Sy squeezed the hand on his arm. "Don't worry, Trin. He'll make the right choice. If not, then we'll double team him and beat some sense into him."
Trin looked at him askance. "What makes you think I need your help? I remember kicking your ass and giving you a black eye when I was seventeen and you were eighteen."
Sy laughed. "Yes, but I was a tall, gangly thing back then." He raised his free arm and flexed his bicep. "I've put on a pound of muscle or thirty since then. If we had a rematch, I'm pretty sure I'd win."
She rolled her eyes. "And yet you've never actually followed through with your boasting."
He grinned and winked. "What? And embarrass my clan leader's mate?"
She resisted another eye roll. "I can't wait until the day when you meet a woman who can cure you of that cocky swagger, Sy."
Only because she knew her mate's brother so well did she notice his arm stiffen under her hand. There had been one woman who'd come close, many years ago, but Sy never talked about her. Kian had told her it was nothing to worry about, but apparently, this woman still affected him.
But before she could prod Sy any further, they arrived at the four-foot-wide crack in the rock face cleverly disguised from view with branches and boulders. Clan DarkStalker may own this land, but the cougar-shifters had survived as long as they had by being cautious; they didn't want random humans wandering into one of their most private spaces.
Trinity slid inside the four-foot-wide opening first, with Sy right on her heels. The first ten feet were narrow, but soon the pocket expanded into a giant cavern. Artificial light highlighted the stalactites hanging from the ceiling, and although most of the stalagmites had been cleared from the floor, a few shot up along the outer edges of the great room.
This was Clan DarkStalker's grand meeting space.
As she looked around the room, Trinity did a quick count and decided nearly two hundred clan members had already arrived before her. Considering Kian hadn't made a public appearance in months, they probably were all anxious to see their clan leader.
Sy maneuvered them toward the front, but as Trinity smiled to the members of her clan, they opened up a path for her and Sy.
She stopped near the front of a stage carved out of rock and waited. She kept a smile on her face for the clan, but inside, her stomach was twisting in knots. She wanted to believe everything would turn out right in the end, but the turbulent past between the humans and all the shifters of the Cascades reminded her that not everything was rainbows and happy endings—the world could come crashing down in the blink of an eye.
The commotion at the back of the room caught her attention and she turned to see Kian—clean-shaven and dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a dark green button-up shirt—walking up toward the stage. He looked good, damn good, and she didn't even notice his limp. He held his head high and his shoulders back. The man walking up to the stage was confident, and she got butterflies in her stomach. She'd dreamed of strong, confident Kian returning to her, but until this moment, she didn't realize how sad and lonely she'd been.
For the clan, she'd been strong. But inside, she'd been dying a little each day.
Her mate smiled at her as he approached. He paused long enough to caress her cheek, the warmth of his fingers helping to calm her nerves. Her throat closed up and tears prickled her eyes, but she kept them back and touched his hand in response.
Kian Murray was back.
Kian saw the tears in Trinity's eyes, and he instantly felt about three inches tall. He'd hurt this intelligent, beautiful, dedicated woman in front of him, and he was going to do everything in his power to make it up to her.
Without Trin, he wouldn't be here in this cavern right now, surrounded by his clan.
He caressed her cheek one last time before he lowered his hand and turned toward his brother. Sy nodded at him, his twin brother's eyes full of curiosity. Kian nodded and looked away. His brother would find out his intent soon enough.
He slowly made his way up the stairs to the stone stage, careful to put most of his weight on his good leg. When he reached the center of the stage, he turned and looked out at the faces of his clan. He saw a mixture of excitement and uncertainty, and that was not good. DarkStalker had fared better than many of the other cougar-shifter clans in North America because of their unity and sense of family. His selfish retreat these last few months had put more than a few cracks into the cohesion of the clan.
No more. He'd made his decision, and he was sticking with it.
Kian raised his hands and the room went silent. "I know that I've been absent these last few months, and I apologize from my heart for neglecting you all." A few people put up words of protest, but he waved them silent. "No, I did neglect you. And as clan leader, that is inexcusable.
"Because of that, I'm here to ask you all a simple question. Whatever the clan decides, I will obey. But it is only right that you decide what is best for you and your families." He glanced to Trinity for a second to draw on her strength. When she nodded, he turned back to the crowd. "Today, you will vote on whether I stay or go. If you vote to keep me as your leader, despite my handicap, then I will die fighting to make this the best clan in all of the Cascades. But if you decide there is someone better, someone who can take better care of you all, then I will listen and leave the clan for good." He gestured toward Sy. "My brother will take the count once I leave. Take as long as you like to talk amongst yourselves. Trinity can bring me the news once you've made your decision."
As he turned and descended the stairs, several people started to talk at once. The cavern echoed their voices, but he ignored them all to focus on Trinity. When he was close enough, he gripped the back of her neck and laid a gentle kiss on her lips. "I'll be waiting."
And with that, he made his way out of the room to let his clan decide his future.
Chapter Four
Kian made it to the den he shared with Trinity and sat down in one of the old, padded chairs in the main living area. Between fighting off the wolves and holding back his limp to and from the grand meeting space, his leg was now killing him. As he massaged his calf and ankle, he decided that regardless of the clan's decision, he needed to start doing some physical therapy exercises to build up his strength again.
The seconds ticked by as he waited to hear what the clan decided. His mind was already preparing for the worst.
To distract him from what he couldn't change or influence, he simply studied the mural on the far wall. The vivid image of a wild cougar perched in a snow-covered tree, his tawny pelt bright in the winter sun, stared back at him. He'd commissioned it from one of his clan members years ago to serve as a reminder of how far Clan DarkStalker had come.
It had been a long time since the cougar-shifters had been forced to live outside, in hiding. At one time, they'd been able to interact and trade freely with the Native Americans, but things had gone downhill once the European settlers had arrived.
Sometimes he wondered how any of the shifters had survived at all.
While the shifters of what was now the United States had gained rights, recognition, and financial compensation from the US government after World War II, they still had a long way to go before they achieved equality.
If Clan DarkStalker wasn't careful, they could end up back in the wild, hiding like animals. That was exactly the reason why he'd put his leadership role to a vote—the clan deserved the best chance of survival. It was up to them to choose the best path for them and their families.
He heard footsteps in the hallway before they stopped in front of his den door. He willed his heart rate to remain steady. This was it. He was about to find out what his future held.
Trinity's face was expressionless as she came in, shut the door behind her, and moved to stand in front of him. She put out her hands, and he took them before standing up. "Well?"
"You know I love you, no matter what they decided."
Dread started to pool in the pit of his stomach. "Are you trying to ease the blow?"
She tilted her head in a very feline way. "And if they did vote no? What would you do?"
He stared down at his beautiful mate and tried to imagine giving her up. Never seeing her smile or her sleek cougar pelt. Never teasing her and hearing her laugh. Never again arguing with her or hearing her cries of pleasure as he pounded into her with his cock.
Life without her would be cold and lonely. Could he really live that way?
He tightened his grip on her hands. "I know what I said earlier, but I'm not so sure I could just give you up." He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers. "It's selfish, I know, but I want to keep you."
"The only person who can 'keep' me is myself." The corner of her mouth ticked up. "But I might be able to negotiate a part-time lease."
He grinned. "Do I get to dictate the terms?"
She laughed and squeezed his hands. "If you pass the trial period and manage to give me at least two orgasms a night for a month, I might just let you."
His gaze fell to her lips. He wanted to kiss her so badly he ached, but he wouldn't do it until he heard the bad news. "So even though I'm an ex-clan leader with a limp, you still want to be my mate?"
"Oh, even if you were penniless and lived in a tree, I wouldn't give you up." He looked back into her eyes, which were now sparkling with mischief. "But you're still the clan leader, which is a bonus. I might be a cat, but I'm not big on sleeping in trees."
Kian blinked. "What?"
She released one of his hands and cupped his check. "They voted to keep you, Kian. Overwhelmingly."
He was still trying to digest the news when Trin looped her other arm around his neck. He automatically wrapped his arms around her waist. "Thank you, Trin."
"Don't thank me. Not even I could intimidate a cavern full of stubborn shifters into voting for you against their will. They were grateful for you saving the cubs, yes, but they also know how much you care for them. Few clan leaders so keenly feel the joys and pains of their clan, but you, Kian Murray, excel at it. When they hurt, you hurt. When they feel joy, you celebrate along with them." She caressed the back of his neck. "The clan loved you before, but I think because of your willingness to keep going despite new challenges, they love you even more."
Unable to restrain himself any longer, Kian pulled Trinity's body up against his and kissed her.
Trinity loved the feel of Kian's lips crushed against hers. When he brushed her lower lip with his tongue, she opened and pulled him close. As she rubbed her hard nipples against his chest, Kian tangled and fought to dominate her mouth to the point that she had a hard time breathing.
But she refused to back down. His taste, his scent, and his strong body surrounding hers were exactly what she wanted right now.
Her man was back, and she was going to devour him.
His hands went to her ass and he lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, the fabric of her jeans pressing against her clit, and she moaned. Kian growled and clumsily maneuvered them toward the table, never relenting his assault on her mouth.
She was definitely going to feel his kisses in the morning.
Kian placed her on the table before he broke their kiss, his breathing ragged and uneven. The look in his eyes was fierce and possessive—the look of a predator.
Wetness rushed between her legs. She'd seen that look before and knew what to expect.
His voice was husky when he said, "Did you still want someone to fuck you so hard you can feel it in the morning?"
Her heart pounded. "Yes."
"Then strip."
She should torture him by revealing her body slowly, piece by piece, but Trinity's whole body ached for her mate's attentions—especially for his hard cock.
Her mate was completely naked by the time she had her shirt and bra off. She moved to unbutton her jeans, but Kian's hands covered hers, his touch warm and rough. "I've changed my mind." He ran a finger along the sensitive skin of her belly, and she shivered. "I want to finish unwrapping you."
She nodded and moved her hands behind her on the table to lean on them, her breasts jutting forward. Kian traced a finger up her side before stroking one taut nipple, and then the other. "I wonder if your nipples taste as good as I remember."
They stared at one another for one second, then another, her pussy growing wetter in anticipation for the feel of his hot, wet mouth. Kian's nostrils flared, and she knew he smelled her arousal.
He leaned down and took her nipple, swirling her sensitive skin with his tongue. She shifted her weight to one hand and threaded the other into his hair, pressing him close. Her claws extended a fraction, and the instant she dug into his scalp, he sucked her deep and bit down.
She moaned and managed to whisper, "Again."
He bit again and she closed her eyes as the pain mixed with pleasure coursed through her body. The cool air hit her wet nipple and her mate moved to the other. She felt his fingers tracing the waistband of her jeans, his touch sizzling against her sensitive skin. "If I don't feel your long, hard cock inside me soon, I'm going to combust. I rarely say this, but tonight, screw the foreplay."