Natural Born Enemies (Cedar River Series) (15 page)

I put on a smiling face for my customers who were few and far between today. I wanted to close up early, but the kids would be out of school soon and then people would be getting out of work at five. Instead of closing, I worked on some new recipes. I went through my grandmother’s cookbooks and found a recipe for marshmallows. I made up a small batch and then began to make notes. I could add different flavorings and colors to them. I could dust them will colored sugar. I had a little dark chocolate left so I heated it up and dunked a few marshmallows in it. There used to be cookies my mom would buy that were a cookie base with marshmallow in top, then the whole thing was coated in chocolate. These would be similar just minus the cookie base.

I used my pizza cutter on the marshmallows to form cute little squares. I dusted them with powdered sugar and let them sit on a rack to finish setting up.

I heard the bells over my door ring. Bowie was standing there and I felt my heart drop.

“Luna,” he said as he rushed around the counter, “are you okay? You just went ghostly white.”

I looked up at him, “What happened?”

“With what, honey?”

I punched him in the chest, “With Adam, you buffoon! What happened to Adam?”

Bowie looked at me in shock, “Honestly, Luna, I haven’t heard a thing. I promised Ana I’d stop in to see you this afternoon. What do you know?”

I walked back into the kitchen, “I know exactly what you told Ana. How could you let him do this Bowie? I thought you were his best friend!”

Bowie slammed his hands down on my counter top, “Dammit, Luna, do you think I like this anymore than you? I’d rather it were me in his place, but he wouldn’t let me go with him. He kept telling me this was his battle and he would fight it alone.” Bowie laid his hat on the table and run his hand through his hair. “I’m just as scared as you are, Luna. I begged him to take some time to prepare for it. Get into fighting shape, but he refused. He was tired of putting you in danger.”

He raised his whiskey colored eyes to mine and I could see the pain in them. Adam was his very best friend. He’d lay down his life for Adam if only Adam would ask. Adam felt the same way and always had.

I pulled the chocolate-covered marshmallows out of the chiller, “I’ve got just the thing to help you. Tell me what you think. This is a trial batch.”

Bowie took one bite, “This is good, Luna. This is really good.”

“What would you think if I made them into different colors or flavors?”

Bowie nodded as he popped the rest of it into his mouth. “Ooh, could you do your salty caramel stuff on these, then coat them in chocolate?”

I shook my head, grinning, “For you, Bowie Golden, I’ll try.”

Bowie hung around for quite a while. I think the station was just too quiet and Bowie hated to be alone with his thoughts just like I did.

After two hours of killing time, Bowie said, “I probably should go out and walk the streets, see what kind of trouble is going down.”

He turned to walk away, “If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”

I couldn’t speak so I simply nodded my head and began to fill the trays for the kids.

Chapter Twenty-Six- Adam

I stopped to let Bowie know I was heading out to the pride land.

“Let me just say that I don’t agree with you doing this right now,” he said.

“I know, but I’ve got to end this. One way or another, this ends today.”

Bowie studied me hard for a few moments. Finally, he stuck out his hand, “If it ends today, know this has been a fun ride, brother.”

I took his hand and drew him in for a back-slapping hug. “Same here.” Emotions couldn’t come into play today. They would make me weak.

I walked away from the sheriff’s station without looking back. I knew Bowie stood on the sidewalk as he watched me drive down Main Street and out of town.

I took my time driving out of town. I had helped re-build most of these businesses. This place had always been more of my home than the place I had lived for the first sixteen years of my life.

I drove the back roads to the pride lands in a leisurely manner, enjoying the view as I drove on. I’d spent a good many nights on this road, racing Bowie’s Camaro. Luna and I had gone parking on the dirt roads too many nights to count.

I pulled into the drive that would take me to Uncle Roman and Aunt Alicia’s house. I came as a member of the Pierce Pride, not a sheriff’s deputy. I had left my badge and gun on Bowie’s desk. Today, it was me, Adam James Thomas, puma shifter. I was here to take the Alpha position by force, if it came to it.

My aunt was waiting on the porch when I pulled up. After parking my truck, I approached her slowly. She looked so fragile. Caring for my uncle was taking a toll on her. She held her arms open to me as I walked up the steps. I held her tight as I breathed in her scent. She has always smelled like my mother, a desert flower in full bloom hidden in the darkness.

“Roman wants to meet with you in his office, if you don’t mind,” she said softly.

I took her hand, “You need to be there for this, too, Aunt Alicia.”

She lowered her head and said simply, “I know.”

Roman was behind his desk when I knocked on the door.

“Come on in, Adam. Close the door behind you, son.”

I turned to face Aunt Alicia. She refused to meet my eyes as I closed the door.

I walked to Uncle Roman’s desk to shake his hand.

“You’re looking better, Uncle.”

“I’m having a good day. Sit down, we have a few things to discuss and I don’t think you’re here for a social call.”

“No, sir, I’m not,” I responded, lowering my head.

“You will not submit to me, Adam. The days for that are over. I have a feeling you’re here to call out Connor. Am I right?”

I glanced at Aunt Alicia who was sobbing. “Yes, sir. We have evidence to prove-,” I began.

Uncle Roman stopped me in mid-sentence. “Connor has been terrorizing you and Luna McIntyre. I just recently discovered this. I want you to understand that he was not put up to this. I did not ask him to do these things to you or Ms. McIntyre. Rock and I have our issues, but I would not wish for any person to die for something as simple as falling in love.”

The old puma was getting sentimental.

“I am relinquishing my position to you, Adam. Connor has been attempting to challenge me because he knows that I can’t fight. He thinks it would be an easy kill. He doesn’t know you are now the Alpha.”

I was humbled. “Here I was coming to tell you what had been happening and you already knew?”

Aunt Alicia spoke, “The night of your fire, I had some suspicions since Connor had been missing for most of the evening. When he snarled at me over inviting you and Luna to stay in the empty cottage, he cemented my fears.” She broke down, “Oh Adam, I’m so sorry.”

 I knelt at her feet and hugged her tight. “This is not your fault. Connor has gotten very power hungry and, for some reason, he fears me. To be honest, I was never a threat. I didn’t want to be Alpha. Connor could have had it until now. He attempted to kill me and Luna. For these acts, you know what is going to happen.”

Roman bowed his head. “I didn’t want this to come to it, but, dammit, Adam, I’d think less of you if you didn’t battle him.”

I stood up and Uncle Roman stood with me. He laid his gold necklace around my neck. During a shift, the necklace formed a dark circle around the Alpha’s neck, showing his position in the pride. I took a deep breath and said, “Where is he?”

Aunt Alicia said, “He’s out in the training center.”

“I am sorry for the pain I’m about to cause you both.”

Uncle Roman took Aunt Alicia’s hand, “You have always been our son as well. It pains us to know one son has turned on the other, but by pride law, you are allowed this battle. To the death, if this is what must be.”

***

They walked side by side, hand in hand to the training center with me leading them. Connor was training with one of the younger members of the pride when we walked inside. He immediately recognized my scent.

“What have we done for you to grace us with your presence, Cousin?” he sneered.

“The Cedar River Sheriff’s Department has evidence against you in the attempted murder of Luna McIntyre and myself. There is also evidence of arson on my property.” I stated.

Connor sneered again, “So, you’re here to arrest me? You hear this bullshit, Dad?”

Uncle Roman motioned for me to continue.

“However, today, I’m not here as Cedar River Sheriff’s deputy,” I opened my shirt to reveal the necklace that lay against my chest. “Today, I’m here as your Alpha.”

Connor’s mouth fell open and fear was in his blue eyes. “Mom, how could you let this happen?”

Aunt Alicia refused to look at her son.

Uncle Roman said, “I’ve spoken to Rockwell McIntyre and he is very displeased with you, Connor. Your mother and I are shocked you would do what you’ve done to a member of the pride and a member of this family.”

Connor was stunned into silence.

“As Alpha, I have the right to battle you for the crimes against me and mine. I have claimed Luna McIntyre as my mate. Any crime against her is a crime against me.”

Connor looked to his father who nodded.

“Rock McIntyre has agreed to allow Adam to stand for him and the McIntyre Pack in defense of Luna.”

I tried to keep the shock of this statement from my face.

Connor got a cocky look on his face, “Well, old man, when do you want to do this?”

I looked at him, “One way or another, this ends today, Connor. As Alpha of the Pierce Pride, I challenge you to a battle to the death for the crimes against me and my mate.”

Connor was in mid-shift before I could shed my clothes.

Battle rules are that one opponent must wait for the second to shift before attacking. Connor wasn’t one to follow the rules. He charged at me from across the room. Uncle Roman stepped in front of me and Connor ripped out his father’s throat. Aunt Alicia dropped to her knees and fell apart.

I finished my shift and stalked around. One thing Uncle Roman had taught me is to attack when your opponent is at his weakest. I prowled around the spot where Connor stood over his father’s body, blood dripping from his mouth. His eyes were on me, but there was a blood gaze in his eyes. He was thirsty for the taste of my blood.

I waited patiently for Connor to attack me again. I wasn’t going to exert more energy than was necessary. I didn’t have to wait long. With a snarl, he launched himself at me. I dodged out of the way and he hit the wall. I stepped away and put myself between Aunt Alicia and Connor.

Aunt Alicia stepped onto the floor and dragged Roman’s body to the side. She has stopped crying and was now glaring at her son. She placed her hand on my head as she walked by. “Do what you must, Adam.”

Connor ran at her as she turned her back to him. I was in front of him and had him by the throat on the floor. His claws were wickedly sharp as he dug them into my side. His mouth wrapped around my foreleg and I felt one of his canine teeth puncture the skin. I opened my mouth to let out a yowl and he escaped.

He came at me again and I swiped at him. He had gashes across his face. When he came at me again, I grabbed him by the leg and broke it swiftly. He was in pain. I stalked him and lunged for his throat. I missed but he got a hold of me. I punctured one of his eyes with my teeth.

When he let go of me, I noticed another puma on the floor. My aunt had shifted while we fought and she was walking across the floor toward us. I watched her warily. She walked to Connor and butted her head against his chin before licking at his wounds. Connor lay on the floor allowing his mother to care for him. Then, she struck. She wrapped her mouth around her son’s throat and crushed his windpipe. The surprise look on his face showed just how cocky he really was. With a bite to Connor’s jugular vein, she ended the life she had brought into this world.

There was sadness in her eyes and she walked to me. She bowed before me, then butted her head against me chin before she looked at my wounds.

Silently, we shifted and dressed. I left my shirt on the floor.

“I’ll call the pride to have them come help with this mess,” Aunt Alicia said.

I walked to her side and pulled her close, “I’m so sorry, Auntie.”

She took a deep breath and smiled sadly, “Roman went out fighting that’s the way he wanted it to be. He died defending you, the son of his heart, Adam. Stand as Alpha and don’t let his death be in vain. As for Connor, I think I’ve always know how jealous he was of you. I just hoped I’d been imagining it.”

“I never realized it, to be honest. I never dreamed he had anything to be jealous of.”

Aunt Alicia looked at claw marks on my side. They were healing already.

She smiled, “Your wolf, she is the shaman of her pack, isn’t she?”

I grinned, “It appears that way.”

We walked arm in arm to the house and she called the pride together. When she was finished, she handed me the phone, “You need to call Rockwell McIntyre and tell him it is over.”

I dialed the phone and waited for the answer.

“McIntyre here.”

“This is Adam Thomas.”

I heard a heavy sigh, “Is it over then?”

“Yes, it is. Connor is dead as is Roman.”

“Roman?”

“Connor attacked before I could complete my shift and Uncle Roman stepped in front of me. Connor killed him.”

Rock let out another heavy sigh. “I’m so sorry. Please let your aunt know I would like to attend the funerals.”

“We would both like for you to be here. Thank you for your support, Rock.”

“Is there anything else we need to discuss right now?”

“Not yet. I’ll let you know when I’m ready for that discussion.”

***

I had Aunt Alicia lay down while I went down the training center. Most of the pride were there already, cleaning up. When I walked in, they all dropped to one knee and bowed.

I shook my head. This was exactly what I didn’t want. “C’mon, get up. You’ve known me since I came to live with Uncle Roman and Aunt Alicia. I’m Adam.”