Tagging Her Lynx (Alaska Lynx Clan) (4 page)

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. "You're 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's 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."

"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're
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're
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…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." 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'll do this swiftly
to cause you the least pain."

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, 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 okay?"

"Yes,
I'm complete now. You have given me what I've 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 won't 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 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 snow-packed 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.

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.

"We're
here. We must continue farther between those two cabins up ahead, and then you'll
see my place on the other side. As the alpha, my house is protected on all
sides."

She
sat back on her rump.
"I've never been this far north. It's even more
secluded than I imagined."

"Yes.
It's almost perfect for our kind. We have more freedom this way." He
stepped over her body, straddled her back, and nipped her neck. I'm 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.

"You're
safe. You'll 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'll 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've been waiting for you forever."

"It's
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.