Rhyker's Key: Orion's Order, #2

1

W HY DO YOU THINK that’s the case, Tom? Keena asked in a gentle and calm voice.

Tom’s dark brown eyes shifted to something over her left shoulder. He was probably looking at the geometric abstract art piece made up of different shades of gray again. Keena simply waited.

It was just how she looked at me. Tom’s eyes only focused on hers for a split second before they were glued back on the geometric art.

And how did she look at you? Keena probed again in a soft voice.

Like as if I didn’t exist.

And how would it have felt if she did look at you as if you did exist?

Tom’s blue jeans worn out at the knees and clean white T-shirt were soundless as he fidgeted in his seat a little. I— He cleared his throat. I would have felt scared.

Keena felt Tom’s fear but it wasn’t into unproductive or dangerous territory, so there was no need for her to intervene. Instead, she asked, What could have been one thing that might have helped you move toward your goal of complimenting this female when you felt scared?

Tom’s eyes were back on the art piece over her shoulder. Keena felt Tom’s fear subside somewhat as he was more focused on something other than the fear itself.

Getting curious. He answered after a moment.

And what would getting curious look like?

I could… I could focus on something specific about her.

What could you have focused on about her?

The pastry she was eating? he asked, slightly unsure.

So, by getting curious and focusing on something specific about her—the pastry she was eating for example, then that could’ve been one thing that might have helped you move toward your goal of complimenting her. Do I understand that right?

A faint line appeared in his russet skin between his dark brows as he considered what she said. Somehow after hearing it out loud, in those words, he understood. It seemed so simple and obvious to him. Yes. He spoke confidently.

So, let’s say you’re focusing on the pastry. What could be one possible next step?

There was a pregnant pause.

I could ask her where she got the pastry?

And if you did ask her where she got the pastry, and let’s say she answered, then what might be one thing that would bring you closer toward your goal of complimenting her?

I could… Well, I could compliment her, he said as if it was an easy and natural next step in the hypothetical conversation.

And how would you compliment her?

He was back to staring over her shoulder and he ran his hand through his short, dark brown hair. She felt a slight rise in his anxiety at the question. No doubt it was because he was imagining himself back in front of the female and playing this scenario out in his head. But, again, the anxiety she felt wasn’t overwhelming and she did not need to step in.

I could say she has lovely eyes.

And do you feel that would accomplish your goal?

Yes. He smiled realizing how simple it all was when it was broken out in this way. Thank you, Dr. Oliver. He looked into her eyes with gratitude. That was… Thank you.

Tom now preferred to call her Dr. Oliver even though she had a rather relaxed style to her healing sessions and most of her patients called her by her first name. She knew that it helped him to address her as Dr. Oliver because of his recent development of social anxiety with females. She had been working with Tom before this, so he did not feel the anxiety with her. But rather, his anxiety was more with the prospect of potentially dating a new female.

You’re welcome, Tom. But that was all you. Such great progress.

His smile widened. Thank you. And I’m going to try this before our next session.

She returned his smile like a proud mama bear. I look forward to hearing how it goes. She looked at the clock on the wall. They were out of time. Will I see you in class?

Of course. You know I wouldn’t miss it. Again, thank you, Dr. Oliver.

You’re very welcome, Tom. And I’ll see you in class in a bit.

Locking the door to her office after Tom left, Keena opened the door to the side room which she used as a mini closet and changing room. Her simple and small office was a part of Inner Serenity, the local and quaint species healing center. As she walked into the side room, she thought of Tom. Tom had been her patient for years and she had a soft spot in her heart for the male as she watched him rise above the difficult hand he was dealt. Well, she had a soft spot in her heart for a lot of her patients. It was just her nature being a mind and spirit healer. And, well, it also was how she chose to use her natural-born gifts and abilities.

Since a mind healer’s specialties were with the internal workings of the mind, including emotions, it was not uncommon for middle to lower class mind healers, who couldn’t afford the extensive healer training, to become bartenders—successful and often highly sought after bartenders at that, because of their ability to spike drinks with emotions. But no. Keena’s parents sacrificed so much to help pay for her healer trainings. Since she was gifted with strong abilities for both mind and spirit, it was like putting two young through specialized medical school at the same time. And it was their sacrifices that ultimately resulted in Keena now being alone in the world. So, she built her entire practice to be of service to others who experienced tragic and traumatic events. It was an ode to her parents. It was an ode to her younger self. It was an ode to the vow she made on that terrible day to help others who were going through what she went through. Every time she walked over the threshold into her sacred office space or whenever she helped a patient, it was one more loving gold flower placed at the altar to that vow she made so long ago.

She stripped out of her jeans and replaced them with her high-waisted, black yoga pants. Instead of changing out of her white T-shirt, she simply knotted it at the waist and then threw her long, wavy, golden copper hair in a messy bun where a few strands escaped. She really embraced her whole Namaste meets sweet girl-next-door vibe and didn’t fuss with a lot of makeup or fancy clothes. She did a quick check in the mirror—the very mirror she had to purchase extra tall for her 5’10," long and lean frame. Her emerald green eyes, which popped against her alabaster skin, landed on the golden, upside-down crescent moon necklace that rested on her upper chest.

The crescent moon was a little thicker than it was when she originally bought it. And it wasn’t because the necklace changed with the phases of the moon—although, that certainly did exist in the species world. Keena liked the crescent moon in stasis because every time she looked at it, it was as if the moon was smiling at her. But the crescent moon’s smile was now wider because it was recently upgraded and secretly fully loaded with a SEW, or small electrical weapon. The SEW was invented by none other than Deacon, the computer genius steorrian and brother of everything but blood to Orion’s Order, a rowdy and unconventional pack of five hot-blooded males.

After the terrifying incident between Caly and James Barker, AKA The Ghost, during this past winter, Orion’s Order and Riordan Knight would not accept anything less than both Aleia and Keena wearing a hidden SEW at all times, just as Caly did. Okay, so she wasn’t a part of The Order or anything but she was very close friends with both Aleia, Riordan’s healer, and Caly, who was now mated to Blake Stone, the alpha wolf shifter and leader of Orion’s Order, AKA the lethally skilled hunters that most often took on the VIP cases for SILE, Species Intelligence and Law Enforcement.

Caly and Blake recently had their mating ceremony at the fortress, a term Caly used to refer to the castle that the pack now called home. It was a small ceremony consisting mainly of the crew: The Order along with Riordan, Aleia, and Keena. The only others present at the mating ceremony were the castellans bonded to the Knight bloodline and Alexina, the ancient steorrian that Blake had developed a special relationship with after his parents passed away in a tragic fire.

At the ceremony, Keena spent a considerable amount of time with one of the five males, Rhyker. Nothing happened, of course, because of the vow they made together at the Gallagher gathering, To playing in the moment. Sure, she was incredibly attracted to this male and oftentimes found herself feeling like a schoolgirl with a major crush, reminiscing about their sexy kiss stolen in a dark corner the first time they met. But she wasn’t in a place to start a new relationship, no matter how bad she wanted to. She was still healing from her previous relationship that had gone so terribly wrong.

After a few years, she had found the strength and courage to break up with Liam Carter, her ex, because the relationship turned toxic on many levels and she knew she couldn’t save it or, rather, save him. Nor was it her responsibility to. That was a very hard lesson for her firsthand, especially as a mind and spirit healer. Then, out of the blue, Liam sent her a handwritten letter and a single yellow rose. In the letter, he said he was seeing a mind healer, which was something she practically begged for him to do at the end of their relationship. He owned up to his faults and said that he never meant to hurt her. He knew he messed up and he didn’t expect her to forgive him. But he wanted her to know that he was sorry and that he would always regret how he treated her towards the end. He said he would always love her and that she would forever be the one that got away. He didn’t ask for her forgiveness, a response, or even to get back together. It was simply him trying to make amends and bring closure to a terrible ending of what was a fairy-tale beginning.

One week after receiving the letter, she reached out to Liam. They started talking just as friends but their feelings for one another were so deep and strong that it quickly transitioned into dating once more. Yeah, even though it was hard to admit, a part of her may have still loved Liam. And their second time around was going so well… until it wasn’t. It was just like it was in the beginning when they first met. Actually, it was even better than she could ever have imagined. She saw and witnessed the changes in him. But she only realized too late just how much of a mistake it was getting back together with him, especially when she barely had the strength to leave the first time. One night, their relationship took a sudden sharp turn and she found herself on a familiar dark street on memory lane that she swore she would never go down ever again. Yet, there she stood... physically and emotionally bruised.

She was late getting home that night because after her session with Caly, she found Aleia to express her concerns that she noticed in Caly. Caly was going through a really rough patch and they were all close to losing her to The Dark Side. Well, that conversation went on a lot longer than Keena expected and when she left, she saw that she had multiple missed calls and several texts from Liam demanding where she was. Even though she immediately explained and apologized profusely that not only did she keep her phone off during sessions but also that she was in a consult with Aleia, it didn’t matter. He accused her of lying and cheating on him. She had never seen that look in his eyes before, not even in the worst moments of their relationship.

Infuriated, he had lost his temper and crossed a line he never had before. He smacked her hard across her face and, being a fire elemental, left burn marks on her arms where he gripped her. Up until that point, the abuse she experienced was verbal and somehow she could always justify it and see his side of what she believed he was trying to express but she knew it just came out wrong.

She still was so ashamed and embarrassed and no one really truly knew what she went through. She also felt like a failure and a fraud. She was an intelligent female and an educated mind and spirit healer. So, she couldn’t understand how any of that had happened. How she claimed to help others when she single-handedly got herself into that abusive situation not once but twice. No one forced her to reach out to Liam. No one forced her to get back together with him. It was all her. She knew all the telltale signs and red flags. It was so classic, almost textbook, and yet, there she was healing from an abusive relationship.

Closing the door to that box of wounds, Keena’s mind shifted gears as she thought about something she often did… Rhyker. Naturally, because she couldn’t seem to stop thinking about that sexy bad boy. This time, her mind conjured up the memory with Rhyker as the two of them clinked their glasses together and made the friendly vow To playing in the moment. She remembered that moment clearly as if it just happened a few minutes ago. She remembered their conversation and she remembered drafting internal questions: Why couldn’t she play and have fun? Why couldn’t she keep things light? Why did it all have to be all serious and heavy? And who the hell said that healing after a bad relationship had to be a solitary journey? She wanted to spend time with Rhyker and so she had. And, to his credit, he had kept his word and honored and respected the boundaries she set.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about tasting your lips again. But why don’t we take the pressure off and just play in the moment?

That was what Rhyker proposed and so that was what they had been doing. The crew all hung out a lot at the fortress and she usually joined them after her sessions with Caly a few times a week. So, yeah, they had been spending a lot of time together but it was always in a group setting—never one-on-one. And, other than that first time they met with the hottest kiss of her life, they had not crossed the friendship line drawn in the sand. Although, the line didn’t really matter because everyone knew that they both had their eyes on each other. Especially since his gorgeous, piercing blue feline eyes practically devoured her in a single glance. He was a predator prowling and watching his prey, just waiting to pounce. She knew the moment they both hung out together alone that the line would no longer exist because their magnetic attraction for each other was palpable and their chemistry was off the charts, confirmed by that first kiss, of course.

Keena walked into the slightly heated yoga room and froze. In the back right corner of the room, she saw Rhyker. It was as if she manifested him into existence from her all-consuming thoughts of that sexy male. Either her fantasies of him took an unexpected turn or he was actually there on one of the spare studio yoga mats. The mat looked absolutely ridiculous in comparison to his giant, almost seven-foot-tall, big body of sigh-worthy cut muscle. God, just one look at the male had her body reacting in a very feminine way.

Together. She needed to pull herself together from being a melting pool of desire on the wooden floor. She pumped the brakes on her hormones and recovered quickly. But it didn’t matter. She knew he caught her reaction from his satisfied and smug feline expression. And, holy healer hell, that sexy smirk of his almost had her as the melted pool once more. His gorgeous blue eyes met hers for a split second before he proceeded to lay down on the mat and close his eyes as if he was leisurely taking a cat nap.

Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who noticed his presence, because, yup, every single female, and male for that matter, was subtly (not so subtly) gawking at him. Her lips twitched when she saw a few of the females adjust their hair and bra to perk up their attributes a little. Swallowing, she tried to get back with the program.

Turn down the lights. Put on the pre-class playlist. Diffuse the blended floral scent of relaxation. Turn up the heat. Although, that male seemed to have accomplished that purely with his presence, Keena thought, giving her mind simple commands to not make it seem so obvious how much he affected her. Her eyes flicked to the time on her phone. Okay, I have fifteen minutes to dunk my head in cold water and prepare for class. You know, because you have to teach right now. If that thought didn’t knock some sense into her all of a sudden...

Being a strong healer of both the mind and spirit, her training and background was extensive and included things like psychology, counseling, psychotherapy, and various components of spirit medicine. Basically, anything to do with the mind and spirit, she soaked it up like the curious sponge she was. The healing world of species was vastly different from the healing world of humans in many respects, one being that it was well known and accepted that healing was an integrative and holistic approach of the mind, body, and spirit. Even though Keena was a spirit and mind healer, she was also naturally passionate about the third part of that healing triad: the physical body. That was why she incorporated mindful movement, such as yoga and dance, into her personal and professional practice. It was also why her style was a bit unique because she not only had an integrative and comprehensive mind, spirit, and body approach but also, she was humble and down to Earth.

Humans originally adopted yoga from species, specifically spirit healers. Because yoga originally wasn’t a physical practice. In fact, it was a very conscious practice of the spirit. Spirit healers considered it a practice to connect with the magic of life and heal from the core of the soul. The physical practice of yoga didn’t become a component until later on when it became clear that the mind, body, and spirit were all connected and couldn’t be treated as anything else.

Before walking back into the yoga room, she took a deep, centering breath. On her exhale, she set her feelings for Rhyker aside. Right now, she was Keena, the mind and spirit healer leading the class. With that, she walked in. She slowly phased out the song that was playing and put on the playlist for the class.

Hello, my name is Keena and I’m honored to guide you through your practice today, she began in her yoga teacher voice which was slow and soothing. Remember, that I’m just a guide and this practice is for you. Honor your unique body and mold each pose to best suit your body and your practice. We’ll begin in Child’s Pose. Bring your knees wide apart. Encourage your big toes towards one another. Outstretch your arms in front of you. Rest your forehead on the mat or a block. Good. Take a deep breath in. Allow your belly to sink towards the Earth. Audible open-mouth exhale out. Nice breath everyone. Again. Deep breath in. And open-mouth exhale out like you’re fogging up a mirror. One more time. Deep breath in. And this time, on your exhale, seal your lips and engage your oceanic breath as it sounds like the waves of the ocean. Allow this breath to lull your mind, body, and spirit throughout your practice today.

She paused briefly, allowing her students to sink into the space further.

Focus on the four corners of your mat. Know that anything beyond that sacred space does not exist. Yoga is a personal practice to heal from our core, from our soul. It is a practice to acknowledge the challenges we experience and feel. It is an opportunity for us to practice how we move through them. So, for the next hour, I encourage you to close your eyes as much as possible to focus inward. To focus on your intention for being on your mat today. On your next inhale, call in that intention. Why are you here?

As the students silently called in their intentions, she energetically carved out their own individual sacred space around each of their mats. This was for support and encouragement for them to connect with their spirit as they moved throughout their practice. She also opened her mind-healing abilities and sent out a touch of relaxation into the space to ease any physical or emotional tension. With her senses now open, she would also be able to help guide students through any challenging emotions that arose. Emotions could get stuck in the energetic body and Keena’s ability allowed her to help a student let go of the emotions and heal from their core wounds.

Keena spared a glance at Rhyker and internally smiled. She knew, no matter who you were, it took a level of courage and vulnerability to walk into a yoga class by yourself, especially at a new studio you’ve never been to before. Let alone that being your first ever yoga class. She knew this was his first class too because he told her he’d never done yoga before. And, yet, he casually sauntered into her class and was in his version of Child’s Pose. Of course, there was no right or wrong way to do any of the poses; everyone was unique and each pose was unique to them. But she did secretly admit to herself that he looked extra cute with his butt up in the air. His body and muscles were so large that there was absolutely no way his butt would get any closer than the couple of feet off the ground it currently was. And throw out the fact that it would be impossible for his toes to touch. And he owned it. She could feel his easy confidence and comfort in his own body. And that was so hot.

Well then, Rhyker thought a bit surprised. He felt waves of relaxation, and what he presumed was some sort of spirit-healing thing. He knew that Caly raved about Keena’s classes and was even trying to get the males to join in with her. Fat chance that was going to happen. Yet, here he was at yoga class. If this was the only way he could be with Keena without everyone else in their crew watching them like they were their personal daytime soap opera, then so be it. His ass would be at yoga once a week.

He knew this was a big surprise to Keena and an even bigger step for them. He had been respecting the boundaries she set and plenty of time had passed. The only thing that changed was that he was more interested in her than ever. This female fascinated him. She was not only beautiful but also intelligent. And he knew she was interested in him as well. So, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to play a bit more and test the waters so to speak. Besides, he liked playing with her and had so many fun games in mind for them both. But he also knew why she set those boundaries. He knew she was really hurt by her last relationship. He didn’t know any specifics because she never spoke about them but he could scent the change in her emotions whenever it was brought up, including the doubt in herself. He wanted to find whoever the male was who hurt her and made her feel anything less than the strong and smart female she was and have words with him.

On your next inhale, call in that intention. Why are you here? Keena guided the class in a voice that had his other half practically purring.

If she only knew why I was here, he thought with an inward feline grin. Because he was here for a specific reason and it was not just to take her yoga class.

2

G REAT CLASS, KEENA! A female called out over her shoulder as she walked out.

Amazing! Thank you! another female followed up.

Thank you, Keena, a male said.

It was Tom. He was just shy of six feet with dark brown hair and shy eyes. He looked like he could have been a brother to one of the Native American wolf shifters in Twilight—just a more introverted and timid brother… with the testosterone dial turned way down. Keena noted that Tom dared a quick look at the massive male towering over everyone.

At one glance, everyone knew the massive male, AKA Rhyker, was a predatory shifter with a large animal because they were notoriously tall—it was just how they were built. Rhyker stood back a couple of feet behind Keena and she could practically feel the intensity of his piercing blue eyes fixed on her.

She saw Tom swallow and felt a hint of fear. Because her mind-healing abilities were on the stronger side of the scale, she was able to pick up on hints of emotions without completely turning on her ability. For some healers, their abilities were not strong enough to pick up on emotions or bodily injuries without being in a healer session and fully opening up their abilities. That was not the case for Keena. So, picking up on subtle hints of emotions was as natural to her as breathing.

In conversation, she once explained, "Everyone breathes and we are all constantly smelling things in the air, literally all of the time, whether we are conscious of it or not. Sometimes when the scent is strong, you immediately notice, like an aromatic perfume or a delicious-smelling meal. But sometimes it’s not as obvious unless you specifically close your eyes and consciously focus on what you’re smelling."

For Keena, it was just as if her dial to pick up on emotions was a touch more sensitive. It was similar to the naturally-heightened senses of the shifters and vampires—they weren’t trying to pry or cross an ethical line by eavesdropping, they simply couldn’t help it. It was just who they were.

She internally closed her eyes and knew that Rhyker’s presence was extremely intimidating to Tom and no doubt just highlighted his social anxiety around females. Especially because of the fact that all of the females were still attempting to get Rhyker’s attention, which meant, just as Tom said earlier in their session, the females were looking at him as if he didn’t exist.

You’re welcome, Tom. See you next week. Keena smiled and she wanted to send Tom off with a little extra boost of confidence while at the same time easing his fear. Except, that would be completely unethical and against the healer’s oath she took upon completion of her healer training. She would never use her ability and manipulate someone’s emotions without their consent. During yoga class or patient sessions, she clearly outlined the context for which she would use her abilities. So, everyone knew what they were walking into when they stepped foot into her office or onto the yoga mat. But it would be completely inappropriate for her to use her abilities on Tom right now without his knowledge or consent, no matter how good and pure her intentions. Especially because it was possible that if she did ease his fear and send him a boost of confidence that it might actually hinder his progress. It would be far more beneficial for him to work through his emotions in a healthy way instead of putting a proverbial Band-Aid over them. Because at that point, she might as well be a walking pharmacy dispensing emotional doses so her patients didn’t have to deal with their emotions.

As Rhyker waited for everyone to leave—and, Jesus, some of them were extra chatty, he thought about the class. It was nothing like he expected. And, yeah, he was sweating balls during it. Some of the poses they had to hold still for several breaths. And why were the breaths like several seconds each? His original plan was to watch this beautiful female when she was in her element and did what he knew she was so passionate about. And he did watch her. But he also found himself mysteriously getting sucked into some sort of vortex repeatedly where he forgot he was watching her and became so involved in the moment of the pose. Before he knew it, the class was over. It was all very curious.

Finally, the bell on the door chimed, signifying that the last student had left the studio. It was now just them.

Keena slowly turned around and looked at Rhyker with a curious smile. His black basketball shorts and black, muscle T clung close to his big body with sweat. He lit up a hand-rolled and the detailed tattoos weaving up his right arm and teasing above the neckline of his shirt, flexed with the motion. He was the ultimate bad boy with his strong jaw, light skin, black, diamond-stud earrings, obsidian hair, and piercing, electric blue eyes. And she knew his hair matched the silky midnight fur of his jaguar form too. Although, she had never seen him in animal form. And holy hell, she found it so hot when he lit up a smoke.

Rhyker smoked indigo, a plant with blue flowers that was said to have evolved from the tobacco plant species after The Barrier was put in place. The Barrier was a magical barrier that separated the human world from the world of species. Legend says, it was created as a final solution to bring peace to the world and end the ancient territorial world war where humans turned on the other species out of fear.

The indigo plant only grew on the magical side of The Barrier. Species were more relaxed about smoking than humans because they were not susceptible to the negative side effects of smoking, like cancer. And, yes, this also meant that it wasn’t unusual to smoke indoors.

Humans would seriously be freaking out about the indoor smoking situation of species, Caly said once when they were out at Spiked, the species bar. "I mean, we probably would have a straight-up riot on our hands and the Surgeon General breathing down our backs—probably with an oxygen mask, of course. And thank God indie is nothing like human tobacco. I mean, that stuff smells like complete shit and it’s no wonder with all of the chemical crap they stuff into it. Not to mention the second-hand smoke would have my lungs coughing in protest. But, yeah, indie smells nice. It has just a hint of something floral, like incense. And the smoke isn’t heavy or anything at all. It’s so light and dissipates quickly."

How are you feeling? Keena teased with a smile as she watched Rhyker blow out a puff of blue-gray smoke. The pleasant aroma of the smoke wafted over to her and teased her senses.

Relaxed, he said with a lazy smirk.

Rhyker, why are you here? she asked with a playfully curious smile.

Because I wanted to take your class, he drawled and she laughed. He liked it when she laughed.

Seriously. Not that you’re not welcome because you are. Although, you certainly were distracting to some of the females… and males, she quipped.

Was I distracting to you? His lazy feline grin was full of amusement.

Of course not, she teased sarcastically.

Good. Because I plan on coming back next week. Smoke poured out of his mouth like a dragon as he spoke. When he saw her eyebrows quirk up in surprise, he added, Do you think I should get a bigger mat? And his grin widened.

She laughed, remembering how the mat almost looked like an elongated hand towel underneath his massive body. Perhaps we should find one that’s a little bigger, she managed to say in between her laughs.

Wanna get some ice cream? He casually slipped in the invitation but both he and his wild cat were anything but casual as he sharpened his senses and focused on her.

Being a black jaguar shifter, he not only had shifter strength and speed but he also had heightened senses of smell, hearing, and eyesight. In fact, his hearing far exceeded the standards for shifters. So, he definitely noticed her breath catch in surprise as she bit her lower lip. He knew this female well enough now to know that she, no doubt, had a million thoughts racing through her mind. So, he waited and watched with fixed focus.

Go get ice cream? Keena thought. As in, just us two getting ice cream together? As in us hanging out alone for the first time? As in... a date? Would this be a date? He didn’t say it was a date but it certainly seems like it would be a date. She thought about the friendship line drawn in the sand between them. Dare I cross the line? She knew once she crossed the threshold, things would forever be changed—for better or for worse.

Friends or not, she knew she was already too emotionally invested in this male. It was how her heart sped up whenever he walked into the room. Or how she fussed with her hair or clothes in the mirror, knowing she was about to hang out with their crew and that he would be there. Or how she still fantasized about their one and only, hot as hell, kiss. Okay, well, it was technically two, mind-blowing kisses but they were only moments apart, so she kind of lumped it into one. So, yeah, despite her trying to keep him at a friendly distance, she was already way too emotionally invested in this male.

On top of that, she was not the type of female who could do one night stands, unlike her friend, Aleia, who appeared to be the master at that. She didn’t understand how Aleia even did that. Sex to her was intimate on so many levels. To her, it was an impossibility to just have casual sex with no strings attached. And, yeah, Keena knew that if she crossed the line in the sand, she would inevitably have sex with this male.

And she also knew that if it didn’t work out between them, things would get really awkward and would change the dynamic of the tight-knit group, which had become her friends too. Since she was the newest member of the crew, she knew it would be the right thing for her to be the one to leave and keep a respectable distance. She would just have to hang out with Caly and Aleia separately. She knew that in the chance that things didn’t work out, she wouldn’t be able to be in the same room as this male once the line was crossed. No way.

But what if it did work? Okay. What would that even mean? What is wrong with me? Is there a dial so I can turn down the crazy train of thoughts? Sometimes she swore all of those mind-healing degrees backfired in the form of being an over thinker and overanalyzing everything. Stop. Do you want to get ice cream with him? Yes. Then what’s stopping you?

She blew out a breath because it was fear. Fear that this wouldn’t work out and she would lose her friends, including her friendship with Rhyker. And fear that she couldn’t trust her own self after Liam. Even though she knew with every cell in her body, Rhyker was nothing like Liam. In fact, Rhyker was a good, honorable, and trustworthy male who would never intentionally hurt a female. But if it didn’t work out then she would inevitably be hurt, not by his intentions but simply because she would have put her heart on the line without it panning out.

Are you really going to let the fear of the what-if and the unknown dictate your life? If you don’t do this and let’s say a decade or two passes, how would you feel? Regret, she thought, her heart sinking at the thought of missing an opportunity because the overanalyze express train simply missed the stop. Then, an image of him going out with another female popped into her mind. No. She wouldn’t let that happen. So, she decided to cross the line in the sand.

Yes, I would love to get ice cream with you, she said with a smile.

She said yes. Say something, Rhyker thought, quickly getting into gear. He was almost preparing for her to say no. But she said yes. Both he and his jaguar were very pleased. The hunt had just become more interesting.

Have you been to that new place, Swirlberry? he asked, keeping his reaction cool and casual. He already checked ahead of time and knew that place had her favorite flavor. Yeah, this was his plan all along. The timeline had just sped up a bit, that’s all. But, hey, he wasn’t complaining about that.

Actually, I haven’t yet. But I’ve been wanting to try it. I’ve heard it’s really good.

Cool. Do you wanna change or anything?

No, I’m good. I’ll just go grab my purse from my office real quick.

No need. It’s my treat. He gave her a smile that was deceptively lazy but because she knew this male, she noticed that look in his eyes that said he wasn’t budging on that.

Okay. So, yeah. This is a date. Why else would he make it clear he was paying? Thanks. She smiled and switched subjects. So, seriously. What did you think?

He held the door open for her. Well, I’m coming back next week, aren’t I?

True enough. Caly may be jealous that you came to class without her.

He chuckled. She had training with Rhy today. Besides, she already has class with you a few times a week.

Little did Keena know, he intentionally planned this little outing exactly when Caly had self-defense training with Rhyland. Because he wanted this to be just him and Keena without any peanut gallery. And, yeah, if he knew his identical twin brother at all, Rhyland would be all too eager to pounce at the chance to watch him make a fool of himself in yoga class, all for a female. And his brother would definitely have plenty of words about that because this actually was his joking idea after all.

Hey, I have an idea. Maybe you should take one of her yoga classes so you have an excuse to ogle her for an hour. In fact, I would pay money to see that.

Yeah. He didn’t plan on letting anyone know about this. Ever.

Walking out of Inner Serenity, Keena took a deep breath and soaked up the early afternoon sun. Even though they technically just transitioned into fall, it was as if the summer sun decided for a warming encore before succumbing to its inevitable winter slumber. Keena’s eyes fell on the large forest park across the street, Rutherford Falls.

The species world was extremely mindful of protecting the natural world and habitats as much as possible. They respected the world they lived in and because some subspecies abilities were so attuned to the Earth and nature, they understood the delicate balance of nature very well. They also understood that these places were home to so many different subspecies and creatures that sustained the natural balance of life. So, protecting the environment was just the way of species. This is also why there was always a lot of nature around wherever one was.

Beautiful, huh? Rhyker asked when he noticed her looking at the leaves that had begun their transformation to deep golds, scarlets, and purples, as if they were brush-stroked with watercolors. He may have also been secretly referring to the beautiful female by his side. Although, he kept that part to himself... for now. He didn’t want to scare her off when they were only a couple of steps into their first date.

She nodded. Caly tells me that LA, and so much of the human world, has been bulldozed and replaced with concrete and metal. It’s such a shame and I can’t even imagine. She had never been on the other side of The Barrier. Of course, she could go if she wanted but she never really felt called. Plus, the risk of being caught by humans was too great and not worth the mini-exploration.

Yeah. It really is a whole other world on the other side. He shook his head in sad disapproval because he had seen the concrete jungle that the humans had created on the other side of The Barrier. It made the wild cat in him want to claw some of those humans to knock some sense into them. It’s nice out. Do you wanna get the ice cream to go and walk through the park?

Yeah. That sounds really nice.

He opened the door to Swirlberry and they walked inside. It was a charming, little, mom-and-pop ice cream shop. There were a few others in line so Keena had time to look around. It was bright, clean, and simple with the vivid colors of various ice cream flavors on display.

She noticed a couple of females sitting down in one of the booths, perk up, whisper to themselves with smiles, and then giggle while looking at Rhyker. Yeah, Keena knew what that was all about because she practically had the same reaction to him too.

On the wall behind the display case, the shop’s name, Swirlberry, was in a fun and inviting, flowy font of pastel pinks, purples, and blues. Swirlberry was an actual berry that grew on a plant exclusive to the species side of The Barrier. The berry itself was similar to a blueberry in size, shape, and texture but they grew like grapes in a bunch. And, as both the berry and the ice cream shop’s name alluded to, their color was what made them unique. The sweet and juicy berries were a swirl of varying pastel shades of light pinks, purples, and blues. It always made pastries and deserts look like they were full of fun and happy promises. And best of all, thanks to their vivid variety of colors, they were considered a nutritious superfood. It was just one of Mother Nature’s gifts.

On the wall to the left, Keena saw a single picture. It was of a male and female couple in front of the shop, smiling wide, with a bold sign displaying the grand opening. Keena took a step closer and glanced at the short text under the picture. She was pleased to read that this shop was locally owned and run by a young castellan couple, Penny and Rowan.

Castellans were a subspecies and were true caretakers to their very core. They often bonded with a prominent family to form a mutually beneficial relationship of not only love and loyalty but also, the castellans were provided for on other levels, including financially. They were truly happy when being of service for their family or others. When they were bonded with a family, it translated to caring for and maintaining their homefront with things like cooking, cleaning, and house repairs. And their abilities complemented this with things like strength and speed—but not nearly as much as vampires or shifters had. When they didn’t choose to bond with a family, they often owned restaurants or worked with buildings in some manner because they had a knack with cooking chemistry and architecture. In fact, castellans considered those to be a sacred art and science.

Keena refocused back behind the counter and now recognized that both Penny and Rowan were working. She caught their quick, smiling glance to one another and felt their loving affection pulse off of them as if it was a part of their beating hearts. Keena smiled and had to blink back tears because it reminded her of her parents.

Rhyker picked up on a subtle shift in Keena’s scent. But almost as soon as it was there, it was gone. He gave her an appraising look but before he could question it, his thoughts were cut off.

What can I get you both? Penny asked with a cheerful smile.

Neither of them knew. Keena was so caught up with taking in the shop and then blinking back her emotions, she didn’t even get to thinking about what she was going to order. And Rhyker was originally amused with her curiosity of the shop, only to be distracted with his attempt to decipher what that faintest scent of hers was before it was gone a heartbeat later.

Can I try the— he just said the first flavor that he saw. Coffee Toffee Nut Crunch?

Coffee Toffee Nut Crunch? What in the actual fuck? he thought, but tried to play it off all cool. Because hey, he liked all of those things separately so why not mix it all together?

Of course, Penny said with a bright smile. She scooped a little spoonful and handed it to him. Here you go.

He shoved it into his mouth and—hey, what do you know? It actually was pretty damn good. He may even get a scoop of it.

Did you see they have Dark Ambrosia? Rhyker casually slipped that suggestion in because he knew that was Keena’s favorite flavor. It was a dark and rich, velvety chocolate with swirls of salted caramel and chunks of chocolate fudge.

Keena’s eyes lit up. I didn’t. Oh, I’m so getting some of that. But then her gaze fell on the Full Moon flavor. She bit her bottom lip, clearly torn between the two. The marbled white and light gray was another species flavor she really liked.

He caught the dilemma in her expression. You know, you can have as many flavors as your heart desires, right? He winked and gave her a side smirk.

She laughed a little. I know. But I don’t think I’d be able to finish it all.

Female, you know you don’t have to worry about that with me around. It would bring me pleasure to lap up anything of yours, he drawled, letting the sensual double entendre speak for itself. And, yeah, he noticed the tint of blush on her cheeks, as well as her parted lips and quickened pulse.

The visual image of Rhyker’s tongue licking her and kissing her once more speared straight through her, right down to her most feminine of places.

Focus, Keena. She broke his eye contact to refocus on Penny, who was giving off the subtle hint of amusement at their playful banter, even though her outward smile was still perfectly cute and charming.

She cleared her throat. I’d like two scoops of Dark Ambrosia and Full Moon please.

Two scoops of each or just one of each? Penny clarified.

Oh, sorry. Keena laughed a little, trying to play it off but she knew that she needed to get the image of Rhyker’s mouth on hers out of her mind so she could place an ice cream order for heaven’s sake. Just one scoop each.

While Penny scooped up her order, she caught the satisfied smug expression on Rhyker’s face.

Here you go. Penny handed Keena a gigantic waffle cone with two equally large scoops.

Keena’s eyes widened. There was no way she was going to be able to finish that. Wow, that’s really big. She half-laughed with an exhale.

With shifter speed, Rhyker’s mouth was suddenly brushing the softshell of her ear. He teased with the barest whisper of breath, That’s what she said.

It had nothing to do with what he said but it was more of how he said it, how his breath teased her neck, and how his earthy, sexy, and masculine scent wafted around her. And holy hell, she could feel the sensual desire pulsing off of him. Her own body responded with her inner muscles clenching as slick liquid started to pool between her thighs. She knew this time, her blush was deep and she would’ve dropped the damn cone if Rhyker’s broad, and slightly calloused, hand didn’t cup hers and steady it.

A heartbeat later, and as if he didn’t just stir up a sensual storm, he casually put in his three-scooped order with that unassumingly lazy, feline tone of his. Keena didn’t even know what he ordered because all she was trying to do was recover from the haze. When her mind finally came back online, she realized he had already ordered and paid, and now, he was holding the door open for her. Okay. If that was her reaction to a little innocent flirting, then, yeah, she was way too far gone when it came to this male.

I’d like one scoop each of Snickering Surprise, I Keep It Vanilla, and Coffee Toffee Nut Crunch. Rhyker had to force himself to pull away from Keena and place his order. Yeah, so screw him. He decided to get the Coffee Toffee Nut Crunch.

Toppings? the female worker asked.

Oh, definitely. Can you mix double gummy bears into the vanilla scoop and then top the entire thing off with brownie bites? His eyes landed on the old fashioned Rolo candy. He didn’t even know those were even still in existence. And add the Rolos?

Absolutely, the female worker said with a perky smile and started preparing his order with quick, efficient hands.

He could smell the slightest scent of Keena’s arousal and heard her pulse quicken. Ever since that first night when he caught her intoxicating feminine scent amidst the sea of specians at Spiked, the species bar, and tasted her sweet soft lips, he could not stop thinking about her. Both he and his jaguar were fascinated with wild interest with everything about Keena. He had been thoroughly enjoying prowling from a friendly distance with a predatory watchful gaze on his gorgeous prey. The past several months had been a torturous game of tease and a sheer show of his self-restraint. Oh, he played with her plenty up until this point. But now it was time to paw her in a bit more of obvious ways. Especially because his control was starting to tread a thin line and his sexual frustration did nothing but make matters worse.

He was known in his pack for his faceless fuck routine and, before meeting Keena, he indulged in that often. In fact, he had been happily doing that for decades. Sex was just a physical release. It was a way to play and blow off some steam. He rarely fucked the same female twice, not only on principle but also because it got quickly complicated on the females part. He wasn’t a bastard about any of it either. In fact, it was cordial between him and the females afterward. He was one hundred percent upfront with every single female beforehand. They knew that it was just a quick, fun fuck and nothing else. And almost all of the females were on the same page, except there were a few who thought they’d be the exception. They weren’t, of course. Not by far. He knew his heart was permanently closed. He once was young and dumb. He had been there and done that and vowed that would never happen—ever again. But that didn’t mean that he couldn’t date Keena. And, yeah, there was the added complication of her friendship with not only him but also Caly and his pack. But he wouldn’t let that stop him from pursuing what had both his and his jaguar’s rapt attention.

While they walked through the park, he kept the banter playful and light. His plan was to slowly tease this female and dance along the edge of the friends-not-friends barrier that she had in place. It went without saying that he wouldn’t cross any lines without her consent. But who said he couldn’t have some fun while waiting for her to make the next big step? So, right now he was working on getting everything in place so that the bases were loaded and the baseball was resting on that tee, as if it were served up on a silver platter, just waiting for her to hit a home run.

Okay, I did my best work but I’m tappin’ out. She laughed a little as she held up the white flag, or in this case, the ice cream cone with less than a quarter of the Dark Ambrosia left on a partially eaten cone. At this point, it actually just looked like a mini ice cream cone of sorts.

You did good, female, he grunted in approval and meant it. The damn cones were huge. Of course, it was nothing that his bottomless pit of a stomach couldn’t handle. He took her sweet offering and with hooded eyes said, I’ll happily lick up the last of your ambrosia and savor every taste. With smoldering eye contact, his tongue licked the cone in the slowest ascent to only slightly suck at the top.

Her lips parted on a breathy exhale as the juncture between her thighs responded in the most feminine of ways. Suddenly, the memory of his mouth on hers slammed into her mind. The silky sensuality of his emotions rubbed up against her skin and it sent a shiver down her spine. She unknowingly licked her lips while staring deep into his piercing blue eyes. His deceptively lazy, feline smile was full of dark promises. A heartbeat later, he proceeded to walk down the path as if they did not just share the erotically electric moment.

Putty. Her legs were putty. And it was a miracle that she wasn’t a melted pool of the Dark Ambrosia on the park path right now. For a moment, all she could do was watch that wicked male saunter down the path in that easy-going way he had of moving his big body.

Walk. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot, she mentally commanded and—hey, what do you know? Her body seemed to be on board with following that male. It took her a few steps to catch up to his long, lazy strides and when she did, she looked over at him. He was already done with the mini cone and her eyes fell to the corner of his mouth.

Cute, she thought with curved lips, seeing that a smudge of chocolate ice cream had escaped and took up residence at the cross streets of his lips and chin. She could tell by that smug, satisfied expression on his face that he wasn’t even aware of the offending sweetness. She looked at the chocolate smudge again. Was the Universe being cruel or giving her a gift, wrapped in chocolate?

Are you really going to do this? She bit her lip because she already knew the answer. And screw it. She already passed the line. So, why hold back now? Hell, the line was so far behind her that she didn’t even see it anymore. She softly touched his strong arm and he looked at her in question, as if not expecting that.

Yeah, well, get in line, she thought, because she wasn’t even expecting it either. It took everything in her to not look at the smudge or let her lips betray her in a playful smile. She simply tugged on his arm with the nonverbal motion for him to lean down. And this time, his reaction was the one that had her in unexpected territory. She caught his lips twitch in amusement and, as he leaned down, it was clear he thought she was going to whisper in his ear. He probably thought it would be like when he whispered in her ear earlier at the ice cream shop.

Again, cute, she thought, as her slight fingers landed on his chin and gently guided his face towards her. Without pause, she slowly licked the chocolate smudge off of the corner of his mouth. Instantly, a fire ignited in his eyes and the smoldering desire between them crackled with intensity. She brushed her lips on his in a teasing motion.

The unexpected teasing torture of witnessing her lick her ice cream cone during their entire walk drove both Rhyker and his jaguar wild and had him on the knife-edge of his control. And when she slowly licked the corner of his mouth and kissed him just now? Yeah, well, that control snapped.

With shifter speed, he was in front of her and pressed her body into his as he kissed her soft lips. One of his hands gripped her waist and the other was at the crook of her neck with his fingers tangled in her hair. Their kiss quickly escalated into a hot and demanding territory. To his sensual satisfaction, she playfully nipped at his lower lip and he growled in approval before nipping at hers. He slightly tugged at the grip he had in her hair and tilted her head so he could deepen their kiss. Her lips parted for him and he slid his tongue inside. Their tongues were in the most sensual of duels. The moment he caught the scent of her arousal, he growled into the kiss.

Too soon. She pulled away from the kiss way too soon. Their chests were heaving and pupils were dilated with desire—his piercing blue eyes also held a slight glow of erotic promises. It took him a minute to remember where they were. Oh, yeah, they were in the middle of a public park. And, hey, it looked like their teenage, lip-lock sesh caught some attention of a few onlookers. His chuckle was low even for his already naturally deep vocal range.

What? she asked with notes of breathy curiosity, wondering why he was chuckling.

He indicated with his eyes and a slight nod of his head toward a couple of the onlookers.

She chortled. I see.

I don’t mind voyeurs if you don’t. His voice was rough as he waggled his brows.

I prefer intimate privacy, she replied in a husky tone.

Hold on to my back and I could have us up that tree in a few seconds. He shot her a feline grin full of intimate promises.

She laughed but she got the feeling he was only half-joking about that. Maybe another time, she teased.

Duly noted. He grinned and then stole a quick kiss while playfully squeezing her ass.

She snorted in delight as he kept both his hands firmly