by Jenika Snow
Being with Garrison meant she had to submit a part of herself, give herself over to a man, a lion shifter who was so powerful, so in control with every aspect of his life he frightened a part of her. It wasn’t being afraid of him hurting her, because she knew he’d never do that. It was a fear this male would change her world, rock her very existence. She didn’t know if she would ever be the same.
But a part of you wants him, wants to let him have dark control over you.
Yes, a part of her did want that, a big part of her, and that frightened Odessa, too.
She got in her car and made the half-hour drive to meet Sashi. Her friend was already in town because she’d worked this afternoon. They were both ready to get good and drunk, and had one of their lion shifting friends from town on standby to take them home. But it was all in good fun, and Odessa desperately needed to let loose.
Thirty minutes later and Odessa was pulling into the parking lot of the only, but pretty decent sized, bar in town. Hemingsworth was a mountain town that had a good population of shifters and humans, but the shifters, lions especially, outnumbered the humans three to one.
She went into the bar, spotted Sashi right away getting a drink, and smiled at the clear flirtation going on.
Sashi turned around, maybe scenting Odessa even though the stench of beer and male arousal filled the room. Odessa wasn’t interested in the dicks surrounding them, though. She was interested in having some drinks and, she hoped, letting her own problems vanish for the time being. She could deal with them later.
Once they were back at the table and had finished their first drink, Odessa was ready for her next. The waitress brought them over a pitcher of beer, and although she didn’t care for beer, right now she would drink just about anything. The alcohol was starting to move through her veins, and instead of her problems fading, like she’d hoped, it seemed her thoughts were even more centered on Garrison.
“You’re thinking about him,” Sashi said, her focus on Odessa, and a smile on her face.
“I’m not,” she lied.
Sashi rolled her eyes, snorted once, and brought her cup to her mouth to take a long drink of her beer. “If you want to lie to yourself about how you feel for him, that’s cool. But I’m a lion, girl, and can scent you’re not being truthful,” Sashi said and lifted a brow, challenge in her expression. “Listen,” Sashi leaned in closer. “I know Garrison is frightening. He makes all the males in the pride…” She paused a moment. “Hell, he makes any male that sees him afraid. I swear they tuck tail and haul ass in the other direction, and rightly so.”
Odessa snorted, the buzz from her drinking starting to come on stronger as she worked on her second beer. “I do want him, and I kind of hate myself over it.” And she’d admitted it, even though Sashi already knew.
“I know, but you shouldn’t.” Sashi drank a few sips from her beer. “He’s a powerful male, not just physically, but within the pride as well. He’d take care of you like no other. I don’t think you really see how Garrison watches you, looks at you, Odessa.” Sashi leaned back. Oh, Odessa knew. She was just scared of the intensity with which she cared for him, of the strength that this man held over her. “He already loves you, and after two years of chasing you he still wants your stubborn ass.”
Odessa smiled at Sashi’s brashness.
Sashi was right. Odessa had sensed his affection for her, his love. It was one of the good things about her species … the ability to tell what another person was feeling. But Garrison was such a hard ass, such a determined male when it came to getting what he wanted that she knew he kind of forgot to stop and realize she was a woman and might enjoy the softer side of him. How could it hurt to see how things worked out between them? She didn’t have to commit right away, could go with the flow and see how it was to submit to him. Having sex with Garrison didn’t mean she had to let her emotions override everything … right?
She wanted him, without a doubt, but mating him still scared her.
“He loves you, Odessa, he really does. It’s obvious. You need to give both of you a chance to see if it’ll be what you want, Odessa.”
She stared at her friend, and then finally nodded. She knew she had to give him a chance, but also give herself a chance to see if her fear was even warranted. “You’re right about it all, like always.”
Sashi chuckled. “You’ll learn one day.”
Odessa smiled and finished off her beer. After a good hour of them drinking and talking about things other than Garrison, they decided to dance. She was feeling overheated, her lion wanting out and running free. Her arousal for Garrison was a burning hum inside of her.
They swayed to the music, their laughter filling the space around them, and the scent of their animals rising stronger. Sashi turned around and started dancing with a man, both of them now gyrating together. Both breathed hard, and the human male was drunk, his arousal clear. This was Odessa’s cue to sit down, but before she could move a male came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He spun her around, pulled her close to his body, and she felt his erection.
“Not now, buddy,” she said on a laugh, and tried to push him away. He was drunk as well. Hell, everyone in this place was.
“Come on, baby. I like what I see. I like that you’re so damn thick and have hips that go on for miles. It makes my dick hard.”
Okay, now she was getting pissed. She shoved him back harder, but he tightened his hold on her arms. “Get the fuck off or you’ll regret it.”
He grinned.
“Hey, asshole, she said back off,” Sashi said, her friend coming to her rescue in the face of this asshole coming on to her.
“Back off, girl,” the human said.
“Man, you better back the hell off before we go all shifter on your ass.”
The guy chuckled, but it wasn’t a wary one, not one that showed he was smart enough to know when he was outmatched.
A low growl left Sashi, but Odessa shook her head at her friend, telling her nonverbally she’d handle this.
Odessa felt her animal rise up, and flashed her lion across her face, letting him see she would tear him apart if he didn’t back the fuck up. But it wasn’t the fear of her animal taking him that seemed to make him realize what was happening, but the fact people on the dance floor were now watching them. He moved backward, held his hands in the air, and shook his head. He started muttering, and he moved away from the dance floor and toward the exit.
Breathing out, she turned and faced the front door and watched him leave, knowing that if it came to it she would have taken him out without any problem. She may be a female, but she was a shifter, dammit, and could take care of herself in the face of a drunken prick.
****
Garrison had left the inside of the bar after watching the exchange between Odessa, Sashi, and this motherfucker he was following. He was quiet as he followed the bastard around to the back of the building, thankful they would have privacy for what was about to go down. The human male was pretty trashed, weaving as he walked, muttering to himself, and hiccupping, but Garrison didn’t find any empathy toward the asshole. He’d touched Odessa, thinking the fact she danced alone was an invitation. Odessa was his mate, and because of that he’d teach the fucker a lesson.
Once they were behind the building Garrison curled his nails into his palms and breathed out, feeling his lion rise up, wanting to shift. But Garrison held strong to his human side. “You made a mistake in there.” Garrison said in a low voice, seething with anger and ready to shift and kill this asshole.
The human slowly turned around, blinked a few times, then curled his lip. He was clearly drunk, but Garrison didn’t care. And here, alone, this asshole wasn’t showing the fear he should, especially in the face of a shifter.
“What, man?” The human asked, squinted his eyes, then straightened.
“You put your hands on my mate, and thought you could touch her like some kind of dog in heat.”
“Dog in heat? What the fuc
k are you talking about? She was alone, shaking her ass in front of everyone, and I took her up on her silent offer. You would have done the same,” he slurred out, and turned his head to spit.
“You’d do best to watch your mouth, or I’ll kill you instead of beat you into unconsciousness.” Garrison had seen the exchange, knew this fucker had been groping his woman like he had a claim to her. Fuck. No.
He took a step closer, and the human shook his head, the scent of beer and stale sweat coming through clearly.
“Just back off, douche.”
Oh, this fucker was dead. He clearly didn’t know who Garrison was, or what he was, or he didn’t give a shit. But he would. Garrison charged forward and slammed his body into the asshole. Garrison used force and moved with it so it was on the human now. The other male stumbled back, but came forward swinging. His actions were slow and sloppy, a result of him drinking and his anger.
The lights behind the building were muted yellow, showing the brick wall across from them, the dirty dumpsters all in one row, and the fact they were in a dirty fucking area. But that was good because this fight was about to get fucking filthy.
Garrison brought his fist up, clipping the human under the chin. He stumbled back, blood immediately spilling from his mouth. Garrison wanted to rip his throat out, bathe in his blood, but this was a human, weak in comparison. He was pumped with adrenaline and endorphins, and his lion wanted out. It snapped and growled, clawing to be released. The fight was half the fun, half the rush. Garrison sensed a few people close by, but he didn’t pay them any attention. The shadows claimed most of the back of the building, but his superior sight made seeing in the dark easy.
Something dark and deadly rose up in Garrison. His lion pushed forward even more, demanding the blood of this male covering him. He wrapped his hand around the human’s neck and growled, hoping to have the little asshole piss himself. “You fucked with my mate, my female. You dared to lay a hand on her and think you could take something from her that isn’t yours. And because of that you’ll pay for it with your blood.” He slammed his fist harder and faster into the male’s face.
“You fucker.”
He slammed his knuckles into the human’s face, heard bone break, and felt the blood spray on his neck. “If not for my control right now you’d be dead.” He tossed him across the cement. The human groaned, tried to rise, but he was bloody, had broken bones, and his strength was gone. Garrison felt no sympathy for the man who thought touching his female without her consent was okay. Garrison walked over to him, and said in a low voice only he could hear, “If you even think about my female again, I’ll hunt you down and kill you without even thinking. I have your scent in my brain, engrained in my senses, and I can find you anywhere.” He kicked the fucker hard enough his body skidded across the pavement.
Garrison turned and only thought about Odessa. He was done waiting, done giving her the time she needed to realize she did love him, did want him as her mate. He headed back to where he’d left his woman, about to claim her tonight, because she would be his, and she’d wear his mark to prove it.
Chapter Four
Odessa hit his back, trying to get him to leave her alone. Garrison had stormed back into the club, picked her up in the fireman’s lift, and carried her out. Her friend, Sashi, didn’t even try to help her. Her traitorous friend cheered for Garrison. She was so pissed off yet excited. He’d stormed inside looking every part the lion enforcer, and come to take her. She loved it, and she loved him. Odessa finally realized she loved him, and it scared her. Garrison was such a hard man. Could he ever learn to show love?
They entered his home, and he slapped her ass twice as she beat his back. “Let me the fuck down.” She didn’t give up on her hits even though her fists were in pain from his rock hard body. Even his ass was well defined and hard as rock. Not one part of him was bad, and it only served to piss her off because she couldn’t find fault with him.
Her ass was on fire from his blows¸ and he didn’t stop, walking straight up to his room.
“Put me down.”
“You let another man touch you.”
“I didn’t. I told him to back off, and when he got the message he did back off. What you’re doing now is pissing me off.”
“You’re going to stand there and argue and fight with me when your pussy is fucking drenched?” He slapped her ass once again.
Screaming in rage, she decided to bite his ass cheek instead. He grunted yet didn’t stop his walk toward his room. The moment she entered his room all bets were going to be off in her being able to reject him. Every time he cornered her they’d not been anywhere private enough for him to do anything more than touch. He was a lion, and when they claimed a female for the first time as a mate¸ they needed privacy. It was strange. Once men mated all bets were off. They’d mate wherever they wanted to, outside, inside, up against a tree.
Damn, now she had images of Garrison taking her up against a tree, and what was worse, she really wanted him to as well.
Gritting her teeth, she closed her eyes but took another bite out of his ass.
Suddenly, she was dropped onto a soft bed, but there was no chance to escape. Garrison covered her body, grabbing her hands, and trapping them above the bed. “Stop fighting me, little lion. You’re my woman, my mate, and you’re going to start fucking acting like it. I almost killed a fucking human today. I’d have disposed of the body, but it would have caused a shitload of problems.”
“I didn’t ask you to do that.” She snapped back at him, wondering what he’d do if she bit his nose and didn’t let go.
“When are you going to realize that I fucking love you?”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
He growled, his teeth going to her neck, right over her pulse. Garrison nipped hard enough to have her tensing. She wasn’t afraid as a flood of arousal swamped her pussy, melting her right to the core.
He loves me?
Garrison groaned. “Are you really going to deny me when your pussy is making it plain for the pair of us you want to be fucked?”
“You’re crude.”
“And you’re a real bitch, but I’m still coming back for more.” He slid her thighs open with ease, pressing his pelvis to hers. His cock was rock hard, and she was shocked with how he kept it in his pants. From the size and feel of it, she imagined him tearing the fabric of his jeans to get to her.
Stop fighting, Odessa. Give in to what you want.
He loved her, and for once she really wanted to be his, no more fighting.
“Wanting me doesn’t make you weak, Odessa. It makes you strong. Weak women deny what they want and live with regrets. Strong women take what they want, and bask in having everything.” He licked the bite he’d just created. “I’ll always take care of you, love you. I’m not going to change, but I promise you, you’ll always be the woman I care about.”
Odessa stared up at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. “I’m afraid.”
“I’ll be here to catch you. I’ve always been here for you, and even if we don’t mate, I’ll stay here to catch you when you fall.”
His words hit her hard. She stopped fighting and simply relaxed.
“Make love to me, Garrison. I’ve been a fool with you.” For two years she’d been fighting the wrong thing. She’d been fighting Garrison because she believed it would make her weak to be with a mate. The feelings he inspired within her terrified her, and she didn’t want any man to have that kind of control of her. She wanted him, and he’d waited two years, and from the sound of it, he’d wait a lifetime.
“I’m going to make love to you, and make your first time memorable. There won’t be any other man, Odessa, and I want to tell you something.”
“What?” she asked, staring into his beautiful dark eyes. They were filled with a wealth of knowledge and possession. Not for the first time she wanted to reach out and touch him, fuck him, be with him. She finally allowed herself to release every
yearning she’d kept locked up inside of herself. He loved her, and she loved him. Odessa no longer wanted to deny herself. The need to roll around the bed with him, screwing him back, and basking in his scent was strong. Garrison was her mate, and she’d waited two years for him to be hers. She wasn’t going to wait another moment.
“There hasn’t been any other woman for me. I’ve wanted you for you, not for your position or who your father is. I love you.” He reached out, stroking her cheek.
His admission took her completely by surprise. Out of everything he could have said to her, words of fidelity were the last thing she anticipated.
“You’ve only wanted me?”
“Heart, body, soul, every fucking part of me. I can’t stand to be away from you. I can’t stand to watch another male put his hands on you even in friendship. You’re mine, Odessa, always fucking have been. No woman would ever be you. Mate with me.”
“You’re asking my permission?”
“I won’t take what you’re not willing to give. I’ve waited two years for you to be in my arms like this. I can wait a lifetime. I can’t promise you I won’t make it hard for you.” He gave her a wicked smile, and Odessa gave him one back.
“I love you,” she said, speaking the words she’d kept back two years ago. When he’d first come to her, asking to mate with her, she’d wanted to jump for joy. Garrison, the strongest male in the pride, wanted her. Then her father’s training had taken over, his training for her to become part of the pack, to take over from him, and it had stopped her from jumping for joy. Only, she wouldn’t be taking over from her father. She’d held back, but there was no need to hold back. “It would be an honor to be your mate. You’re my heart.”
She didn’t get a chance to say anything else as his lips were on hers, devouring her mouth. He released her wrists, and she took advantage, sinking her fingers into his hair. She gave into desire, holding him close. Odessa wasn’t gentle as she tugged on the strands of his hair, holding him in place.