His Lucky Moon Mate (The Macconwood Pack Tales #14)

Chapter 3

S hannon’s mouth dropped open as Binder drove past a set of security gates, down a private access road that seemed almost guarded by the tall trees on either side of each one-way street. This was wealth. Real wealth. Not the kind her father hustled for his whole life, gambling, using lies, manipulations, and riddles to gain.

This was the way to the Macconwood Pack House or the Manor, as she knew it was called. How did she know? Easy. She paid attention. Plus, Shannon was pretty much the manager of the Lucky Moon Casino. When they moved to a new territory, she would discuss things and go over the reports the security team brought back after casing each location. Of course, now she knew the surveillance was doctored after her father got his hands on it.

Damn the man. He was supposed to get approval from the Pack before stepping one toadstool into their territory. Now she was at the mercy of a Werewolf! And not your average run of the mill, ambulance chasing, butt sniffing Wolf Shifter, either. This guy was unbelievably good looking, and a freaking lawyer to boot.

He sent her ovaries into hyper drive with just one long-lashed look. She frowned, turning her gaze back to the scenery. He drove unhurriedly, humming along pleasantly with the radio. Every now and again she felt his attention on her, but whenever she looked, his eyes were on the road. Maybe she imagined it.

He was just so big, so commanding of her awareness. Like he was the only person in the world, never mind the car. Ugh! She was being daft. Shannon was simply not used to being around attractive men who’d not only had the strength and stamina to carry her across half a damn forest, but flirted with her while doing it.

Geezus. Was she so hard up she’d drool all over a virtual stranger, one who was more beast than man, just because he was sexy as hell and paid her a compliment?

Yes, in fact, get us a bib before we drool all over his lovely upholstery, will ya?

Her inner slut appeared to have no qualms at all about it. Well, shite. Shannon huffed as Binder pulled into a small lot with a few other cars already parked. He turned to her, his gaze questioning, but she ignored it. Shivers ran through her. That little furry bastard of a groundhog swore it would be an early spring. But even so, big fat snowflakes were starting to fall from the sky, dusting the ground with so much white.

“Here, put this on,” Binder said.

His voice was deep and low. The vibrations it created made her shivers even more pronounced, but it had nothing at all to do with the weather. Shannon was not about to tell the Wolf that. She took the proffered item, startling when she realized it was a thick, soft sweater.

“Do you need help?” he asked, and she would have sworn she saw hope in his dark eyes.

“Um, I got it, thanks,” she whispered, tugging the thing over her head.

Did she say it was soft? Heavens! It was more than that. The heather gray fibers must have been shorn from some sort of divine sheep or goat. Shannon stifled her moan as she lifted the collar to her nose and breathed in the tantalizing coconut and lime ocean scent she associated with him as she snuggled deeper into the fabric.

“Better?” he asked. His voice seemed even deeper than before, though how that was possible, she had no idea.

“Thank you,” she mumbled, trying to act as though she hadn’t been sniffing at his sweater.

A curvy girl, she would have worried that his sweater would not fit, but Binder was large and wide in the way of Shifters. His gaze never left her, and she swallowed down her embarrassment, reaching for the door handle.

“Wait there,” he commanded, jumping out of his seat before she could tell him to feck off.

Shannon could get her own doors, but there was something about the way he’d told her to wait that made her foolish body obey him. He pulled open the door and held out his hand, which she ignored to his apparent amusement if the Wolfish grin he gave her was any indication.

Following him down the path towards the front door, Shannon wrapped her arms around her body. The sweater definitely did a better job of keeping her warmer than before, but she was used to a much more temperate climate. As if sensing her discomfort, Binder slowed his pace and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into the unbelievable warmth of his body.

“You don’t have to?—”

“I can hear your teeth chattering, Butterfly. Just let me do this,” he murmured, and she acquiesced, unable to do anything else.

His body heat felt delicious as he tucked her into his side. She couldn't deny that. Nor could she pretend she didn’t enjoy his sweet, decadent scent. The doors were opened by a trio of children who looked to be preschoolers, and Shannon was immediately charmed. Binder narrowed his eyes and addressed the three, two boys and a girl rather sternly, but she had only to look up to see he was barely keeping it together.

“Owen, Rafaella, Valen,” he said.

“You’re Balvinder,” one boy started.

“You work for Uncle Dib and Uncle Kurt,” the other finished.

“I am and I do,” Binder replied. “But what are you three doing answering the door?”

“We knew you were coming with your mate,” the larger boy said, and Shannon almost stumbled.

Mate? Where on earth did the lad get that idea? She scoffed.

“I see, but didn’t your parents warn you last time about this?” he continued as though he disapproved.

Shannon would have been amused, but she was too busy swallowing her shock at what the cheeky little pup had said. Mate, indeed.

“She’s pretty,” the little girl said, her batting her thick long eyelashes at Binder.

“Yes, she is,” Binder agreed, walking inside when the tiny ones gave us room.

He kneeled down, so he was on eye level with the children, and something just turned over inside of Shannon as she watched him. He was such a curious creature. In the fae Realm, Shifters on the Earth plane were often described as overbearing hotheads run by hormones and instinct. But here was Binder, making himself small, so he didn’t frighten children. Strangely prescient children, indeed, but still children.

“Have you come to talk to Daddy?” she asked.

“We have, Princess Rafaella. Would you like to show us the way?”

“Yes, Binder. Can I hold your mate’s hand?” the little darling asked, and Shannon’s heart squeezed.

She didn’t know why the tiny Wolf was calling her Binder’s mate, but she loved children and could no more tell the pretty little thing no than she could stop the tides. She held out her hand, warming at the touch of the miniature she-Wolf.

“I like your wings,” the child said, causing Shannon to miss a step.

“Pardon?”

“Your wings. They’re pretty,” she repeated, and Shannon’s eyes widened.

She glanced to the right where Binder was being dragged behind the two younger males. Then she looked over her shoulder just to make sure she hadn’t accidentally sprouted her actual wings. Nope. Still tucked away.

Shannon exhaled. The fair folk were quite secretive when it came to revealing their names and their true identities. Shannon Rose O’Doyle was what everyone knew her by. But what wasn’t common knowledge was that she was a Mariposa , a Butterfly Fairy, and yes, she did indeed have a pair of wings that glittered and shone with every shade of blue when in her natural fae form.

How had the little girl guessed?

“There you are! I have been looking for you three everywhere. The babies are napping, and it’s time for you three to have your math lessons, as you well know.”

A curvy little powerhouse came storming over to the five of them still walking down the corridor, stopping short and flashing her gaze from Binder to Shannon, then back to the children who now wore matching expressions of contrition.

“Sorry, Mom.”

“I’m sorry, Mama.”

“I don’t like math.

“Hmm. Well, you better get your butts down to the library or Uncle Randall won’t give you any treats when he’s done teaching you,” she warned them, and that certainly got them moving.

“Bye, Butterfly,” the little girl said, and once more Shannon was stunned into silence.

“Binder, nice to see you. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name,” the woman said, holding her hand out to me.

“I didn’t throw it,” Shannon replied, eyeing her hand.

“Shannon, this is Charley Maccon, Alpha fem of the Macconwood pack,” Binder explained, and the bastard did nothing to hide his grin.

“Sorry,” Shannon replied, cheeks heating with embarrassment as she introduced herself. “Shannon O’Doyle.”

“I like this one, Binder. She is feisty,” Charley said, grinning. “Rafe is in his study. Go on down, I’m gonna make sure my little monsters don’t take anymore detours.”

Binder was still smiling as he nodded his head for Shannon to follow him. She did, wondering how the tiny Alpha fem managed to make the Manor seem both opulent and homey at the same time. It was obvious it had been built to impress, but the addition of comfortable furniture, local art, soft lighting made it much less intimidating than the homes of other Alphas and Supernatural leaders she had visited with her Da. And was that fresh baked bread Shannon smelled wafting through the air?

Geezus! It was mouthwatering. Her stomach growled, and she looked up, slightly embarrassed to see Binder frowning at her. Well, excuse the feck out of her then. Not like she had a chance to properly break her fast what with discovering her father’s nefarious activities and activating the spell to keep all the Lucky Moon employees locked inside the casino while she hunted the bastard down. Of course, first she had to go get chewed out by the damn Alpha of the very Pack her Da had screwed over.

Lovely.

“When was the last time you ate?” Binder asked.

Shannon ignored him as the doors to the room they’d been approaching swung open revealing a very tall, black-haired man with eyes the colors of glaciers. Might as well have been for all the warmth they showed when he gazed upon her.

“Come inside,” the male growled before turning away from them.

“Yes, Alpha,” Binder said, his tone reverent.

Either the male was a total oaf, or he was so damned confident in himself he gave his back to others as a sort of feck off to the world. Shannon wondered which as she stepped into his office, then she noted the monstrous Wolves standing on either side of his desk and she knew. The Alpha of the Macconwood Pack was powerful and cunning. He gave her his back to show he did not fear her, and yet he had a Guard more than ready to defend should the need arise.

Binder averted his gaze and tilted his head to the side, baring his throat as he placed his large hand on the small of Shannon’s back. She thought he was guiding her ahead of him, but the male sidestepped so his body was slightly in front of hers. Something all the Wolves in the room noted. He led Shannon to a seat and nodded for her to take it while remaining beside her, yet still slightly in front.

Had she paid more attention in her lessons about Shifters on the Earth realm Shannon might have understood more about his strange behavior, but as it stood, things were about as clear as mud. She waited for someone to speak, but it was a few long, drawn out minutes before the Alpha addressed her.

“Six months,” he growled.

“P-pardon?” she asked.

“You have been squatting on Pack territory for six months?—”

“Actually, it’s more like nine. You see, it took us a while to set up, and all,” she corrected, cursing herself for her bloody obsessive need to be right.

“Irrelevant,” Binder spoke up.

“What was that?” Rafe Maccon, Alpha of the Macconwood Pack, asked Binder eyebrows raised.

“If we were unaware of their inhabiting our land, then it is irrelevant to this discussion, Alpha.”

“Is that so? Well then, why don’t you tell all of us what your interpretation of Supernatural Law and what the Shifter Council’s doctrines would mandate we do in this instance?”

Binder nodded, took a moment to collect his thoughts, then he started speaking. He explained before Shannon could who she was, who her father was, and what went down as far as he understood it. She had to hand it to the lawyer, he listened with a very astute ear. Quick minded and with a silver tongue, he told his Alpha everything, and yet, Shannon could not help but feel as though he were protecting her for some reason.

Odd. Very odd.