Crescent (Tribes, Book 1) [completed]

Chapter 16

Conner lasted five minutes before his anger got the better of him. Liana was purposely shutting him out. She forgot about his superior hearing. He could tell she hadn't moved after she entered that room, which meant she was thinking. If there was one thing he discovered over the last day and a half, it was that letting Liana think by herself spelled danger.

He crossed to the door and pounded a fist against it. No way was he letting her get away with this insubordination. Not while she was in his house. "Liana, open this door."

"Absolutely not." From the sound of it, his anger only raised her ire.

Conner tried to take a calming breath, but the woman was infuriating. "Liana, get your pretty little rear end out here this instant."

"You'll just kiss me again and get me all confused. I know what I want when you don't touch me."

"Cupcake..." At least he knew she was just as affected by touch as he was. Not that he doubted. Especially after the little tremors he felt when he stroked her hair earlier. "What do you want?"

The door opened a crack, just enough for Liana to peer out at him. "I want to see Brielle."

"I can't do that." Conner sighed, wishing he could do what his mate wanted most. He didn't like saying no to her.

Liana narrowed her gaze, a dangerous look in those baby blues. "Why not?"

"You know as well as I do that no unmated female is allowed into the reservation without direct orders from the WDA or a strong wolf to protect her."

"Then have one of your friends bring her."

"I can't do that either."

"Why not?" Liana's cry of outrage held a note of immense sadness. Her eyes filled with tears, and dang it if it didn't tug at Conner's heartstrings.

Conner reached for her. He only stopped when she moved to close the door again. 

"Liana," he sighed. "My friends, the ones who brought you here... they were a goodwill commission from the other tribes. My father won't welcome either of them here. He harbors too many ill feelings toward the Rille and the Bloodmoon."

"Can't he make an exception? I just want to see my friend. She helps me think clearly." Liana's innocent, wide-eyed look nearly did him in.

Conner resisted the urge to draw her into his arms and promise her the world. "I can't make promises, Liana. But I can see what I can do to get her here. It may take a few days."

"I don't want to wait a few days." Liana slammed the door. The lock snicked into place.

Conner growled at his own inability to use the word no. Liana was feisty and, apparently, manipulative. She backed him into a corner without a way of escape and expected him to do her bidding. Well, he wouldn't. Or so he told himself.

Another part of him, much deeper and angrier, knew she wouldn't let him near until she saw this friend of hers. Which meant he'd be making a few calls. Starting with one to the bakery Liana used to work at.

He left a long, detailed message to have whoever this Brielle person was call him back. Apparently the bakery wasn't open this early in the morning.

His next call was to his fellow alpha, Preston. He lived close enough to do him a favor, if he could convince him.

Preston answered quickly. "Conner?"

"Preston." Conner blew out a breath. "I know it's unconventional, but my mate has locked herself in our room and refuses to come out until I bring her a friend from work. I need your help."

"Break the door?" Preston quipped.

"I don't want to risk alienating her. She's hardly let me touch her and my wolf is itching to get closer. Breaking down the door like a caveman would only push her away." Conner scrubbed a hand through his hair. "I need you to bring the woman to the Res. I can have someone pick her up at the gates, but we're on lockdown. No one leaves."

"You're bringing in a human woman while the Res is in lockdown?" Preston suddenly sounded alert and concerned. "What if your father doesn't let her leave, either?"

"He will. He's not a huge fan of Liana, let alone any of her friends. She'll have a guard while she's here and I'll deliver her back to you safely so you can take her home."

Preston sighed. "It'll take some convincing. You know we're headed into the festival season. Father has no tolerance for distractions."

"Call it a goodwill trip. Or an olive branch." Conner groaned and dropped onto a stool. "Heck, call it anything you want just as long as you get that woman over here before my wolf and I have a mental breakdown!" He hung up before Preston could spear him with any more questions.

His third call instead turned into a short text. Only two words. Come here.

Five minutes later, a knock sounded at Conner's front door. Conner flung the door open to face one of his father's favorite wolves. A young man by the name of Dolan. He always seemed a bit off to Conner, but he'd proven himself capable in a fight.

"Preston is bringing a human to the gates. Bring her to me and don't let anything happen to her." Conner slammed the door again.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. How dare Liana manipulate him like this? It would be the last time. Next time, he would make her talk to him. Make her face her reality and the fact that whether she liked it or not, she belonged to him.

Right now, he just wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible. He could smell her, could smell how the Moonflowers scented her hair. He needed to see her. To be close to her. Instead, he was stuck out here until he worked out her ridiculous commands. Conner folded his arms and growled low in the back of his throat.

There was supposed to be another ceremony tonight. It would be moved indoors after last night's attack, but he wouldn't let them cancel it. Two nights of feasting, and then the private ceremonies began. His slow wooing of the woman on the other side of that door.

Our mate.

Conner grinned a tthe soft, possessive growl from his inner wolf. Their mate. The one who would accept them in both forms and satisfy their insatiable desire for flesh. He needed her to open to him, to accept the romance and fall into his arms.

He might die if she never turned her heart toward his.