet, and she snorted. His ideas amazed her. The sound of the running water helped, and she quickly provided what was needed for the test to work. Granger held out his hand, set the stick on the counter, and stared down at the small square at the end of it. She joined him. Nothing happened. “What does it do?” “A blue circle shows up if you’re…you know. If you’re not…you know, it’ll show a pink X.” He didn’t raise his head but continued to study the test. “Oh.” She shivered. “How long does it take?” “Three minutes.” She swore a huge clock ticked in the background, but they both studied the plastic strip without another word. Granger leaned forward, closer to the counter. She squinted and lowered her head. Was that...? No, it was still white. She held her breath and sat down on the edge of the toilet seat to view it from a different angle. “Holy. Shit.” Granger picked it up and shoved it in front of her face. “Look.” 80

Abby Wood A perfectly round blue circle showed up against a white background. She stood up. Her arms hung straight down at her sides. She was pregnant. They created a baby. “Oh baby.” Granger framed her face with his hands. His thumbs swept the tears that fell down her cheeks. “Don’t cry.” She shook her head. “A baby, Granger. We did it. We didn’t even have to try. I mean, we weren’t trying, and we got pregnant.” She gasped and choked on a sob. “Oh. My. God. I’m going to be sick.” “No, no, no. Breathe.” He sniffed. “Through your nose. Let’s get you propped up on the couch. I don’t want you losing any more weight. You need to eat—” She held up her hand. “Don’t talk about food.” He led her out to the couch. Darren and Gretchen stood in the middle of the room. If she talked, she’d throw up. She let Granger tuck her into the corner of the couch. “Is she OK?” Darren dared to ask. Granger sat on the edge of the couch, brushed Chloe’s hair out of her face, and smiled. “She’s wonderful.” “Wanna explain what is going on?” Darren shot Gretchen a frown. “She won’t tell me anything.” Granger shook his head without looking at his brother. “She’s going to have your nephew or niece.” “Huh?” Darren stepped closer to the couch. “She’s pregnant, dumbass.” Gretchen laughed. “She’s going to make you an uncle.” It took him a few seconds to digest the news, but when understanding came, a grin lit up his face. “Uncle Darren. I like it.” Time seemed to pass slowly, yet the whirlwind of the news kept Chloe’s stomach from settling. She needed to breathe and think about what this meant. A baby! She’d always hoped to have children, but after hearing Granger tell her the misfortunes of other shifters who had tried and failed, she tried to block the idea from her mind. But the wish never left no matter how hard she tried to tell herself it didn’t matter. “Go ahead and go do your business.” Chloe smiled. “Finish what you have to do and come back to me.” Granger leaned down and whispered. “We’re going to have a baby.” She giggled and laid a hand on her stomach. “I know.” “I’ll hurry.” He kissed her cheek. “I love you.” 81

Tagging Her Lynx “I love you too.” Granger joined Darren on the other side of the room, where they stripped off their clothes and left through the door Gretchen held open. Chloe closed her eyes. Peace and quiet at last. Gretchen squealed and sat down on the edge of the couch. Chloe jumped and covered her mouth. She snarled behind her fingers. “Too. Much. Movement.” “Sorry.” Gretchen patted the blanket Granger had placed over Chloe’s legs. “Sorry.” She grinned and whispered, “I can’t believe my friend is going to have a baby. This is so exciting.” Chloe lowered her hand, smiled, and laid her head back on the couch pillow. “I know.” She covered her stomach with both hands. “It doesn’t seem real. There is so much to do.” “I’ll help. Everyone will help.” “I know.” She grinned. “I bet this will be one spoiled baby.” “Yes. It’s been years—at least twelve—since we’ve had a baby born into the clan.” Gretchen lifted the glass of water on the coffee table and offered it to Chloe. She frowned but took the glass and sipped. “Ugh. I remember hearing a woman call in on the radio and complain she was always sick the first few months. Have you heard the same thing?” She groaned. “Growing up, I wish I had paid more attention on those trips into Fairbanks. I feel so uneducated about all this baby stuff, living in the bush without someone to talk to about…life.” She rubbed her eyes. “God, my dad would have loved a grandchild.” “I’m sorry. You must miss him so much.” Gretchen took the glass from her. Chloe nodded and counted her fingers. “I guess I’ll have the baby around October.” Gretchen shook her head. “Try the beginning of April.” “What?” “The baby will come around the beginning of April. We go into heat in January or February, depending on the weather. It is only the end of January. You’ll follow the lynx gestation period of sixty-eight days, give or take a couple.” Gretchen moved her lips in silent counting. “Yeah, maybe even close to the middle of March.” “Oh my God.” Chloe sank down deeper into the couch and put her arm across her forehead. “Please tell me that the baby comes out looking like a human, not a cat.” Gretchen laughed. “Of course, but your kid will figure out how to shift at an early age.” 82

Abby Wood She squinted. “How early?” “Three or four years old.” Chloe groaned. “I’m not ready for this.” “You will be. Once it’s time, you’ll be ready to hold him…or her.” Gretchen chuckled. “Or them.” “I can’t believe this.” Chloe curled onto her side. “I once took care of a bobcat that had four kittens at the refuge.” “Don’t worry. So far none of the shifters have had more than two, and that was…” She gazed at Gretchen. “What? What were you going to say?” “Darren was a twin.” “Oh shit.” She rubbed her hand over her eyes. “This is completely insane. I don’t even know what to do or how to take care of a baby.” “Aw, don’t worry about it. You’ve taken care of animals your whole life. It’s pretty much the same thing.” Gretchen nodded. She gave in to the nerves that bounced around inside her body and laughed hysterically. Gretchen tried to hand her the glass of water again, but she waved it away. Tears ran down her cheeks, but she couldn’t stop laughing. She was going to have a baby lynx, and twins ran in Granger’s blood? Oh, shock me more, please. I haven’t heard enough.

***

The number of cats outnumbered the humans ten to four, and even with a man standing guard, they would be easy enough to take down. Granger sprinted over to Darren’s group. If everyone played it safe, went for the kill, cleaned up the mess, and got out of there, all their troubles would be over for a time. At least long enough to bring his child into the world without any worries. His child. He still couldn’t believe that Chloe carried their child. He’d worried himself sick over her being so ill and even convinced himself to take her into town to see a doctor. Lynx shifters shied away from that sort of thing. He didn’t know how differently a shifter would react to certain drugs or what a doctor would see in lab results. “Count down in sixty seconds. We all go in and take them by surprise. Do not shift. We need all your lynx strength if they get to their weapons first, understood?” He looked at Darren first and then turned to the other men. “Get ready. Let’s end this now.” They moved with silent precision. Fast, accurate, and causing total chaos in the camp, Granger attacked with quick swipes of his 83

Tagging Her Lynx claws. He struck the most vulnerable area of the human neck in front of him while the other lynx doubled up on the other men. The men’s winter clothes made it difficult to get to their bare skin, but the cats never gave up. Amidst the screaming, the cats remained strong and deadly. Catching a movement from the corner of his eye, Granger left the man he attacked bleeding and unmoving on the ground. He sprang into the air, expecting to take down this hunter the same way as the other. Sinking his back claws into the downy coat to get a good hold, he swiped with his right paw but never connected with his target. He screamed at the sharp pain that pierced his side. His head turned back to the others for help, but his body shut down. He fell off the man’s chest, landed on his back, and stared up helplessly at a pair of eyes so evil, he tried to call for help again. No one answered. His body paralyzed, he struggled to breathe. The sensation of a weight pressing down on his him, holding him vulnerable, didn’t sit well with him, and he strained to move. Nothing happened. Why couldn’t his men hear him? The man moved over him, a silver hypodermic needle in his hand. Fuck! If he reacted the same way Chloe had, he’d shift, and he’d never be able to fight back. His tongue hung out of his mouth. He could move only his eyes, but gazing at the others didn’t catch their attention. The man scooped him up and heaved him over his shoulder. Hung like a carcass over the hunter’s back, he frantically called for Chloe. “I’m sorry. So sorry. Take care of our baby.”

84

Chapter Thirteen

“What?” Chloe sank against the wall of the cabin. “What do you mean, you don’t know?” Her legs gave out, and she slid down the wall, her feet bunching up underneath her bottom. “This can’t be happening. No. No.” She shook her head. “Chloe, come sit on the couch.” Gretchen helped lift her up. “Let’s calm down. This isn’t good for the baby.” “Granger...” “I know, sweetie. Let’s listen again and find out what happened.” She pushed Chloe down onto the couch and sat beside her. “We won’t know what to do until we hear what Darren has to say.” Chloe nodded and gazed up at Darren. “I’m sorry—” “Darren, tell me.” She frowned. Where is he?” “We don’t know. The attack went exactly the way Granger orchestrated it.” He ran his hands through his hair. “We outnumbered them. I saw him fighting beside me. And then…I don’t know. We each finished our task, but Granger was gone.” 85

Tagging Her Lynx “I don’t understand.” “He wasn’t there, Chloe.” Darren sucked in a deep breath. “God.” She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “He can’t just disappear. That’s not possible.” “We talked.” He shrugged. “Me and the other cats, I mean. We think that somehow we missed a man. He could have captured Granger and taken him while we were busy fighting.” He turned his back to the couch. “I’m so fucking sorry.” “Stop! Just stop saying that. You act as if he’s dead. He’s not.” Chloe wound her arms around her waist and rocked back and forth on the couch. “Did you try to sniff him out?” She waited. “Darren! Did you try?” He nodded. She stood up and left the room. In the bedroom, she stripped off her clothes. The men couldn’t find him, but she would. She would not lose another person in her life. Throwing open the bedroom door, she walked out in her lynx. Her head held high, she dared any of them to stop her. They couldn’t. Without their alpha male here, her orders became sacred, and it was time to put her alpha cat to the test. “Chloe, no!” Darren shifted and stood in front of the door. “You can’t do this. Think of the child you carry. Granger would kill me if I let you out there.” He rose up to his full height. She snarled and batted her paw at him. “Granger’s not here. I will find my mate.” She stared Darren down. “Gretchen, open the door.” Her friend hesitated but ultimately did what her alpha requested. She walked out the door with Darren at her heels. “I won’t stop you from coming, but I will find him.” She turned toward Granger’s younger brother. “It would help if you tell me where to look. Show me. We both want him back. He’s not dead. I’d know if something happened to him.” “Follow me.” Chloe ran without speaking. Her attention focused on possible ways to find her life mate. Deep down, she knew he lived. She’d begged and called for him, and although he never answered, she knew his spirit lived. They passed the few trees that peppered the landscape and ran on barren tundra. The snow covered the earth with a clean, pristine blanket, disguising the devastation that took place there between the humans and lynx. Majestic and beautiful, it belied the harsh reality of 86

Abby Wood surviving out in the extreme weather. Even the sun that shone down on her fur and warmed her back did not bring relief from the cold. Darren looped to a stop and waited for her to catch up. “See where the mound of snow builds along the western side?” She purred. “The camp lay about a hundred and fifty feet to the east. We scattered the tents and supplies out in the bush. By the time winter is over, no one will ever connect the attack to this area.” He ran to show her the exact spot. She walked the entire area. Sniffing at the ground, the wind, a rumpled patch of snow, she searched for one hint that Granger’s scent lingered and left a trail for her to follow. Back and forth, she cut a path over the land. Afraid that she’d miss the minutest sign left behind, she retraced her steps with the hope that something would jump out at her. Nothing did. Heartbroken, she sat back on her haunches. How did he disappear without leaving a part of him behind? He didn’t spray or stamp the area the way the Lynx did when frightened. She shuddered and lowered her head. Granger never would have grown scared. He knew his position and excelled at his skills. “Darren? I’m sorry too. I know he’s your only family member left.” “No.” He stepped up beside her and lay down. “We aren’t alone. We have each other.” “Where are the vehicles?” “We drove them back to Fairbanks.” He sighed. “Don’t worry, we searched them thoroughly.” A rabbit hopped into sight, froze, and stared over at the two cats lounging on the snowbank. Chloe lay her head down. Neither of them moved to give chase. “I don’t feel like leaving.” She mewed and twitched her ears. “I know he’s not here, but I feel him. I can’t explain it.” “Maybe it’s the babe. He—or she—connects you to your life mate.” She rose to all four legs, stretched, and took a few steps. “I suppose. Thank God the little one isn’t making me sick right now.” “You’re in your lynx. That probably helps.” Darren walked with her back toward the cabins. “Although next week I doubt you’ll be able to shift. The baby will grow very fast in a short time.” She snarled. “So I’ve heard.” They must have spent more time sitting around than Chloe realized. The sun headed down on the horizon, putting the time at early afternoon. It grew dark earlier and shortened the daytime hours. 87

Tagging Her Lynx From the corner of her eye she spied a movement that stopped her in her tracks. She studied the area to the left and behind her, but nothing caught her attention again. She sniffed the air, catching a scent that was neither animal nor human. Purring under her breath, she jumped away from the tracks and stopped again. That’s it! Why didn’t she think of this before? Why didn’t any of them? Granger was alive because they drugged him the same way that man had drugged her. “Darren!” She ran to catch up. He cocked his head. “Where exactly did those men plan to take me in the car the day they caught me? Where do they live?” He shook his head. “They wouldn’t have kept you in their house. The risk that animal control would get wind of it and arrest them would be too great. Alaska state laws are strict on poaching.” He purred. “They’d take you back to the lab in Juneau.” She laughed inside. This is what they’d all missed earlier. Relief bubbled inside her stomach and calmed her fears. “Want to take a car trip?” “I’ve got a better idea. You wanna fly?”

88

Chapter Fourteen

Chloe laid her head back on the leather seat as the plane came to a stop. She inhaled through her nose and let the breath out slowly. It’d taken four days to set their plan into motion, and the time had finally come to bring Granger home. “How are we doing on time?” Darren slipped off his seat belt and turned toward her. “We’ve got a half hour. I’ve checked my watch every minute for the last hour.” She smiled. “I can’t believe how long it took to get here.” “Alaska’s a big state, but not stopping in Anchorage helped. The airport there has too many regulations,” Darren said. “They frown on people not actually having a license to fly the friendly skies.” He laughed. “I’m just glad that you paid attention to your brother’s lessons.” She reached over and squeezed his hand. “What if…?” She couldn’t finish the question. Her hope of finding Granger at the lab was the only thing that kept her going the last few days. She 89

Tagging Her Lynx spent two days in Fairbanks visiting the Alaskan Fish and Game officials, contacting animal control, and setting the sting operation in motion. She rubbed her belly. The baby’s growth amazed her. I’m going to find your daddy, little one. Hang in there. This morning her jeans couldn’t be buttoned, and she had to borrow an old pair of Granger’s. The pants gave her more room than she needed, but the swollen lump in her lower belly kept the waistband from sliding below her hips. “Let’s get out and wait across the street. There’s a tourist shop that we can pretend to browse while we wait for animal control.” Darren opened the door and jumped out onto the frozen lake. “Keep your hood up. We don’t want the hunters to recognize you.” “I know.” She pulled the fur-lined hood over her head and tightened the string. Her nose was still visible, but it hid her other features well. She reached out for Darren. “Let me hold on to your arm. I don’t want to slip and fall.” The wind off the nearby ocean whipped at her parka. Hooking her arm through his, she plastered herself to his side for support. She kept her gaze on the ground and walked with him into town. Of the many lakes in the area, Darren chose the one closest to the lab. It would make walking the few short blocks more comfortable given her pregnancy. “Granger? Are you here?” She paused to wait for an answer, but no low, husky voice answered her. “Hang on, my mate. We’re coming. Your family will find you.” Chloe stayed at the front of the store across the street from the lab, peering through the large glass window. Darren worked his way farther back, buying time for them to hang out unseen. They had one chance to get inside the lab, and they’d do nothing to blow it. The Lynx had hoped for a solution like this to their problem for years. It would put an end to the hunters. At least until new ones popped up. Her relationship with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game had come in handy. Reporting the illegal hunting and capture of her animals from the wildlife refuge bought her and Darren a way inside the lab to examine the animals and have the department shut down the operation. She’d lied through her teeth, but it ultimately worked, and the hunters deserved every punishment they received. 90

Abby Wood How to get Granger out without anyone noticing was something she’d figure out after they learned his whereabouts. She had a sneaking suspicion that they must have drugged him. No way would he not communicate with her. Bile rose in the back of her throat and left a burning sensation she tried to swallow away. She ignored the other possible reason for his not answering her. “It should be any time now.” Darren brushed the back of her coat and stepped around her. “I’m going to try one more time to get you to change your mind… Will you please stay here and let me check things out?” “No.” He sighed. “Granger’s going to kill me.” “Yeah, he probably will.” She turned, smiled, and squeezed his arm. “And you’d let him too.” He chuckled. “Yeah.” She turned back to gaze out the window. A gasp broke through her lips, and she blindly reached for Darren. Backed by the sheriff’s department, a squad of uniformed men moved in and surrounded the building. Hurry, hurry… “Relax, sis.” Darren’s arm came around her back and supported her. A grizzly bear couldn’t have moved her from the spot where she stood. The moment it was safe to head across the street, she planned to fight her way into the lab to search for the beautiful lynx whose heart beat inside her body. She’d wandered lost the last four days without the man she loved. “It’s sure taking a long time. What if they don’t find any animals?” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “What if the Lynx are wrong and this isn’t where they hold suspected shifters?” “We’re not wrong.” She nodded, willing herself to have faith in the clan that had welcomed her with open arms. In the short time she’d lived with the Lynx clan, she learned to trust them with her life. With Granger’s life. The front door opened, but the man stepped back inside, letting it close again. Chloe stepped in front of Darren, but he pulled her back. Oh God, this is killing me. Suddenly, a peaceful sensation flowed through her body. From the back of her head, over her shoulders, and around her middle, soothing warmth spread, taking the jitters out of her muscles. She pursed her lips and breathed out. She couldn’t shift. The baby was too big to handle the smaller lynx body. 91

Tagging Her Lynx She snarled. Her lynx wanted out, and she was pissed off. The deep desire to lash out and harm the hunters, the scientists—the evil people who harmed all the Lynx in the past and now probably Granger—struck her hard. She needed to stop the senseless killing of the cats. Breathing through the feelings, she kept her lynx under control. Thank God Granger taught her how to control her body. “It’s opening again.” This time Darren dropped his arm and took hold of her hand. “Stay with me.” Hurrying out of the store, Chloe kept in step with Darren’s much longer stride. She kept her face pointed away from the handcuffed men coming out the door in the sheriff’s custody and slipped inside. “Hey! Stop right there! You must evacuate the building.” An armed police officer held his hand up and stepped in front of them. She raised her arms and lowered her hood. “I’m Chloe Barrant from the Northern Slope Wildlife Refuge. The animals these people stole were under my care. If I may check the animals, I can tell you if they are the ones that the state placed into my custody.” She smiled and shook her head. “There are two that I am especially worried about—a young black bear missing his left ear and a full-grown lynx. I’m not sure what shape the cat will be in, as he was deathly sick.” Darren stepped up. “It’ll only take a moment, sir.” The man motioned for them to stay, removed the radio from his shoulder strap, and asked for clearance. The affirmative reply was quick, and the man stepped out of their way, signaling them to come forward. “Go through the doors. The animals are caged, and until we assess what was going down here, please do not tamper with any of the evidence.” The man walked them farther into the building and pointed them through to the other room. “Try to make it quick. This is going against protocol as it is.” Chloe hurried forward and through the back door. Two officers lifted their heads but returned to their clipboards, documenting the animals. Her gaze flew over the cages, and the ball of worry she’d swallowed the past few days came up and threatened to choke her. Where was he? She walked along the aisle, turned, and searched the next aisle. Her heart breaking with each step, she came up empty. She was so sure he’d be there. 92

Abby Wood “There!” Darren pulled her along. In the back row, Granger lay on the bottom of a cage in his lynx form, unmoving. She cried out and sank to her knees. Her fingers stretched past the metal squares of the enclosure barring her from her life mate. “Granger! Wake up, Granger. We found you.” “He’s breathing, Chloe. He’s alive.” Darren fiddled with the lock while scanning the rest of the room. “There’s a back door over there in the corner. It must lead to outside. The building isn’t that big.” He slipped off the lock and placed it on the floor. “Go distract the men over there, and I’ll carry him out.” She rose to her feet. Darren reached out and grabbed her pant leg. She bent down, ready to do whatever he said to get Granger out. “Make it good, Chloe. If we get caught…” She nodded, turned, and acted as if she searched the cages for a certain animal. Her heart pounded so hard, the sound of rushing blood roared through her eardrums, blocking out any sound that might alert the men to Darren opening the cage. “Oh God!” She held her stomach with one hand and covered her mouth. The men whipped their heads toward her direction. She gagged and stumbled forward right into them. “Are you OK, miss?” The older man grabbed her elbow. “Are you sick from the smell?” “It smells pretty rancid in here.” The other man waved his clipboard in the air. She shook her head and unzipped her coat without removing the hand over her mouth. She patted the lump under her shirt. Come on! Help a pregnant woman. “She’s pregnant, boss.” The younger man put his arm around her and guided her toward the door. “I’ll walk you out, lady.” His boss didn’t move. This wasn’t going to work. She needed them both out of the room. Now. “Oh no.” She stopped, gagged again, and sank down to her knees. “I…I feel…” She swayed. “The room’s spinning.” “Hey boss, give me a hand. She’s about ready to keel over.” The man helped her back up, and the older man took her other arm. They led her to a chair in the main room, sat her down, and stood staring at her. Her ears strained to hear every sound coming from the other side of the building. A definite click came from a closing door. “We’re out. You’re going to have to meet me at the plane. I’ve got to get him out of sight before anyone sees me carrying a cat around.” 93

Tagging Her Lynx “Whew.” She ran her hands through her hair. “I’m sorry.” She lifted the corner of her mouth. “Certain smells hit me wrong at odd times. Last night it was the smell of raw hamburger meat for the tacos I made.” She breathed in deeply through her nose and blew out from her mouth. “Can you tell the officer in charge that Chloe from the refuge is going to go back home? I’ll wait to get a report on the animals that were stolen from me.” She shook her head. “Ugh. I can’t wait for this baby to come and for life to get back to normal.” She swallowed. “I’m going to step outside. The fresh air always helps when I start to feel nauseated.” She stood up and moved toward the door. Outside she raised her hood and crossed the street, ignoring the officers mingling on the sidewalk. Happy that they didn’t give her a second glance or question what she was doing, she hurried away from the lab. “Hold on, Granger. I’m coming.”

94

Chapter Fifteen

The light from the hallway cast a glow over Granger’s features. The feathered sweep of his black eyelashes lay against his prominent cheekbones, which seemed more pronounced than usual. Chloe squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears. She’d cried over him for days. The front of her T-shirt moved, and she gazed down at the size of the growing baby. A smile replaced the tears. She never imagined she’d get this big with her pregnancy. Another hand covered hers, and she lifted her head. Granger rolled over onto his side, lowered his head, and kissed the bare skin peeking out below her shirt. “How long have you been awake?” He pulled himself closer and wrapped both her and their unborn baby in his arms. She mewed. “A little while.” “Why didn’t you wake me up?” He kissed the curve of her neck. Her hand found his hard cock beneath the blankets. “You need your rest. It took too many days for you to come out of your drug-fed 95

Tagging Her Lynx coma.” She sighed and stroked the length of him. “How are you feeling today?” “Mm…” He raised her shirt, and his eyes widened. “Great.” He lifted and kneaded the larger-size breasts that pregnancy brought her. “Your body is changing. I’ve missed so much.” “You’re here now. That is all that matters.” She squirmed. She wanted to mate with him. Practicing her self-control for days, she waited for him to show signs that he had enough energy and stamina to enjoy coming together with her. She missed connecting with him in that special way. “Granger?” “Mm?” He suckled her nipple. “Fuck me.” His head lifted from her breast. “Are you sure?” She nodded. “Just help me get up so I can get on my hands and knees.” Granger pulled her hands and helped her sit up. She laughed. No longer plagued with sickness, she now had to adjust to the enormous bulge at the front of her. Standing up, she peeled her clothes off. His hands roamed her body, learning the new hills and valleys. Her breasts were now almost double in size, and her hips seemed more womanly instead of narrow. She hoped he still found her sexy. Chloe bent over, leaned her forearms on the bed, and widened her legs. Granger moved behind her and spanned his hands around her hips. His cock bumped into her pussy, and she shivered. “God, Aningan, from this view I can’t even tell you are pregnant. Your waist goes inward, and your tight little heart-shaped ass looks so pretty.” His hands wandered to the front of her body, down her stomach, and between her legs. He teased her clit, drawing light circles and caressing the length of her folds. Her cream flowed, adding the musty scent of arousal, and Granger groaned. “I can’t wait.” He positioned the head of his cock at her entrance. “It’s been too long.” Slowly he pressed forward, taking care not to bring her discomfort. “That feels so… God, that’s good. Tight. Hot.” She rocked back and forth, wanting more. Needing to feel proof that Granger, her life mate, possessed her body, she urged him to give her more. His fingers stimulated her nub. She moaned and rose up to balance herself on her hands. Her fingers dug into the blankets, bracing her to receive all of him. 96

Abby Wood “Faster.” She pushed back to meet each thrust. His ball sac swayed and playfully slapped at the sensitive skin. The length of his cock stroked her insides. The added weight of her breasts made them swing back and forth. Her nipples dragged across the fabric of the blanket, tantalizing her more. “Oh. Oh.” She threw back her head, and her hair trailed down her back. Granger removed his hand from between her wet thighs and grabbed a fistful of hair. Pulling her back, he rode her with quick, shallow strokes, limiting her movements. She drew her bottom lip between her teeth. Her orgasm exploded deep within her. Her pussy convulsed around him, and Granger thrust a couple more times. Holding himself deep inside her pussy, he shot his load into the deep recesses of her body, marking her as his. “I love you, Aningan.” “I love you too.”

***

“This isn’t fair, you guys!” Chloe stomped her boot. All the members of the Lynx clan stood in their animal form at the edge of the lake. The week had turned unusually warm despite winter not quite yet being over. A few hours of above-freezing temperatures, and everyone came outside to purge their cabin fever. “Do you want to go back to the cabin?” Granger rubbed against the old snow pants that she now needed to wear to keep her and the baby warm. “I’ll go back with you.” “No.” She blew through her lips, making them flutter. “I’d just like to join in the race with you. It’s a day for celebrating. The charges came back in our favor, and the hunters have received their sentences. All the animals have been returned to the wild. Spring is right around the corner.” She tugged at her coat. “I feel so fat and uncomfortable.” She stuck her lower lip out. “And I’m making a fool of myself for pouting, I know.” She could hear Granger’s laugh in her head. “Soon you will join us, Aningan. Be patient.” She folded her arms over her large stomach and clasped her gloved hands. If anyone needed to get out and run, it was her. “OK, line up. We’re going to run out to that birch tree, circle it, run to my plane, follow the line of the lake, and return to Chloe. She’ll announce the winner and tell you what your prize is.” Granger joined the cats at the start-up line. “OK, Aningan. Whenever you are ready, say go.” 97

Tagging Her Lynx Her arms fell to her sides. She heaved a big breath. “On your mark.” She inhaled. “Get set.” Her eyebrows rose, and she paused. “Go!” The wonderful sight of all the cats springing forth atop the crisp white canvas literally took her breath away. She trudged forward to keep them in view. Laughing at the way some of the younger ones leaped into the path of the more die-hard competitors, causing them to fall back in line, entertained her. Granger’s silver-haired lynx sprinted ahead of the group. Her lips curled upward. He was the most beautiful cat of them all, and she knew he’d win the race. “Keep going. You’re kicking all their asses.” “Did you doubt me, Aningan?” He chuckled. “Have I not shown you how much stamina is inside this body?” She shook her head and laughed. “Yes! And it drives me crazy.” “What are you going to give the winner?” Despite the cold, a wave of warmth spread up her neck to her cheeks. She’d already planned a night he’d never forget. Placing her hand above her eyes, she peered in the distance. Good, he still had the lead. If someone else won the race, she’d have to think fast and come up with a different prize. “Well, if you win—” “I will.” “OK.” She giggled. “When you win, I’m going to lay you down on the bed…” He growled. “Run my hands over your chest.” She held her hands behind her, bent her knees, and let her bottom plop down in the deep mound of snow. “Maybe tease your nipples with my little fingernail.” His breath came louder. “And?” “I’ll circle your cock with my fingers and lower my lips.” “Jesus…” She rubbed her back. “My tongue will come out and lick the delicious bead of juice at the end.” “What else?” “Then, I’ll…” She flinched and sat up straighter. “I’ll run my tongue around the rim, making your cock nice and wet before I take you in my mouth.” “You’re making it awful hard to run, Aningan.” Sitting in the snow wasn’t the smartest decision. It forced her lower back into an awkward position, and she rocked to find a more com98

Abby Wood fortable spot. Groaning, she realized that without someone’s help it was unlikely she’d be able to haul her oversize stomach off the ground. “Get ready to suck my cock.” Granger chuckled. “I’m rounding the corner.” Chloe arched her back at the wave of tightness that wrapped itself around her stomach. She groaned and held her breath. OK, that discomfort wasn’t from sitting in the snow. Her stomach relaxed, and she took a few deep breaths. A flash of gray ran in front of her, circled back, and flopped down in the snow at her side. She threaded her fingers through the thick fur and rubbed Granger’s side. His body heaved from the strenuous exercise. The long winter days and the time he spent locked up in the lab had caught up with him. At least this summer they could run together. One after another, the other cats sprinted to the finish line. Granger sat up, and she giggled. He was too macho to have the Lynx view their alpha sucking wind after the race. He waited for everyone to gather in front of them and turned to Chloe. Sticking his front legs out, he lowered his head and bowed. She rolled her eyes. Show off! She cleared her throat. “The winner of the race is…” She groaned and arched her back. “Is…” She groaned louder. “What’s wrong, Aningan?” Granger licked her hand. “I think the baby is coming.” She held on to her stomach and rubbed the pain away. “Maybe not. Oh, I don’t know how this all works. I keep getting cramps, and my back feels funny.” “Let’s walk back to the cabin.” He shifted, pulled her to her feet, and changed back into his lynx. “Better yet, stay here. I’m going to bring the plane over to this side of the lake, and I’ll fly you back to the cabin.” Another contraction hit, and she managed a nod. “Hurry.” The time between climbing into the plane and Granger carrying her over the threshold of the cabin blurred. The pains came more often and were stronger. “Oh God, I’m not ready for this.” “Yes you are. You’re not alone. I will stay with you the whole time.” He laid her down on the bed and peeled, pulled, and tugged off the many layers of clothing covering her body. Out of breath, Gretchen entered the bedroom, walked over to the closet, and put on some of Granger’s clothes. Rolling up her sleeves, she smiled at Chloe. Chloe bit down on her lip and arched her brow. “Tell me I can do this, Gretchen,” she said through clenched teeth. 99

Tagging Her Lynx “Of course you can. This is your baby, your kitten.” She laid her hand on Chloe’s stomach. “It won’t be long. Lynx don’t labor long hours like humans do.” Chloe snorted. “Exactly how many babies have you delivered?” “Seven.” Gretchen smiled. “It’ll be a breeze.”

100

Chapter Sixteen

Granger held his finger up to his lips, grabbed her hand, and backed her out of the bedroom to the living room. She cocked her head and frowned. He planned something. He’d acted mischievous and secretive all day. “What are—” He covered her mouth with his hand, grinned, and pointed to the corner of the living room. He’d piled a mound of blankets on the floor and set out a few candles. She laid her hand over her chest. They’d barely had an hour to themselves the last week, and this was the first time she was able to get all three babies down for a nap at the same time. Knowing he planned this special time just for them filled her with love. It was exactly what she needed to reconnect with him and feel like her old self. She followed him over to the makeshift bed. He stood her in front of it, smiled, and unbuttoned her blouse. She shivered despite the roaring fire in the fireplace. No. It was pleasure she felt from his attention. 101

Tagging Her Lynx Once he stripped her naked, he helped her lie down on her stomach. The shift into her lynx after having the babies healed her insides and the damage giving birth to triplets did to her body. She’d wanted to make love right afterward, but between breastfeeding and lack of sleep, it never worked out. Granger sat on her thighs, and she wiggled her ass. His cock teased her butt, and she delighted in the rush of pleasure. A squirt of warm liquid and the feel of his magical hands on her back made her groan. He spread lotion over her whole back, working his way from her neck, down her spine, and over each butt cheek. She pushed her legs against his, wanting to open them up and give him access to her pussy. She swore the man could make her come in record time. His knees stayed rooted at her sides. The sweep of his large hands over her back, massaging her muscles, took her to a wonderful place with no worries and no feedings every two hours and slipped her into an aroused state. Granger’s fingers trailed down to the top of the indentation above her buttocks. She squirmed. His tickling the spot sent titillating shocks through her body. He dipped lower and found her anus. Yes! With a gentle touch, he massaged the tight ring, relaxing her muscles. She heard the click of the cap on the lotion again, and he spread lube onto himself. He lay over her back, bracing his weight on his arms, and positioned his cock at her pussy. His mouth captured the side of her neck. “I was wondering if your lynx would like to come out and play, Aningan,” he whispered into her ear. She mewled. He licked her earlobe. “Would your cat like me to fuck her pussy?” Her fingers dug into the blankets. Warmth spread through her lower body, and her pussy creamed. She wanted her mate. “I think after I play with your pussy, I’ll shove my cock up your ass.” He moved his head and nibbled the other side of her neck. “Is that what you want? Do you want me to take total control?” She snarled. “Yes!” Granger pushed himself back, pulled her hips up, and brought her up on her knees. His cock pushed at the entrance to her pussy. Coated with lube, he slid into the tight spot and groaned. She moved back and forth, hoping he’d hurry. His cat wasn’t the only one who wanted to come out and play. She’d ignored her lynx for too long, and the cat wanted her way. 102

Abby Wood His hands on her hips stilled her body, and he moved in, out, in, out in agonizing slowness. She bit down on her lip to keep from crying out. “Oh God. I’m going to come. Granger…” He pulled out and slid his cock up her wet, juicy slit to her anus. She moved backward, welcoming him in. Inching past the tight ring of muscle, he popped in and held still, letting her adjust to the fullness. “Reach down and touch your clit. I want you to come.” He thrust all the way in. “Squeeze my cum out of my cock, Aningan. Milk it all out.” She slid her finger between the folds of her pussy and rubbed her clit. Closing her eyes, she luxuriated in the way he filled her and possessed her body. Her alpha, her mate. Her nub grew and throbbed beneath her finger. She rubbed along the side, teasing and titillating the sensitive nerves. The motion set her lower muscles pulsing, and her anus squeezed down on his cock. “Yeah, that’s it. You want to come.” He glided back and forth, deeper with each thrust. “Do it, Aningan. Let it go. Take us both over the edge.” Her breath came in little gasps. Her pussy throbbed, and as if knowing what she needed, Granger slipped his thumb into her cunt and pressed down on her G-spot. Her knees lifted off the blanket and she came, a glorious rush of delight flooding her body. Her lower muscles spasmed and caressed Granger’s cock. He thrust balls-deep inside her ass and held himself tight against her back. His hips quivered through his release. He slowly moved back and forth, riding the pleasure out. Chloe lowered her body down to the blankets and purred. She turned her head and smiled over at Granger, who flopped down beside her. He’d found her, loved her, and given her a family. “That was… Wow,” she whispered. “Thank you.” He grinned. “Want to come here again? Maybe tomorrow, three o’clock?” Chloe leaned over and kissed his mouth. “I will do this anytime you want.” She rubbed her lips along his cheek, clear up to his ear. “Any way you want me.” She nipped his lobe. He held her to his chest, and she rested her head against his warm, musky skin. She smiled and closed her eyes. She belonged right here, beside her life mate. There was never any doubt. His heart beat at the same rhythm hers did. 103

Biography Abby Wood lives in Oregon with her husband and kids. A big animal lover, she enjoys the multitude of animals that come and go in her life. She likes nothing more than to delight readers with a book that takes them out of the real world and between the pages of a whole new world…if only for a little while. She loves to hear from readers and you can find her at www. authorabbywood.com